Greetings 4-H Families!

Welcome to SPRING! 4-H Season is in full swing! Now more than ever, it is important to read through this entire newsletter and check your emails for updates from our county office, club advisors, etc. as deadlines and events are coming up quick! Best of luck as you work through your projects, and as always, reach out if you need help!

In this issue:

• 2021 Calendar of Events
• 4-H Camp Update & Survey request
• Livestock Quality Assurance Information
• 4-H Yard Sign Fundraiser
• Project Guidelines Information
• Livestock Skillathons
• Extension Office Hours Update
• 4-H Project Books
• Scholarship Opportunities
• Ohio 4-H Guidelines Reminder
• Livestock Tag In and Forms reminders
• Broiler Orders and Pollorum Testing
• Other Jr. Fair related reminders

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.

4-H Camp Update

• 3-Day Adventure Day Camp at 4-H Camp Clifton ~$150 total/camper
• Overnight 5 day, 4 night camp at 4-H Camp Clifton ~230/camper
• Cloverbud 1 day Day Camp at the Gwynne Conservation Area ~ $30/camper

Livestock Quality Assurance – Register Now!

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:

• 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: 1^st-3^rd 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.

4-H Yard Sign Fundraiser to benefit Madison County Equine Committee

The Equine Committee is selling 4-H Yard Signs personalized to your species or project and your child’s name! Signs are $20 plus $5 for name personalization. Questions? Contact Casie Phipps at casphi12@yahoo.com or 614-579-1287. All proceeds benefit the Madison County Equine Committee

• Click here for the order form

Project Guidelines & Other Information

All members should have received emails this past week with additional details for their livestock and special interest projects. Please check those for specific information!

• Need Help? – Use the Project Helper Contact Info for contact information for your species contact, Jr. Fair and Sales committee contacts, etc.!
• Project Guidelines – This document provides general information for each 4-H project on what you need to do to complete the project: 4-H Project General Guidelines
• Project Books – Purchase the 4-H Project Record Book for your species/project and the Resource Handbook if applicable (available in our office for purchase or online at www.extensionpubs.osu.edu) (Livestock projects must purchase the 4-H project book for their first year)
  • 2nd year livestock and beyond: (not equine, alpaca, dogs, or small animals) – utilize project book AND add record via the printable Livestock Project Record Book (will be checked for skillathon). You can print at home or pick up from our office for FREE
• Fair Entries – Due June 1. Required if you want to exhibit your project at the fair. Watch for the link to be live around the first week of May here: FairEntry Link
• Other Resources – Find additional videos and resources from current 4-H members at www.go.osu.edu/mc4hspark 

Livestock Skillathon

Skillathon takes place on June 19th, 2021. Families will receive assigned times for youth needing to complete skillathon. Livestock Skillathons are required for the following projects in order to exhibit at the county fair: Beef, Dairy, Alpaca, Dog, Equine, Goat, Sheep, Poultry, Rabbit, and Swine Projects.

Visit this link for information such study guides, skillathon format, practice skillathons, etc.: Skillathon Resources  

2021 4-H Projects Books

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 projects 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.

1. 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)
2. 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.

Change for livestock books: 2nd year livestock and beyond: (not equine, alpaca, dogs, or small animals) – utilize project book AND add record via the printable Livestock Project Record Book (will be checked for skillathon). You can print at home or pick up from our office for FREE. First year members must still purchase the 4-H project and record book and complete activities in there, but you do not need to purchase a new one every year.

OSU Extension Office Hours & Updates

General Office Hours: As a reminder, our office is open by appointment only. We are generally staffed Monday-Wednesday, 9:00am-4:00pm in the physical office, but are available virtually Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:00pm via phone or email!

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.

As a reminder, Arlene, our office associate, has retired. We have a temporarily Office Associate, Marianne, part time from another county office until the replacement is hired! Marianne will be helping to cover the office, answer phone calls, and assist you with other needs temporarily!

County Level Scholarship Opportunities

• Madison County 4-H Scholarship – Due April 30
  •  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.
• Green Range 4-H Club Livestock Scholarship – Due July 1
  • What: 2 scholarships (amount TBD – $500-$1000)
  • Who: Seniors enrolled in 4-H exhibiting market livestock at the Madison County Fair
  • How: Apply by July 1st by submitting application and other required documents to the Extension office or foos.61@osu.edu
  • Application materials can be found at https://madison.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/teen-opportunities under “Scholarship Oppportunities”

In-Person 4-H Meetings and Events Update 

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.

