Meet the Authors of 4-H Project Books – KITCHEN BOSS and SUPERHERO YOU!

Would an experienced 4-H member you know like to learn boss-level cooking skills, or would you like a youth to discover their superpowers? If so, plan to join National 4-H’s next Meet the Authors Webinar!

Authors Emily Marrison, Rhonda Williams, and Christy Millhouse will showcase the Ohio 4-H projects, Kitchen Boss and Superhero You in back-to-back sessions.

Register for the webinar today at go.osu.edu/4hmta and mark your calendar for May 28, 2025, at 3:30 pm!

Attention Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance Requirements

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.
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 30th, 2025.

At this time, Quality Assurance CANNOT be taught by club/chapter advisors to Fairfield County 4-H/FFA youth virtually (i.e. Zoom, Google Hangouts, Google Classrooms, Facebook Live, etc.).

Here are the acceptable options to complete Quality Assurance in 2025:

  • In-Person 4-H Club/FFA Chapter Clinic taught by a 4-H/FFA Advisor who has completed the Quality Assurance Assistant Instructor Training this year. Advisors who attended this training will notify their members of their club/chapter QA Clinic date and will be responsible for getting all QA paperwork submitted to the Extension Office by the appropriate deadlines.
  • In-Person Countywide Make-Up Clinics: To be held on Thursday, May 1st from 6:30-8:30 p.m. or Tuesday, May 20th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Fairfield County Ag Center/Extension Office (831 College Ave. Lancaster). An RSVP is required. Please click here to register for a countywide QA makeup clinic.
  • In-Person Beef Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person BQA taught by a certified BQA instructor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.
  • In-Person Pork Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person PQA taught by a certified PQA advisor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.eduYouth MUST be age 14 or older (current age) to complete in-person PQA. Youth will receive a PQA certification number from the National Pork Board upon completion.
  • Online: Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA). This is the ONLY approved ONLINE Quality Assurance Program for youth in Ohio. For 2025, this web-based course has been approved by ODA for 8-18 year olds.
    • Go to  https://yqcaprogram.org/ for the training and quiz.
    • Instructions for using the new website can be found at: 2022 YQCA Website Instructions
    • Exhibitors must complete by June 30, 2025 or they will not be able to show at the Fairfield County Fair.
    • You will need to select the web-based training ($12.00 per member, annually). The age of the course should be age as of January 1st of the current year.
    • When you are finished, please send a pdf/picture of your certificate which includes exhibitor name(s) and certificate number(s) to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.

NOW AVAILABLE – Purchase your 4-H Books from the Extension Office!

As a reminder, 4-H Project Books are available at the Fairfield County Extension Office. This is the best way to make sure you get the correct book for your project and save a little money.

Members, check with your advisors if they are doing a club order for books. If so, make sure they have the books you want on their list. If your club is NOT doing a big order, you can email Stacy (hicks.686@osu.edu) your book order. You will receive a confirmation email when your order is ready for pick up.

Advisors, please fill out the 2025 Book Order Form for your club. Please make sure to download this PDF before filling it out. Book order forms can be emailed to Stacy as well. You will receive a confirmation email when your order is ready to pick up. The Extension Office is open Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m – 4:00 p.m.

As a reminder, project books are available for purchase year-round at the Extension Office. It is requested that clubs use the project book order form when ordering the entire club’s books for the year. Payment is required upon receipt of books. Volunteers, members, parents, and general public, however, may purchase 4-H publications at any time as needed. The cost for project books varies by project. Tax will be added on to all books paid with a personal check or not paid for by a club.

If you have any questions, you may reach out to Leslie Cooksey (cooksey.25@osu.edu) or Aubry Fowler (fowler.443@osu.edu) – Fairfield County 4-H Educators.

You’re all Making the Best Better in 4-H!

4-H Enrollment is Now Open!

We look forward to receiving your enrollments for the 2025 4-H year. All enrollments are due through 4-HOnline by April 15, 2025.

To enroll, please visit https://oh.4honline.com.

