The Plymouth County Fair is here and the Ahlers are ready to exhibit their 4-H project and livestock entries. From left to right (back): Rebecca, Jill, Kristen, and front: Daniel. [Click to enlarge]

As the prize hopeful pumpkin bread bakes in the oven and the sheep are led around the farm one last time, John and Debra Ahlers' four children Jill, Rebecca, Kristen, and Daniel, are busy putting the finishing touches on livestock entries and 4-H exhibits for the upcoming Plymouth County Fair.

The Ahlers, of rural Le Mars, are active members of the Stanton Lucky Clovers 4-H Club and treat the fair as a family affair.

"This summer our family made and hung a barn quilt at our home," said Rebecca. "We came up with the design, built it, and hung it on our barn."

All of the Ahlers had a hand in making the barn quilt, which was inspired by the family farm's 100th anniversary, which was declared a Century Farm earlier this summer.

The barn quilt project sparked the 4-H'ers interests and inspired them to further research their family heritage.

"We made a scrapbook about our family and farm's history," said Jill. "All of us took part in making it."

One may think they're seeing double, but 16-year-old twins Rebecca and Jill make a dynamic pair at the fair.

With over seven years of exhibiting 4-H projects, the two know a thing or two about what it takes to create and show a successful project.

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Rebecca will enter a wall hanging made out of cardstock with a scripture that reads, "Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you."

A baking connoisseur, Rebecca also created a project that compares the ease and taste of making homemade versus store bought pumpkin bread.

"Homemade pumpkin bread has 16 steps whereas the store bought mix has only six," she said.

The project helps consumers make baking decisions based on their budget, overall quality desired and how much time they have to make the bread.

Rebecca is also participating in the Pride of Iowa cooking contest, which puts 4-H'ers culinary skills to the test as they create recipes using Iowa products as the main ingredients.

"I will be making Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes," she said. "The recipe uses sour cream, butter, and cream cheese; all Iowa products."

A soon-to-be junior this fall at Le Mars Community High School, Jill Ahlers says that her favorite fair treats are the funnel cakes and taco in a bag.

"I love hanging out with my friends at the fair," she commented.

Jill also enjoys baking for the fair and many of the exhibits she will enter in the 4-H Exhibit Building fall under the Food and Nutrition category.

From a recipe box filled with family favorites, Jill's baking and collection of recipes are sure to be a hit with judges and fairgoers.

She is also preparing an educational presentation on the many uses of corn titled, "Corn: The King of Crops." Depending on the quality and weather, she also hopes to exhibit potatoes, green beans, beets, zucchini, and peppers grown in the Ahlers' garden.

Number three of the Ahlers siblings is 13-year-old Kristen. Although she's been busy playing her french horn for the Le Mars Municipal Band this summer, Kristen has made time to create a plethora of 4-H projects.

"I've made a Christmas countdown clipboard," she said.

Crafted from red and white cardstock, the countdown clipboard makes one almost hope for a Christmas in July.

Kristen also strutted her stuff in an outfit she purchased for the 4-H Clothing Revue competition earlier this month.

"I bought a T-shirt with a pink sunrise print and walking shorts," she said. "The judges wanted to know why I selected the outfit and how it complemented me."

She will model her summer selection for the Clothing Revue event this Wednesday at the fair.

Having three older sisters could be tough when you're a 12-year-old boy but Daniel Ahlers seems to do okay in the female dominated household.

Spending much of his summer outside with his sheep for the fair, Daniel says that he tries to work with them twice a day.

"I walk them around with a halter for practice," he said. "When they're tame, I lead them with my hand under their chin."

He has also been cutting nails and shearing the black-faced sheep to prepare for Thursday's 4-H Sheep Show.

Daniel has also been tending to a crop production project, in which he is responsible for 2 acres of land next to the Ahlers home.

"I help with the preparation, planting, weed and insect control," he said. "It was a lot of work and I did as much as I could for my age."

With a little guidance from dad, Daniel's crop production has been successful and says that he looks forward to participating again next year.

Once all of the 4-H exhibits and sheep entries have been judged Daniel says that he is looking forward to the Demolition Derby.

"I like seeing the cars smash into each other!" He said.

As the fair countdown starts ticking away the hours now instead of the days, the Ahlers family is ready for this year's Plymouth County Fair.