Greetings 4-H Families!
February has quickly come upon us and we are moving into 4-H recruitment season! Let’s make 2021 our year! Enrollments are starting to roll in, clubs are beginning to meet and make plans for the year, and new members are excited to join! Help us out by sharing about 4-H to all your friends and neighbors – invite someone to a club meeting, send them to our recruitment site: go.osu.edu/mc4hspark so that they can find their spark in 4-H.
This month 4-H focuses on equity, with resources for families and volunteers that help ensure our programs and activities are open and welcoming to all. The True Leaders in Equity team developed weekly activities and conversation prompts, an online challenge to discover Ohio sites that explores the diversity in our state, social media posts, reading lists for youth of all ages and more. Each week features a different theme; we invite you to join us this month to learn something new, share an experience, and explore equity to make the best better for Ohio 4-H. Visit go.osu.edu/4hequity to learn more!
In this issue:
- 2021 Calendar of Events
- 4-H Enrollment Information
- 4-H Recruitment and Virtual Open House
- County Wide Club Meetings
- Pizza Kit Fundraiser for Camp
- 4-H Club T-Shirt for Sale
- 2021 Project Book Information
- Extension Office Hours and 4-H Office Hours
- Ohio 4-H Guidelines Reminder
- Scholarship Opportunities
- Livestock Quality Assurance Information
- Volunteer Reminders
- State 4-H Updates (Ohio 4-H Conference, Virtual Swine Day, etc.)
COUNTY 4-H UPDATES
2021 4-H Calendar Available
Mark your calendar and save the dates now for important county events and deadlines! Updates will be added to the website and this calendar as we receive them, as well as emailed to all 4-H families.
Please note: dates, times, and locations, and format are subject to change based on OSU and county health and safety guidelines. We will keep you informed as time progresses.
A printable calendar can be found here.
2021 Enrollment Available NOW!
You are now available to enroll your family for 2021! Visit oh.4honline.com and log in your same email and password that you used before. If you forgot your password/email, contact our office – DO NOT create a new account unless you are a NEW family to 4-H!
The system will look different from previous years, but hopefully more user friendly! Click here for instructions and a help sheet with screenshots to help you enroll. If you have any issues, do not hesitate to call our office or email Frances at foos.61@osu.edu.
If you need additional help or assistance in our office and want to set up an appointment, call our office or contact Frances directly to view 4-H office hours for the next few weeks.
Find Your Spark with 4-H!
While we cannot have our in-person 4-H Rally Night this year, we are hosting a series of virtual activies for current members and new/anticipated 4-H members to participate in to learn more about 4-H projects available and win prizes, like 4-H camp registrations, free project books, 4-H goodies, and more!
Starting NOW, you can visit go.osu.edu/mc4hspark where you will find videos from key leaders, livestock committee members, and other volunteers describing various project areas, what you need, what you learn, etc. There will also be videos from our own 4-H members that have done really well in certain project areas sharing their insight!
Additionally, there will be some live zoom Q&A sessions for newer and potential 4-H members (and current members too!) Below are the dates and topics. Registration is now live at go.osu.edu/mc4hspark
February 10 & March 9 @ 7pm: Welcome to 4-H 101 – How to enroll, where to find projects, and more! Opportunities to meet with clubs that are open to new members.
February 15 @ 7pm: Small and Large Animal Information Night: Meet with livestock committee members and project experts to ask more specific questions about what you need for projects
February 22 @ 7pm: Special Interest/Cloverbud Information Night: Meeting with project key leaders and advisors to learn more about specific project areas such as nutrition, sewing, STEM, art, and more!
*Additional project specific times may be added throughout February and March. Enrollment is due March 15!
County Wide Club Meetings
Since we are all “stuck”, we want to make it easier for you to host engaging club meetings this Winter/Spring! This is completely optional, but we hope it can help in your planning!
We are hosting a series of virtual club meetings starting January 10-March 28 on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 2pm. Each meeting will include county updates, Q&A time, and an engaging guest speaker for a total of 45 minutes, then advisors can select the option to lead a breakout room with your club officers to host your business meeting!
