A drenched Pat Stanton sat in a dunk tank, waiting for another good arm to send her plunging back into the water for a sixth time. “It’s getting pretty dry up here,” she called out to passers-by. The dunk tank belonged to her son’s Infinity Robotics Club and taking pity upon her son’s equally soaked comrades, the Hopewell woman decided to take a couple for the team…The Mercer County 4-H, a youth development program, is part of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service, which just entered its 100th year. From kindergarten to recent high school graduates, 4-H members are taught life, leadership and citizenship skills via community clubs, summer camps, school enrichment and other programs.

The 96th annual Mercer County 4-H Fair kicked off today and continues through tomorrow at the Howell Living History Farm. The fair includes livestock shows and judging, 4-H exhibits, food, hayrides, farm tours and demonstrations, music, children’…

The county fair has been around longer than Cooperative Extension. But Extension has been involved in county fairs since its establishment in the early 1900s. Nearly every county has a county fair, in which staff, volunteers, and families invest a great deal of time and effort to organize, promote, and run every year…”This event is the culmination of hard work by our 4-H leaders, members, and parents,” said Chad Ripberger, 4-H agent for Rutgers Cooperative Extension in Mercer County. “Our fair is an excellent place for the members of Mercer County 4-H and the residents of Mercer County to showcase their talents and receive recognition for their individual entries.”