Today, I read through the most recent National Geographic for Kids magazine, inside there was a “Which Comeback Critter Are You?” personality quiz. After taking it and reading through the different critter personalities, I immediately thought I am surrounded by a pack of grey wolves. According to the quiz, grey wolves “love to talk about issues you are passionate about, just like gray wolves – sort of, they use their barks, whimpers, growls, and howls. And wolves are tough, able to thrive in hot deserts and cold mountains. Not much fazes you either. Challenges? Bring ‘em on”.

Lawrence County 4-H is full of “grey wolves”. Our volunteers, youth, and adults are resilient. So many are passionate – passionate about the future of our 4-H program, passionate about continuing to find new ways to fulfill our mission, passionate about providing service to our community, and much, much more. Lawrence County 4-H volunteers, like wolves, are tough, able to thrive in hot deserts and cold mountains. This unique time has proven our 4-H family is tough, through the highs and the lows, each of you have taken it in stride and come up with some great ideas to continue moving forward with the wolves attitude of “Challenges? Bring ‘em on”.

On average, a Lawrence County 4-H youth and adult volunteers will give over 100 hours of service each year. 4-H may have taken a 180 degree turn lately as we have begun our virtual outreach. But, our 4-H community has accepted the challenge. 4-H Clubs are participating in virtual activities together, 4-H volunteers are continuously providing insight and ideas, our teens are providing us with weekly motivation, and many 4-H families are providing service to our community.

So, you may wonder why the topic of National Geographic for Kids, Gray Wolves, and 4-H? Today, April 22nd, is Earth Day. Earth Day is a celebration of environmental protection. 4-H pledges to provide our hands to larger service & our health to better living. Earth Day gives a perfect opportunity for 4-H to showcase our passion, provide service, and accept a “…for my world” challenge.

Need some ideas? Go on a hike, plant a tree or a garden, pick up trash, recycle, set up a composting site, turn off the water while your brushing your teeth and lights when you leave a room, donate unwanted items.

Share your Earth Day activities in the comments.

As of April 14th, 2020, this blog post will be updated as more information is available.

“Due to ongoing health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision has been made to cancel all Ohio State University Extension in-person programming through July 6. This includes all 4-H programs, activities, and events. Additionally, we’ve made the very difficult decision to cancel all 4-H camps thru August 31. Although in-person programming is cancelled, we will continue to offer virtual 4-H experiences.”

Will there be a 2020 Lawrence County Fair? According to Ohio Fair Managers’ Facebook Page the fair is still on schedule. An April 8th post stated, “Just to give an update Ohio Fair Managers are working with Ohio’s Government Leadership and have not cancelled any Ohio agricultural fairs as of April 8, 2020. We will keep you updated. These are new times for all of us and together we can get through this. There are several fairs that have applied for help through the CARES ACT if you have question message us and we can pass along contact information. Stay safe!”

If Fair gets cancelled, how can we complete our judging? As of right now we are continuing to move forward with fair plans, however if it were to be cancelled, please know your Lawrence County 4-H and Senior Fairboard Team is brainstorming contingency plans to support your 4-H project completion with judging and auctions.

Can 4-H Members Change 4-H Projects? The deadline to make additions or changes to 2020 4-H projects has been extended to April 30. All 4-H project registrations such as Horse ID and Safety will be accepted until the April 30 deadline.

How Do 4-H Members Get 4-H Project Books? The extensionpubs.osu.edu/ online ordering system is available to order 4-H project books and be shipped straight to your house. Coupon codes are available for Ohio 4-H residents FREE2020 (for free shipping) OR 20IN2020 (20% off the entire order) Ohio 4-H has also made “stay-at-home” projects available for pdf download at www.ohio4h.org/stayathome; this includes:

• Discovering 4-H
• Sew Fun
• My Favorite Things
• The Writer in You
• Get Started In Art
• Family History Treasure Hunt
• Lets Start Cooking
• Yeast Breads on the Rise
• Racing the Clock to Awesome Meals
• Your Thoughts Matter
• Laundry Project
• It’s My Home
• Leadership Road Trip
• Pantry Picnic
• Explore the Outdoors
• Ohio Birds
• Science Fun with Kitchen Chemistry
• Not Just Knots

How will 4-H projects scheduled for pre-fair judging be judged? 4-H project judging will be postponed until after July 6th. Most 4-H project judging will be held at the county fair. All project judging dates will be shared with individual project areas, as they are scheduled and posted on our website at lawrence.osu.edu.

How will club members get in their 4-H meetings? We are asking all 4-H Volunteers to work with your 4-H club members to host at least two virtual meetings prior to fair. This can be via zoom, facebook live, google hangout, group text chat, call and do a phone tree check in, etc. Be creative. Hopefully, there will be opportunity to will hold a last minute, face-to-face, pre-fair check in after July 6th. Please note, OSU conferencing system, is available will also allow for land-line call-ins, you do not need internet to connect. Let us know if you need help setting up a call. The clubs most host 6 meeting requirement may be  met through December 31, 2020.

