Growing up in 4-H has been a big part of Nikki Ebert’s life. Now as an adult and parent, Nikki wants to instill the values that 4-H taught her to her own children. Nikki says, “4-H is not just about animals, it teaches life lessons in leadership, skill building and the value of hard work which children will carry with them through adulthood.”Daughter Jorja, 6 and son Jackson 4, are looking forward to their involvement in 4-H and currently spend a lot of time helping with chores and pampering the animals kept on their small Midwest farm. Many of the gates on the Ebert farm use Gallagher’s simple One-Hand Gate Latch that can be easily opened and shut with one hand and has a safety chain for added security. Nikki says, “There are other latches that are fine, but my husband and I find this to be the simplest and easiest to use. This latch gives our children the freedom to enter our sheep and goat pens and us the confidence that they will be able to securely close the gates behind them.” Gallagher’s gate hardware is a market leader, and for good reason. From day one, the goal has been to continuously meet customers’ needs through a focus on quality and design that is made to last.“When people think of Gallagher, they immediately associate us with quality electric fencing,” said Sharon Bendure, Gallagher Inside Sales Representative. “What many people aren’t aware of is that Gallagher also manufactures a full range of gate-hanging hardware products that are non-electric.
Gallagher’s One-Hand Gate Latch is a great example.”With a gravity locking ring and quick-link, Gallagher’s One-Hand Gate Latch is designed for easy access and can be used with any farm gate. The latch consists of a hook and 14” chain that is packaged with 2 staples. The spring loaded locking ring keeps the latch very secure. Even when wearing gloves in cold weather, you can use the latch with one hand. Jorja spryly hops from one foot to the other as she recounts how she manages the gates during feeding time. “I’ve opened and closed gates for a long time,” she says. At age 6 Jorja has had a lifetime of working latches around the Ebert farm. Nikki added that helping around the farm and with the raising of animals has already given Jorga and Jackson a sense of responsibility. “I’m so glad that my children are getting the opportunity to experience what I had growing up.” Jorja looks forward to next summer when she will be old enough to join a 4-H club and show sheep competitively. Her younger brother Jackson is already her biggest fan and can’t wait to publicly cheer her on at next year’s events.