Upcoming Events -April

1: Dog Projects owned and in possession of owner

6: Livestock Quality Assurance – 6:00-7:30pm – Virtual – RSVP at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa

14: Livestock Quality Assurance – 7:00-8:30pm – Virtual – RSVP at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa

15: Poultry Orders Due – Market Broiler projects (Submit orders online here)

17: Livestock Quality Assurance – 10:00-11:30am – Virtual – RSVP at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa

17: Sewing Clinic – 9:00-4:00pm, Hope Church, 9899 US 42 Plain City (RSVP via text to Daphne: 614-353-0406)

19: **NEW MEMBERS (1^st-3^rd year) Livestock Quality Assurance – 7:00-8:30pm – Virtual – RSVP at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa

20: Poultry Quality Assurance – 6:00-7:30pm – Virtual – RSVP at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa

24: Sewing Clinic – 9:00-4:00pm, Hope Church, 9899 US 42 Plain City (RSVP via text to Daphne: 614-353-0406)

25: Livestock Quality Assurance – 4:00-5:30pm – Virtual – RSVP at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa

29: Livestock Quality Assurance – 6:00-7:30pm – Virtual – RSVP at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa

30: 4-H Committee Scholarship Applications due

May 1:

• Sheep & Goat tag-in and weigh in;
• Sheep & goat breeding forms due;
• Swine ear notch forms due;
• Dog Vaccine and Licensure forms due
• All horse, alpaca, and dairy projects owned and leased and in possession of 4-H & FFA members with lease agreements submitted to the Extension office.
• All market project animals owned and/or in possession of 4-H & FFA members

Self Care Isn’t Selfish!

Stress and anxiety can sometimes trigger unhealthy behaviors. Next time you feel stressed, try one of these healthy habits instead:

1. Get moving! Talk a walk, get weights, or do some yoga
2. Reach Out! Talk with those who can provide support
3. Stop and Breath! Focused breathing can help you calm down and think clearly
4. Care for yourself! Get enough sleep and drink plenty of water

For more coping skills, visit mhrb.org.

COUNTY JR. FAIR UPDATES

Sheep & Goats – Tag In/Weigh In – May 1 

Date: May 1- 9am to 12pm

In order to have a safe event and create social distancing we are asking those who are attending this event to choose and sign up for a time slot. Please choose 1 per family not animal or exhibitor.

Please sign up for time slot here: https://www.signupgenius.com/…/10C0D45A5A82EA4F8C34…

Swine Ear Notch & Photos Due May 1 PLUS Fair Change!

All swine exhibitors must submit ear notches and headshot photo by May 1 to the Extension Office or to fairgrounds on May 1 between 9am-12pm to Eby Arena.

Ear Notch forms and additional info can be found here: https://madison.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/swine-projects.

NEW: You may tag up to six hogs, but you can only exhibit FOUR hogs at the 2021 Madison County Fair

Dog Vaccine and Licensure info due May 1

Dog Vaccine and Licensure Forms: All 4-H dog projects must be in possession by April 1. Dog ID and Vaccine Form and Copy of Dog License (from County) are due by May 1 to the OSU Extension Office or Jenny will be available at the fairgrounds May 1 to drop them off. Contact Jenny Sweet, Dog Key Leader, with any questions at 740-506-3357.

Dog Clinics: Watch for more information to be sent soon for a few dates for dog clinics to practice for show.  Additional Dog Resources are available at https://ohio4h.org/statewide-programs/animal-sciences/dog/dog-resources

Poultry – Broiler Orders & Pollorum Testing

Market Broiler Orders: All Market Chickens must be purchased from our county order. Orders and payment are due April 15. Order your birds here: Broiler Order Form. Birds are $1.75/bird. You should order at least 6 for your project. Payment can be made via check or cash to OSU Extension and dropped off or mailed to our office. Pick up will be Thursday, May 20 from 2-6pm at the fairgrounds.

Pullorum Testing – May 1: Pullorum testing is required for poultry that do not have the NPIP paperwork from the hatchery (market chickens are not tested). Check with the hatchery where you get your birds to see if they already have this done. More info for the May 1 testing date will be sent out closer to. Individuals can also set up their own testing with a certified individual.

Fair Schedule and Rule Book

Coming soon! Watch the Madison County Fair website for the schedule and fair book for specific fair information. Fair week is July 10-17!

New Opportunity for Jr. Fair Sale

Beginning 2021, the Madison County Jr. Fair Livestock exhibitors will have the option to take their market livestock projects home versus sending the animal to the packer at the fair and still be allowed to be a part of the premium sale.  All project requirements must be met, such as showmanship, quality assurance, skill-a-thon, etc. as in previous years to sell in premium sale.

However, per state mandate, all Grand and Reserve Champion market animals MUST still go on to slaughter and cannot be taken home.  Furthermore, exhibitors that plan to take their animal/project home, must declare during entry at the June 1 deadline to allow the Madison County Fair Sale Committee time to supply the packer with shipping numbers.  Those exhibitors taking their projects home must also wait to be released before doing leaving with those animals.

Click here for more information: New Jr. Fair Sale Rule

Contact the Madison County Sales Committee at madisoncountysalescommittee@gmail.com with any questions. 

Livestock & Small Animal 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

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!

Stay Connected! – ohio4h.org/stayconnected

Now more than ever it’s time for 4-H’ers to make the best better! While youth are at home and staying safe, we still want you to stay connected. Below are links to activities for youth and resources for volunteers. Check back frequently for additional links and program updates!

