-Submitted photo
A sign announcing the 2022 Ida County Fair is seen here. Keri Weber has been actively involved in the fair since her childhood days in 4-H.

IDA GROVE — Growing up a town girl, Keri Weber was never a stranger to the Ida County Fair. Some town people equate county fair participation with showing livestock, but Weber understood — even though she had horses — that there was much more.

“As a town 4-H’er, there are always plenty of static exhibits to take part in,” said Weber, 52. “There’s a horse show, but I always had projects in furniture refinishing, cooking, photography, or clothing.”

In 1989, Weber graduated from Ida Grove High School and then completed her bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies in 1993. Since graduating, she’s been active as a paralegal, first at a law office in Holstein and, beginning in 1998, a law office in Ida Grove.

Keri married her husband, Kevin Weber, in 1993 as well, moving to their acreage northwest of Ida Grove in 1996.

“It’s been a great place to have horses and raise cattle,” said Weber. “In all the time we’ve been married, this is the first winter that we haven’t had cattle or horses.”

-Submitted photo
The former swine barn came down after the Ida County Fair ended in July, and a new one will be in use in 2023. 4-H'ers raised more than $12,000 for the project this past summer, and a mini golf fundraiser is planned in March at Holstein to raise additional funds for

The Webers began livestock operation with calving out and then merged to backgrounding. Kevin works for the DOT and owns his own tractor repair business.

With all of life’s changes, however, Weber’s involvement in the Ida County Fair has remained a constant.

As horse superintendent from 1989 to 2001, she oversaw the stable conditions, classification of horses, and the feeding for the horse show; during this time, she was also part of the 4-H committee, the ruling group that oversees 4-H. From 2011 to 2014, Weber was a 4-H leader, instrumental in leading the youth in projects; the Weber’s daughters Kirsten and Kylee, 26 and 21 years respectively, were both active in 4-H for many of those years.

Beginning in 2001, Weber did what she had always done by going to where she was needed; she joined the Ida County Fair Board, and she hasn’t looked back since.

“The fair board is important because it provides the outlet for 4-H’ers to show their growth,” said Weber. “Being part of 4-H as a kid and then leading my children and others as a leader, I knew how important it was to have a fair, so these important projects could be shared with others and officially judged.”

-Farm News photo by Doug Clough
Keri Weber holds a picture of the proposed swine barn, for which the Ida County Fair Board is currently raising funds. The building will be used during the 2023 fair. Weber serves as acting secretary for the board.

Weber’s official role is acting secretary for the board, although — as most small fair board members know — there are many different shoes to fill.

“There’s a lot of ground maintenance,” said Weber. “It’s hard on buildings to set dormant for most of the year. It’s nothing to find electrical or plumbing issues that must be dealt with right before the fair begins. There’s always weeds to pull, and we’ve lost a good number of trees to the (emerald) ash borer.”

Aside from dealing with those necessary evils, the board has also been active with building improvements, which are at the heart of 4-H shows.

In 2003, a new horse barn was built. In 2005, the horse arena and mud drag were separated, so the horse show would have a place of its own. In 2008, a new commercial building was erected allowing a “Little Kids’ Farm” area for use. A new concession stand was built by the grandstand in 2009, so attendees didn’t have to walk so far for food. In 2013, the fair office was updated. In 2016, the “Pen of 3” building was expanded.

“Our previous pen-of-three building had only 32 pens,” said Weber. “Our new building has 43. It says a lot about our county participation that we are already stretching the limits of that building. We have great involvement from new generations of farmers. It’s likely that we have the best involvement in the state when it comes to the pen-of-three.”

In 2018, the board also constructed a new sheep barn, focusing on the show ring. In 2019, a storm shelter — cement block bathrooms for dual purpose — was added for participants’ safety. The last completed project was a playground for young kids to enjoy during the fair.

While Weber states that finances are always a key challenge, she also refers to the 50 or so banners on the roadside fence noting all the sponsors who support the fair. “We have a whole separate list of sponsors for the rodeo alone,” said Weber.

Not one to stand still, Weber and the rest of the board began funding another project this past summer — a new swine barn.

“It was great to see the 4-H kids get involved for fundraising on this one,” said

Weber. “They raised over $12,000 this past fair by donating their first pig to the swine barn fund. The farming community is very supportive, as are the area businesses and banks.”

The old barn came down after the July fair, and the new one will be in use in 2023. The board will hold a mini-golf fundraiser in March at Holstein to raise additional funds for this project.

Weber notes, however, that there are components of past fairs that have had to go away due to costs.

“We’ve had to limit the rodeo to barrel racing and bull riding, and the big carnival has been gone for some time,” said Weber. “The cost to put them on in addition to the liability insurance has forced some tough decisions.”

But the fair brings families together — and that’s what’s important to Weber.

“With excellent donors, there’s not much to pay for once you’re in the gate. We don’t nickel and dime people to go to a show or to the grandstand,” said Weber. “We’re huge on family events. One year when we were closing the buildings at the end of the fair, there were 10 or so kids sitting on a flat rack — no phones or other distractions. They were just minding their own business, not causing a bit of trouble. Town rivalries go away at the fair. We all have one very important part of our lives in common.”