This Tick Safety video was recorded with OSU Extension and American Electric Power’s Safety Division and is hosted on YouTube. It is not as long as a full webinar and focuses the most on keeping our families and our animals tick safe. As we go into Camp Season, it would be a good thing to review and to share to your families as the heaviest spikes of Lyme Disease are from June to August and the number one and number two most diagnosed Lyme disease cases in Ohio are our children aged 5-9 and 10-14. Please share this out via social media and consider showing this to your camp counselors so we can increase tick safety in our kiddos.
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Fairfield County youth receive State 4-H Awards – Henry Hoisington, Samantha Bader, Charlie Sponseller, Katie Cade, Nolan Shaffer, Alaina Bell, Dominic Woods
The 2025 Ohio 4-H Achievement Awards were presented earlier this month at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center in Columbus. Local 4-H members received the following awards.
Samantha Bader from Baltimore won the Natural Resources Achievement Award. Bader, 18, has been an active 4-H member in Fairfield County for many years. She has exhibited numerous projects at the fair, has served as her club’s president, and is a member of the Junior Fair Board. She is also a camp counselor, and she serves on the Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council. A senior at Liberty Union High School, she plans to attend The Ohio State University to study entomology and forensic science. She is the daughter of Steve and Kimberly Bader.
Samantha Bader – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Natural Resources
Alaina Bell from Canal Winchester won the Citizenship and Community Service Achievement Award. Bell, 17, is in her 10th year as a 4-H member. Her favorite 4-H experience is being a part of the PetPALS program, where she and her service rooster, Herbert, visit nursing homes. Bell has also served as an Ohio delegate at the National 4-H Conference, where she lobbied for more agricultural outreach for youth with the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture. She is a senior at Bloom Carroll High School and plans to attend The Ohio State University in the fall to major in sustainable plant systems and minor in molecular genetics. She is the daughter of Jason Bell and Sarah Ray-Bell.
Alaina Bell – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Citizenship and Community Service
Katie Cade from Lancaster won the Photography Achievement Award. Cade, 16, has been a 4-H member in Fairfield County for seven years. She has taken photography for two years, receiving numerous awards for her work. She is also a member of the Junior Fair Board. Cade is currently a sophomore at Lancaster High School and is the daughter of Chris and Becky Cade.
Katie Cade – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Photography
Henry Hoisington from Baltimore was the recipient of the Ohio Township Association Local Government Award. Hoisington, 18, is a 10-year member of the Fairfield County 4-H program. He is an active member of the Junior Fair Board and volunteers as a camp counselor. Hoisington has shown market hogs the entirety of his 4-H career, and with his family, he raises Scottish Highland Cattle, which he also exhibits at the fair. After high school, he will attend Ohio University to pursue a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. He is the son of Ryan and Amber Hoisington.
Henry Hoisington – Ohio Township Association Scholarship Winner
Nolan Shaffer from Canal Winchester won the Companion Animals Achievement Award. Shaffer, 17, has been a 4-H member in Fairfield County for nine years. He began his 4-H career by showing his dog, Piper, at both the county and state levels. In 2021, the pair represented Fairfield County at various fairs and festivals throughout the state as Canine Commodity Ambassadors. He also serves as a camp counselor. Shaffer is a junior at Eastland Career Center, where he is studying aviation while finishing high school. He is the son of Tim and Kandie Shaffer.
Nolan Shaffer – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Companion Animals
Charlie Sponseller from Baltimore won the Rabbits Achievement Award. Sponseller, 17, is a 12-year 4-H member from Fairfield County. He has taken rabbit, sheep, small engine, and shooting sports projects. He is also a member of the Junior Fair Board and serves as a county and shooting sports camp counselor. Sponseller is a junior at Eastland Career Center and Liberty Union High School and plans to attend college to study aviation. He is the son of Andy and Melissa Sponseller.
Charlie Sponseller – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Rabbits
Dominic Woods from Pickerington won the Mechanical Engineering Achievement Award. Woods, 17, has been a 10-year member of the Fairfield Country 4-H program, participating in both the Extraordinary Explorers and Small Engines/Tractor Maintenance 4-H clubs. His project work has included small engines, rocketry, lawn care, natural resources, rabbits, and foods. He has served as a camp counselor and a Junior Fair Board member. Woods is a junior at Bishop Hartley High School and is the son of Luke and Patty Woods.
Dominic Woods – Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Winner in Mechanical Engineering
Ohio 4-H Achievement Awards are presented annually to individuals for outstanding work in their project area. Youth recipients will also have the opportunity to travel to Atlanta in November to represent Ohio at National 4-H Congress. The evening was hosted by the Ohio 4-H Foundation, with 32 youth receiving 2025 honors.
Ohio 4-H is the youth development program of Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. In 2024, over 154,000 Ohio youth participated in clubs, groups, and special interest programs.
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Opportunity for Dairy Beef Exhibitors – Dairy Beef Show in Champaign Co. June 22nd
Youth Opportunity: 4-H Demonstration Contest – Signup by July 1st
Sign-up NOW through Monday, July 1st to participate in the Fairfield County 4-H Demonstration Contest by calling the Extension Office at 740-653-5419.
When: Wednesday, July 16th, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Who: Any 4-H member (project age)
What: A contest designed to demonstrate your ability to teach how to do something. There are Junior and Senior Divisions! For more information contact the Extension Office
Where: Ag Center, 831 College Avenue, Lancaster Why: To share your talents or skills with others and improve your teaching abilities.
