Calendar Changes

Facebook Lives for Junior Fair Updates: Recordings for the week of October 4th

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Daily 4-H and Junior Fair updates from 4-H Educators, Leslie Cooksey and Aubry Fowler as we approach the fair for the week of October 4th. The videos from last week can be reviewed by clicking on this link.

October 4th update includes:

  • MQP Lambs
  • Poultry Barn Setup
  • Swine Showmanship Time Change

October 5th update includes:

  • Poultry and Other Livestock Sale Clarifications

October 6th (first video) update includes:

  • Hog Pet Setup in the L barn

October 6th (second video) update includes:

  • School Letters
  • Outstanding 4-Her Recognition

October 7th (first video) update includes:

  • Super Showmanship Contest
  • Livestock Judging Contest
  • No Premier Exhibitor for Meat/Market Goats

October 7th (second video) update includes:

  • Round Cattle Barn Setup for the Alpaca and Dairy Cattle Show Committees

October 8th (first video) update includes:

  • 4-H crops and gardening drop off on Saturday
  • FFA still project judging
  • Cakes/Pies/Candies Judging

October 8th (second video) update includes:

  • Health and Safety Guidelines

October 10th update includes:

  • Agenda for Sunday – note that the correct location for the dairy feeder weigh-in is the Round Cattle Barn (not the AAA Building as Leslie accidentally stated in the video)!

2020 Junior Fair Updates (by specie) are posted!

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2020 Junior Fair Updates by specie have been organized and posted by specie on the OSU Extension/4-H website. Please note that this information is current as of 10/8/2020 and is subject to change. Updated documents will be reposted to this site with the updated date noted next to the specie should that need to happen. http://go.osu.edu/2020fairinfo

Items that have been updated since they were originally posted on 9/23/2020:

  • Map of parking area
  • Modified Junior Fair Schedule (updated 10/6/2020)
  • Beef Cattle (updated 9/25/2020)
  • Rabbits (updated 10/7/2020)

Please take the time to read all updates as it pertains to your family and Junior Fair participation this year. Please review the 2020 General Rules and Modified Junior Fair Schedule listed at the top of this page. Additionally, since no updated rule book was printed for 2020, it is important to read the 2019 Junior Fair Book rules as well for your respective specie. All of this information is listed on this page of the website.

Please reach out if you have any questions at all!

Here is a screenshot of our OSU Extension/4-H website where the updates are posted. Below the 2020 updates, you will find links to the 2019 Junior Fair Rule Book.

Missing the Junior Fair Livestock Contests at the 2020 County Fair? Find all the details to watch the shows online here!

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All of the details regarding the live streaming of the Fairfield County Junior Fair Livestock shows is here. There will be 2 live streams: One from the Ed Sands/Farm Bureau Show Arena and one from the Feeder Creek Show Arena. Please note: all shows in the Round Dairy Barn and the Horse arena will be recorded in their entirety and be ready for viewing following the completion of the live stream in the Feeder Creek Show Arena. Thumb drives will be available for purchase for each of the daily show activities. Contact the Senior Fair Board office to pre-order at 740-653-3041.

No ‘Fun Flippin’ Pancake Breakfast at County Fair this Year…

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Following directives from Governor DeWine’s Order, the State and Local Health Department and the Fairfield County Senior Fairboard recommendations, the Fairfield County 4-H Endowment Committee’s Pancake Breakfast at the 2020 Fairfield County Fair was cancelled.  This event has always been used as an fun awareness event for the Endowment Committee to welcome visitors to our County Fair.

With so many events being cancelled in 2020, the 4-H Endowment Committee was also forced to cancel their  major fund-raising event in June  “The Legacy Dinner.”     Thanks to the generosity of the local donors we were able to raise enough money to pay the $5.00 County Wide dues for over 940 youth involved in 4-H work in 2020. While this year has been anything but normal for all of us, one thing remains constant…Leaving a Legacy for Fairfield County youth to benefit from lessons learned in 4-H Clubs, Committees and Competitions is important to the success of today’s young people who chose to involved in 4-H project work!!   We sincerely thank you for your support!

For additional 4-H Endowment Updates, click here.

