WALCOTT, Iowa — The Mississippi Valley Fair kicks off in a few weeks with some changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One those is the 4-H and FFA program going virtual this year.
Leslie Bell will be a senior at North Scott High School in the fall. She says she will show a heifer and two steers in a few weeks at the virtual Mississippi Valley Fair 4-H program. Her brother, Logan Bell, will show a steer as well.
"For it to be a virtual show kind of sucks because we have worked really hard," says Leslie.
For several months, Leslie and Logan have tended and fed their cattle. They say their family pays over $800 every two weeks to "show feed" - that's about 18 pounds of food per animal a day.
"I already did all the work, so I might as well finish the season," Leslie says.
Leslie and Logan still want to give the competition their best shot, even if others don't.
The Scott County Extension Director, Becky Bray, says she doesn't expect entry numbers to go down after comparing other county fairs who have gone virtual.
"It's obviously pictures and videos, so it's a lot different over a picture than it is in person," explains Leslie.
"People can do a lot of different things to make a calf look better. Especially when it's on camera it's harder to judge them," Logan adds.
The 4-H Scott County Extension says judges will look at animals virtually. But they will also consider a write-up portion to hear what participants learned throughout the year.
"You won't have the crowds, you won't have the competitors on the side of you, and you just won't be in the same ring setting," Leslie says. "It just won't be the same environment."
4-H program participants have until the end of July to submit their entry form. Judging will take place and be finalized during the fair.