By: Lloyd G. Saylor, County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development: The Kentucky 4-H Country Ham program is a program that helps youth to develop applicable real world skills in two ways. First, youth learn about the process, history, and science of curing hams. This process briefly covers issues such as food safety, meat production, basic chemistry principles, and food preservation. After the actual process of curing their hams (each youth receives two hams) with a local expert on the process, the youth select their best ham and exhibit it at the country ham contest at the state fair.