4-H youth club teaches life, leadership through farming in San Bruno

“You notice how I have him against my leg? That’s bracing,” said 15-year-old Alex Meyerhoff, demonstrating how to show a goat for market. “I’m so proud of this.”

Meyerhoff visits the farm twice a day, once before school and once after to take care of two goats, Dete and Artemis, breeding animals whose offspring are sold at the county fair. That’s more commitment than most — Meyerhoff is the chapter’s vice president; other young members usually start out taking care of chicken or rabbits, tasks that require just a couple trips to the farm per month.

And if livestock isn’t your thing, youth from 5 to 18 years old can choose to work on something else, from baking to bicycles, to watercolor painting or crafts with monthly meetings dedicated to the topics. Or kids can pioneer their own projects with support from other students and adult mentors.

“Whatever interests you, no matter what it is, is something you can find at 4-H,” Meyerhoff said. “And if you can’t find it, you can do it yourself.”

4-H is a national program, with nine chapters in San Mateo County. Founded in the early 20th century to supplement public education with more practical skills for rural youth, it has grown to accommodate skill teaching over a diverse spectrum of topics and activities. 

Students are encouraged to engage with their communities, and San Bruno 4-Hers participate in community events including Operation Clean Sweep, a yearly initiative to help clean up San Bruno public spaces, as well as the Posy Parade and food and clothing drives throughout the year.

The organization, known for developing leadership and social skills, allows students to choose their level of commitment, from attending monthly meetings to taking on more time-consuming projects. 

“When I came to an open house in third grade, the thing that really interested me was the chickens, so, I started with chickens and I slowly started raising turkeys, started raising goats and all that,” Meyerhoff said.

Some animals sold at the fair are used for meat, a reality that can be tough to contend with, but is part of “the circle of life,” Meyerhoff said.

“Especially in your first year, raising an animal it’s hard,” said 16-year-old Isabelle Cailone, the chapter’s president. “Last year I raised a pig, and I was very close to him, so when I had to sell him it was a very hard process.”

Other animals are raised for showmanship, including rabbits, chicken and pigeons. 

“This year I got grand champion with my rabbit,” Cailone said. “We’ve had great success with our rabbits.”

The San Bruno chapter also shares a portion of the community garden, where students have planted tomatoes, corn, squash and the like. The fruit and vegetables are donated to Samaritan House, which distributes the food to people in need on the Peninsula. 

Other projects currently offered within the chapter’s curriculum include baking and cake decorating, Dungeons & Dragons, jewelry making, learning about pets and sewing. 

“Just the sense of community is nice, it’s like a second family,” Cailone said. “It’s a relatively small club, so you know a lot of the people personally.”

Prior to COVID, the chapter hosted close to 75 students, but with the pandemic forcing most activities online and canceling 2020’s fair, the chapter lost membership. Recently, this year’s in-person county fair saw the return of 4-H students, who proudly showed off a 1,300-pound steer, among other animals. 

An open house will be held at the farm Sunday, Sept. 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon and is open to anyone interested. The farm is located at the end of First Avenue in San Bruno. Cost to enroll with the nonprofit is $80 per year, with financial aid options available.

corey@smdailyjournal.com

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