Portage won't change ordinances to accomodate sheep

PORTAGE | The City Council's Ordinance Committee decided it wouldn't change a Portage ordinance to accommodate a resident wanting to keep sheep on a large parcel of land within the city.

Students get close-up look at farm animals during 4-H event

Lake County 4-H program introduces new members, honors others

CROWN POINT | The Lake County 4-H program introduced the members of the 2013 4-H Ambassador Board at the annual 4-H Leadership Recognition Banquet held Jan. 24 at the Great Oaks Banquets in Cedar Lake.

The Week Ahead - Lake County

MONDAY

'Heavy duty' culinary creations

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP | “Epic.” That’s how Jeff Weitzel, 4-H Barbecue Project superintendant, described Erik McGinley’s bacon-wrapped shrimp with jalapeno sauce.

Porter County residents come out for first day of Porter County Fair

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP | The gates opened to the 162nd annual Porter County Fair at 1 p.m. Thursday, but 4-H members had been there since morning competing in the dog obedience show and showmanship.

Organized Chaos: Creating a County Fair

Joan Grott doesn’t think that she could put a number on the amount of time it takes to set up the 4-H projects and events for the Porter County Fair.

Junior Leaders: Responsibility and Service

Nancy Potts chose to serve as a superintendent for Porter County 4-H Junior Leaders because of her own 10-year 4-H membership, her daughter’s 4-H membership, and the community service.

Cleaner, Bigger, Friendlier

Amber O’Rourke can’t even tell you how many times she has been to the Porter County Fair.

Q&A with Joan Grott

Q: Why did you choose to be the extension educator of Porter County 4-H?

Putting on a Good Show

A few years ago, Porter County 4-H almost did away with the Cats project after the superintendent quit, even though 4-Hers still wanted to do it.

Service, Scheduling, and a Sash

Gretchen Kohler is not a typical 4-Her.

Rusty promotes Lake county 4-H Night

GARY | Rusty the RailCat, mascot of the Gary SouthShore RailCats baseball team, visited the Thea Bowman Leadership Academy to promote Lake County 4-H Night at the RailCats, June 8.

Thea Bowman 4-H Club launches model rockets

GARY | Members of the Thea Bowman Leadership Academy Eagles 4-H Club recently built and launched their own model rockets.

Learning continues after school

EAST CHICAGO | Young people at the Roberto Clemente Center have an opportunity for hands-on learning about science, engineering, and technology as their after-school 4-H club explores topics ranging from food science to robotics.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: For ag folks, fair season is a great time of year

It's not a stereotype if it's true, right? Well, the truth is that many of us in the agricultural sector are fair junkies. All year we look forward to fair season; some of us, perhaps, with more excited anticipation than a kid waiting for Christmas morning!

Fun at Indiana State Fair goes on, tempered by sadness

INDIANAPOLIS | Four days after a concert stage collapse that killed five people, the sights and sounds of the Indiana State Fair were as gleeful as ever Wednesday though tinged by a touch of sadness.

From an Outsider: A Learning Experience

Photo provided by the Times

Showtime at the fair

Already laden with ribbons, Conner Hayden, 9 of Hebron, shows off his Chianina Thursday during the 4H judging at the annual Lake County Fair.

Raising rabbits is labor of love

QUINCY, Ill. | One summer when she was around 11 years old, Kayla Obert, of rural Quincy, walked into the rabbit barn at the Adams County Fair and immediately fell in love with the furry critters.