2020 Junior Fair Updates (by specie) as of 9/23/2020 are posted!

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2020 Junior Fair Updates by specie have been organized and posted by specie on the OSU Extension/4-H website. Please note that this information is current as of 9/23/2020 and is subject to change. Updated documents will be reposted to this site with the updated date noted next to the specie should that need to happen. http://go.osu.edu/2020fairinfo

Please take the time to read all updates as it pertains to your family and Junior Fair participation this year. Please review the 2020 General Rules and Modified Junior Fair Schedule listed at the top of this page. Additionally, since no updated rule book was printed for 2020, it is important to read the 2019 Junior Fair Book rules as well for your respective specie. All of this information is listed on this page of the website.

Please reach out if you have any questions at all!

Here is a screenshot of our OSU Extension/4-H website where the updates are posted. Below the 2020 updates, you will find links to the 2019 Junior Fair Rule Book.

2020 4-H//FFA Project Book Review – PLEASE READ!

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4-H members are required to complete a project or record book each year for each of the projects in which they are enrolled. In past years, advisors reviewed project books for livestock, horse, gardening/crop projects at the club level – unless members pursued the Premier Exhibitor Contest, where they turned in their project book at the fair to compete in the Project Book Contest.

Likewise, FFA members are required to complete project records for their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects through AET. If FFA members chose to participate in Premier Exhibitor in the past, they also turned in a printed version of their project records from AET to be reviewed in the Project Book Contest.

In 2020, Skillathons returned to the Fairfield County Junior Fair and the Project Book Contest and Premier Exhibitor Test have been discontinued for the Premier Exhibitor Contests. Originally, our plan was to have project books reviewed as a station of in-person Skillathons. The books would have been quickly reviewed in person by a judge who also would have interviewed the exhibitors on what they have learned from their 4-H/FFA project(s). Due to COVID-19 and moving Skillathons virtually, this in-person book review could not take place and an alternative plan was established.

Our alternative plan to review project books this year will be a county level review. 4-H Project/Record Books will be reviewed by 4-H Staff at the Extension Office while FFA Record Books will be reviewed by each FFA Advisor in their respective chapters.

What do exhibitors need to do?

  • Each member will need to turn in a project book for each project you plan to bring to the fair. This includes: All Beef (breeding, market, feeders, dairy beef feeders), Hogs, Sheep (breeding, market), Goats (meat does, market wethers, dairy, pygmy), Poultry, Rabbits (breeding, market – NOT Pet Rabbits), Horses, Dairy (breeding), and Llamas/Alpacas.
  • Records should be completed through September 18th. We understand there are portions of your book(s) that cannot be finished until after fair (i.e. profit/loss statements). We also know that you could not do everything you normally could have done this year with regard to citizenship, leadership, and project activities – but please update these sections of your book(s) the best you can for what you were able to do this year. Complete as much of your book as possible through September 18th.
  • For project completion requirements for each species, please review the 4-H Project Guidelines for Fair Projects.
  • If more work does need to be completed in project books (i.e. a book is turned in with numerous pages not filled out), you should expect to get a phone call asking you to pick-up your book and work on it more in order for it to be complete and be eligible to show at the fair.
  • Remember: Exhibition at the fair is an option beyond completion of 4-H and FFA projects. It is a privilege, not a right. You must be a member in good standing with your 4-H Club/FFA Chapter in order to show at the fair. One of the requirements for both organizations is completed project/record books.
  • Families can choose to drop off books on their own but should communicate that with their club advisor(s).

What do 4-H advisors need to do?

  • Sign the front covers of the 4-H Project Books!
  • Help with book collection and drop off at the Extension Office.
  • Books can be dropped in a box/tote provided by the club at the front door of the Extension Office. Or, you may place books in tote that we will place outside the Extension Office. No appointments are needed for book drop-off only.
  • Families can choose to drop off books on their own but should communicate that with you.

Drop-off schedule:

  • Monday, September 21st from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 22nd from 9:00 a.m. – 7:15 p.m.
  • Wednesday, September 23rd from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, September 24th from 9:00 a.m. – 7:15 p.m.
  • Friday, September 25th from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

How will 4-H Staff/FFA Advisors review books?

