Tractor Maintenance

Tractor Maintenance & Small Engines 4-H Club – 1st Meeting: Jan 5th

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The Tractor Maintenance & Small Engines 4-H Club is accepting new members! 4-H is a non-formal, educational youth development program for individuals aged 8 and in 3rd grade or 9 years old through age 18, as of January 1, 2026.

This 4-H club is unique in that they focus on one specific topic – Small Engines and Farm Tractors. Meetings are on Monday nights, January through March each year. Advisors teach members how to work on small engines and tractors while visiting different businesses and agriculture shops throughout the county. No experience is necessary – This is a great opportunity to learn something new!

The club is also using a new curriculum that focuses on tractor safety and how to properly perform tractor maintenance. The Tractor Maintenance courses are available to members who have completed the small engine project books or have had previous experience working on machinery.

The club meets every Monday in January through Mid-March. The first meeting will be Monday, January 5, 2026, at 7:00p.m. at the Fairfield County Ag Center, 831 College Ave, Lancaster. Joining 4-H is relatively inexpensive – Members can participate in the Tractor Maintenance and Small Engine Club for $25! All interested members are welcome to attend this first meeting to learn more and get registered! For more information, contact the Fairfield County Extension Office at 740-653-5419

4-H Summer Judging – Scheduling will open the week of June 16th

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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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Scheduling for 4-H Summer Judging is OPEN!

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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 15, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (by appointment).
      • Food & Nutrition NEW FOR 2024-NO FOOD IS BROUGHT TO JUDGING
      • Genealogy
      • Home/Money
      • Creative/Fine Arts (including Cake Decorating)
      • Healthy Living
      • Collecting
      • ALL Self-Determined Projects
      • Clothing
    • Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (by appointment).
      • Animal Science
      • Robotics
      • Communications/Leadership/Citizenship
      • STEM
      • Nature/Gardening
      • Woodworking

If you cannot attend judging during this week, you can:

  1. Attend Late Judging on Monday, 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.
  2. 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 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 projects 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. All Pies, Candies and Pastries are judged at fair only.
  • NEW FOR 2024! Youth enrolled in Gardening and Crop projects must complete summer judging. Project books should be up to date and as complete as possible regardless of timing of harvest.
  • 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: Food Project Insert packet.
  • 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 15, 2024, 7:00 p.m. This is a required part of judging to be eligible for county awards and State Fair participation.  A practice session will be available on Monday, July 15, 2024, at 6:30-7:00 p.m. at Liberty Union High School.
  • Scheduling is now open!
    • We ask that you schedule an appointment that works best for you by using this link: http://go.osu.edu/fcsummerjudging
    • Scheduling will be open through MIDNIGHT, Thursday, July 11th. 
    • If you have more than one project, please be sure to schedule an appointment for EACH PROJECT and allow time between appointments to complete each interview.

Please contact the Extension Office if you have additional questions about project judging! We can’t wait to see you!

Tractor Maintenance Wraps Up Another Successful Year

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The Fairfield County Small Engines & Tractor Maintenance 4-H club wrapped up another year of programming with a traditional banquet on Monday, March 18th at the Amanda United Methodist Church.  The Club is one of only a handful of such clubs in the state at the county level and has been in existence for more than 75 years.

At the banquet, Mr. Adam Sharp from the Ohio Farm Bureau, a former member of the Club, spoke about the agricultural industry in Ohio and the importance of the skills and lessons we learned this year, such as problem-solving, time-management, conflict resolution, critical thinking, communication, and teamwork.

Next, Club Advisor Kim Root thanked the 2024 Club Officers: Brice Beery, President; Vice President, Carter Miller; Secretary, Grady Philson; Treasurer, Jacob Duke-Ward; and News Reporters, Henry Pratt and George Kraner.

The Advisors [Kim Root (Small Engines I), Andrew Hettinger (Small Engines II), Nate Seitz (Small Engines III), Brandt Coffman (Tractor Maintenance I), Nate Howdyshell (Tractor Maintenance II), and Clark Hunsinger (Tractor Maintenance III) also recognized their 35 students who completed the project books, hands-on projects, and/or final tests at each project level and gave each of us a certificate of completion.

The Club also thanked the hosts of the weekly meetings this year: OSU Extension Office, Millersport Agri Service Inc., Miller Farms, Fairfield County Ag Society, Travis Cupp Farm, Company Wrench, Liberty Union Agricultural Education Department, Foltz Ag Enterprises, and Specialty Tractor as well as the staff of the Fairfield County Extension and 4-H Office, Stacy Hicks and Aubry Fowler.