Advisors can also request the 4-H educator to “pop in” to their meeting for an additional activity, clarify something, etc.
CLUB REGISTRATION: In order to have these count as a club meeting, advisors MUST register in advance for a breakout room HERE: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0UkEjx3PVzdDdbv
FAMILY REGISTRATION: Families can attend on their own, but it will only count as a club meeting if they attend their individual club meeting in the breakout session after the guest speaker with their club advisors/officers. Families will register for each session HERE: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Tv182ymIwT0NYV
Dates and Topics are listed below. All are Sundays from 2-4pm. The guest speaker and county updates will be 45 minutes-1 hour, and then clubs can have time in their breakout rooms for however long they need!
- February 14 – Paleontology
- February 28 -Solar Energy Fun
- March 14 – Maple Syrup Making
- March 28 – Chocolate Science
Pizza Kit Fundraising for Camp
It’s pizza time! Starting today (January 15) and for the next 4 weeks, we’re selling Pizza Kits to raise money for 4-H camper registration fees! To reach our goal and be successful, we need everyone’s help. It’s super easy to join the fun! Our fundraiser closes on February 14th.
Sellers: To get started follow this link https://fundraising.littlecaesars.com/login/join-fundraiser/dbe548ff-662e-47d3-a156-477e2ce63dcc to create your very own Seller page (click “create a new account”). You can customize your page, upload a video, create an avatar, and watch how many pizza kits you’ve sold. You’ll get your own special link to send to your friends and family so they can buy delicious pizza kits and support our fundraiser. Pizza Kits will be delivered directly to their home by FedEx, so send the link to your out of state family and friends, too. You can even post your Seller link on your social media pages.
Every kit we sell earns $6 profit, which goes directly to the seller’s camp registration fee! Don’t forget to buy some for yourself!
Buyers: If you are not a seller, and wish to purchase a kit, contact our office to either get hooked up with a seller, or purchase through out county page here: https://fundraising.littlecaesars.com/fundraisers/support/dbe9a7a6-2af4-4803-a8ba-175fc4834b2e.
If you have any questions about how to participate this year, please contact the Extension office at 740-852-0975 or foos.61@osu.edu
4-H Club T-Shirt
Back by popular demand! You can purchase a 4-H Club T-Shirt and view the design at go.osu.edu/madco4hshirt
Shirts cost $20, which includes direct shipping to your home after orders close on March 15th, as well as a small donation to the Madison County 4-H Committee
The more shirts sold, the higher profit per shirt goes back to the 4-H program!
Special thanks to Madison Estep from Helping Hands Happy Hearts for designing this shirt in 2020 & to Pounce Signs and Printwear for printing the t-shirts!
Questions? Contact the Extension Office or foos.61@osu.edu.
2021 4-H Projects and Family Guides
The 2021 Family Guide is now available for download at ohio4h.org/familyguide! If you need a hard copy, there are some available in the office. Each 2020 4-H family/volunteer should have had one mailed to them.
You can view sample pages of project books, see comments from families that have enrolled in the project, etc. at projectcentral.ohio4h.org!
This year, there are a couple ways to purchase your project books:
*Before ordering, check the Perfect Stay at Home projects page to see if the project your child is interested in is posted as a PDF version for free (there are 12 projcets posted currently). We are happy to print these in the office for you if needed. You can also choose to buy the book still if it is easier to work in.
- Order Online: You can skip a trip to the office and have them ordered and shipped directly to your door! Visit extensionpubs.osu.edu to browse project and resource books. Use this coupon to get free shipping on orders of $20 or more (FREE2021)
- Purchase at our office: Schedule an appointment to come during 4-H office hours, or call ahead for a different time, to purchase your books in the county office.
OSU Extension and 4-H Enrollment Office Hours
General Office Hours: As a reminder, our office is open by appointment only, Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm. Please continue to call ahead at least 24 hours before coming into the office to schedule an appointment, wear your mask when inside, and stay home if you are sick.