Greetings 4-H Families!

March is here! Snow is melting, weather is getting (sorta) warmer, and 4-H season is in full swing! 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. Don’t forget to re-enroll your own family by March 15!

In this issue:

• 4-H Enrollment Information and Recruitment
• 2021 Calendar of Events
• 4-H Week Happenings
• Livestock Quality Assurance Information
• 4-H Magic Show!
• County Wide Club Meetings
• 4-H Club T-Shirt for Sale
• 2021 Project Book Information
• Extension Office Hours and 4-H Office Hours
• Ohio 4-H Guidelines Reminder
• New Jr. Fair Livestock Sale Update
• Scholarship Opportunities
• Volunteer Reminders

COUNTY 4-H UPDATES

2021 Enrollment – Due MARCH 15!

Don’t delay! 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.

4-H Week: March 7-13

Watch our social media pages (Facebook: Madison County OSU Extension; Instagram: @MadCo4HOhio) for challenges to win prizes such as free project books, camp registration, gift cards, and other 4-H goodies!

This year’s theme is Find Your Spark!

Clubs interested in the window decoration contest can click here.

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.

Livestock Quality Assurance – Register Now!

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: 1^st-3^rd 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.

4-H Virtual Magic Show –  March 23rd at 7pm

Virtual Family Magic Show
Tuesday, March 23, 2021 @ 7 PM.

Join Madison County 4-H for a virtual night out. Bring your entire family together to experience a magic show presented by 4-H alumni & professional family entertainer Conrad Cologne. During the show, you’ll get a front-row seat to the show and get to see and have fun with your 4-H friends.

FREE TO ATTEND but registration is required, so claim your family’s spot now.
https://tinyurl.com/MadisonOHVMS

Find Your Spark with 4-H!

While we cannot have our in-person 4-H Rally Night this year, we hosted 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

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.

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.

*These are also be recorded and can be made available to advisors and families upon request!

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!

• March 14 – Maple Syrup Making
• March 28 – Chocolate Science
  

4-H Club T-Shirt – Orders due March 15!

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 projects 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.

1. 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)
2. 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 

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.

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 -March

1: 4-H Committee Meeting – 6:30pm

7-13: Madison County 4-H Week & Ohio 4-H Week

4: 4-H Volunteer Training, 10am OR 7pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)’

9: Welcome to 4-H 101 Open House, 7:00pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)

14: Virtual County Wide Club Meeting: Maple Syrup Making, 2:00pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)

15: Madison County 4-H Enrollment Deadline (Members and Volunteers) – Enroll at oh.4honline.com

22: Livestock Quality Assurance – 6:00-7:30pm – Virtual – RSVP at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa

25: Rabbit Quality Assurance – 6:00-7:30pm – Virtual – RSVP at go.osu.edu/madcovirtualqa

28: Virtual County Wide Club Meeting: Chocolate Science, 2:00pm (Virtual, RSVP Required)

Self Care Isn’t Selfish!

Stress and anxiety can sometimes trigger unhealthy behaviors. Next time you feel stressed, try one of these healthy habits instead:

1. Get moving! Talk a walk, get weights, or do some yoga
2. Reach Out! Talk with those who can provide support
3. Stop and Breath! Focused breathing can help you calm down and think clearly
4. Care for yourself! Get enough sleep and drink plenty of water

For more coping skills, visit mhrb.org.

COUNTY JR. FAIR UPDATES

New Opportunity to for Jr. Fair Sale

Beginning 2021, the Madison County Jr. Fair Livestock exhibitors will have the option to take their market livestock projects home versus sending the animal to the packer at the fair and still be allowed to be a part of the premium sale.  All project requirements must be met, such as showmanship, quality assurance, skill-a-thon, etc. as in previous years to sell in premium sale.

However, per state mandate, all Grand and Reserve Champion market animals MUST still go on to slaughter and cannot be taken home.  Furthermore, exhibitors that plan to take their animal/project home, must declare during entry at the June 1 deadline to allow the Madison County Fair Sale Committee time to supply the packer with shipping numbers.  Those exhibitors taking their projects home must also wait to be released before doing leaving with those animals.

Click here for more information: New Jr. Fair Sale Rule

Contact the Madison County Sales Committee at madisoncountysalescommittee@gmail.com with any questions. 

Livestock & Small Animal 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 next meeting for LARGE LIVESTOCK is March 10th at 6pm. The next meeting for SMALL ANIMALS is March 3 at 6pm.

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

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.

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. You may also choose to request the recording to play as an activity during your club meeting!

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!

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!

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.

1. 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)
2. 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: 1^st-3^rd 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.

Greetings 4-H Families!

