Bottle Cap Challenge: Battle of the 4-H Clubs!!

The Junior Leaders will be continuing with their Bottle Cap Project for 2023 and need your help collecting plastic caps to turn into benches. Work within your club to collect clean plastic bottle caps and lids. Store them during our “off” time in bags – inside a box as they can get heavy. All plastic lids are accepted including cleaned out k-cups, no plastic with metal parts or paper linings please!

The club who collects the most caps by weight will receive a cash prize for your club to use for end of the year activities.

Weigh Ins will be held May 6 from 9-11am and May 21 from 11am-1pm in the #4 Beef Barn.

If your club would like to fundraise to purchase a bench for your club, contact Aubry (Fowler.443@osu.edu) for more details about this optional opportunity.

4-H Cloverbud Easter Egg Hunt is Saturday, April 1st!

The Fairfield County Junior Leaders invite Cloverbuds and their family members under the age of 8 to attend the JAS’s Easter EggExtravaganza. This will be held on Saturday, April 1st from 1:00pm-3:00pm (with the Egg Hunt happening at 2:00pm). This FREE event will be held at the Ag Center/Extension Office (831 College Ave, Lancaster). Join us for crafts, animals, games, and an egg hunt.  This event is being held in memory of Cloverbud Advisor, Jane Sharp.

Sewing and Clothing Project Members – Online Trainings with Master Clothing Educator Volunteers

If you have youth that are interested in learning more about sewing skills or have questions about their sewing projects, they can sign up for the online trainings offered by the 4-H MCEV (Master Clothing Educator Volunteers). Please see the attached flyer for more information and sign up at the corresponding go link.

Ohio 4-H Event Youth Assistant (4HEYA) Applications Available!

The Ohio 4-H Event Youth Assistant (4HEYA) applications are now available! This is an opportunity for teens 13-18 as of January 1 to get a short-term leadership experience at the state level. Applications are available at go.osu.edu/4HEYAapp and are due by May 15, 2023.

  • What: 4-H Event Youth Assistant (4HEYA)
  • Who: Individuals age 13-18 (as of January 1 of the year of application) and have at least 1 year prior 4-H experience.
  • Timeframe: Apply by May 15, selection, training, service to OSF, and evaluation. Complete responsibilities by August 31, 2023.
  • Requirements (in addition to application/selection process):
    • Training – Must attend one of the options for training (July 11 or July 17)
      • Please note: individuals MUST attend one of the training options. This is not negotiable. If you know you are unable to attend a training option before applying, it is best to wait another year before applying to serve in this capacity.
    • Events – Must work a minimum of 3 events at the Ohio State Fair; may work more if desired
  • Program Fee: $25/person (paid at go.osu.edu/4HEYA25);
  • Teens Receive:
    • 4HEYA Polo & Nametag
    • State Fair admission, parking ticket, and meal ticket(s)
    • Optional State Fair housing in the Rhodes Center (if desired)
    • Experience of working events at the Ohio State Fair
    • Opportunity to enhance leadership skills and be involved in the State 4-H program
  • What about the Teen Leadership Council? YES, these members may apply for 4HEYA AND TLC this year, if desired. TLC applications will be available in June and will be due the Friday following the Ohio State fair. Their term is September 1, 2023-August 31, 2024. Current TLC members are not eligible to apply for 4HEYA, as they are already fulfilling obligations at the Ohio State Fair.
  • Questions? Contact Frances (foos.61@osu.edu) or Sarah (longo.79@osu.edu)

Join Ohio 4-H & Michigan 4-H for a fun day at Comerica Park to watch the Detroit Tigers take on the Seattle Mariners on Saturday May 13!

4-H will be honored as the Group Charity of the Game. To celebrate; 4-H youth, volunteers, staff and their families will enjoy a discounted ticket to the game. A portion of every ticket sold on this link will be donated back to Michigan 4-H. Make sure to wear your favorite 4-H gear and support 4-H while enjoying a fun day with the 4-H community.