Steps to Access Host on Zoom

How do our Livestock members complete Quality Assurance? Quality Assurance is still mandated by ODA. All members participating in a livestock project must complete Quality Assurance. Members can complete Quality Assurance on their own through ycqa or register for a virtual trainings scheduled through the Extension Office. Quality Assurance options, instructions, dates and times will be available by visiting: https://u.osu.edu/lawrence4h/2020/04/08/2020-lawrence-county-quality-assurance-tag-in-and-livestock-information/

How will Market Lamb, Goat, and Hog Tag-In happen? The Lamb, Goat, and Hog Tag-In scheduled for May 9th has been moved to a digital format. All Market Lamb, Goat, and Hog exhibitors must complete an online form and submit photos using their scrapie (lambs and goats) or ear notch (hogs) ID. Online submission forms can be found at go.osu.edu/2020LawrenceCountyLivestockID The form must be completed in full and submitted by Saturday, May 9th. Livestock projects will be tagged with their county fair ID tag at fair weigh in, tag numbers will be pre-assigned.

What about rabbit tag in? The Livestock Committee is working on a process like the one above. Instructions will be made available closer to the originally scheduled tag-in date.

What about Market Chicken Orders and Pick Up? Market Chicken exhibitors have received an e-mail with instructions on how to submit market chicken orders. The Extension Office will be placing our Market Chicken order the first week of May and will have instructions for a pick up plan then.

How do I submit my breeding animal form? An online submission process will be created similar to what is being used for market tag-in. Forms will be shared as available and will be due June 1st.

What about the Cloverbud Discovery Series? Unfortunately, our face-to-face, Cloverbud Series has been cancelled. Many of our Friday Fun activities are perfect for our Cloverbuds and hope to have others available.

What is the OSU Extension, Lawrence County staff doing to keep 4-H youth and volunteers engaged?
 Ohio State – Lawrence County 4-H Facebook, @lawrence4h, is regularly updated with Monday Motivation, Funday Friday, and other activities and challenges.

• The U.osu.edu/lawrence4h blog has up to date news information, educational resources, challenges and activities. We share most all facebook news here too, so those without facebook, have a place to participate.

• E-mail Blasts are being sent to all 4-H families regularly. All information and links for trainings, needed forms, etc. is shared directly with members through their family enrollment email. If you need to update your email, please contact us. E-mail is the primary method of current communication. Our newsletter style e-mails will go out each Friday and any breaking news will be shared when necessary.

• Tuesdays at 2:00pm, Zoom Connection, with an activity and open Question and Answer time. To connect visit: https://osu.zoom.us/j/219931241 Or dial in by calling 646-876-9923.

How can I contact the OSU Extension, Lawrence County staff? Our office phone, 740-533-4322 will still connect you us. Also our e-mail, Fraley.171@osu.edu or Matney.30@osu.edu is an easy way to reach us quickly.

Lawrence County 4-H & FFA Livestock Information, as of May 1, 2020 

This post will be used to update all Lawrence County 4-H Livestock Exhibitors on up to date information regarding their project requirements.

Quality Assurance

All 4-H & FFA Livestock Exhibitors are required to complete Quality Assurance. They can choose either to complete via Zoom or by completing yqca.com training. Members only need to complete one training option.

Lawrence County 4-H Virtual ZOOM Quality Assurance

There are 5 sessions available. These sessions are scheduled for 1 hour 30 minutes and will allow for interactive polling. Please register 48 hours prior to the session you prefer, first come – first serve to the first 40 registered. To view dates/times and register please visit: https://go.osu.edu/2020lawrencecountyvirtualqaregistration

Approximately 24 hours before the webinar, you will receive a Zoom link to connect to the webinar from Rachael Fraley. The link will be sent from Fraley.171@osu.edu. Training will be limited to a maximum of 40 families per session. Families only need to register once if all family members will be participating at the same time. Members can connect through zoom video conferencing or by calling in on a land line.

 YQCA.com

4-H & FFA Members may also take YQCA online. 4-H members, please use your 4honline log in information. FFA members will need to use the YQCA log in. All members need to send their completion certificate number or screenshot the certificate and send to fraley.171@osu.edu. The cost of this training is $12 and is open to all members. The link to participate in YQCA training is https://yqca.learngrow.io

Livestock Tag-In

Lamb, Goat, and Hog Tag-In

Lamb, Goat, and Hog Tag-In scheduled at the fairgrounds for May 9th has been cancelled. Please view your online submission form below, complete, and submit by Saturday, May 9th.  If you have any questions or problems with the form, please contact Rachael at Fraley.171@osu.edu

• • Market Lamb
  • Market Goat
  • Market Hog

Need a little help with form? Check out the Livestock ID Tutorial

Need help reading your hog’s ear notches? Ear Notch Video

Lawrence County Market Chicken Distribution

The Market Chickens have been ordered and will tentatively arrive on Wednesday, May 27th. We will plan for an afternoon pick-up at the picnic shelter at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds. In order to help comply with social distancing and an effort to keep everyone safe, we will set up distribution to keep a socially safe distance.