Previous families and advisors, please use the email and password from last year to enroll.  Not sure what email you used?  Please contact Haley Black at black.768@osu.edu or 740-277-4622.

New families, please visit https://fairfield.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/4-h-online-information for instructions and a video to help you enroll.  Your club advisors can also help you enroll. PLEASE DO NOT ENROLL IN 4-HONLINE UNTIL YOU HAVE TALKED/MET YOUR 4-H CLUB ADVISORS.

As a reminder, Cloverbud members (age 5-8 and currently in Kindergarten through 2nd grade as of Jan 1, 2025) will enroll in 710GPM. Horse Cloverbud Members should enroll in 710GPM AND COP-710HC.  Cloverbuds do not enroll in traditional project numbers, as they are a non-competitive, activity based program. Cloverbud members do have the option of purchasing the 715 My Cloverbud Year book to keep track of what they do during the club year.

State Horse Communications Contest Results

Congratulations to the Fairfield County Team on placing in the State Horse Communications Contest held on March 1, 2025!

Senior Individual Presentation

2nd place – Hallie Nicodemus

7th place – Brianna Downey

8th place – Riley Cain

Junior Individual Presentation

1st place – Gracie Weber

2nd place- Brenna Neff

Junior Team Presentation

3rd place- Bella Champlin and Ruby Offenberger

Future 4-H Projects – Give Ohio 4-H your feedback!

Just a reminder: The Ohio 4-H Curriculum Committee needs input to determine what new projects Ohio 4-H should offer. Please encourage your 4-H volunteers, members, and families to take this short survey—especially at volunteer trainings:

Attention 4-H members, families, and volunteers! Ohio 4-H would like to know what project topics you would like to see that are not currently offered. Please take the very short survey at go.osu.edu/oh4hprojects and share your project ideas today.

Youth Opportunity: Minecraft Hour of Code – Generation AI

Free Training Available: AI Literacy with Minecraft Education’s AI Foundations Program

4‑H has teamed up with Microsoft to help youth build AI skills through the blocky fun of Minecraft with Minecraft Hour of Code: Generation AI. Youth can learn how to code, explore the magic of responsible AI, and discover how it can solve real‑world problems, all within their favorite game.

Join us for a training course to learn more about how you can implement AI literacy into your 4‑H programming.

Dates:

  • Thursday, February 13 — 11: 00 AM CT
  • Tuesday, February 25 — 11:00 AM CT
  • Wednesday, March 19 — 11:00 AM CT

This program is offered to 4‑H at no charge, thanks to a generous partnership with Microsoft.

REGISTER NOW

Please reach out to Sara Hutches at shutches@4‑H.org with any questions.

Source: National 4-H Council Newsletter 2/7/2025

4-H Day Youth Volunteers – share your projects 4-Hers!

4-H Day is coming up on Saturday, March 1st from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. in the AAA Building at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds. We could not host this “open house” and 4-H kickoff event without the help of our 4-H volunteers, youth, and families. Here is what we need and are looking for:

  • Kids of all ages who want to show off their projects. All projects welcome – bring animals, project books, awards, displays, etc. Setup will begin at 12:00 p.m. and those kids who would like to have a display should contact 4-H Day Chairs, Jessica Scott and Bethany Miller, at fairfield.4hday23@gmail.com to let them know what they plan to bring.
    • Pens and cages will be available IF we know that they are bring an animal. If they bring an animal, they are responsible for feed, water, bedding, and cleaning up after their animal.
    • We will be limiting project displays to ONE per project so please let Jessica and Bethany know what you’d like to bring (i.e. we will not have 3 different members bring 3 pet rabbits!)
  • Adults (advisors….and parents are also welcome) to help with registration, answering general 4-H questions and club placement/check-out. Clubs looking to add members are strongly encouraged to attend and recruit at 4-H Day.

This is a great way for kids to engage in public speaking and add something to their Junior Achievement or Ohio 4-H Achievement Forms (4-H promotion/awareness at its finest!)