Natural Resources at the Johnson County Fair

Natural Resources seems out of place at the fairgrounds. Wrong! Many topics presented at the fair fall under the realm of Natural Resources. Members in 4-H have the opportunity to present their knowledge on natural resources through a number of “static” projects such as geology, forestry, entomology, wildlife, environmental science, and even astronomy. Many of these projects are presented in poster form, meaning you likely won’t see a 4-H’er showing a bobcat, but you might see a really cool poster with bobcat on it.

Other projects like entomology and geology are all about showing off collections. Be careful looking too close at these awesome collections! You might catch the itch to start a collection of your own! For those of us not in 4-H, have no fear! The “open class” is for everyone outside of 4-H and offers a fun way to show off your knowledge and collections. This really is a great way to be a part of the Johnson County Fair.

Are you interested in participating in either 4-H or showing in Open Class? Johnson County Extension can help with that! It’s never too late to find your spark!

by Amy Keigher, Natural Resources Agent, 2025