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Horse and Safety Ethics/EquiSTEP

EquiSTEP (Equine Safety, Training, and Education Program)

EquiSTEP is an annual statewide requirement for all youth participating in Ohio 4-H Horse Program activities and/or enrolled in a 4-H horse project.  EquiSTEP replaces the statewide requirement of reading the Horses, Safety, and You (191R) resource and viewing the Every Time, Every Ride and Horses, Kids, and Ethics videos for youth and their families who are new to the   4-H horse program.

Join us on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at the Sr Fair Administration Building at the Adams County Fairgrounds from 6-8 pm or Thursday, March 27, 2025 from 6-8 pm. If you can not make it to one of our in person dates, an online option is available: https://cfaesosu.catalog.instructure.com/courses/eqistep-2025

We can’t wait to see you then!

 

Kids College

Exciting News: Kids College Registration is NOW OPEN!

Join us on April 26th!  Kids College offers an exceptional, hands-on opportunity for project-aged 4-H members to dive into non-livestock projects. Guided by experienced instructors, participants will gain valuable skills, create take-home items to enhance their project work, and be better prepared for pre-fair judging. Plus, it’s an incredibly fun experience!

Don’t miss out – sign up today and give your child a chance to explore, learn, and grow! go.osu.edu/adamskids

County Wide Food Drive in March

Adams County 4-H will be holding a countywide food drive in the month of March! Clubs are challenged to donate non-perishable food and personal care items to benefit the InterFaith House. The InterFaith House is very low on stock and needs our help.

How to participate:

  • Collect donations at your March meeting(s)
  • Mark donations with your club number (listed below) using a sticker, sharpie, etc. and drop donations at the Extension office.
    • OR
  • Count the donations, drop off at the InterFaith House Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays between 11-2:45, and report the number to the Extension office.

The club with the MOST donations will win a pizza party sponsored by the Adams County 4-H Advisory Committee. 

What to donate:

  • While all donations are accepted and appreciated, choosing items listed provide those in need with nutritious options.
    • Canned chicken, pork, beef, or fish. Peanut butter, dried or canned beans, nuts.
    • Canned fruit, 100% fruit juice, dried fruit, shelf-stable fruit cups.
    • Canned vegetables, 100% vegetable juice, canned tomato products, soup.
    • Oatmeal, low-sugar/high fiber cereal, whole grain pasta, whole grain rice.
    • Shelf-stable milk, evaporated milk, dry milk, pudding cups.
    • Personal care products such as toilet paper, paper towels, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.

Club numbers

Club # Club Name
1 Adams County Beef
2 Adams County Junior Dairymen
3 Adams County Show Stoppers
4 Barnyard Buddies
5 Barnyard Kids
6 Bentonville Buckeyes
7 Buckeye Barn Busters
8 Cannon Hill Kids
9 Climbing Clever Cloverbuds
10 Country Crew
11 Curious Clovers
12 East Tiffin Aggies
13 The Fantastic 4-H’ers
14 Farm Friends
15 Good Better Best
16 Green Hustlers
17 Jacksonville Clovers
18 Lawshe Shadow Riders
19 Liberty Farmers
20 Lucky Charms
21 Nitty Gritty
22 Oliver Township Farmers & Friends
23 Rocks and Roots
24 Stirrin Up Dust
25 Unity Farmers

Livestock Clinics on Saturday March 1

Hog Clinic will look different in 2025. Here is what to expect:

  • Meet at the hog barn on the fairgrounds to get signed in before 9 a.m.
  • Members participating in the Commercial Swine Program will draw numbers to choose their hog.
  • Local producers will share tips on selection and evaluation of market hogs.
  • We will move to the administration building to finish hog clinic.

 

  • Quality Assurance sign in will begin at 10:15 a.m. in the Administration building.
  • Members must stay for the entire QA session to receive credit for attending.

 

  • Goat clinic registration will begin at 11:45 in the Administration building.
  • Clinic will wrap up about 1:15 p.m.

