Exciting changes happened this summer for the Black Hawk County 4-H & FFA Fair Office! For years the fair office was housed in an outside corner of the Hippodrome near the maintenance facilities. It served it’s purpose but lacked enough room for operations, storage and only had three or four outlets which were overloaded. Through a great relationship with the National Cattle Congress the Black Hawk County Fair Board secured a multi-year lease moving the Fair Office to the old Milking Parlor. This summer Mike Geisler and team rehabilitated the milking parlor by stabilizing the roof and walls, replacing a door, adding a door, adding a sliding window and more electrical outlets. This week a new pole building is being constructed behind the milking parlor which will serve for safe and secure storage of all equipment supporting the annual fair and 4-H programming. Currently livestock gates, pens, panels, equipment and other supplies are stored in five or six locations including in the outdoors which has led to damage and misuse. Here are some pictures showing the progress show far. Thank you to the Otto Shoitz Foundation and the Black Hawk County Fair Board for investing in 4-H and FFA and making this dream a reality.