Events

Discover 4-H Open House

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The Licking County 4-H Program will be hosting two Discover 4-H Open House Events in February to help families learn more about 4-H and what it has to offer. This is a great opportunity for new families to learn more about 4-H and get connect with a club as well as families already connected to 4-H to learn more about what the program has to offer and have additional questions answered. Please be sure to share about this event to those in your communities.

Discover 4-H:

  • Friday, February 7, 2025 | 6:00-8:00pm | Licking County Extension Office (771 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055)
  • Saturday, February 8, 2025 | 10:00am-noon | Licking County Extension Office (771 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055)

2025 Ohio 4-H Conference

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The 205Ohio 4-H Conference will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. The conference is a great opportunity to gather new ideas, get updates about 4-H, meet/connect with new people, and celebrate our volunteers and teens. The conference includes break out sessions for both teens and adult volunteers, as well as a luncheon, trade show, and silent auction. You can find a list of sessions, registration form, vendor application, and silent auction donation form HERE. Cost to attend is $40 per person.

Please return the registration form along with payment to the Licking County Extension Office by February 6, 2025 so that we can get you registered before the deadline. Check should be made payable to: Licking County 4-H Committee.

2025 Licking County 4-H Dairy Judging Contest

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The 2024 Dairy Judging Contest will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at LAYMAN DAIRY FARM located at 2868 Lake Fork Rd NE, Utica, OH 43080. After the contest concludes, Quality Assurance training will take place at SHIPLEY DAIRY FARM located at 9309 Reynolds Rd, Utica, OH 43080. This Quality Assurance Training is only offered for those Dairy and Dairy Feeder project members who participate in the Dairy Judging Contest.

Ohio Beef Youth Council

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New Ohio Beef Youth Council to Launch at OCA Annual Meeting Feb. 1

(MARYSVILLE, Ohio) – The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet is set for Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Hilton Polaris in Columbus, Ohio. This event will serve as the setting for the new Ohio Beef Youth Council (OBYC) launch. The council is a youth education initiative created to serve the families and youth of Ohio’s beef industry and invest in the next generation of industry leaders. This initiative, funded by the Beef Checkoff and OCA, will provide youth with the tools to become more effective industry leaders and inspire them to continue their engagement in Ohio’s beef industry as adults.

Beef industry youth and their parents are invited to join the council’s youth leaders on Saturday morning for the roll-out of the new council. OBYC officers will introduce the vision and initial programs for the council. Registration will open at 9:00 a.m., and the program will begin at 10:00 a.m. The council and its programs will be open to all youth 8 to 21 years of age. There will be no cost to be involved in the council. OBYC educational contests and events will have registration fees.

Attendees will also hear from a panel of agriculture professionals about how programs similar to the Youth Council have impacted their education and career goals. Panelists include:

  • Zane Gross, Ashland County, Operations Manager & Sales Lead for E. R. Boliantz Packing Co. Ohio State University graduate and meat science expert working with and advising area cattle Recipient of the OCA Young Cattleman of the Year award. His family owns Buckeye Creek Angus, a growing seedstock operation.
  • Lindsey Hall, Highland County, Employed as an agent for ICAP Crop Insurance, she and her family own and operate Maplecrest As a graduate of Ohio State & Kansas State Universities and current OCA vice president, Lindsey and her family are the next generation of Maplecrest’s elite seedstock operation and she is the Manager of Product Procurement for their newest business venture, Maplecrest Meats & More.
  • Kirsten Nickles, Ashland County, Sustainability & Animal Care Scientist for Certified Angus Beef working to build brand integrity with their marketing partners and maintain consumer trust in the CAB brand. Ohio State University Ph.D. graduate and current member of the OCA board of She is involved with her family’s cattle and crop farm.
  • Garrett Stanfield, Adams County, Regional Business Manager for Trans Ova Genetics. Co-advisor for the Ohio Junior Simmental Ohio State University graduate and former participant in the OCA Young Cattlemen’s Conference leadership program. Herdsman and manager for Stanfield Farms a Simmental seedstock producer.