  • We will not be using a rubric.
  • We will be looking for current, up to date records for this year.
  • We expect the book to be completed for the projects that are taken.
  • We expect the front cover of the book to be completed and legible.
  • We expect members to complete their own project/record books.
  • A quick project/record book review will take place prior to fair. If more work needs to be done in a 4-H project/record book prior to fair (i.e. a book is turned in with numerous pages not filled out), we will contact the exhibitor to pickup their book(s) and to work on it more in order for it to be complete and be eligible to show at the fair.
  • We will keep books until after fair to allow for a more thorough review books and so we can provide feedback on how 4-H members can learn and make their books better. This is meant to be a learning process this year, much like learning how the Skillathons were going to be for the first time this year. Books will be returned in December when 4-H Advisors pick-up Livestock Sale Checks on behalf of the club.

Details on 4-H Project Books:

The newer 4-H livestock record books are designed to include records for all projects taken in that specie. Add additional pages if needed if you are keeping separate records (i.e. pygmy vs. dairy goats). If you are taking more than one project in a specie, you should fill out all information applicable for those projects in your 4-H record book (market, breeding, feeders, etc). Those projects that share ONE 4-H record book are as follows:

  • ONE (135) Project/Record Book should be turned in for all 4-H Goat Projects:
    • (135BD) Dairy Goats
    • (135BM) Breeding Meat Goats
    • (135M) Market Goats
    • (135PY) Pygmy Goats
  • ONE (117) Beef Project/ Record Book should be turned in for all 4-H Beef Projects:
    • (117B) Beef Breeding
    • (117DF) Dairy Beef Feeder
    • (117M) Market Beef
    • (117BF) Beef Feeder
  • ONE (150) Poultry Project and Record Book should be turned in for all 4-H Poultry Projects:
    • (150CE) Chicken, Exhibition
    • (150CM) Chicken, Market
    • (150CEP) Chicken, Egg Production: Hens and Pullets
    • (150DE) Duck, Exhibition
    • (150DM Duck, Market
    • (150GE) Goose, Exhibition
    • (150TE) Turkey, Exhibition
    • (150TM) Turkey, Market
    • (150H) Helmeted Guinea Fowl
  • ONE (190R) Equine Record Book for the following Horse Projects:
    • (174) Beginning Horse Management*
      • *First year members taking (174) Beginning Horse Management can turn in this book with completed records for their first year and do not need to turn in the (190R) Equine Record Book. For second year and up, members taking (174) Beginning Horse Management should turn in the (190R) Equine Record Book.
    • (175) Light Horse Selection
    • (177) Horse Training: How to Talk to Your Horse
    • (180) Learning to Jump
    • (181) Draft Horse
    • (182) Small Equine
    • (184) Standardbred Horses
    • (185) Equine Reproduction and Genetics
    • (188) Trail Riding
    • (189) Dressage
    • (762) Horse Nutrition

The 4-H livestock record books that have not been updated by Ohio 4-H in recent years have separate books for breeding and market. 4-H members taking both market and breeding should be completing a book for each project.

  • SEPARATE Record/Project Books should be turned in for (199) Sheep Breeding and (198) Market Lambs.
  • SEPARATE Record/Project Books should be turned in for (225) Breeding Rabbits and (226) Market Rabbits.
  • SEPARATE Record Books should be turned in for (122 ) Dairy Heifers and (126) Dairy Cows.

Additional books that should be completed for the following projects:

  • Market Hogs: (139) Market Hog Project and Record Book
  • Llama/Alpaca: (132) Llama and Alpaca Project and Record Book
  • Pigeons: (365.22) Self Determined Idea Starter: Pigeons

Book Drop-Off Exceptions:

  • You and Your Dog exhibitors will keep books and bring with them to Dog Judging at the fair on Sunday, October 11th.
  • Companion Animal (including 227 Pet Rabbit) exhibitors will keep books and bring with them to Companion Animal Judging at the fair on Sunday, October 11th.
  • 4-H Gardening/Crop Project exhibitors will keep books and bring with them when they drop off their fair display on Saturday, October 10th between 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. in the 4-H Display Barn.
  • Cakes/Pies/Candies exhibitors will keep books and bring with them to Cakes/Pies/Candies Judging at the fair on Monday, October 12th.