Need tips on how to plan for a great demonstration? Click here!
Participants in the county demonstration contest have the opportunity to advance to the Ohio State Fair! For more information on guidelines and rules, review the Ohio State Fair Guidebook for Communication Days.
Thank you to Farm Credit Mid-America and Bader Family Farms for Sponsoring our NEW Junior Fair Board Members!
2025 Junior Fair Book is Available!
The 2025 Fairfield County Junior Fair Book is now posted on OSU Extension 4-H Youth Development and Senior Fair websites. Please review all Junior Fair Rules. Please also review Ohio’s Livestock Exhibition Rules that govern Ohio’s County and Independent Fairs. There may be minor updates to the Junior Fair Rule Book after this initial post, refer to online version for most up to date information. If any major changes are made, they will be posted on this blog and updated in the electronic version of the online book.
To access the Junior Fair Book, visit: go.osu.edu/fcjrbook. To access information regarding the 2025 Junior Fair Livestock Sale, visit: u.osu.edu/livestocksale.
Paper copies of the Junior Fair Book can be picked up at the OSU Extension Office or contact your club/chapter advisor as they can also request paper copies to be printed for the club/chapter.
4-H Summer Judging – Scheduling will open the week of June 16th
Hello 4-H Members! We hope that you are busy working on your 4-H projects this summer. Here are a few important updates to be aware of:
- All Summer Judged Projects will be judged on the following days: Monday, July 14th and Tuesday, July 15th. Scheduling for these dates will open the week of June 16th (watch email/blog posts for the scheduling link). Please be aware that certain projects will be judged on certain days – please review the 2025 4-H Member Handbook to determine your project judging day(s). Writing Projects have been moved to Monday, July 14th.
If you cannot attend judging during this week, you can:
- Attend Late Judging on Tuesday, July 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by calling 740-653-5419 to schedule an appointment. Participation in Late Judging receives a grade only and is not eligible for county awards or state fair consideration.
- Advisor Completion – Talk to your club advisor as they can work with you to review your project for completion only. No grades or awards will be given with this option.
Please review the 2025 4-H Member Handbook as you complete your project(s) and prepare for judging.
Youth enrolled in the Tractor Maintenance Club or Shooting Sports Club do not need to complete summer judging if they met all completion requirements at the club level for Small Engine/Tractor Projects and or 700 level Shooting Sports disciplines (Shotgun, Rifle, Archery). However, if they wish to qualify for the Ohio State Fair for any of these projects, they must attend summer judging for each project.
Youth enrolled in Cake Decorating have the option for summer judging completion or county fair completion. If youth wish to qualify for the Ohio State Fair, they must complete summer judging.
Food and Nutrition Project Members should also review their project book inserts. These were tucked inside your project book if books were purchased at the Fairfield County Extension Office. If needed, you can download these here: Menu Planning Worksheet and Food Project Insert packet. Members WILL NOT bring food to judging.
Clothing Project Members should also review their project book inserts. These were tucked inside your project book if books were purchased at the Fairfield County Extension Office. If needed, you can download these here: Style Revue Card and Clothing Project Insert packet.
- Clothing Project Members plan to attend the Style Revue at Liberty Union High School, July 14th, 7:00 p.m. This is a required part of judging to be eligible for county awards and State Fair participation.
Club Community Service Opportunity: Toy Drive
4 Legged Friends 4-H Club is challenging all 4-H Clubs to collect new unwrapped toys to donate to the Lancaster Firefighters Toys for Kids Toy Drive! Club members should work together to collect some of their favorite toys especially games and puzzles to donate to the drive. All items can be dropped off at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 19th from 9am-3pm between the Ed Sands & AAA Buildings! Use your ‘Hands for Larger Service’ to help children in our community while competing against your fellow 4-H Clubs. Who is up to the challenge?!
Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance MUST be completed by June 30th to show at fair, no exceptions!
Quality Assurance is an annual requirement of the Ohio Department of Agriculture for youth taking livestock projects to county and state fair. In Fairfield County, Quality Assurance Training is required for all members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Fair or Junior Exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding, Dairy Steers, & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.
Deadlines for 2025:
- Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2025 (or 45 days prior to exhibition).
- Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 30, 2025.
Email reminders will be sent to advisors this last month for those who have yet to complete this requirement.
All Quality Assurance information has been shared with club/chapter advisors and has been posted on the blog since April 24th. Read all Quality Assurance options for 2025 here.
Youth Opportunity: Ohio State Fair Livestock Judging Contest – REGISTER BY JULY 3rd
All 4-H members are encouraged to participate in the 2025 Ohio State Fair Livestock Judging Contest on Sunday, July 20th at the Ohio Expo Center.
- Check-In: 8:30 am – 9:30 am – Voinovich Livestock Center Show Arena
- Contest Instructions: 10:00 am – Voinovich Livestock Center Show Arena
- Judging Begins: 10:30 am – Denny Hales Arena
- Awards Presentation – Following Contest Critiques in Voinovich
Pre-Registration is required by July 3rd and must have a county 4-H Educator’s approval – please contact Leslie Cooksey if you wish to participate. The cost is $15 per member and if Fairfield County 4-H youth wish to participate in this contest, members will be reimbursed by the 4-H Advisory Committee. Click here for additional rules and contest information.