WHEATON, Ill. – It’s been 10 years since pigs have been shown at the DuPage County Fair near Chicago. It surprises many that animals of any species are shown at this highly urban fair setting, let alone pigs. DuPage County has become the most developed and suburbanized areas in and around Chicago.

“This is not a rural community by any stretch,” said Nancy Reppe, DuPage County 4-H youth development program coordinator. “There’s no large-scale working farms around here anymore because the land is too valuable in this area. The area here around the O’Hare Airport near us is just so developed. But now, though, farming has piqued the interest of folks in this area. It’s become an up-scale thing to do now, to learn about the life skills related to farming and farm animals.”

4-H in this county has been given a pulse thanks to Fischer Farm, a working and enrichment farm, one that’s educational and hands-on for kids in this highly urban area. Fischer Farm is affiliated with the Bensenville Park District and rests on five acres.

Christine Shiel, Fischer Farm manager, launched Fischer Farm 4-H Club, the first 4-H club in the county dedicated to livestock.

A few years ago, Shiel approached Bensenville Park District Executive Director Joe Vallez about creating a 4-H club and got the OK to jumpstart the new club, one with farm animals in mind.

“I decided to see if the community was interested,” Shiel said. “At first, I thought it would be great getting five to seven kids in this new program. In our first year we had 26 kids involved, 18 in 4-H and eight of those in Cloverbuds. We’re off to an overwhelming start.”

This year’s DuPage County Fair in Wheaton will be July 25-28. 

“As a first-year club we had the idea of supporting kids with small animals like rabbits and chickens, as these can be raised from their home. But a few have already stepped up and want to raise and show pigs. It’ll be a bit difficult tending to larger animals as they live in a highly suburban area. We’ll allow the children to purchase a pig, lamb or goat and keep it here at the farm. It’s their animal and they pay for the feed, the vet bills. They have a schedule and when they arrive, they do the farm chores. They’re really committed and it’s neat seeing them rise to the challenge.”

Fischer Farm is believed to be one of the oldest remaining homesteads in the county. The Fischers established their home around the year 1836. Through the years, the Fischer family built barns and then a large farm house in 1919. The land just north of the cabin has been left untouched and is valued for its original seedbeds. This unchanged landscape is what settlers peered upon when they arrived in the area. Fischer Woods is a rare forest preserve with the remnants of prairie, wetland and woodland ecosystems.

The mission of Fischer Farm, based on of the mission of the Bensenville Park District, is to enhance the quality of life through the preservation of local and natural history, and through recreational opportunities for all to enjoy. Programs promote the awareness of the historical and ecological significance of the site. The Bensenville Park District, in partnership with the DuPage County Forest Preserve, has been working to restore the property and land.

“Today, Fischer Farm is used in a variety of ways, all centered around bringing people out and keeping the history of the farm alive,” Shiel said. “The farm hosts special events, provides tours of the facility, features camps and programs to connect youth to the outdoors, and provides a place for people to host outings and events.”

With an emphasis on farming, events at Fischer Farm this summer include a Farm Nature Hike, Endangered Species Day, Nature & Farm Bingo, Beein’ a Pollinator, Monarch Mania, Hummingbird Hangout and Farm Trivia. Other events include Shearing Sheep, National Cow Day, Farm Photography and Farm Chores.

Fischer Farm is the home base for the new DuPage County 4-H Club.

“With this new 4-H club, it’ll be a three-step process for these members: raise the animal, show them at the local fair and send to market in the end,” Shiel said. “Without this 4-H club in place, the kids would never have the opportunity to raise livestock and without Fischer Farm, folks in this highly urbanized county would not get to see any farm animal up close. It’s truly a great opportunity for them to learn the physics of agriculture.

“Most of the parents of these new 4-Hers have never been around farm animals before and they’re curious to see how all this goes. Most of the younger kids will tend to rabbits or chickens and they’ll sit back and see how the older children tend to the larger animals.”