URBANA, Ohio – Urbana, nestled in the heart of Champaign County, boasts some of the richest soil the state has to offer. With nearly 900 farms and over 70 percent of the county’s 426 square miles used for cultivated crops, the county is home to a vast and vibrant agricultural community.

With a population of 38,741 and rising, Urbana offers residents an urban-suburban mix.

On the flip side, like so many agricultural communities, farmland in this county is slowly making way for new homes, apartments and non-agricultural businesses. Most of these new residents have no attachments to the agricultural community.

Three years ago, several members of Ohio State University’s Champaign County Extension office noticed a steady drop in 4-H participation at their fair the previous few years. The staff observed that along with urban sprawl, there was a steady decline in 4-H participation as these new families had no idea what a farm animal looked like up close.

Champaign County 4-H Educator Melinda Ryan got the ball rolling by reaching out to local businessman, fundraiser and auctioneer Todd Woodruff, and Dan Bline, accountant and lead 4-H adviser, for help. The trio made it their goal to get more kids involved with 4-H, realizing these families were unable to participate due to their physical location, financial situation, or both.

“Our sheep committee was trying to expand its numbers any way so we thought this was the time to get the ball rolling and increase our numbers across the board,” Woodruff said. “I was raised in 4-H and I just saw the need and when you have the facilities to do it and the people willing to help that’s the biggest thing.

“These kids might not need the financial help but perhaps they don’t have a place to keep an animal. And some might already have a place for an animal, but most don’t have the money, contacts or the know-how to simply get it done. We’re finding out there’s kids out there in these positions. We just don’t give them the animal, we back them and their project from the word ‘go’.”

Bline is on the same page.

“We’re just trying to make a little difference in some kids’ lives,” Bline said. “My own kids showed sheep at this fair, now I have grandkids who are showing. In recent years I noticed the sheep barn was kind of empty, so I approached Melinda and she led me to Todd. The three of us brainstormed and decided to fill up the barns with projects and give some kids a good experience.”

Two years ago, Woodruff Farm, along with the Champaign County Sheepman’s Association and the Champaign County OSU Extension, started a lamb 4-H club which allowed kids to show sheep at the 2022 Champaign County Fair with no out-of-pocket expenses. They named it New Beginnings 4-H Club.

This helped youth get involved who didn’t have a practical space for lambs or livestock at their own home. Housing for the animals was provided, courtesy of the Woodruff Farm on U.S. state Route 36 in Urbana. Feed and supplies were provided by generous sponsors as well.

“Any 4-H or FFA member or aspiring members were welcomed to take part in this project regardless of past experience,” Woodruff said.

In 2022, Woodruff hired an intern to help the exhibitors learn to take care of the animals, gain additional skills related to their project and practice good showmanship. That intern is in place to this day.

“Our intent is to help all 4-H or FFA members who may need a place to keep their animal, learn, have assistance, education and showmanship training,” Woodruff said. “We’re going to find their project lamb and fund their project until their projects are sold. The main goal is for the kids to have fun and learn.”

Ryan said, “Our original idea was to start with lambs but if we attract a lot of kids, we have talked about expanding in the future.”

And expand it has.

“The first year we held a ‘Road Show’ and went to all the schools in the county and met with the FFA groups,” Woodruff said. “The first year we had 28 participants and 38 the next year. This year’s we should have 51 kids showing.”

That first year, lambs were provided for the exhibitors from local breeders and the Champaign County Sheepman’s Association. This spring, the group bought a few sheep and goats from those same breeders in the county.

“To make some money prior to last year’s fair we held a ‘4-H Roundup’,” Woodruff said. “I’m really not into fundraisers, but this one fundraiser attracted over 400 people. We had a golf outing that earned us $136,000 gross for the 4-H. It’s not just for our 4-H program though. For example, we looked at other county fairs and wanted to help a few of them that needed help with their bottom line.

“It was an absolute ball. We had music, food, brisket, mechanical bull and a VIP area. It was a great success. We even had two full bars. You can say that alcohol and 4-H don’t go together, but at the end of the day we’re trying to make some money here.”

Woodruff said that as 4-H enrollment increases, so will the animal species at the Champaign County Fair.

“Dan and Lane (Hollingsworth, club adviser) did well to get lambs and goats started and that’s their forte,” Woodruff said. “This year we’re adding jersey heifers, though we’re not quite ready for market steers. If we expand, we’d have to build another barn at the fair. Hogs would likely be the next species we’d add.”

Woodruff said by participating in New Beginnings 4-H Club, members will gain communication skills, gain teamwork skills, learn proper ways to care for the animals, learn economics and marketing through record keeping, make money and have fun.

“Above all, I want the children to understand that nothing is free,” Woodruff said. “There are other fairs out there which allow the kids to house their animal in their barns, and that’s well and good. But we teach guidance. We preach to the kids that it’s not all about winning. They’re to do the best with what they have to work with. That’s it.”

All animals used in the club are housed at Woodruff’s farm.