Worden ? Tom, Cody and Sam Wilson are 4-H to the max.

For proof of that, just visit their home, about three miles west of Baldwin Junction and a mile or so north of Worden.

Everywhere you look, there are animals that the boys raise as 4-H projects. Some of the critters will make the trip to the Douglas County Free Fair this August to compete for ribbons.

What animals do they have? Well, a little bit of everything.

The Wilson boys  all members of 4-H since they were 7  stay busy raising sheep, chickens, ducks, emu, llamas, pheasants, guinea birds, a big turkey and a few Black Angus cattle.

On their twice-daily chores taking care of their animals, the boys are trailed by Willie, their border collie, and barn cats Shiloh and Socrates.

Evidence of their hard work in 4-H is easy to find.

Tom, 18, a senior at Baldwin High School, used money he earned from the sale of some of his sheep to purchase a royal blue 1965 Chevy Impala (license plates: “Wilson”) with only 92,000 miles on it.

Cody, 15, a Baldwin High School sophomore, used some of his 4-H earnings to buy a burgundy 1968 Buick Skylark that sits under a tarp in the hay barn behind the Wilsons’ home. His parents are having him wait until he’s 16 to drive it, but he’s getting the vintage auto ready for that day.

Sam, 13, a seventh-grader at Baldwin Junior High School, is still a few years away from buying a car. Most of his 4-H money goes into a savings account.

The Wilson boys have learned a lot in 4-H, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Such as: Llamas spit if you tease them; don’t give sheep unlimited access to grain  they’ll eat till they burst; and never, never grab an emu by the neck. (Don’t ask.)

Well, they’ve learned other stuff, too.

As Tom says: “4-H kind of teaches you self-discipline and leadership. It’s a good way to start getting money when you’re younger.”

“You work your butt off all year getting ready, and then go to the fair and have a blast,” Cody adds.

Each year the Wilson boys  their folks are Larry and LaDonna Wilson  make at least several hundred dollars from sales of 4-H animals and the cash premiums that come with winning ribbons at the Douglas County and Vinland fairs.

“It’s fun, and the money part is pretty good,” Sam says.

The brothers all belong to the 3-year-old, 26-member Pioneers 4-H Club, which spun off from the larger and much older Worden Workers Club.

Tom finished his term as club president, and now Cody is serving in that job.

In addition to raising their animals, the boys have turned other activities they enjoy into 4-H projects.

Tom has done some work with small gas engines, taking them apart and figuring out how each part operates.

Cody, meanwhile, is interested in learning about electricity. He has a lamp he made out of an old meat grinder.

And Sam loves drawing. He’s proud to show off a few pictures he’s done of lemurs and tree frogs perched in jungle foliage. Sam has entered some of his art in 4-H fairs.

The boys say they like 4-H because it gets them involved in fun activities, keeps them busy and is a good way to meet other young people.

The great thing about 4-H, they say, is that you’re free to pursue just about anything that interests you and turn it into a project for the fair. Rocketry, recycling, cooking, gardening, computers, Tae Kwon Do  you name it.

“You can do anything in 4-H. And if they don’t have it, you can still do it,” Tom says.