According to Cassy Rankin, 4-H club leader of the North Rd. Rangers who helped organize the annual 4-H Tree Sale at Soldotna Creek Park this year, “Every last tree sold out in just over an hour, which is unheard of! What a wonderful day for the tree sale.” The event was extremely well organized with a long line forming early on a perfect spring day to purchase trees and support 4-H on the Peninsula. Groups of four at a time were allowed to enter the shopping area and as folks waited their turn Janice Chumley of the UAF cooperative extension answered consumer questions about their trees and spring planting.

Trees were not the only items for sale and as folks waited in line they could also support 4-H by purchasing fresh bread and goodies that were home baked by the North Rd. Ranger club members, “There were lots of goodies that the kiddos made for the bake sale today. We had several clubs present that not only helped out with the Tree Sale but offered pony rides and metal art to help support their clubs. 4-H is a great opportunity for kids to make friends and learn real life skills that meets them right at the age they are at in a broad range of activities from agriculture to crafts, animals, music, photography or public speaking,” said Rankin. “I do graphic arts and year book stuff on the computer and teen leadership in my club,” said Colton Rankin.

Melissa Clark is a member of the 4-H Trailblazers in Ninilchik and a member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) came to Soldotna to sell metal art they had made in their club, “I am passionate about agriculture and being in 4-H it helps me learn about different things, not just about farming, but public presentations and things like job interview skills. Today we are here to raise money for the whole Kenai Peninsula 4-H and our Trailblazer club with metal art created with a plasma cutter. What I like best about 4-H is the outreach, so many people with so many differences can come together to promote agriculture as a whole. With the hands on experience of 4-H and FFA we are preparing youth for the real world, making eye contact and not digitally creating an animal but seeing it born, eat and communicate it’s great,” said Clark