Before they are old enough to join 4-H at age 7, younger children can become Cloverbuds and experience taking their arts & crafts, baking or other projects to the county fair.

“It’s a fun thing,” said Donna Krug with the K-State Research and Extension - Cottonwood District.

Or, as one of the Cloverbuds judges was overheard to say, “These pre-4-Hers are a hoot!”

Most of these 5- and 6-year-olds have older siblings in 4-H and they want to get involved in the fair, too.

Older children who enter an arts & crafts item, for example, answer a judge’s questions to see how much they learned about what materials were used or how a piece came together. Along the way, they get some helpful tips for future projects. The best entries are awarded blue ribbons.

The Cloverbuds all receive green participation ribbons, but there are a couple of other choices.

When George Debes from Hoisington showed his art project to a judge and showed how he mixed the colors Wednesday morning at Expo II, she awarded him with a multi-colored ribbon that said, “Awesome.”

George repeated the word with enthusiasm. “Awesome!”

“We’re trying to give them a positive experience talking with the judge,” Krug said. “We don’t place emphasis on who’s entry is the best.”

Fair schedule

The Barton County Fair continues through Sunday – plus the clean-up on Monday. Here is the schedule:

Thursday, July 7

1 p.m. - Judging of 4-H Project Display, Notebooks and Posters, Photography, Reading, Home Environment, Self-Determined, Wildlife, Rocketry, Energy Management, Entomology, Geology and Forestry and Open and 4-H Crops (Expo II)

2 p.m. - Judging of Open and 4-H Woodworking, Judging of Open and 4-H Ag Mechanics (Expo II)

3 p.m. - 4-H Horse Halter Classes (Expo III)

5-10 p.m. - Commercial Exhibits Open (Expo I)

6 p.m. - 4-H Bucket Calf Show (Expo III)

6 p.m. - Family Fun Night Carnival Games

6-8 p.m. - Free Stage Entertainment (Expo II)

8 p.m. - Free Christian Concert – Stars Go Dim (Farmers Bank and Trust Stage)

Friday, July 8

8 a.m. - 4-H Dairy Goat Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

9 a.m. - 4-H Meat Goat Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

11 a.m. - 4-H Sheep Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

5 p.m. - 4-H Beef Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

5-10 p.m. - Commercial Exhibits Open (Expo I)

6 - 9:30 p.m. - Axe Throwing Event (Commons Area)

6 p.m. - Family Fun Night Carnival Games

6 p.m. - Belt Sander Drag Races TEST and TUNE (Outside Beer Garden)

6:30 p.m. - Fashion Show presented by Barton County 4-H -Free Stage (Expo II)

7 p.m. - Belt Sander Drag Races (Outside Beer Garden)

8 p.m. - Country Concert – Tate Stevens with Special Guest Jadynce Schroeder  (Farmers Bank and Trust Stage)

Saturday, July 9 - KIDS DAY

7 a.m.- Registration Runway Run (1 Mile Walk/Run and 5K Run)

7:30 a.m. - Start 5K

8 a.m. - Start 1 Milke

8 a.m. - Family Bicycle Ride

8 a.m. - 4-H Horse Show (Outdoor Arena)

9 a.m. - 4-H Hand pets (Expo II)

10:30 a.m. - Open Class Sheep Show Check-in

11 a.m. - Open Class Sheep Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

noon - Antique Tractor Pull registration

1:30 p.m. - Antique Tractor Pull (north of Expo III)

3 p.m. - Registration  Mutton Bustin’ (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

3:30 p.m. - Mutton Bustin’ (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

4 p.m. - Sand Volleyball Tournament (Outdoor Arena)

5 p.m. - People’s Bank & Trust Watermelon Feed (Commons Area)

5-6:30 p.m. - Open Class Swine check-in (Expo III)

5-10 p.m. - Commercial Exhibits (Expo I)

5:30 p.m. - Registration for Kids Pedal Tractor Pull (Expo II)

6 p.m. - Kids Pedal Tractor Pull (Expo II)

6 p.m. - Family Fun Night Carnival Games

6-9:30 p.m. - Axe Throwing Events (Commons Area)

6:30 p.m. - Registration for Adults Pedal Tractor Pull (Expo II); the adults’ pull will be directly after the kids’ pull

6-8 p.m. - Free Stage (Expo II)

7 p.m. - Gary Ewing Memorial Open Class Swine Show (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

7 p.m. - Adult Corn Hole Competition (outside beer garden)

8 p.m. - Rock & Roll Night: Hells Bells with Special Guest Silver Bullet (Farmers Bank & Trust Stage)

Sunday, July 10

8 a.m. - Sunrise Service

8:30 a.m. - 4-H Members Breakfast (sponsored by 4-H Holding Board)

9:30 a.m. - 4-H Small Animal Round Robin (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

10:45 a.m. - 4-H Livestock Round Robin (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

11 a.m. - 4-H BBQ

1 p.m. - Celebrity Showmanship

2 p.m. - 4-H Showcase Awards (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

2 p.m. - Farm Bureau Association Root Beer Float Social (Expo III)

2:30 p.m. - Sale of Champions (Aaron’s Repair Arena)

4 p.m. - Buildings closed for check-out preparations

4:30 p.m. - Check out exhibits

Monday, July 11

All Day - All volunteers welcome. Tear down and storage.

5 p.m. - Final check-out of remaining exhibits and cleanup