Edmonson County FFA, 4-H Win in State Fair Competitions

Six members from Edmonson County FFA attended the Kentucky State Fair on August 15, 2025. Pictured from left to right: Payton Goodman, Holly Simmons, Peytin Manor, Jasmine Prewitt, Addie Miller, and Ben Haberman.

Story and photos by Peytin Manor, Edmonson Voice Student Staff Member:
The annual Kentucky State Fair, a tradition of the Commonwealth since 1816, was recently held at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The fair features many opportunities for farmers and youth to showcase Kentucky agriculture. Each year Edmonson County FFA and 4-H attends the state fair to compete in a variety of competitions. 
    
Nine students representing Edmonson County FFA attended the Kentucky State Fair to compete in multiple events. Mackenzie Wilkerson, Addie Miller, Peytin Manor, and Keylee Jurisich competed in Wildlife Management. Ben Haberman, Peytin Manor, Addie Miller, and Jasmine Prewitt competed in Nursery/Landscape. Teresa Lopez, Leighton Kinser, and Jackson Haberman competed in Agronomy. The Nursery/Landscape and Wildlife Management teams finished seventh in the state. 

The Edmonson County FFA, a student-led organization, never had a Wildlife Management team prior to this competition. This group of students not only organized a team, but they also created study material and taught one another sections of the contest. The wildlife team gained hands-on experience teaching lessons which allowed them to deepen their understanding of this competition. In this competition, students were asked to score antlers, age jawbones of white-tail deer, complete a fifty question multiple choice exam, identify bird calls, as well as identify aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. 

The Nursery/Landscape CDE (Career Development Event) covers many aspects of the nursery and landscaping field. This event includes plant identification, a twenty-five question  general knowledge exam, and landscape estimations and practicums.

The Agronomy CDE (Career Development Event) is a timed competition that includes agronomic disorders, machinery identification, crop grading, insect identification, crop and weed identification, and a fifty question general knowledge exam.

Representing the Edmonson County 5/6 Center, middle school, and high school, five of the 4-H members pictured attended the state fair to compete in the Kentucky 4-H Country Ham and speaking competitions on August 14, 2025. Pictured from left to right: Quinnlan Alford, Laynee Lindsey, Jesse Denham, Abram Vincent, and London Alford.

On August 11, 2025, Edmonson County 4-H entered approximately sixty entries into the state fair competition located in Cloverville. There were multiple award-winning ribbons handed out to various student’s entries. Edmonson County 4-H also had 11 youth competing in the Country Ham Contest and public speaking on August 14, 2025.

The 4-H Country Ham competition is an event where youth learn to cure country hams. Participants will cure two hams using salt and smoking techniques and will also prepare a speech about their experience.