Meetings and other important dates:
(see below for a helpful checklist of deadlines to follow)
All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
--Monthly meetings are January thru July, held the 3rd Thursday of each month
-- club dues ($20 per member) can be paid at monthly meetings, unpaid dues increase by $1 per month beginning March . no half price early bird.
-- In case of bad weather, watch for a groupme text message, email, Facebook or Instagram post if canceled.
-- Programs may change due to availability of speakers.
***** AT OUR CLUB MEETINGS PLEASE VISIT THE LOST & FOUND TABLE TO CLAIM ANY AWARDS, PLAQUES, PINS, THAT MAY BE YOURS *****
Calendar Dates & locations: 2026
1-15-26 stations meeting (in the ECCC room D)
2-19-26 feed speaker, and Vote for Queen Contestant, (in the ECCC room A)
3-12-26 -- 1st & 2nd year members informational meeting (in the ECCC room A)
3-19-26 vet speaker, (in the ECCC room A)
4-16-26 Program: The officers will run the meeting (in our beef dairy arena) , there is a QLC session at 6pm in Ag Hall available this night too.
5-2-26: mandatory Weigh In & tagging day (7am-1030am) at our Dairy Feeder Barn. calves will be weighed, screened, tagged, tested. We will be taking tshirt sizes for 1st year members, dues, cafe duty sign up, etc. Dues MUST be paid! vaccines , deworner, implants available here. Our club will cover the cost of your vaccines & dewormer done by out vet here at our weigh in. Implants are at member cost though. We are not offering dehorning or castration here. Have those done early May or prior, to allow healing time.
5-21-26 demos @ Beef/Dairy Arena, stall req forms due
6-18-26 Clean up barn and concession stand work night, (at Dairy Feeder Barn)
7-21-26 -- 7pm info meeting, then all paperwork, essays, posters, turned in, TSHIRTS & passes handed out (at Dairy Feeder Barn)
* If you do not see your pass thru our club it is possible you could receive your pass thru another club if you are in multiple clubs. passes come thru livestock first, then local clubs, in that order
Looking forward to fair week........
July 24- Aug 1 -- 2026 Elkhart County Fair week
Friday 7/24/26 - 10 year members 530-630pm at grandstands. arrive 445pm
Saturday 7/25/26 - weigh in 7-930am mandatory
Monday 7/27/26- k-2 mini show 9am, then our showmanship show
Tuesday 7/28/26- pledges, group pic, senior recognition, weight show 4pm
Wednesday 7/29/26- pizza party 6pm, today is deadline to withdraw calf from auction, stall total clean out day,
Thursday 7/30/26- the only day to get your breakfast haystacks at our cafe! 7-1030am
Friday 7/31/26- auction 230pm , clean auction arena, barn clean out , load calves, 6pm
Saturday 8/1/26- battle of the barns 2pm
* there will be daily stall grading, new prize drawings in effect!
* mandatory stall clean out day is Wednesday only. clean out down to dirt, have a leader initial your empty stall before re filling
***NEW FOR 2026- we will have photographers at both of our show days! Photos will then be on a google drive or source similar for all of our members to download for free! Yay! :)
Battle of the Barns -
during fair week, last Saturday of fair , at 2pm in the saddle cub arena . sign up sheet is at barn office during fair week , rsvp . 8th-12th grade
(see below for a helpful checklist of deadlines to follow)
All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
--Monthly meetings are January thru July, held the 3rd Thursday of each month
-- club dues ($20 per member) can be paid at monthly meetings, unpaid dues increase by $1 per month beginning March . no half price early bird.
-- In case of bad weather, watch for a groupme text message, email, Facebook or Instagram post if canceled.
-- Programs may change due to availability of speakers.
***** AT OUR CLUB MEETINGS PLEASE VISIT THE LOST & FOUND TABLE TO CLAIM ANY AWARDS, PLAQUES, PINS, THAT MAY BE YOURS *****
Calendar Dates & locations: 2026
1-15-26 stations meeting (in the ECCC room D)
2-19-26 feed speaker, and Vote for Queen Contestant, (in the ECCC room A)
3-12-26 -- 1st & 2nd year members informational meeting (in the ECCC room A)
3-19-26 vet speaker, (in the ECCC room A)
4-16-26 Program: The officers will run the meeting (in our beef dairy arena) , there is a QLC session at 6pm in Ag Hall available this night too.
5-2-26: mandatory Weigh In & tagging day (7am-1030am) at our Dairy Feeder Barn. calves will be weighed, screened, tagged, tested. We will be taking tshirt sizes for 1st year members, dues, cafe duty sign up, etc. Dues MUST be paid! vaccines , deworner, implants available here. Our club will cover the cost of your vaccines & dewormer done by out vet here at our weigh in. Implants are at member cost though. We are not offering dehorning or castration here. Have those done early May or prior, to allow healing time.
5-21-26 demos @ Beef/Dairy Arena, stall req forms due
6-18-26 Clean up barn and concession stand work night, (at Dairy Feeder Barn)
7-21-26 -- 7pm info meeting, then all paperwork, essays, posters, turned in, TSHIRTS & passes handed out (at Dairy Feeder Barn)
* If you do not see your pass thru our club it is possible you could receive your pass thru another club if you are in multiple clubs. passes come thru livestock first, then local clubs, in that order
Looking forward to fair week........
