Live streaming captured GJCF for all to see

     If you watched the live streaming footage of the Jones County 4-H and FFA youth showcasing their livestock during this year’s Great Jones County Fair, that feed was provided by Abby Jaeger of Worthington.

     Jaeger, who works at Kirkwood’s Jones Regional Education Center in Monticello, knows a thing or two about digital marketing and social media. She currently serves several businesses and non-profits by enhancing their social media presence.

     Jaeger’s experience with live streaming started in March when the coronavirus hit. Her church, Sacred Heart in Monticello and St. Luke Catholic Church in Hopkinton, closed its doors to parishioners. In an effort to still serve the congregation, Jaeger started live streaming Mass every weekend on the church’s Facebook page.

     “It’s just something I taught myself,” she said of wanting to offer her services at a time when people wanted to still feel connected.

     While live streaming Mass, there were five people at most inside the church at one time, from Jaeger to the musician, lector, Father Baldwin and her father, Deacon Ed Goldsmith.

     Jaeger has been an active member of the Jones County Pork Producers. She maintains the Producers’ social media accounts. Knowing the public wasn’t able to attend the livestock judging shows this year at the fair, she offered to live stream the Swine Show on Thursday, July 23.

     “That idea intrigued John (Harms, fair manager) and Jennifer (Fischer, Extension director),” said Jaeger. “They wanted to know if we could make it happen for the whole week.”

     So, every day, Jaeger was seen setting up and testing her video equipment Monday, July 20 through Sunday, July 26.

     Streaming a church service indoors is much different than streaming a livestock show inside an open-air barn.

     “You can hear a lot better at church because it’s enclosed,” explained Jaeger.

     So she had to research the proper equipment to make the animal shows enjoyable for dozens and dozens of online viewers.

     “I researched best practices and a lot of it was just trial and error,” she shared. “I started using a laptop and moved to a webcam. At church I can use Wi-Fi; here (at the fair) I use a cellular connection.”

     Jaeger explained the Wi-Fi connection around the fairgrounds isn’t strong enough to stream a large amount of data such as a five-hour livestock show.

     “So I use cell (phone) data so people don’t see a pixelated image,” she explained.

     Jaeger also found out that a typical cell phone lasts about three and a half hours on a full battery when using data. She said the Extension and fair staff and volunteers were extremely helpful all week to make sure she had what she needed to get the job done.

     “We needed to make sure the public saw what they needed to see,” Jaeger said.

     With that in mind, she found creative ways to capture each livestock show, whether it was on the sidelines at the Horse Show or on a lift above the crowd at the Beef and Swine shows.

     “Being elevated gives you the best angle,” said Jaeger.

     Other pieces of valuable equipment included a smooth stand that allowed her to rotate the webcam around the arena. Jaeger also used an external microphone to pick up as much noise as she could from the judges, though admitted it was hard in a barn setting.

     Once word got around about the live streaming offered on the Jones County, Iowa 4-H Facebook page, Jaeger saw viewership numbers start in increase, with 75 in one day.

     “It depended on the show,” she said of the numbers.

     She also saw people share comments, thanking the fair for providing the live option during an unusual fair week.

     “These kids put so much into showing and preparing to show,” praised Jaeger. “I know if it were my kids, I would want their grandparents to see their hard work.”