2021 is finally here! While it may not be the magical “fix” to everything going on in the world, it is a good opportunity to set out minds on what truly matters. As we move into another 4-H year, I urge you all to keep an open mind, be creative, and continue to “make the best better” (cheezy, I know!). We proved last year that our youth and volunteers are resilient and have GRIT! So, embrace those virtual club meetings, invite a friend to join in on the fun, get an early start on those project books.

January is also Mental Health month and Ohio 4-H is starting the new year with a focus on mental health. As the country grapples with a global pandemic, economic downturn, and recent conversations on racial injustice, youth are experiencing added stressors and seeking new ways to cope. There are a variety of activities for youth and volunteers to better understand the importance of positive mental health located at go.osu.edu/MentalHealthMonth. Resources include virtual training opportunities for volunteers, tip sheets, “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind” a 4-H Special Interest Club, and more. Read on for details and join 4-H for a month of positive mental health!

In this issue:

• 2021 Calendar of Events
• County Wide Club Meetings
• 4-H Trip Scholarship Information
• 2021 Family Guide Available
• Extension Office Hours Reminder
• Ohio 4-H Guidelines Reminder
• Volunteer Reminders and Training dates
• County Fair Update – Help Wanted for Livestock Committee!
• Market Beef Tag In
• Statewide SPIN Club Opportunities – Healthy Mind, Healthy Body; New Year, New Me!; STEM World Changers

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 Arlene at duffey.2@osu.edu for assistance.

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!

• January 10 – Fire Safety on the Farm
• January 24 – Cooking Safety
• February 14 – Paleontology
• February 28 -Solar Energy Fun
• March 14 – Maple Syrup Making
• March 28 – Chocolate Science
  

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 February 1, 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 tentative dates. More information for registering will be available in February!

February 10: 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: 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: 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!

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!

2021 Family Guide Available NOW!

The 2021 Family Guide is now available for download at ohio4h.org/familyguide!

You can view sample pages of project books, see comments from families that have enrolled in the project, etc. at projectcentral.ohio4h.org!

Now is the PERFECT time to browse the 4-H projects available for next year! Contact our office with any questions about projects, purchasing books, etc.!

OSU Extension Office Hours

Office Hour Update: As a reminder, our office is open by appointment only, Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm. Please continue to call ahead before coming into the office, wear your mask when inside, and stay home if you are sick.

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.

Upcoming Events

1 – New Year’s Day – Extension Office Closed; Fair Possession Deadline for Market Steer projects

4 – 4-H Advisory Committee Meeting – 6:30pm – Virtual

8 – Ohio 4-H Achievement Forms due to County office

9 – Market Steer Weigh In & Tag In – Madison County Fairgrounds, 9:00am-12:00pm – RSVP Required

10 – Virtual County-Wide Club Meeting – 2:00pm – Fire Safety on the Farm – RSVP at go.osu.edu/mc4hmeetings

11 – 4-H Volunteer Training – 10-11:30am OR 7-8:30pm – Topic: Youth Sparks, Virtual

18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Extension Office Closed

20 – 4-H Club Update – 10am-12pm OR 7pm-9pm (Virtual – Each club must send 2 adult or 1 adult & 1 teen reps)

24 – Virtual County-Wide Club Meeting – 2:00pm – Cooking Fire Safety – RSVP at go.osu.edu/mc4hmeetings

27 – 4-H Rally Night – 6:30 to 8:00pm – Virtual Open House

30 – State 4-H Horse Advisor Training – Virtual

30 – Trauma 101 Training for 4-H Volunteers – 9:30am-11:30am – Virtual

31 – DNA/EID Kits due for 2021 Ohio State Fair Market Beef Show (via mail)

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

2021 Market Steer Tag In

If you are taking a Market Steer project in 4-H/FFA this coming year, you must attend the Steer Tag in on January 9th, 2021 from 9am-12pm at the Madison County Fairgrounds.

Sign up for a timeslot for your family at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d45a5a82ea4f8c34-steer

If you are planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair, the DNA sample kits and EID tags are avialable for pick up in the Fair office and due back via mail on your own by January 31st.

Contact the Madison County Sales Committee with any questions at madisoncountysalescommittee@gmail.com.

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.

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:

• Session 1: Monday, March 22, 6:00-7:30pm
• Session 2: Tuesday, April 6, 6:00-7:30pm
• Session 3: Wednesday, April 14, 7:00-8:30pm
• Session 4: Saturday, April 17, 10:00-11:30am
• Session 5: Sunday, April 25, 4:00-5:30pm
• Session 6: Thursday, April 29, 6:00-7:30pm
• Session 7: Thursday, May 6, 7:00-8:30pm
• Session 8: Wednesday, May 12, 6:00-7:30pm
• NEW: 1^st-3^rd 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 a $12 cost with this program. Contact the extension office for more information.