July 24- Aug 1 -- 2026 Elkhart County Fair week
Friday 7/24/26 - 10 year members 530-630pm at grandstands. arrive 445pm
Saturday 7/25/26 - weigh in 7-930am mandatory
Monday 7/27/26- k-2 mini show 9am, then our showmanship show
Tuesday 7/28/26- pledges, group pic, senior recognition, weight show 4pm
Wednesday 7/29/26- pizza party 6pm, today is deadline to withdraw calf from auction, stall total clean out day,
Thursday 7/30/26- the only day to get your breakfast haystacks at our cafe! 7-1030am
Friday 7/31/26- auction 230pm , clean auction arena, barn clean out , load calves, 6pm
Saturday 8/1/26- battle of the barns 2pm
* there will be daily stall grading, new prize drawings in effect!
* mandatory stall clean out day is Wednesday only. clean out down to dirt, have a leader initial your empty stall before re filling
***NEW FOR 2026- we will have photographers at both of our show days! Photos will then be on a google drive or source similar for all of our members to download for free! Yay! :)
Battle of the Barns -
during fair week, last Saturday of fair , at 2pm in the saddle cub arena . sign up sheet is at barn office during fair week , rsvp . 8th-12th grade
BE SURE TO WORK YOUR CAFE DUTY DURING FAIR WEEK !!!
sign in your attendance on the wall when you get into the cafe.
BE SURE TO WORK YOUR CAFE DUTY DURING FAIR WEEK !!!
sign in your attendance on the wall when you get into the cafe.
Achievement Banquet & dinner
8-16-26 at Nappanee First Brethren Church, 530pm
please sign rsvp list at the barn office during fair week. this is a catered event we need head count for.
Awards (listed below) are given at this banquet. Raffle prizes for those in attendance too!
Achievement Banquet & dinner
8-16-26 at Nappanee First Brethren Church, 530pm
please sign rsvp list at the barn office during fair week. this is a catered event we need head count for.
Awards (listed below) are given at this banquet. Raffle prizes for those in attendance too!
1. The exhibitors of the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion will receive a banner.
2. Winners of each showmanship class will receive a banner.
3. Achievement Award - for those in DFC club 6 years or more, have shown achievements in weight shows, showmanship shows, readily helps others, good attendance, extra cafe duties, good barn citizens etc. - receives a personalized plaque
4. Herdsman award - given to those we see cleaning in the barn during fair week, is present a lot, hard worker, offers to help, goes above & beyond. attentive to the needs of the animals in their care. Including feed, water, bedding, comfort extending to the area around and helping others do the same. - receives an embroidered camp chair
5. Yearly completion pin - each member gets a pin every year noting year of completion. Collect all 10! (if you are in multiple clubs you may get pin elsewhere).
6. First year member plaque- This is a plaque that DFC gives to all our 1st year members, a gift to you, and a place to store all your yearly pins.
7. Overall Achievement Award - Usually given to a 10 year or retiring member(s), who has won past achievement awards, readily helps others, continues to be a good steward all their years of DFC, really stands out in the crowd! - receives a personalized crystal award
8. $250 Scholarships are handed out to applicants, graduating seniors (college or trade school).
9. $270 Rick Yontz Memorial Scholarship ... one winner is picked by leaders , someone who falls in all the categories of achievement winner, overall, of graduating senior/retiring age
September 2024 -- Fall Family Fun Festival
2. Winners of each showmanship class will receive a banner.
3. Achievement Award - for those in DFC club 6 years or more, have shown achievements in weight shows, showmanship shows, readily helps others, good attendance, extra cafe duties, good barn citizens etc. - receives a personalized plaque
4. Herdsman award - given to those we see cleaning in the barn during fair week, is present a lot, hard worker, offers to help, goes above & beyond. attentive to the needs of the animals in their care. Including feed, water, bedding, comfort extending to the area around and helping others do the same. - receives an embroidered camp chair
5. Yearly completion pin - each member gets a pin every year noting year of completion. Collect all 10! (if you are in multiple clubs you may get pin elsewhere).
6. First year member plaque- This is a plaque that DFC gives to all our 1st year members, a gift to you, and a place to store all your yearly pins.
7. Overall Achievement Award - Usually given to a 10 year or retiring member(s), who has won past achievement awards, readily helps others, continues to be a good steward all their years of DFC, really stands out in the crowd! - receives a personalized crystal award
8. $250 Scholarships are handed out to applicants, graduating seniors (college or trade school).
9. $270 Rick Yontz Memorial Scholarship ... one winner is picked by leaders , someone who falls in all the categories of achievement winner, overall, of graduating senior/retiring age
September 2024 -- Fall Family Fun Festival
this is due by 6-15-26 (online or in person) QLC Quality Livestock Care (formerly YQCA)
You can do that online at https://2025-26QLC.4honline.com
this is due by 6-15-26 (online or in person) QLC Quality Livestock Care (formerly YQCA)
You can do that online at https://2025-26QLC.4honline.com
OTHER IMPORTANT DATES / prep checklist
use the below prep list to be sure you are completing things on time (such as YQCA, fair entry, etc.)
super helpful to print a copy & keep track. Or pick up a copy at the registration table at club meetings
