Morris County 4-H Fair staying true at new home

The Morris County 4-H Fair was at its new location at High View Farm this year. (Photo by Jane Primerano)

BUDD LAKE — The Morris County 4-H Fair was scaled back and moved to a new location, but it featured kids and projects and Seeing Eye puppies so it seemed like the same fair, only smaller.
Tracy Alfano, a county 4-H board member, explained the county Extension wasn’t able to secure the carnival rides or fireworks that accompanied the fair at Chubb Park in Chester Township and so needed to find a cheaper location.
Roseann Oblen, leader of eight 4-H clubs, said when she was told the Extension service wasn’t able to afford rental of Chubb because of the lack of revenue from ride and fireworks tickets her son asked her why not offer the family farm. She thought that was a good idea.
The Oblen family has farmed High View Farm on Sand Shore Road near Route 46 just up the hill from Hackettstown for 38 years.
The property may not be as well known or visible as Chubb Park, but the Oblens arranged for volunteers to help with parking and did some work on the land to accommodate more visitors than usual.
Alfano said not all the animals could be accommodated all weekend but Oblen was confident on the first night of the fair, Friday, July 28, that everyone would have as good of a time as usual.
“We had a wedding here last year, so we knew we could have a neat set up,” she said. The family also does birthday parties, including monster truck parties.
Originally from Bergen County, Oblen was not used to farming or 4-H when she was first asked to lead a club.
She now leads chicken, rabbit, goat, remote control racers, bees, garden and reptile clubs.
She started the chicken club where there hadn’t been one. Her granddaughter, Samantha, 13, assists her with several clubs and was helping out at the fair.
Having the fair at High View allowed the children of Morris County 4-H the chance to showcase their hard work just as they have every year for many years in Chester