CLUB/VOLUNTEER UPDATES 

Volunteer Trainings: An email was sent out with information regarding the requirements for 2021 volunteer training. 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 Event: NEW for 2021, we will be having a 4-H Club Update on January 20th. There will be a 10:00-11:30am time and a 7:oo-8:30pm timeslot.Register at go.osu.edu/virtualvolunteertraining

This will cover any updates for 4-H for the year (calendars, policies, new events, fair updates, etc.) so that the volunteer trainings can focus on more educational and applicable topics that will help you as volunteers. We will require at least 2 representatives from each club to attend – either 2 adult volunteers or 1 adult volunteer and 1 teen leader representative. This will count as a training opportunity for volunteers as well.

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. 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

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! 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: If you are adding someone to your club as a volunteer, make sure they fill out a new volunteer application ASAP to get the process started! Contact Frances for more information

Mental Health Training Opportunities: You are invited to attend the Ohio 4-H Volunteer Mental Health Training series each Wednesday in January. These trainings will be held virtually on ZOOM from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.  Each training is stand alone, so you can pick and choose which training(s) you’d like to attend.Click here for a flyer that gives detailed descriptions of each training: Mental Health Advisor Training Flyer. To register for any of the trainings, please go to http://go.osu.edu/4HMHtraining.

• January 6 – Mental Health 101
• January 13 – Typical Adolescence vs. Emerging Mental Health Problems
• January 20 – Trauma Informed Approaches Training
• January 27 – Recognizing the signs and symptoms of Suicide and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

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!

January is Mental Health Month!

January is Ohio 4-H Mental Health MonthJanuary is Mental Health Month and we encourage you to check out what Ohio 4-H is offering. The following activities are happening live (virtually) throughout the month. Registration is required to receive the link at go.osu.edu/MentalHealthMonth

• January 6th, 6:00pm:Volunteer Training: Mental Health 101
• January 12th, 5:30pm:Mindful Wellness Activity
• January 13th, 6:00pm:Volunteer Training: Typical Adolescence vs. Emerging Mental Health Problems
• January 19th, 5:30pm:Youth Special Interest Club: Healthy Body Healthy Mind (#1 in series)
• January 20th, 6:00pm:Volunteer Training: Trauma Informed Approaches
• January 26th, 5:30pm:Youth Special Interest Club: Healthy Body Healthy Mind (#2 in series
• January 27th, 6:00pm:Volunteer Training: Suicide and Non-Suicidal Self Injury
• February 2nd, 5:30pm:Youth Special Interest Club: Healthy Body Healthy Mind (#3 in series)
• February 9th, 5:30pm:Youth Special Interest Club: Healthy Body Healthy Mind (#4 in series)
• February 16th, 5:30pm:Youth Special Interest Club: Healthy Body Healthy Mind (#5 in series)
• February 23rd, 5:30pm:Youth Special Interest Club: Healthy Body Healthy Mind (#6 in series)

You can also access Mental Health tip sheets, a review of the Your Thoughts Matter: Navigating Mental Health 4-H project book, and an activity card for you to complete during January. All these dates, links, and resources can be found at go.osu.edu/MentalHealthMonth.

Healthy Body Healthy Mind SPIN Club

All 4-H youth ages 8-18 (and your friends!) are invited to learn fun ways to keep our body and mind healthy through Yoga for kids, games, activities and more all in the comfort of your own home and in our virtual SPIN club setting! Each meeting will have time to practice yoga, explore a healthy living tool, play a game, and complete a challenge.

Sessions are on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm, January 19-February 23!

It is FREE to join, but you must register by January 14th at go.osu.edu/healthymindsSPIN

Contact foos.61@osu.edu with any questions!

New Year New Me SPIN Club for Middle Schoolers

January starts a new year, let’s make a new you.  We are excited to offer New Year, New You: Making YOUR Best Better (targeted at youth in 5th-8th Grades).  We will tackle topics that will help you be informed to make the best choices for the best you.  You will receive a fun swag bag in the mail when you sign up that contains items that relate to the weekly topics.  Each week we will have guest speaker(s), activities, and time to talk with other youth when we meet for about an hour.

You are invited to join New Year, New You: Making YOUR Best Better series being held on Sundays February 7 – March 14. These sessions will be held virtually on ZOOM from 7:00 – 8:15 p.m.  Register by January 15 at go.osu.edu/spinnyny More information will be given to youth once registered.

Weekly session topics:

• February 7          New Year, New You, and the Awesome Things You Can Do!
• February 14        Boys, Girls, Crushes and Feelings…Oh My! What’s Appropriate, Safety & Etiquette.
• February 21        TikTok, Snapchat, Insta are They Just Fun?   Seriously is Human Trafficking a Thing?
• February 28        Work’n for a Live’n…jobs, image, and beyond.
• March 7               What’s up with Vaping, Marijuana, and Alcohol?
• March 14             New Year, Healthy You! Be Your Best Physically, Mentally and Emotionally

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 World Changers – For Middle and High School Youth!

Learn to program your own game using p5.js, a JavaScript library created especially for artists and designers! This programs is completely virtual and free, designed for 5th-12th graders with an interest in STEM and coding.

Register at www.surveymonkey.com/r/4HWorldChangers.