Following the OYBC launch and ag professional panel, all attendees are invited to a complimentary luncheon hosted by the Ohio Beef Council. Lunch will review 2024 strategic Checkoff investments designed to build beef demand. All attendees must register to attend.

The afternoon will include setting OCA policy for 2025 and hearing from guest speaker Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). The Ohio Cattlemen’s Foundation (OCF) will host their annual meeting that will include the presentation of the Foundation’s 2024 scholarships. In addition, the new Educational Scholarship, and Success Grant in memory of Bill Tom, former OCA vice president and Ohio State Fair beef director will be awarded.

The evening will conclude with the Awards Banquet where the seven distinguished award winners for the year will be named in the categories of Young Cattlemen of the Year, Industry Service Award, Industry Excellence Award, Seedstock Producer of the Year, Commercial Producer of the Year, Environmental Stewardship Award and the Outstanding County Award. A dinner will be served as attendees enjoy viewing the release of the award videos.

After the banquet, a social event will be held for cattlemen to mingle and participate in a live auction held to raise funds for OCA’s Political Action Committee (PAC) that supports ag-friendly candidates.

Registration, hotel room booking, and more details about the Ohio Beef Youth Council and OCA Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet can be found at www.ohiocattle.org or call (614) 873-6736 with questions.

Aquaponics Challenge

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The Aquaponics Challenge is an interdisciplinary learning competition for teams in school or after-school programs (for example: 4-H, FFA) in grades 8-12. Teams are student led with support from their coach (teacher or after-school program lead) and each team is provided with a liaison who helps with guidance throughout the season.

Teams can work on the competition as part of a class or as an after-school activity. Multiple teams can register per school and teams can also register as part of afterschool clubs or other academic related organizations. This competition is open to all interested individuals regardless of location. Small team stipends ($150) are available for those in Great Lakes states.

The competition is composed of four challenges and teams can choose to compete in one or multiple with awards for each category as well as a cumulative award. The four challenges include:

  1. Designing and creating an aquaponics system,
  2. Monitoring the system,
  3. Creating a business plan to accompany the system,
  4. Creating a seafood outreach project.

Important Details:

  • Registration deadline is January 12, 2025. Register by completing this form.
  • The competition timeline is January through April, with a virtual awards ceremony held on April 11, 2025.
  • Student teams submit videos showcasing their accomplishments, as well as supporting materials online.
  • Teams are supported with online resources, coach and team Zoom trainings, a small team stipend ($150 for Great Lakes states), and a liaison who helps guide the team during the season.
  • See the 2025 Aquaculture Challenge Team Manual team with detailed information about the competition.
  • Visit the Aquaponics Challenge webpage to find these details and more information.

The aquaculture challenge is a competitive science and business competition hosted by the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and Lake Superior State University. 

Questions? Contact Elliot Nelson, Michigan Sea Grant, elliotne@msu.edu or Nicole Wright, Ohio Sea Grant, wright.1128@osu.edu

 

REMINDER: Food Pantry Network of Licking County: Elves in Action

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Elves in Action is the Food Pantry Network of Licking County’s annual, community-wide fundraiser held at the end of every year to help them stock the shelves for the holiday season. Elves in Action aims to bring together supporters interested in fighting food insecurity in Licking County and collect food and monetary donations to benefit the Food Pantry Network. This year, the staff at the Licking County Extension Office will be volunteering from 5:30-7:30pm on Friday, December 20, 2024 to collect food and monetary donations in downtown Newark on the square. Please come visit us and help us fight food insecurity in Licking County!

Please Note: There will be volunteers on the square every evening from 5:30-7:30pm collecting donations starting Friday, November 29th through December 24th. Stop by any of those dates to make a donation, but if you want to see Lisa and Adrienne, be sure to stop by on December 20th!

Fall Paper Clover Campaign at Tractor Supply Company

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Tractor Supply Company (TSC) is once again hosting their Paper Clover Campaign in all locations. The campaign runs from November 29th through December 15th. Make donations at any of the four Licking County TSC Stores. 80% of the funds raised at each store will stay in Licking County’s program to support 4-H leadership and scholarship opportunities. The monies raised helps Licking County 4-H send youth to state camps and national trips.

