Whether it’s the sound of ice cream churning or the curiosity sparked by “chicken poop bingo,” it’s the sense of community that keeps people coming back to the Mercer County 4-H Fair.
Held July 26 and 27 at Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell Township, the 106th annual fair highlights everything from goat shows to bottle rocket launchers, with youth at the center of it all. Admission and parking are free, and attendees are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation for Rutgers Against Hunger.
While the fair offers many of the same attractions as any other county fair, what sets it apart is who runs the show: kids.
“We watch over and explain everything, and the kids do it themselves,” said nine-year-old 4-H member Abigail Young, who owns 72 chickens, and was helping organize activities like “Could You Shear a Sheep?” where children shear a wooden sheep using real tools.
In addition to traditional agricultural exhibits, the fair also celebrates innovation. The Robbinsville Innovation Club presented STEM-based projects, including a GSR stress detector and a chess-playing robot arm.
Club member Sidharth Sandeep, 16, designed the robot to provide access to chess for people without internet or other resources, calling chess an “eternal game.”
“Some people might not have other people to play with, or they might be in situations where they can’t use the internet,” Sandeep said. “This offers a fully offline way to play chess—either solo or against a robot with adjustable difficulty. It can also help improve motor skills and spatial reasoning for people with disabilities.”
For 11-year-old Charlotte Rasmussen, the fair was a chance to reflect on her bond with animals and the 4-H community.
“My favorite part about having animals is seeing them every morning and building a relationship with everyone at 4-H,” she said while adjusting the udders on the “Could You Milk a Dairy Goat?” display.
The fairgrounds buzzed with activity—from livestock exhibits to rabbit cages—but one constant draw was “Ice Cream Jim,” where Farmer Jim and his crew churned ice cream using a vintage hit-and-miss engine.
“I started out at home with a little hand crank,” said Farmer Jim, a longtime volunteer. “When I started here at the farm thirty-something years ago, we had an old engine. I put it together and started making ice cream.” Farmer Jim makes a variety of flavors including vanilla, peach, blueberry, strawberry, and wineberry.
This is the 17th year the fair has been held at Howell Living History Farm, according to Director Peter Watson.
“Once we had this facility going—with parking and more creature comforts—we moved the fair here,” Watson said. “It’s an active farming and educational site, which aligns with 4-H’s mission.”
Watson, who learned about 4-H through his work at the farm, praised the program for exposing young people to agriculture, environmental stewardship, and career paths.
He recalled a recent moment that captured the spirit of the fair.
“Last night when I left, I saw a bunch of 4-Hers—including one on crutches—putting up a tent that had blown over, and it wasn’t even part of their exhibit,” he said. “I just looked at that and thought, that’s what this is. I think the 4-Hs are what? Head, heart, hands, and health. Well, that’s a whole lotta heart.”
There’s still time to catch the fair’s final day on Sunday, July 27, which features a poultry show, live music, and a pie-eating contest. The Mercer County 4-H Fair is already scheduled to return next year on the same weekend.
photos by Rebecca Wechter