Contact Margo Long, long.1632@osu.edu for more information!

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.

Greetings 4-H Families!

In this issue:

• 2021 Calendar of Events
• 4-H Silent Auction – Live NOW!
• 4-H Donation Drive Competition
• Los Mariachis Fundraiser
• Equine Committee Survey
• County Wide Club Meetings
• 4-H Trip Scholarship Information
• 2021 Family Guide Available
• Extension Office Hours Reminder
• Ohio 4-H Guidelines Reminder
• Volunteer Reminders and Training dates
• County Fair Update – Help Wanted for Livestock Committee!

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.

Virtual Silent Auction to Benefit 4-H – LIVE NOW!

The Madison County 4-H Committee is hosting a Virtual Silent Auction this week! The site is open to bids NOW and closes this Saturday, December 5 at 5pm!

All items can be viewed and bids submitted at go.osu.edu/mc4hsilentauction. Anyone can bid (over 18), so share with your friends, family, and neighbors!

Items are anything from a gift basket, a Tennessee cabin rental, and gift certificates for some great local restaurants – there is something for everyone! Special thanks to all the local businesses and people that donated items! All of these items would make great holiday gifts for friends and family!

To make a bid, click on the item you wish to bid on, which will take you to a form which you can submit your information and your bid. Click the link to a shared Google Spreadsheet to view the most current bid BEFORE submitting your bid.

Bid HIGH and bid OFTEN! All proceeds benefit the Madison County 4-H Program.

If you have any questions, contact the Madison County Extension Office at 740-852-0975 or Frances at foos.61@osu.edu.

4-H Donation Drive Competition

To help our local community, we are hosting a Donation Drive Competition between project areas!

Drop of your items to the Extension Office by January 31st to raise points for your proect area!

• Large Livestock Projects: Bring canned food items (canned fruit/veggies, soup cans, etc.)
• Small Animal Projects (Rabbit, Poultry, Dog, Alpaca, Small Animal): Bring boxed or bagged food items (cereal, pasta, etc.)
• Special Interest Projects: Bring snack-like items (non-perishable)
• Equine Projects: Bring personal needs items (deodorant, diapers, shampoo, dish soap, tissues, body wash, toothpaste, etc.)

The project group with the MOST donations will win a pizza party at the 2021 Madison County Fair!

Click here for a printable flyer:4-H Donation Winter Drive

Los Mariachis Fundraiser

Dine in at Los Mariachis in London December 7-9, 2020 to donate 20% of your purchase to Madison County 4-H!

You must present this flyer at the time of purchase.

Horse Committee Fundraiser Inquiry

The Madison County Equine Committee is looking to sell yard signs for livestock projects, similar to this picture.

They are wanting to gauge interest in members to purchase a yard sign with the sillouhette of a livestock animal and the 4-H clover. Please fill out this short, one question survey to indicate your interest!

Please note: this photo is NOT the official proof, just an example of what it could look like.

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!

• January 10 – Fire Safety on the Farm
• January 24 – Cooking Safety
• February 14 – Paleontology
• February 28 -TBD
• March 14 – Maple Syrup Making
• March 28 – TBD
  

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!

2021 Family Guide Available NOW!

The 2021 Family Guide is now available for download at ohio4h.org/familyguide!

You can view sample pages of project books, see comments from families that have enrolled in the project, etc. at projectcentral.ohio4h.org!

Now is the PERFECT time to browse the 4-H projects available for next year! Contact our office with any questions about projects, purchasing books, etc.!

OSU Extension Office Hours

Office Hour Update: As a reminder, our office is open on Monday-Wednesday, 7:30am-4:00pm for open hours and Thursday and Friday by appointment only. Please continue to call ahead before coming into the office, wear your mask when inside, and stay home if you are sick.

In-Person 4-H Meetings and Events 

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.

By following recommended guidance, we’re helping to keep our families and friends safer, our kids learning, and our economy going.

As a reminder:

• 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 our 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/

Upcoming Events

December 1 – 4-H Trip Scholarship Applications Due

December 6 – Drive Through 4-H Banquet, 11am-2pm (RSVP REQUIRED)

December 17 – 4-H Volunteer Training – 7pm-8:30pm – VIRTUAL, Registration required at go.osu.edu/virtualvolunteertraining

December 24-25 – Christmas Break – Extension Office Closed

COUNTY JR. FAIR UPDATES

NEW: 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

2021 Market Steer Tag In

If you are taking a Market Steer project in 4-H/FFA this coming year, you must attend the Steer Tag in on January 9th, 2021 from 9am-12pm at the Madison County Fairgrounds.

If you are planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair, the DNA sample kits and EID tags are avialable for pick up in the Extension Office and due back by January 10th, or you can drop off during county beef tag-in.