Heath: 2035 Hebron Rd., Heath, OH 43056

Johnstown: 659 W Coshocton St., Johnstown, OH 43031

Newark: 315 Deo Dr., Newark, OH 43055

Pataskala: 11309 Broad St SW, Pataskala, OH 43062

Central Ohio Beekeepers Association Youth Scholarships

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The Central Ohio Beekeepers Association (COBA) is accepting applications for their youth scholarship until January 3, 2025. The recipient of this scholarship will receive woodenware consisting of a standard hive including frames and foundation, a bottom board, an inner cover, a top cover, a nucleus of bees with a queen or a package of bees and a queen, and the necessary beginner’s equipment to start the beekeeping project.

The recipient will also receive:

  1. a two-year membership in COBA;
  2. participation in the Association’s meetings and will receive the Association Newsletter;
  3. registration in the assigned beekeeping school;
  4. mentoring by a COBA member throughout the year; and
  5. Association assistance in extracting their second year’s honey harvest.

For more information or to apply for the scholarship please visit: https://centralohiobeekeepers.org/programs

2025 Licking County 4-H Advisor Training Dates

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The 2025 Licking County 4-H Advisor Training Dates are now available. If you are a current Licking County 4-H Advisor or if you plan to apply to become an advisor in 2025, please make note of the information below and plan to attend one of the training dates listed.

WHY: All 4-H Club Advisors within the state of Ohio are required to attend an annual training. This training will include an introduction to anything that’s new, review of any issues that have been encountered over the past year, reminder about the important dates and deadline, emphasis on new tasks that may be needed, etc. Training is intended to support you and provide you with information and resources that will make your work as an advisor more enjoyable, more manageable, and more rewarding!

WHEN / WHERE: We encourage you to mark your calendar for Saturday, January 25th (9:00 a.m.) at Ohio State Newark – Reese Center – no registration necessary, as we hope that all of you can attend! But…if you’re NOT available for that session, please reply to this email to let us know if you need to attend one of the alternative dates (January 30th, February 12th or 18th / 7-8:30 p.m.), which will be held at the Licking County Extension Office. Because those three dates are considered back-up, and have a much smaller capacity than that January 25th date, YOU MUST REGISTER if you plan to attend January 30th, February 12th or 18th trainings – simply respond to me (Lisa) and I will add you to the list (as long as space is available).

LOCATION: We’ll be in the Auditorium at the Reese Center, where we also hold the Style Revue and Recognition Event each July. There will be plenty of seating, as well as parking, for all… We will also have Resource Fair tables set up outside of the Auditorium for Advisors to visit following the update.

WHAT: If you’re planning to attend the January 25th training (and we really hope you will), you’ll participate in a training update from 9-11:00 a.m., and then have time from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to enjoy the RESOURCE FAIR! We will have a trade show area set up for you to ask questions, look at new materials, interact with key resource leaders, etc. – or you can just take a few minutes to sit and speak with other advisors about what’s working for them! That time is for YOU! We want to support you, and the Resource Fair can serve that purpose! Note: If you must attend the January 30th, February 12th or 18th dates, please know that only training will be provided due to space and time limitations.

REMINDER: Market Steer and Heifer Weigh-In for 2025

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2025 Hartford Fair Market Steer / Heifer exhibitors are asked to make note of the following details to ensure that their market animals are registered online (by noon on Friday, December 6, 2024) and weighed-in on December 7, 2024 in preparation for the 2025 Hartford Fair. Online Registration: go.osu.edu/2025HartfordWeighIn

Details regarding eligibility for the Ohio State Fair Junior Fair Market Steer / Heifer show can be found HERE. DNA samples are to be submitted to the OSF by no later than January 15. Same as in 2024: OSF is no longer providing 840 EID tags – they must be provided by the exhibitor / breeder, with tag number note on DNA packet prior to submission.