Here is the link to order tickets if any of your 4-H club members are interested: https://fevo.me/mi4h2023

Call or email Walker Cooper with the Detroit Tigers if you have questions:  313-471-7337 or walker.cooper@tigers.com

Member Handbook Typo – Camp Fee Correction

Hello 4-H Families,

We have been notified that the camp fee chart in the Member Handbook is incorrect. The fees for Day Camp & Cloverbud Camp are switched. We will fix this in the online handbook and any books printed going forward.

The correct information is below:

CAMP FEES: Camp Full Fee Campership Amount Due (by May 15th)
Day Camp (grades 3,4,5,6,7,8,9) (June 13th-15th) $100.00 $50.00 $50.00
Cloverbud Day Camp (grades K-2) (June 17th) $50.00 $25.00 $25.00
Junior Camp (grades 3,4,5 ) (June 20th-23rd) $200.00 $100.00 $100.00
Senior Camp (grades 6,7,8,9) (June 30th-July 3rd) $200.00 $100.00 $100.00

Camp registration will open May 1st and be completed electronically (go.osu.edu/FCCamp). If you have any questions, please contact our office at 740-653-5419. Thank you!

Junior Market Beef Numbers Grow Again

Participation in the Fairfield County Junior Fair Market Beef Show has grown again this year! Tying for the largest number of youth to tag in a market steer or market heifer project since 2006, sixty eight (68) youth brought their market beef show prospects to weigh-in at Fairfield Cattle Company on Saturday, March 11th. This represents nearly a 60% increase over the 43 youth that weighed-in market beef animals just five years ago.

In summary, sixty eight 4-H and FFA members weighed in a total of 101 beef feeder calves as their projects in preparation for the 2023 Fairfield County Fair’s finished market beef junior show. Of those 101 head tagged in on Saturday, 5 were market heifers and 56 were bred, born and raised (BBR) here in Fairfield County. The average weight of all calves was 725 pounds. These calves will be finished and returned to the Fair for exhibition on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 after being on feed for 210 days.

To read more on the history of market beef tagging/weigh-in, visit this link!

Ohio 4-H Special Needs Camp: June 9-11

Each summer, we offer a camping experience for youth aged 8-adult who have unique needs that cannot be accommodated in a traditional camp setting. We typically have a small group of between 15-25 campers and their caregivers who spend the weekend doing all the normal camp things, modified for their needs.

Registration is due June 1, 2023. Ohio 4-H Special Needs Camp is held at Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp with support of a 4-H Foundation grant. The facility is in Jackson County, Ohio, just south of Chillicothe.

This year, Camp will be June 9-11, 2023. Camper registration forms, along with some pictures and additional information about the event, are online at this site: https://4hcanterscave.osu.edu/home/experience-it/special-needs-camp

Fairfield County 4-H Members Recognized with State 4-H Horse Awards

Fairfield County 4-H members who have been participating in state 4-H horse events in 2022 were recognized for their accomplishments.

Fairfield County Members Receiving Awards:

  • Trinitiy Craiglow – completed all 8 receiving and Gold Award, an Equine All Star Jacket and Trophy.
  • Ashley Love, Jadin Triplett (pictured), and Cora Cain (pictured) – received the silver award for competing in 6-7 of the 8 state events.

Additionally, Fairfield County youth participated in the 2023 Ohio 4-H State Horse Communications Contest on Saturday, March 4th. Jadin Triplett and Cora Cain placed third with their Team Presentation. Brianna Downey and Riley Cain competed in the Team Presentation contest. Makya Marvi competed in the Individual Presentation contest. All are pictured below!

Cloverbud Opportunity: Ohio 4-H Cloverbud Engineering Adventure

Ohio 4-H Cloverbud Engineering Adventure

The Ohio 4-H Cloverbud Engineering Adventure (formerly known as Cloverbot Challenge) gives 4-H Cloverbuds the opportunity to work cooperatively in teams to problem-solve using STEM Read more about Ohio 4-H Cloverbud Engineering Adventure

by Bruce Zimmer, Extension Educator, OSU Extension, Washington County on March 7, 2023