4-H Office Hours: To assist with 4-H Enrollment, project book purchasing, etc., Frances is holding special 4-H office hours throughout February and March. You will still need to call ahead in advance as doors will be locked. Below are some dates to schedule ahead. If you need to make other arrangements, please let us know. We can also assist with enrollment virtually or you can purchase books at extensionpubs.osu.edu.
- February 3rd – 1:00-5:00pm
- February 10th – 10:00am-3:00pm
- February 17th – 10:00am-1:00pm
- February 24th – 1:00pm-4:00pm
- March 3 – 1:00pm-5:00pm
- March 10 – 1:00pm – 5:00pm
- March 15 – 9:00am – 4:00pm
In-Person 4-H Meetings and Events Update
As we head into winter months and flu season, in addition to COVID-19, remember to follow our meeting guidelines for any in-person 4-H meetings and events that you may be attending: That information, along with any new updates, is at https://ohio4h.org/families/stay-connected.
Given the rise of COVID-19 in Ohio and in an effort to keep our 4-H families, volunteers and communities safe, effective December 7, 2020 all 4-H meetings and events are to be canceled, postponed, or held virtually until January 15, 2021. After the 15th, all meetings and events can resume under the previous approved exemption and guidelines (masks required, less than 50 attendees, etc.) Contact the extension office with questions.
As part of an academic institution, we follow science and model what the CDC, Ohio Department of Health and other experts stress is important in addressing this virus. All 4-H volunteers are expected to follow these guidelines regarding 4-H meetings and events. Volunteers who are not in compliance will receive a first warning. A second incident disregarding our effort to protect the health, safety and well-being of members, families and communities will result in immediate termination of volunteer status.
Currently, all OSU Extension offices are closed through January 3rd. We will be open based on the current Ohio Public Health Advisory System. If a county is purple or approaching purple, OSU Extension offices will be closed and employees will be working virtually. If a county is red, OSU Extension offices will be staffed by appointment only. You will need to call in advance to schedule a time to go to the office. Please note there may be additional guidelines from county health departments.
County Level Scholarship Opportunities
- Madison County Farm Bureau Scholarship
- The Madison County Farm Bureau is offering scholarships to the children of Madison County Farm Bureau members. While all students are encouraged to apply, preference is given to applicants majoring in an agriculturally-related field
- To view and download the application, click here
- The completed application is due March 31, 2021 to Madison County Farm Bureau, P.O. Box 368, Hilliard, Ohio 43026 OR emailed as a PDF to madison@ofbf.org
- Questions can be directed to Reilly Wright at rwright@ofbf.org
- Madison County 4-H Scholarship
- The Madison County 4-H Advisory Committee sponsors two -$500.00 and four- $250.00 scholarships. Applicants must be currently enrolled in the Madison County 4-H program and must be high school seniors or college freshman.
- This scholarship application is due April 30th to the Extension Office or emailed to foos.61@osu.edu
- Click here for a Fillable PDF or Word file of the application.
- 4-H Trip Scholarships
- There are many opportunities available to youth outside of our county programs! The Madison County 4-H Committee sponsors trips for our youth to help them gain leadership skills and represent our county! Trips include: State Leadership Camp, Shooting Sports camps, Citizenship Washington Focus (trip to D.C.), and many more
- Applications ASAP for early registrations (CWF, Buckeye Leadership Workshop, etc.) or 6 weeks in advance of registration for event.
- Download the application here! Opportunities are available for 4-H youth of all ages!
Upcoming Events – February
6: Madison County Equine Committee Tack Sale
8: New 4-H Volunteer Orientation, 7:00pm (Virtual)
10: Welcome to 4-H 101 Open House, 7:00pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)
11: Cloverbud Volunteer Training, 7:00pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)
14: Virtual County Wide Club Meeting: Paleontology, 2:00pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)
15: Livestock and Small Animal Project Open House, 7:00pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)
16: 4-H Volunteer Training: Creating Positive Club Culture, 10am OR 7pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)’
20: Ohio 4-H Conference Day 1 (Virtual, RSVP Required by 2/12)
20: Ohio State Jr. Swine Day (Virtual, RSVP Required by 2/16)
22: Special Interest and Cloverbud Open House (Virtual, RSVP Required)
23: Ohio 4-H Conference Day 2 (Virtual, RSVP Required by 2/12)
24: New Volunteer Orientation, 7:00pm (Virtual)
25: Ohio 4-H Conference Day 3 (Virtual, RSVP Required by 2/12)
28: Virtual County Wide Club Meeting: Solar Fun, 2:00pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)
COUNTY JR. FAIR UPDATES
Livestock Committee Members Needed!
