Congratulations Hoards Dairy Judging Winners for 2018

Results were announced at the Larimer County Dairy Show in August

2019 Schedule (subject to change)

Workshops for the year will be held the last Friday of each month, January through April.

January 25th - Clinic will be at the Extension office. PIZZA NIGHT! Please contact Shari to inform how many from your family will be attending and if any special requests (such as gluten free)
- 6pm - New 4-H dairy members orientation . Others can come at 6 but be there by 6:30 We have a terrific guest speaker; Kelly Neuhold, will be giving a very fun and informative lesson on nutrition. Following the presentation we will be starting the Hoards Dairyman judging contest. I know a lot of you have been through this many times and you may leave if you wish or stay and help with younger project year members learn about dairy judging and this contest. Remember this contest is the tiebreaker for the Mike Dickenson Award at fair. If you would like to see this years classes you can find it on the Hoards Dairyman link on our website. I have colored paper copies to hand out that night. If you would like a paper copy and are unable to attend that night , please let me know and will mail it to you. ALL (parents, siblings, leaders, other 4H members and friends) are encouraged to try this fun contest. You do not have to be enrolled in the dairy project to enter. You can enter both on-line and through me so we can enter as a group. Points will only be counted towards Mike Dickenson Award if I receive your scores to be entered as a group by March 8th!
- This is your project, if there is a demonstration you would like to do at a meeting/ clinic or have a subject you would like to learn more about please let us know!
February 22nd - 630pm at the Extension Office. Please bring your record book and any old show clothes you may have that can be passed down to other members. Also dont forget your Hoards Dairy Judging to be turned into Shari by March 8th (you can email her your final placings), this is a requirement for Lease A Dairy members, but everyone is encouraged to participate, including adults.
Livestock field day - Feb 23rd, 2019 Livestock Field Day is scheduled at The Ranch. This is an opportunity to meet the Meat Quality Assurance (MQA) and Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) requirements and learn so much more.
March 1st - Mike Dickenson Scholarship application due >apply here
March 29th - 630pm at the Extention Office in Ft. Collins. Please make sure you join us for our Very Special Guest Speaker, Erick Murray with Leprino Foods. All are welcome!
April 26th - 630pm at Dyecrest Dairy in Ft. Collins. We will work on some showmanship skills and check out the inside of a cow!

I won the State Dairy Enterprise award through FFA and went on to win in the regional division. My family started working for DHIA (Dairy Herd Improvement Association) following the sale of the dairy, and I continued being a DHIA supervisor for 14 years. Those dairy families became part of my family and I still care for them all so much to this day. I also helped Valentine Holsteins and Haake Farms Brown Swiss, showing and picturing cattle. I was just helping out at the Larimer County Fair Dairy show and somehow got to become a county leader - 23 years ago! My son Thomas showed dairy cattle and many other projects in 4-H and school and my husband helps out when he can. I have been blessed by sharing what little I know along with many other terrific leaders and sponsors with many kids through the Larimer County 4-H Dairy Program. We have an awesome bunch of kids, parents and other supporters of the 4-H dairy program every year, and that's what continues to keep me a leader in this great program.

I was almost literally born in a dairy barn! It was on the historic Willis Farm in Timnath, CO. My dad was milking cows and my mom was in the barn waiting for him to get done because I was on the way! Cows came first. When I was 2, my father went in partnership with another family and we had East Glade Dairy in Masonville, CO. In 4th grade, we sold out and after a little more than a year, we started Homestead Dairy in Bellvue, CO. I started showing Dairy cattle in 1972. At 14, I got a loan through the Jr. FHA program and bought 14 head of cows. My herd grew to 40 before we had to sell the dairy in 1983 (a hard time for many dairy farmers in the area.) I was also on the Larimer County Dairy Judging team for several years and even went to Nationals one year.

Meet Our Leader - Shari Stroup

We have 4 meetings during the year and Lease-A-Dairy members are required to attend at least 3 of these.

Here is the link to another good site about getting ready to show. MSUcares

LEASE-A-DAIRY Members - Record Books begin in January. Books are available from Shari and online from the Extension Office.

Thank you to the following dairies/farms for supporting this project: DyeCrest Dairy; Ft. Lupton Dairy, Mountain View Dairy & Shani McBride (Severance)