02/11/2026
Check it out!! The state 4-H office choose to highlight one of the youth from our county in their Giving Hearts Day campaign. Read Gus's story and the other stories shared from across the state to see how your donation can impact local youth!
North Dakota 4-H
4-H is preparing youth to be "Beyond Ready" for their future.
When you give to the North Dakota 4-H Foundation, you help build a generation ready to lead, serve, and take on life’s challenges with confidence.
💚 Gus's Story ❤
"...I am a ninth year 4-H member in Golden Valley County. I started 4-H as a Cloverbud at 6 years old. My reluctant parents helped me start a baby lamb project, and I raised two bum lambs when I was 7. By age 9, I had bought my first bred ewes for my 4-H breeding sheep project.
"I started raising lambs to show and to start a college fund for my future. Over the years, my flock grew, but my income did not grow as fast as I would have liked. I brainstormed ideas to add value to my breeding project, and through 4-H Meats Judging, I realized that lamb is hard to find in traditional grocery stores... I came to the conclusion that I wanted to help more people try lamb as a part of their diet, while increasing my profitability. Last November, I received my ND Retail Meat Permit and started Walking U Meats. I am currently successfully marketing my first five lambs as retail meat cuts creating a value added opportunity for my sheep breeding project.
"In eight years, I have grown from two bum lambs to a successful small business owner thanks in part to my 4-H experiences. I look forward to where my sheep project goes as I finish my 4-H career over the next four years."
👉 (Early giving is already open!) Support North Dakota 4-H: bit.ly/ND4HGivingHeartsDay