2021 is bringing some fresh changes to our Jr. Fair structure! In lieu of Livestock Key Leaders, the Jr. Fair Livestock program is moving to a committee structure to help encourage sustainability and limit the amount of work for the one person, creating a team effort!
If interested in being a part of this committee, contact madisoncountyjfb@gmail.com to learn more.
The 3 Committees will now consist of:
- Equine Committee (has been in place for several years, If interested, contact Colleen Martin at stephighatlfs@aol.com for information on meetings times, dates, etc.)
- Small Animal/Specialty: includes rabbit, poultry, dog, alpaca, and small animal
- Large Animal Committee: Includes beef, dairy, swine, goat, and sheep!
Responsibilities of these committees will include:
- Species specific rule recommendations to JFB (timely and accurate oversight and revisions)
- Judge recommendations
- Develop and maintain volunteers
- Fundraising/Budget
- Fair format/show bill/arena and facility set up, recs
- Assist extension office with skillathons
Equine Committee Tack Sale – February 6
Save the date for the Horse Tack Sale, hosted by the Madison County Equine Committee on February 6, 2021, from 8am-2pm at the Champion Center (4122 Laybourne Road, Springfield, OH).
Vendors are also needed! Contact Colleen Martin at 614-374-6149 for more information on vendor space. For chance auction donations, contact Barb Tracy at 614-619-0992. For general questions, contact Sam Seidenstricker at 937-561-8500.
Livestock Quality Assurance Dates Announced!
To be eligible for participation in the Madison County Junior Fair, potential youth exhibitors must participate in one of the following Quality Assurance Education Programs. The deadline to complete QA Education for the Madison County Fair is May 15, 2021.
Register at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa.
4-H & FFA Members in these projects must attend Quality Assurance Education: All Dairy Cattle, Market & Dairy Goats, Breeding Goats, Market Rabbits (Pen of 3), Beef (Mkt. Steers, Beef Feeders, Breeding Beef), Dairy Feeder Calves, Swine, Breeding and Market Sheep, Market Poultry (Pen of 4 Broilers, Mkt. Turkeys and Market Ducks)
This year, all the sessions will be held VIRTUALLY via zoom, just like last year. If you need an accomodation, please contact the Madison County Extension Office to make alternative arrangements.
Please save the dates for the below sessions. Youth must attend one session. Additional sessions may be added as needed. Sessions will be limited to 40 participants:
- Monday, March 22, 6:00-7:30pm
- Rabbit Specific: March 25, 6:00-7:30pm
- Tuesday, April 6, 6:00-7:30pm
- Wednesday, April 14, 7:00-8:30pm
- Saturday, April 17, 10:00-11:30am
- *New Members Only: April 19, 7:00-8:30pm
- Poultry Specific: April 21, 6:00-7:30pm
- Sunday, April 25, 4:00-5:30pm
- Thursday, April 29, 6:00-7:30pm
- Thursday, May 6, 7:00-8:30pm
- Wednesday, May 12, 6:00-7:30pm
*NEW: 1st-3rd Year 4-H Members Only! New Member Quality Assurance – Thursday, April 19th, 7:00-8:30pm – Covers an overview of what Quality Assurance is and activities are geared toward younger members! Perfect for newer members or those just getting started with livestock projects!
You may also choose to complete QA through the online YQCA certification on your own time. There is about a $12 cost with this program. Contact the extension office for more information.
Next GEN Agriculture Feed Scholarship for First Year Exhibitor
Next GEN Agriculture, a non-profit organization that supports kids in agriculture, is sponsoring a feed scholarship for a first year livestock exhibitor in Madison County for $300 in credit to a local feed store. The application is due by April 1st.
More information on the application requirements can be found here: Next GEN Ag Scholarship Information.