Additional questions can be addressed to Leslie Cooksey, 4-H Extension Educator, by email at cooksey.25@osu.edu. Additionally, feel free to listen to this recording of an interview with Connie Smith featured on 88.9 The Farm Page on Saturday, September 12th where 4-H and FFA project/record books are discussed: https://u.osu.edu/thenews/files/2020/09/LeslieBooks.2020.mp3

 For a printable version of this information, click here: 2020 Project Book Information

Fair Update for Cloverbud Members

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In order to keep all Cloverbuds and their families safe, we have decided to make all activities virtual. The Fairfield County Senior Fair Board is trying to limit the number of people who attend the Junior Fair and are on the grounds, so we are creating virtual opportunities to celebrate our Cloverbud members.

Please provide the following updates to your members:

  • We are inviting Cloverbud Members to participate in the Fairfield County Skillathons. These are virtual this year and are just for completion for our traditional members. This is a great opportunity for Cloverbud members to test their knowledge about different animal species that show in Fairfield County. Cloverbud Members who participate will receive a certificate of completion. Links to all skillathons can be found here. The Skillathons are online September 1-21 and must be completed by 8 pm on September 21st.
  • Stuffed Animal Show & Show-N-Tell will be virtual this year. Details will be coming out soon on how members can participate in this activity. Members who participate in either of these events will receive a ribbon and their videos will be shared during Fair Week.
  • Cloverbud Graduation will be virtual this year as well. Eligible members will receive an email invitation to participate in the graduation. Keep an eye on your family email in the next few weeks for more details. Members who participate in graduation will receive a graduation ‘gift’ bag and certificate.
  • Take & Make It Bags and Thank You Notes:
    • If you have Cloverbud members who will be at the fair with siblings or families there will be Take & Make It Activity bags available for them to pick up thanks to the Junior Fair Board. These bags will have simple crafts for Cloverbud members to work on during shows to keep them busy. There will be activities from commodity groups for them to enjoy as well. Keep an eye out for registration details so that the JFB can plan for enough supplies
    • The Thank You Note Station will be available during the fair again this year and there will be Cloverbud Specific bags with postcards for members who want to write thank you notes to their advisors, award sponsors, etc.
  • There will be no peewee shows taking place at the 2020 Fairfield County Junior Fair.

As a reminder, all of these activities are optional, but we would love for your members to participate. Cloverbud members will receive recognition for participating in some form whether that is a certificate, ribbon, video played during fair week, or a photo featured on Fairfield County’s 4-H social media channels.

If you have any questions, please contact Aubry Fowler (fowler.443@osu.edu). We appreciate all your hard work and dedication to the Fairfield County 4-H Cloverbud Program, we truly could not do all of this without you!

Last Call for Quality Assurance – Due Friday, September 4th!

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Quality Assurance Training is required for all 4-H and FFA members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Junior Fair. Quality Assurance must be completed this year by Friday, September 4th, 2020. This includes the following projects:

  • Beef (Breeding & Market)
  • Dairy Breeding & Dairy Feeders
  • Goats (Angora, Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy)
  • Poultry (Breeding & Market)
  • Sheep (Breeding & Market)
  • Swine
  • Rabbits (Breeding & Market)
  • Llamas & Alpacas (New for 2020)

4-H and FFA members must complete Quality Assurance this year by Friday, September 4th to meet this requirement. This deadline is for 2020 only.

