TOMPKINSVILLE, Ky. – Hay bales made of tan pool noodles. Fertile-looking soil made of kitty litter. A county road made from black sand paper.

The imagination of members of the Monroe County 4-H Tabletop Farmers Club in Tompkinsville ran rampant during the Monroe County Fair as they showed their creativity in portraying life as they see it on their own family farms. On a 3-foot-by-3-foot board, each 4-H member placed 1/64-scale barns, silos, farm animals, ponds, trees (you name it) on that board.

Now, these Monroe County 4-H Tabletop Farmers Club members and their advisers are on a mission to spread such creativity – and even competition – across the Bluegrass State.

“This Tabletop project is growing,” said Tina Hogue, Monroe County Extension Agent. “We reside on the border of the Tennessee state line and 4-Hers in Tennessee hold competitive farm displays at their fairs. We received word that 4-Hers in our state were interested in such a project, so we decided to start our own club, calling it the Tabletop Farmers Club. In adjacent Barren County, they held their first such tabletop meeting earlier this month, so it’s starting to spread. Our goal is to help spread this concept across our state.”

No specific rules are required of the children, though they must use or create farm-related items that are to 1/64-scale.

“We encourage each 4-Her to design their own farm and when they attend their local and the state fair, their boards will fit together to form a ‘community’ of farms,” Hogue said.

There are 15 members in the Tabletop Club in Tompkinsville with new members added each month, Hogue said.

“Our goal is to get the word out across the state,” Hogue said. “Next February our group of 4-Hers will be presenting our tabletops at the Kentucky Volunteer Forum. The kids are absolutely loving this and they’re taking this very seriously. Their creativity is amazing. And although they’re using replicas that are of 1/64-scale, we encourage them to use their creativity. One 11-year-old have created a scene from our own county fair, which included rides, swings, Ferris wheel, demolition derby and more. His replica was outside that 1/64-scale but his creativity was simply amazing.”

Charlotte Arnett, extension staff assistant for the Extension service in Monroe said tabletop farming is not just about toys and farm scenes, it’s also about fostering a sense of community and camaraderie.

“The members of our club find immense joy in harnessing their creativity to craft captivating farm scenes,” Arnett said. “It’s an opportunity for them to let their imaginations run wild, and the beauty of it lies in the ever-evolving nature of their projects. Our hope is for other counties to organize their own clubs as well so this may become a state program and our kids can have a state competition. The club is committed to expanding its horizons and welcomes new members with open arms.”

Their recent participation in the CPC Commodities Annual Farm Field Day in Fountain Run, Kentucky State Fair and Tompkinsville’s “Farming on Main” during June’s Dairy Month demonstrates their dedication to community engagement. Here, visitors engaged with 4-Hers, learned about their projects and gained insight into tabletop farming.

The club’s upcoming 4-H Toy Show, scheduled Oct. 21 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Monroe County Cooperative Extension Service office in Tompkinsville, is another step toward their vision. This event will feature toy vendors with a wide range of farm-related collectibles, but more importantly, Arnett and Hogue hope this show will ignite interest in tabletop farming in other counties.

“Hopefully, we will see tabletop clubs become as commonplace as livestock or other 4-H clubs,” Arnett said. “Our commitment expanding the reach of our 4-Hers’ passion is evident, and we welcome others to join us on this journey.”

Anyone interested in organizing their own county club should contact Hogue or Arnett at 270-487-5504.