CLUB/VOLUNTEER UPDATES 
Volunteer Trainings: Visit go.osu.edu/virtualvolunteertraining to RSVP for a volunteer training session. If you would like to complete an in-person training, contact Frances directly at foos.61@osu.edu or call the Extension Office to set up alternative arrangements.
4-H Club Update Recording: The 4-H Club Update on January 20th was recorded. If you want to watch the recording for training credit, or just review it, check your email for a link for the email or contact Frances directly to receive the link. This covered all updates for 4-H for the year (calendars, policies, new events, fair updates, etc.)
County Wide Club Meetings: Visit go.osu.edu/mc4hmeetings for all the information! Since we are all “stuck”, we want to make it easier for you to host engaging club meetings this Winter/Spring! This is completely optional, but we hope it can help in your planning! We are hosting a series of virtual club meetings starting January 10-March 28 on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 2pm. Each meeting will include county updates, Q&A time, and an engaging guest speaker for a total of 45 minutes, then advisors can select the option to lead a breakout room with your club officers to host your business meeting. Advisors can also request the 4-H educator to “pop in” to their meeting for an additional activity, clarify something, etc. In order to have these count as a club meeting, advisors MUST register in advance for a breakout room HERE: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0UkEjx3PVzdDdbv
Officer Training Resources: Visit https://ohio4h.org/officerresources for some brand new officer training resources! We were excited to add these new resources under the “Officer Resources” tab. These resources are quick guides that offer information on the importance of campaigning for club offices, officer position descriptions, and tips for holding elections.
Club Achievement Packets: Make sure you are picking up your club achievement packets at the extension office! If you plan to meet with your club, be sure to follow the Ohio 4-H Guidelines. Contact Frances with any questions. This goes for any meetings, fundraisers, community service, and other get-togethers!
Background Checks: If you are up for a background check this year, you have received an email from Arlene in December and will receive a follow up in the mail again soon. Please get this done ASAP! These are due February 28th. Be sure to re-enroll in 4-H Online BEFORE you get your check completed. Contact the Extension Office with questions.
4-H Online Update: Enrollment is now open on our NEW system! Visit oh.4honline.com, same link as usual, and log in with your same informationand submit your enrollment. Contact our office with any questions. If you forgot your password, contact us to reset it. DO NOT create a new account for you or any of your families!
New Volunteers: All new volunteer applications are due February 1. If you have additional volunteers to add, let me know, but time is running out to complete all the requirements in time by March 15.
STATE 4-H OPPORTUNITIES
Be sure to check Ohio4H.org for the most recent state 4-H information and follow the “Ohio State – 4-H Youth Development” Facebook page!
Ohio 4-H Conference – Virtual & FREE!
It’s time to register for the 2021 Ohio 4-H (Virtual) Conference! This year’s event for 4-H volunteers and teens features virtual sessions on Feb. 20, 23, and 25. Read through the conference booklet for a complete description of sessions, then register online at www.go.osu.edu/2021O4HC. There’s no cost to participate – don’t miss it!
Volunteers that attend can count this as a volunteer training session!
OSU Virtual Junior Swine Day – February 20, 2021
2021 OSU Virtual Junior Swine Day is Saturday, February 20, 2021, 9:00am-12:00pm
Sessions include: Evaluting and Selecting your pig project, Nutrition and Feed Management, Meat Science, When Science and Pig Shows Collide, Vaccinations/Pig Health, Showmanship, and more!
After you fill out the registration form below you will receive an email confirming your registration. An additional email will be sent to you 48 hours prior to the event which will contain the Zoom Link and password that are needed to view the Virtual Jr. Swine Day. Please register once per household.
Jr. Swine Day is free of charge! Registration Deadline is Wednesday, February 16, 2021. Register at go.osu.edu/jsd2021
Virtual Jr. Swine Day will not fulfill your requirement for QA. You must complete QA in your county.
For more information, contact Dale Ricker (ricker.37@osu.edu)
4-H Winter Stay at Home Activities
Looking for something fun to do at home? Check out these easy “at-home” winter themed activities to do as a family here.