Here are your options to complete the Quality Assurance requirement for 2020:

  1. Option 1: Complete Quality Assurance online through YQCA. This is the only approved online option. It does cost $12 per member annually. If you plan to show in other livestock shows this year outside of Ohio – I actually recommend completing QA in this way as some of the national stock shows actually will require YQCA to meet their Quality Assurance Requirement.
    • Visit http://yqca.org/ to complete QA if you choose this option.
    • Fairfield County 4-H Members should select “sign in with 4-HOnline”. It will prompt you to select a state and then enter your 4-HOnline account information. After successfully logging in, you will be given a list of active family members. Select the family member and start the account creation process.
    • Fairfield County FFA Members (who are not in 4-H) should select FFA & Independent Sign-In.
    • Make sure you work through the entire program until you see a certificate number.
    • For a complete list of directions visit: Getting Your YQCA Online Certification
    • Please email your certificate number to cooksey.25@osu.edu.
  2. Option 2: In-Person Club Quality Assurance Training. Talk to your club/chapter advisor. Some are trained to teach Quality Assurance. I know that they are still figuring out how their meetings will look now that in-person events can resume. If your advisor is planning to teach QA by September 4th, they are able to do this in-person with you.

Please reach out to Leslie Cooksey if you have any questions (email cooksey.25@osu.edu or phone 740-277-4625).

Virtual Skillathons are LIVE – now through September 21st at 8:00 p.m.

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The 2020 Fairfield County Virtual Skillathons are online September 1-21 and must be completed by 8 p.m. on Monday, September 21st. Click here for additional helpful information about Fairfield County Skillathons.

Alpaca/Llama: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WpFd8gWt4RuLtj
Beef and Dairy Beef Feeders: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bwj2uuuHMRIzYmF
Dairy: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3yOkqLpXiRJIID3
Dog: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6tA3WIwztTCxFgV
Goat: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eR0RgjwvFhDTnSJ
Horse: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bCRyKueSEGhpqTP
Poultry: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9sNwzV294OEJWE5
Rabbit: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_erKGtoglUEiuc8B
Sheep: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_37zW9oAeYCkUvrL
Swine: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dgSYnOblG2WUGvH

 

 

Updates to In-Person 4-H Club Meetings and Events as of 9/1/2020

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Dear 4-H families, volunteers, and supporters,

As we head into fall, we want to take a moment to thank you for remaining flexible as we work together to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. By following recommended guidance, we’re helping to keep our families and friends safer, our kids learning, and our economy going. We also want to take a moment to share updated in-person 4-H meeting requirements and a reminder to continue to follow our 4-H guidelines.

Updated information, effective as of today, September 1, 2020 includes:

  • Hosting virtual meetings and events is preferred.
  • If activities are critical/essential and are in-person, they must be education-focused.
  • Group cannot be larger than 50 people, including adults, youth, presenters, etc.
    • This directive is dependent on local health department guidelines.
    • The group size may need to be reduced to 10 (or other amount), based on the directives of your local health department.
  • Face masks are required.
    • This includes inside AND outside at all times.
    • Program participants and parent/guardians ages five and older must wear a mask.
    • The exception is shooting sports where safety is a concern when on the line. Refer to the full guidance document online for additional shooting sports guidance (link below).
    • Medical conditions or disability exceptions are also permitted.
  • Potlucks and buffets are not permitted

Any time your county is designated a Level 4 Public Health Emergency (color-coded purple) by the Ohio Department of Health, all in-person 4-H club meetings and events must be held virtually or postponed until the designation changes to Level 3 or below.

Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System updates are at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/publichealth-advisory-system/

All other guidance we provided July 22 is still in effect. That information, along with these new updates, is at https://ohio4h.org/families/stay-connected.

 

Statement on 4-H Membership Eligibility

Ohio 4-H membership begins with Cloverbuds when a child is five and ends on December 31 of the year they turn 19. Due to cancellation of activities in 2020, there have been requests to extend a year of eligibility for 4-H members. This was given strong consideration at the national and regional levels. The decision was made that national 4-H programs will follow existing age requirements and another year of eligibility will not be granted. Following conversation with our 4-H professionals, Ohio will follow that policy.

Changing the policy would set an unsustainable precedent for youth participation for years to come. It would create increased unfairness when considering competitive events with the cascading impact on those who would have aged out taking spots of current youth down the line. COVID-19 has created a loss of experiences for everyone however, I am confident in the resiliency of our youth. Over the past few months, their ability to adapt and willingness to persevere has been evidenced by their participation in virtual camps, meetings and other 4-H activities.

Ohio 4-H is proud of how our volunteers and young people have adapted in this unprecedented time.

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