Market Rabbit Tag-In 

The Market Rabbit Tattooing at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds has been cancelled. All Market Rabbit exhibitors are required to submit the Market Rabbit Registration Form with photos. The registration form must be submitted by Saturday, June 6th for exhibition eligibility.

Non-Market Livestock and Breeding Project Registration Forms

All Lawrence County 4-H and FFA Youth planning to exhibit a Non-Market Livestock project or Breeding Project must complete the Lawrence County Non-Market Livestock/Breeding Project Registration Qualtrics Survey by June 1 to exhibit your project at the county fair.

Livestock Rules and Fair Information can be found by visiting: https://lawrence.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/lawrence-county-fair

Sometimes during this stay at home order, I find it easy to be a stagnant, couch potato. As I balance the at home mom, full time 4-H Educator and 1st grade teacher, planting us in front of the tv is an easy out for entertainment.

When our Lawrence County 4-H Health Hero, Brea Belville, issued her 4th H: Get Outside and Move Challenge, I began thinking. Thinking of all the many challenges we are faced with as we deal with our “new normal”, feeling a little stuck but safe at home. Although, I’ve heard of all reasons to be outdoors, I still felt like because I had to work, I had to be inside… but what if I moved it outdoors?

Suddenly, I move my office and kids outside and it’s like magic. My daughter is entertained, running and playing in the yard, jumping rope, and doing tug of war with the dog. My 8-month old son is enjoying watching it all and I am getting work accomplished. Win-Win for all involved in my family today.

As I sit outside researching and reminding myself of the benefits, we are all getting fresh air and Vitamin D. So, how is it beneficial you may ask? It improves mood, focus, and even sleep habits. Just being outside also increases the likelihood of being physically active. The minute we stepped out, Leighton’s creative, active play began.

So what can you do outside?

Home Work: for youth it may be school work or adults it may be work, work. Whatever it is, can your job be done sitting on your porch? The outdoor air and sunshine helps get those creative thoughts flowing.

Picnic: Move your breakfast, lunch, or dinner outdoors. Set up a blanket in the yard, sit on the porch, on the playset, whatever works for your family. Maybe it’s even cooking around an outdoor fire.

Play: Move your body; walk, run, jump, ride your bike. Whatever it is your body likes to do. For youth, 60 minutes a day is encouraged, for adults it’s 150 minutes a week. It’s easily attainable by just moving outdoors; play duck, duck, goose, simon says, red light, green light, the list goes on.

Read: Read a new book, have your kids read to you, or to each other.

Yoga: Practice some of your favorite yoga moves to stretch and clear your mind. 4-H Yoga For Kids is on youtube and a great resource for kids and adults.

These are just a few ideas, but did you know outdoor play encourages cognitive, social, emotional development? Allowing for unstructured, free play allows for self-direction and lengthens attention spans. So, I challenge you to allow yourself, your kids, your family to be creative and dream up some outdoor fun.

Starting now, while we are at-home, and getting outside daily will help to establish new habits that will keep you healthy throughout your life.

Keeping active not only will improve your physical health and well-being but all aspects of life.

Authored By: Rachael Fraley, OSU Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development

Reviewed By: Paige Matney, OSU Extension, Lawrence County Office Associate

Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/index.htm

The Lawrence County 4-H Friday Fun for Friday, April 3rd, is all about the 4-H Pledge, Motto, and Clover.

Check out our Lawrence County 4-H Cloverbud, Leighton Fraley, from Gingham and Denim 4-H Club introduce our activity for this week. This activity teaches the 4-H Pledge and Motto, as well as gives an opportunity to get creative making a clover to show off your 4-H Spirit!

Already know the pledge and motto? We encourage you to take a minute to recite the pledge and motto and challenge yourself to reflect on the meaning. What does 4-H look like to you in this time of change? We are all being challenged to adapt and find new and creative ways to engage. How can we, Lawrence County 4-H, have “clearer thinking”, “greater loyalty”, “larger service”, and “healthier living” for our clubs, our community, our country, and our world?

Because although we may be adapting our way’s, A.B. Graham’s intention from the beginning remains the same, that we, 4-H, be responsible, productive members of society. Interested in learning more about the Start of 4-H and concepts 4-H was built upon, check out https://ohio4h.org/about/history-4-h.

We look forward to hearing your 4-H Pledges and seeing your Clovers in the Comments! We also hope you will take a minute to share your reflections with us, too… Share your ideas by posting a vides or sending us a message with your thoughts and ideas. Hope everyone has a great weekend!