Teen Winter Retreat Registrations Due Jan 31

Teen Winter Retreat at Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp will be held on Saturday, February 3 – Sunday, February 4. Teens ages 13-18 are invited to attend this fun-filled overnight adventure where they can relax and spend time wiht 4-H friends from across southeastern Ohio.

More information can be found at go.osu.edu/TWRInfo or register before January 31 at go.osu.edu/TeenWinterRetreat.

4-H Scholarhip Opportunity!

The Adams County 4-H Scholarship and Chad Downing Memorial Scholarship application is now available!

Applicants must be high school seniors with a minimum 2.5 gpa that have been enrolled in 4-H for at least four years, including the current and immediate past year. A completed application, current high school transcript including gpa, and a letter of reference from an Adams County 4-H volunteer that is not a relative are required to apply.

The number of 4-H scholarships vary each year depending on the success of the annual fundraiser and range from $500 – $1,000. Five Chad Downing Memorial Scholarships in the amount of $500 and two $1,000 Burley Growers scholarships will be awarded. Scholarships are paid upon proof of completion of the first semester or quarter of post-secondary education or training following high school graduation. Adams County 4-H Scholarship deadline is Friday, February 23 by 4 p.m.

Hands to Larger Service Day of Giving

Adams County 4-H members and volunteers are invited to attend our Hands to Larger Service Day of Giving on February 19, 2024 from 12:30 – 4 p.m. at the Extension Office. We will be making fleece tie blankets which will be distributed to elderly members of our community.

Members will have the option to make their own tie blanket, complete with a 4-H logo, for $5.

We are asking members to pre-register by visiting go.osu.edu/LargerService. Refreshments provided by the Adams County 4-H Advisory Committee.

Come join the fun and pledge your Hands to Larger Service!

4-H Volunteer Lunch & Learn Series

4-H Volunteers are invited to join our zoom series of Wednesday Lunch & Learns: bite-sized training and support for busy volunteers.
We recognize that 4-H Volunteers have a full plate. We’re here to help! Grab your lunch and log on each Wednesday at noon beginning February 14 through March 13 as we cover a different topic to help support you in your club work.
Register at go.osu.edu/4HLunchNLearn and join us for one or all five!

Revolution of Rabbits Provides Opportunity for Youth

The Revolution of Rabbits program is a terrific opportunity for youth with limited resources to raise and exhibit market rabbits at the Adams County Fair. The goal of the program is to teach youth responsibility as they learn to care for animals, keep records, and successfully complete a project while also making friends, having fun, and giving back to their community. 

Through this program, qualifying youth join a 4-H club, learn about rabbits, and rabbit care, and receive three young rabbits. The program loans members all the supplies necessary for the project, including a rabbit hutch, feed, feeders, waterers, and 4-H record and resource books. The program also provides rabbits and training/mentorship about how to best care for the animals, finish the record book, and successfully complete the project. After completing the requirements and selling their pen of market rabbits at the fair sale, each participant returns $60 of sale proceeds to the 4-H Small Animal Committee to cover program costs, which assures program sustainability. Participants receive the balance of the sale proceeds. 

Any youth who is at least 8 years old and in the third grade and who either has not previously been in 4-H or has not previously participated in a 4-H market animal project, is eligible to apply for this program. The youth should enroll in an Adams County 4-H Club, sign up for the Market Rabbit project, and complete and return the application and commitment form by the February 15 enrollment deadline.  

For more information about Revolution of Rabbits program visit https://go.osu.edu/RevolutionApplications are due February 15 and award winners will be notified before the end of February. If you have questions about the program, need a paper application, or for help enrolling, visit the Extension Office or call us at 937-544-2339. 

Ohio 4-H State Horse Volunteer Training Opportunity

Registration is now open for the 2024 State Horse Volunteer(Advisor) Training! Registration is limited to the first 175 participants and closes on January 17th. If 175 participants registered before the deadline the registration will close when the limit is reached. Go to go.osu.edu/horsevol24 to register now. Registration is online only and must be paid via credit or debit card. If you have any questions please email seitner.2@osu.edu.

2024 4-H Volunteer Training

Dates are set for 2024 4-H Volunteer training. All 4-H volunteers are required to attend an annual training. Returning volunteers that attended November 21 have met the requirement for this year.

Remaining opportuntities for returning volunteers are:
Tuesday, January 9, 6-8 p.m. at the fairgrounds
or
Saturday, January 27, 8-10 a.m. at the Annex conference room (Extension office)
New Volunteers must attend New Volunteer training their first year, even if you attended our kick off training on November 21. The next opporutnity for new volunteer training is Thursday, January 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Questions? Email watters.92@osu.edu or call 937-544-2339

Market Beef Tag In January 13

4-H and FFA market beef projects being raised for the 2024 Adams County Fair must be ear tagged and weighed at the fairgrounds on Saturday morning, January 13, beginning at 8:30 a.m. All animals must be on the fairgrounds and in line no later than 10:00 a.m. Animals identified for the Adams County Fair will be tagged, weighed, and tattooed. Animals designated as Adams County Born and Raised show entries will also need to bring the completed nomination form to submit at tag-in. No Born and Raised entries will be accepted after tag-in.

Youth may identify and exhibit as many as three market beef animals – steers or market heifers – for the Adams County Fair.  Each market beef exhibitor will be required to designate at least one animal in his/her name and a family can tag an additional two animals of that species per Junior Fair member as “family” animals.  Each exhibitor will have access to no more than three total animals in that species, including “family” animals. State Fair steers and heifers cannot be registered as a family animal.  Family is defined as junior fair eligible youth who are legally siblings, half-siblings or stepsiblings.

Ohio State Fair: The Ohio State Fair (OSF) Beef Department is once again using EID ear tag and DNA sample protocols for identifying market beef animals for the 2024 State Fair, set for July 24 through August 4. These protocols include the use of an electronic identification (EID) ear tag that has a unique 15-digit number and a DNA sample that will be submitted for all market beef animals that exhibitors plan to enter in the 2024 Ohio State Fair Junior Market Beef show. EID tags are no longer provided by the Ohio State Fair.

The DNA collection will be in the form of a hair follicle sample that will be submitted to the OSF by January 15, 2024, to meet the state fair ownership deadlines for market beef animals. Along with the DNA hair submission, each market animal’s 15-digit EID tag must also be included on the DNA packet.

No DNA samples will be collected by the Adams County Junior Fair Board. DNA packets will be available in the Extension office and at tag-in and anyone wanting to identify an animal for OSF may request a packet. The OSF animal must be tagged with the EID tag which will also be used as its Adams County Fair tag. The owner will be responsible for collecting the DNA sample (instructions provided), completing the requested registration information on the packet, having the entry signed by an FFA advisor (for FFA entries) or the Extension Educator (for 4-H entries), and submitting their completed packet to the OSF by the January 15 deadline.

For more information regarding the Adams County Fair market beef tag-in on January 13, contact OSU Extension Adams County at 937-544-2339. For more information about the Ohio State Fair market beef registration process visit the State Fair website at http://www.ohiostatefair.com/.