Quality Assurance Dates Announced

 

All Junior Fair exhibitors of beef, dairy, goat, poultry, rabbits, sheep and swine projects must annually attend a qualifying Quality Assurance program or meet age-appropriate test out requirements on an Ohio Quality Assurance test at least 45 days before the start of the fair of the current year in order to exhibit their projects at the Adams County Fair.

The following opportunities are available in Adams County in 2025:

March 1, Fairgrounds, 10:30 a.m.

April 3, Fairgrounds, 5:30 p.m.

April 28, Fairgrounds, 6:00 p.m.

Rabbit Clinic

April 8, Fairgrounds, 6 p.m.

Online- $12 fee http://yqcaprogram.org

Members age 12 & up as of January 1 may test out of Quality Assurance. Tests will be administered at the dates and times listed and members must receive a 70% or higher to pass.

Test Out Dates

OVCTC – March 20, 9 a.m., Ag Business – UPDATED DATE

PHS – April 2, 2:15 p.m., Ag Room

NAHS – April 9, 2:20 p.m., Ag Room

MHS – April 10, 2:45 p.m., Ag Room

WUHS – April 16, 2:15 p.m., Room B104

Quality assurance must be completed no later than May 22, 2025. If members choose to do the online YQCA training, they must provide a copy of the certificate to the Extension office by emailing rowe.316@osu.edu.

Livestock clinics and QA opportunity this Saturday, March 1

Hog Clinic will be held at 9 a.m. and take place largely in the hog barn. All Commercial Swine Program participants are required to attend but all swine members are invited. We will discuss selection, feed, care, and fair requirements. Please dress appropriately.
Quality Assurance will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the administration building. Members must stay for the entire QA session for it to count.
Goat Clinic will begin at 12 noon. We have Garrett Neff coming to present on the feeding, care, preparing for show. We will also cover fair requirements and identification.

4-H Volunteer Lunch and Learn

You are invited to join us for Lunch and Learns every Wednesday from February 26 through April 2 from noon to 12:30 p.m. These short, interactive zoom sessions are aimed at providing additional support and training for busy 4-H Volunteers. Each Wednesday will feature a new topic taught by a 4-H Educator from southern Ohio.

  • February 26 Set Up For Success
  • March 5 Actively Engaging Members at Club Meetings
  • March 12 Helping Youth Thrive
  • March 19 Navigating Ohio 4-H Policies
  • March 26 Cloverbuds: More Than Just Crafts
  • April 2 Effectively Utilizing 4-H Club Officers

Volunteers have the flexibility to choose one or all six sessions.

Register at go.osu.edu/4HLunchNLearn to receive the zoom link via email.

Individual Fundraiser – Pearl Valley Cheese

Each year the 4-H Advisory Committee offers an individual fundraiser opportunity for members who would like to earn funds to cover the cost of educational opportunities offered through 4-H. Again this year, we will be working with Pearl Valley Cheese to offer their delicious, high quality 12 ounce blocks of cheese for $8 each. Each member will receive credit for 100% of the profit from their sales to be used for camp, horse camp, CWF, Kids College, or other educational opportunity.

Order forms are available at the Extension office and will be collected on March 19 during candy pickup at the fairgrounds. Cheese will be ready for distribution on approximately April 9. All members who sell cheese will be notified of specific pickup date, time, and location.

Rabbit Breeder List

The Adams County 4-H Small Animal Committee has compiled a list of individuals that breed rabbits that should be the correct age for our fair. This list is for information only. Exhibitors are in no way required to purchase rabbits from these individuals. The committee does encourage members to work with a reputable rabbitry and get on a list early.

Ryan Shoemaker 937-798-3733

Heather Simpkins 937-50-1089

Kelley Yeager 937-763-8753

Elaine Hinton 937-728-0175

Preston Simmons 937-481-1412

Ted Stidham 740-464-7393

Kim Dye/Brad Puckett 513-484-6810

Robin Yates 937-515-9988

Donnie Swayne 937-779-2936

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to Donnie Swayne or the Extension office.