Zimmermans compete in many 4-H categories

By Editor | July 11, 2012 |

A visit to the Fayette County Fair-grounds Saturday afternoon found that, although the temperature was in the three-digit range, area 4-H kids were braving the heat to participate in the rabbit competitions.

The rabbits were well-cared for, as they were in the shade under the roof of the building, with fans. Their owners were keeping them well-supplied with fresh water, and the officials were thoughtfully moving along with the competition in consideration of the 4-H kids and their animals.
The years of 4-H members are filled with learning, experience, responsibility, fulfillment, victories, disappointments, working together, sacrifice and accurate record-keeping, while also building good character, molding good traits (integrity, fairness, tolerance, etc.) and giving real hands-on preparations for life … and lots of friends and fun.
Most kids who join a 4-H club stay for the long haul, as long as they are within the age limitations.
The 4-H emblem was patented in 1924, and Congress passed a law protecting the use of the 4-H name and of the emblem. The 4-H kids learn what that emblem represents.
County fairs play a very important part in the life of 4-H clubs, and the 4-H projects and animal competitions are an important part of the county fairs. Both need the support of the communities, businesses and individuals to keep them a vital part of today, not just something to be remembered from our yesterdays.
Meet David and Rachel
David Zimmerman of the Shafter Friends 4-H Club is an example of a long-time 4-H’er, as he is showing rabbits for the eighth year. This is the fourth year of competition for his sister, Rachel.
Rachel
The Zimmermans were on hand to show their rabbits, which Rachel described as Californian rabbits.
“They are white with pink eyes, and they have black on their ears, nose, feet and their tail,” she said.
Rachel is 12 years old and will be entering the seventh grade. She had entries in several more 4-H competitions – photography, cooking and speech.
“Those were held at the Brownstown Elementary School last week. They call you up there and talk to you, to make sure you knew about it and that you did it,” she said.
David
David is 16 years old and is entering his junior year in high school. He also had entries in other project areas, all of which were also judged last week, due to the heat.
“I had a journalism project, I made a video on cheese-making, and I presented a speech,” he said.
The Californian Rabbits
Discussing the rabbits, David admitted that at first, they made pets of the rabbits, because there were just a few.
“We would sit and play with them, but now that we have so many, they are so much work and it’s difficult to have them as pets,” he said.
The rabbits are clean and well-groomed or brushed, but, David said, “We don’t brush them. They are like family, taking care of each other. They will clean themselves and each other,”
The Californian rabbits are not in a class where they have to be groomed. Rachel explained, “The sixth class is more the meat-type rabbits, and we are sixth class, but we don’t kill them; we take them to a meat locker.”
Californian rabbits were the breed they began with and have chosen to keep. The Zimmerman’s rabbits have been awarded several champion awards.
“The only time that we have many vet fees are when they are a few months old,” David said. “We have to tattoo them, so they will be able to be identified at the fair.”
“When they are tattooed, they also receive a shot to prevent ear mites. Any other vet fee would be if we didn’t know what was wrong with them, if they weren’t eating or not active,” he said.
The Rabbits’ Guardian
As the Zimmermans live on the outskirts of Vandalia, there is always a possibility of predators.
Another resident of the Zimmerman home place is “Lizzie,” a walker/bloodhound mix, who, Rachel believes, is capable of scaring away most predators.
Rachel said, “My dad would love having more animals, but we don’t have the room.”
The 4-H Family Zimmerman
Steve and Sally Zimmerman support David and Rachel’s 4-H projects and other interests. Steve is an agriculture teacher in Greenville, and Sally teaches first grade in Altamont.
David sings in his choir at First Baptist Church in Vandalia, and he and Rachel both have sang solo specials. They both also play various musical instruments in school.
They are both involved in 4-H public speaking, something their dad encourages, as he is an FFA adviser.
The family is all supportive of one another and enjoy a close family relationship.