CLUB/VOLUNTEER UPDATES 

Volunteer Trainings: An email was sent out with information regarding the requirements for 2021 volunteer training. 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 Event: NEW for 2021, we will be having a 4-H Club Update on January 20th. There will be a 10:00-11:30am time and a 7:oo-8:30pm timeslot.Register at go.osu.edu/virtualvolunteertraining

This will cover any updates for 4-H for the year (calendars, policies, new events, fair updates, etc.) so that the volunteer trainings can focus on more educational and applicable topics that will help you as volunteers. We will require at least 2 representatives from each club to attend – either 2 adult volunteers or 1 adult volunteer and 1 teen leader representative. This will count as a training opportunity for volunteers as well.

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. 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

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 will receive notice in the next month or so via mail and/or email. Please get that done sooner rather than later!

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: If you are adding someone to your club as a volunteer, make sure they fill out a new volunteer application ASAP to get the process started! Contact Frances for more information

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!

Baking Sprits Bright Video Series

4-H Youth are invited to tune in each week for a different holiday recipe tutorial. Videos are posted to Ohio State-Crawford County 4-H Facebook every Friday through Christmas!

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.

Greetings 4-H Families!

In this issue:

• 2021 Calendar of Events
• 4-H Gratitude Challenge
• Camp Counselor Applications due November 2
• 4-H Banquet Information and RSVP link
• 4-H Trip Scholarship Information
• Extension Office Hours Reminder
• Ohio 4-H Guidelines Reminder
• Volunteer Reminders and Training dates
• County Fair Update – Help Wanted for Livestock Committee!
• Ohio 4-H Foundation Fundraising Event
• Ohio 4-H Virtual Awards Banquet

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.

4-H Gratitude Challenge-November2020

4-H wants you you take our 2020 Gratitude Challenge! 2020 has not been an easy year, but we still have plenty of reasons to give thanks. Print this calendar: Gratitude Challenge Printable Calendar and complete each daily task to help shwo your gratitude to your club, community, country, and world!

Use #4HGratitudeChallenge to spread an attitude of gratitude to all of your social media friends and followers!

2021 Camp Counselor Applications Due November 2

We want to make sure individuals interested in applying for Madison County 4-H Camp Counselor have plenty of time to work on and submit their applications! We’re trying to be optimistic and eager for 2021!

Help us plan to 2021 Madison County 4-H Camp! Applications are due November 2.

To apply online, visit go.osu.edu/madco4hcampcounselor

Save the Date for the 4-H Recognition Drive Through Banquet -December 6!

When: Sunday, December 6, 11am-2pm

Where: Madison County Fairgrounds, Eby Arena

Who: Any Madison County 4-H Volunteer or family of a 4-H Member, award winners, and special guests

RSVP by November 29 at go.osu.edu/mc4hbanquet

This year, to recognize our outstanding youth and volunteers, in lieu of our typical banquet, we are hosting a Winter Wonderland Drive Through Recognition programs! All 4-H volunteers and members, and their immediate family members are invited to RSVP.

All stations will be accessed through the drive through. Attendees will be asked to stay in their cars the entire time (with the exception of the photobooth station for award winners) and masks will be mandatory. Stations will include programs, award receipt, photo booth, raffles, take home activities, and a boxed lunch to take home!

Silent Auction: We will also be hosting a virtual silent auction the week before the event, November 29-December 5. More information about how to participate will come later this month. If your family or organization you work for would like to donate an item for the silent auction, please contact Frances Foos at foos.61@osu.edu or call the extension office by November 20 with a photo of the item. Items can be dropped off at the extension office by December 4th.

Please Note: We have special approval from OSU and the Madison County Health Department to conduct this event and must follow all current state and county health mandates. It is required that all attendees and volunteers wear a mask at all times, even while in the cars as windows will be rolled down. Please do not come if you are not feeling well and practice proper hand hygeine. 

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 are due December 1st 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!

2021 Family Guide Available NOW!

The 2021 Family Guide is now available for download at ohio4h.org/familyguide!

You can view sample pages of project books, see comments from families that have enrolled in the project, etc. at projectcentral.ohio4h.org!

Now is the PERFECT time to browse the 4-H projects available for next year! Contact our office with any questions about projects, purchasing books, etc.!

OSU Extension Office Hours

Office Hour Update: As a reminder, our office is open on Monday-Wednesday, 7:30am-4:00pm for open hours and Thursday and Friday by appointment only. Please continue to call ahead before coming into the office, wear your mask when inside, and stay home if you are sick.

In-Person 4-H Meetings and Events 

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.

By following recommended guidance, we’re helping to keep our families and friends safer, our kids learning, and our economy going.

As a reminder:

• 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 our 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/

Upcoming Events

November 2 – Camp Counselor Applications due

November 2 – 4-H Committee Meeting @ 6pm

November 11 – Veteran’s Day – Extension Office Closed

November 26-27 – Thanksgiving – Extension Office Closed

December 1 – 4-H Trip Scholarship Applications Due

December 6 – Drive Through 4-H Banquet, 11am-2pm (RSVP REQUIRED)

December 17 – 4-H Volunteer Training – 7pm-8:30pm – VIRTUAL, Registration required, see email for more information

December 24-25 – Christmas Break – Extension Office Closed

COUNTY JR. FAIR UPDATES

NEW: 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!