We can’t wait until next year to do it all again!

4-H is a non-formal educational youth development program for individuals 8 and in third grade or 9 years old through age 18 as of January 1, 2024 for more information, contact the Fairfield County Extension office at 740-653-5419.

Kim Root, Advisor

Fairfield County Small Engines & Tractor Maintenance

Submitted on behalf of Club News Reporter, Henry Pratt

Tractor Maintenance 1st Meeting – January 8th

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TRACTOR MAINTENANCE & SMALL ENGINES 4-H CLUB

The Tractor Maintenance & Small Engines 4-H Club is looking for new members! 4-H is a non-formal, educational youth development program for individuals age 8 and in 3rd grade or 9 years old through age 18, as of January 1, 2024.

This 4-H club is unique in that they focus on one specific topic – Small Engines and Big Tractors. This club meets on Monday nights from Jan – March. They also teach individuals how to work on small engines and tractors while visiting different businesses and agriculture shops throughout the county. No experience is necessary – This is a great opportunity to learn something new!

The club is also using a new curriculum that focuses on tractor safety and how to properly perform tractor maintenance. The Tractor Maintenance courses are available to members who have taken the small engine project books or have had previous experience working on machinery.

The club meets every Monday in January through Mid-March. The first meeting will be Monday, January 8, 2024 at 7:00p.m. at the Fairfield County Ag Center, 831 College Ave, Lancaster. Joining 4-H is relatively inexpensive – Members can participate in Tractor Maintenance for $18! All interested members are welcome to attend this first meeting to learn more and get registered! For more information, contact the Fairfield County Extension Office at 740-653-5419.

Join Tractor Maintenance 4-H Club – Deadline to enroll 1/27/23

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Do you know someone who works with dirt bikes, lawn mowers, tractors, or other small engine powered equipment? Is this something you want to learn more about? Mastered the small engine and want to learn more about Farm Tractors?

The Tractor Maintenance & Small Engines 4-H Club is looking for new members! 4-H is a non-formal, educational youth development program for individuals age 8 and in 3rd grade or 9 years old through age 18, as of January 1, 2023.

This 4-H club teaches individuals how to work on small engines and tractors while visiting different businesses and agriculture shops throughout the county. No experience is necessary – This is a great opportunity to learn something new!

The next club meeting is Monday, January 23, 2023 at Specialty Tractor (1004 N Memorial Dr, Lancaster, OH 43130) at 7:00pm. Enrollment is due Friday, January 27th in 4-HOnline! There is still plenty of time to join

Tractor Maintenance 1st Meeting – January 9th

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 TRACTOR MAINTENANCE & SMALL ENGINES 4-H CLUB

 Do you know someone who works with dirt bikes, lawn mowers, tractors, or other small engine powered equipment? Is this something you want to learn more about? Mastered the small engine and want to learn more about Farm Tractors?

The Tractor Maintenance & Small Engines 4-H Club is looking for new members! 4-H is a non-formal, educational youth development program for individuals age 8 and in 3rd grade or 9 years old through age 18, as of January 1, 2023.

This 4-H club teaches individuals how to work on small engines and tractors while visiting different businesses and agriculture shops throughout the county. No experience is necessary – This is a great opportunity to learn something new!

The club is also using a new curriculum that focuses on tractor safety and how to properly perform tractor maintenance. The Tractor Maintenance courses are available to members who have taken the small engine project books or have had previous experience working on machinery.

The club meets every Monday in January through Mid-March. The first meeting will be Monday, January 9, 2023 at 7:00p.m. at the Fairfield County Ag Center, 831 College Ave, Lancaster. All interested members are welcome to attend this first meeting to learn more and get registered! For more information, contact the Fairfield County Extension Office at 740-653-5419.

Summer Judging Results and Photos

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Congrats to all 4-Hers, parents, and advisors! Summer Judging week has been wonderful as we get to see all of the hard work come together in our project interviews. Results for summer projects will be posted at this link and all results will be posted by the of the day on Friday, July 16th: go.osu.edu/fcsummerjudgingresults

State Fair packets will be ready starting on TUESDAY, July 19th during regular office hours.
 
All county award winners should save the date of August 13th at 7:00 p.m. for Summerfest!

Additionally, photos from summer judging have been posted on our Ohio State – Fairfield County 4-H Facebook Page. Direct links are as follows: