Fun at a County Fair

Dean’s Report by NCTA Dean Larry Gossen, Ph.D.

What is the month of July or August in Nebraska or the Midwest without taking in a county fair?

It’s fair time here in Frontier County, friends!

Our campus community is heavily involved with the whirlwind of activities at Stockville and Eustis these two weeks.

Frontier County 4-H, FFA and open class exhibitors have been working most of 2022 in preparation for one of the busiest (and most fun) times of the year.

We started the Frontier County Fair with preliminary events last Saturday, July 23, and will conclude on Sunday, July 31.  Then, next week, August 3-6, volunteers and our Nebraska Extension staff of Frontier County shift their focus and energies to the Eustis Fair and Corn Show.

As any 4-H or FFA family will tell you, preparation is all out the weeks ahead of fair in making final touches on projects.

Clipping calves for the showring. Testing the baked goods in the family kitchen. Putting the final touches on the cookie jar or welding project. Those in sewing projects often experience a busy evening prior to the day of clothing judging or style revue.

Fortunately for Nebraskans, both rural and urban, thousands can relate to these experiences and say, “been there, done that.”  And, we have better young leaders, community citizens, volunteers and families for their role in the 4-H and FFA youth programs.

Now that we have cooler temperatures this week, I encourage you to take in a county fair. Enjoy the many displays and youth exhibits, garden and field produce, and social times. Find a shade tree to sit outside and visit with friends.

Thank you to all of the many volunteers who keep our county fairs an enriching part of our lives.

Across Nebraska, many of the fairs have concluded or will be completed in the next two weeks. Enjoy this time together, Nebraskans!

On the ball court

This Saturday, I look forward to welcoming former Aggie basketball players of Coach Del Van Der Werff to Curtis.

Coach Del and Bev have been a huge part of the NCTA campus and its students. We hope there is great turnout for a fun afternoon at the court in the Curtis Community Center.

Spectators and friends are welcome to join us between 1-5 p.m.  However, come to campus at noon to gather, first, and touch base where these friendships and college experiences started. We’ll begin at the Nebraska Agriculture Industry Education Center at noon, July 30.

I’ll see you soon at a county fair or on campus.  Stop by anytime to say hello!

NCTA Events:

July 30:  Aggie Basketball Team Reunion, 12-5 p.m., Curtis Community Center

July 23-31:  Frontier County Fair, Stockville

August 3-6:  Eustis Fair and Corn Show, Eustis

August 5: NCTA Summer Session ends

August 9-10:  NCTA at Nebraska Grazing Conference, Kearney

August 20-21:  NCTA New Student Orientation, campus move-in

August: 22:  NCTA Fall Semester starts

Part of the University of Nebraska system, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is a two-year institution with a statewide mission of preparing students for successful careers in agriculture, veterinary technology and related industries. NCTA is known for its affordable tuition, high job-placement rate for its graduates, and for the success of student teams in competitive activities including crops judging, ranch horse events, livestock judging, shotgun sports, stock dog trials, and intercollegiate rodeo. The college is consistently ranked as one of the best two-year schools in the nation.