GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - West Gridley 4-H was the host for this year’s Butte County 4-H Foods Fiesta. It took place on November 5, 2022, at Bidwell Junior High School in Chico, CA.  There were 93 members registered from all twelve clubs throughout Butte County to do presentations.  A new Butte County 4-H fair requirement is that the members must do one presentation that is species specific to their livestock project that they will be selling at the fair. 

The members are judged on two different areas. First, they must do a presentation on what they made. The presentation has to be between 3-15 minutes in length. The judging is done using the UC 4-H Presentation Evaluation Form from the 2021 University of California Ag and Natural Resource (UCANR) Presentation Manual.  The different sections are:  Technical Requirements; Content:  The purpose of the presentation and the information and ideas presented; Structure:  the framework that organizes the content; and Mechanics of Presenting.  There are a total of 41 points that can be achieved. For more details visit ucanr.edu/sites/ca4H/files/346386.pdf

The second area is the food itself. It is judged for visual appeal and taste. In addition, the members also had to address food safety concerns; cost of making the dish; how their dish fits into a well-balanced menu that they created using My Plate; how could they make it healthier; references as to where they got their recipe; and display of a proper table setting. They can earn up to 100 points in this area. For more details visit: ucanr.edu/sites/Butte/files/373639.pdf

The senior 4-H members and adult volunteers are the judges for the event. A huge thank you to all of them that listened to the members’ presentations and tasted their creations.

After their presentation, the judges can ask the member questions.

Four of the Manzanita 4-H members participated at the event. All four members are in the Swine Project group. Isabella Thompson and Hailey Thompson each made a breakfast casserole with eggs, cheese, bell peppers, mushrooms and sausage on a crescent roll. Alianna Santillan made a Sausage Flower with crescent rolls and sausage. Antonio Santillan made Loaded Fries with bacon bits.

After the judging part is over, the members then get to go around and taste any of the other members’ dishes.

There were two different groups during the event. When a group was not presenting, they participated in a community service project making either a Thanksgiving Card or a Christmas Card to be given to our Veterans.

Palermo 4-H also collected cans of greens beans, corn, cream of mushroom soup and brown gravy for an upcoming Emerald Star Project to benefit the Oroville Rescue Mission during the holiday season. This project will provide holiday dinners to 300 individuals and is being done by Palermo 4-H members Tylar Ainslie, Madison Reiselt and Brooke Dikes. If you would like to help by donating items, please contact the Palermo 4-H or the Butte County 4-H Office (530) 538-7140.