Month: April 2020

Virtual Quality Assurance

Due to the stay-at-home order from Governor DeWine, as well as the no contact policy implemented by The Ohio State University, we will be conducting Quality Assurance online via Zoom.  All youth who exhibit market animals, lactating dairy, or lactating goats are required by Ohio law to complete QA prior to exhibition.

QA will be offered sixteen different times.  Each session is limited to 20 families.  Sign up is first-come first-served.  Connection information will be sent 24 hours prior to the session, using the email provided in the registration process.  To register, visit go.osu.edu/qadarkecounty

  • Monday, May 4 – 3:00pm
  • Thursday, May 7 – 11:00am and 7:00pm
  • Friday, May 8 – 3:00pm
  • Tuesday, May 12 – 11:00am and 3:00pm
  • Wednesday, May 13 – 11:00am, 3:00pm and 7:00pm
  • Thursday, May 14 – 11:00am and 3:00pm
  • Friday, May 15 – 3:00pm
  • Monday, May 18 – 11:00am and 3:00pm
  • Wednesday, May 20 – 11:00am and 7:00pm

 

 

Don’t Be Left Out in the Cold – Register for 4-H by May 1!

Due to circumstances related to COVID-19, the deadline to enroll in the Darke County 4-H program in 2020 has been extended to May 1.  4-Hers who were members in 2019 can register online.  First year members will need to complete a paper enrollment form.  Enrollment help for registering online or a copy of the enrollment form can be found here

4-H is the Youth Development program offered by Ohio State University Extension.  Membership in the 4-H program is based on a child’s age and grade as of January 1 of the current project year. Eligibility for Cloverbud participation begins when a child is enrolled in Kindergarten and is five years old. Eligibility for participation in 4-H projects and competitive events begins when a child is age 8 and in the 3rd grade. Any youth age 9 or above is eligible for project membership, regardless of grade level.

4-H members participate in community clubs, do community service, and exhibit projects at the Great Darke County Fair.  4-H offers over 200 different projects in a variety of subject matter categories.  To view 4-H projects, check out the 4-H Family Guide.

To learn more about how to Join 4-H in Darke County go here.

If you have questions about the enrollment process, or about 4-H in general, please email williams.418@osu.edu or call 937-569-5003.

Don’t be left out in the cold – enroll today!

Using Zoom – Here’s How

Staying connected with your club members virtually via Zoom is quick and easy.

Click on the link below to learn how to:

  • Download Zoom on a Mobile Device
  • Attend a Zoom Meeting on a Mobile Device
  • Attend a Zoom Meeting on a Computer
  • Host a Zoom Meeting on a Mobile Device
  • Host a Zoom Meeting on a Computer
  • Use Controls While Hosting a Meeting for Mobile
  • Use Controls While Hosting a Meeting for Computer
  • Best Practices for Virtual Club Meetings

Steps to Access & Host on Zoom

4-H Project Books Available for Purchase Online

Good news!  You now have the opportunity to purchase your 4-H project books directly from OSU.  Following are options for downloading one of the free project books or ordering online.

Download one for free. A special collection of project books is available for free on the Perfect Stay-at-Home Projects web page. Click on the book you want, and when the file opens on your screen, save or print it from there. (For accessible formats of these publications, visit cfaes.osu.edu/accessibility.)

Buy one online. If you would like to buy a print copy of a Perfect Stay-at-Home project or any other project book, you can order directly from extensionpubs.osu.edu with one of these special discounts for Ohio residents: FREE2020 (for free shipping) OR 20IN2020 (20% off the entire order). Use the coupon that works best for you. Orders can be shipped directly to your home as long as it is an Ohio address. Please review your order carefully. No returns are accepted. There is no restriction on the number of times a coupon can be used.

Make your own. If you would rather not purchase a book in this way, self-determined projects are an excellent choice for self-motivated members eager to get started by creating their own projects. Although self-determined projects may be better suited for older 4-H members, they are available for any member and are often based on idea starters already available online. Many of the idea starters are great stay-at-home projects too, for example, Music, Bats, String Art, Climate Change, American Sign Language, etc. Our extraordinary educators are even preparing one called My Stay-at-Home Summer! (For project judging, self-determined projects are judged in self-determined categories.)

If your club has already collected the money for your project book(s), check with your advisor before ordering.  They may already have your book.  Or, check with them about the possibility of the club issuing a refund to you, if you have already paid the club for your books.

Darke County 4-H Enrollment: May 1, 2020

FOR 2020 ONLY:  DUE TO RESTRICTIONS RELATED TO COVID-19, THE ENROLLMENT DEADLINE FOR DARKE COUNTY 4-H HAS BEEN EXTENDED FROM APRIL 1 TO MAY 1.

Please be aware that even though the 4-H enrollment deadline has been extended, current possession dates and fair rules for project animals intended for fair exhibition remain in effect.

Need help with online enrollment?  Join us Thursday, April 9, 7pm, for a Zoom featuring online enrollment.  Bring your questions and we will do our best to help.

Please email williams.418@osu.edu for information on how to connect to the meeting.

A Message from our State 4-H Leader

Dear Darke County 4-H Families,

As you know, we are experiencing an unprecedented moment in our lifetimes.  The current public health situation in Ohio has made it necessary for Ohio 4-H to make some extremely difficult decisions.  While this changes how we operate, we are dedicated to continue the 4-H experience virtually.  Please do not hesitate to contact Rhonda (williams.418@osu.edu) or 937-569-5003 if you have questions or concerns.  Take care and stay well.  `Rhonda

Please read on for a message from our State 4-H Leader:

Dear 4-H members, families, volunteers and supporters,

It is with a heavy heart that I share this news with you. Due to ongoing health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision has been made to cancel all Ohio State University Extension in-person programming through July 6. This includes all 4-H programs, activities, and events. Additionally, we’ve made the very difficult decision to cancel all 4-H camps thru August 31. Although in-person programming is cancelled, we will continue to offer virtual 4-H experiences.

We know this is an incredible disappointment and recognize how much everyone looks forward to our cherished 4-H summer events. As 4-H professionals committed to providing positive youth development programming, we share your sense of loss.

Given available information, we anticipate the next few weeks and months will continue to be critical times for stemming the spread of the COVID-19 virus. It is our duty to keep ourselves and those we serve safe through the education we provide and the modeling of safety-conscious behaviors. We do not want to get to the other side of this pandemic and wish that we had done more to keep our future generation of leaders safe and healthy.

While we are making decisions regarding the youth events we organize and manage (such as camps and 4-H project judging), we are deferring to local decision-makers and Governor DeWine’s administration on the events owned by others, such as county fairs. Our decision to cancel in-person 4-H activities and events through July 6 and summer camps, should not automatically imply that local county fairs are also canceled at this time. Please keep in mind that 4-H and our FFA colleagues support the education and development of youth, but the decision about whether fairs will occur is in the hands of others. This continues to be an evolving situation that will require some negotiation and monitoring depending on decisions. We will be ready should fairs move forward and to pivot if they are cancelled.

As we work through the impact of these decisions for 4-H activities and events in the weeks ahead, county OSU Extension 4-H professionals will share important updates and information with you as we develop and provide new online opportunities. We know the experiences will be different than we had hoped, yet we remain committed to working together to grow future generations of true leaders.

Yours in service to 4-H,

Kirk

Kirk Bloir, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development

College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences – Ohio State University Extension

Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, OH 43210

614-247-8168 Office
bloir.1@osu.edu  |  ohio4h.org  |  extension.osu.edu