We want YOU to consider joining the Small Animal or Large animal committees! There is an informational meeting on November 11 at 6pm in the Della Selsor Building on the fairgrounds for any adults (over 18)interested. This is a great opportunity to hear more about the duties of the committee and get involved to help make the Jr. Fair programs great!

If you do not feel comfortable attending in person, but still want to be involved, contact the Jr. Fair Coordinator at madisoncountyjfb@gmail.com to receive a link to join virtually or for contact information for the committees.

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

CLUB/VOLUNTEER UPDATES 

Volunteer Trainings: All club volunteers need to complete 2 trainings for 2021 4-H year. Attend 2 mandatory 4-H Volunteer training or opportunity at the county, district, or state level or a non-4-H training that relates to your work as a volunteer. This is a new requirement from the state level. To help meet this, Frances will be hosting several volunteer training dates from December-February (mostly virtual) with a variety of topics. Watch your emails for more information on topics, registration, etc.

*Policy 1.50 will be offered online on a “do at your own pace” course

Dates to hold (TOPICS ARE TBD – watch email for more information)

• December 17, 7-8:30
• January 11, 10-11:30am and 7-8:30pm
• CLUB UPDATE: January 20 at 10am AND 7pm
• February 16 10-11:30am, 7-8:30pm
• March 4 , 10-11:30am, 7-8:30pm
• New Volunteers Specific (1.50 + other):
  • February 8, 7:00-8:30pm
  • February 24: 7:00-8:30pm

4-H Club Update Event: NEW for 2021, we will be having a 4-H Club Update on January 20th. There will be a 10:00-11:30am time and a 7:oo-8:30pm timeslot. This will cover any updates for 4-H for the year (calendars, policies, new events, fair updates, etc.) so that the volunteer trainings can focus on more educational and applicable topics that will help you as volunteers. We will require at least 2 representatives from each club to attend – either 2 adult volunteers or 1 adult volunteer and 1 teen leader representative. This will count as a training opportunity for volunteers as well. This will most likely be held virtually. More information will be shared soon!

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 will receive notice in the next month or so via mail and/or email. Please get that done sooner rather than later!

4-H Online Update: This fall, we will be switching to a new version of 4-H Online, which is the system we use for enrollment. Don’t fret – it is much more user friendly! We will be offering some trainings this winter as well and plenty of tip sheets and videos to help families with the enrollment process in the Spring.

New Volunteers: If you are adding someone to your club as a volunteer, make sure they fill out a new volunteer application ASAP to get the process started! Contact Frances for more information

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 Foundation Celebration of Youth

Join the Ohio 4-H Foundation for this year’s Celebration of Youth event on Thursday, November 5 at 7:00. This year, for the first time, the virtual event is open to everyone free of charge.  Participants will enjoy a program featuring many Ohio 4-H members and an online auction. Funds raised from Celebration of Youth support Ohio 4-H programming and operations to help engage youth across Ohio’s 88 counties. Please visit go.osu.edu/COY for event details, sponsorship information, and registration for the event.

Ohio 4-H Awards Recognition Event

Join Ohio 4-H to honor the 2020 Volunteer Awards, Hall of Fame inductees, Tenure Milestones, and Teen of the Year and Teen Hall of Fame inductees we were unable to recognize at the Ohio 4-H Conference in March 2020!

Register by November 28 at go.osu.edu/Ohio4-HAwards!

Greetings 4-H Families!

In this issue:

• 2021 Calendar of Events
• End-Of-Year Award Applications due September 30
• Camp Counselor Applications due November 2
• Thank You Note Reminder
• Extension Office Hours Update
• Ohio 4-H Guidelines Reminder
• Volunteer Reminders
• Ohio 4-H Foundation Fundraising Event
• Mars Ohio 4-H STEM Challenge
• TSC Paper Clover Campaign
• National 4-H Week

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.

End-Of-Year Award Applications and Forms available – Due September 30th

Want to be recognized for your 4-H accomplishments? Nominate an outstanding member or friend of 4-H? All end of year award applications are due September 30th to the OSU Extension office or emailed to duffey.2@osu.edu. Awards are annouced at the end of year banquet in December. You can find all the forms below or linked to our website here.

• Jr Honor Member Award (Ages 8 and in the 3rd grade to 13 years)
• Teen Honor Member Awards (14 & up)
• Cloverbud Member Activity & Participation Sheet (Ages 5 and in Kindergarten to 8 years)
• Outstanding 4-H Member Nomination form
• Volunteer Honor Award (Adult Volunteers)
• Community Service Award and suggestions for community service projects
• Honor Club (For advisors)
• Friend of 4-H Award

2021 Camp Counselor Applications Due November 2

We want to make sure individuals interested in applying for Madison County 4-H Camp Counselor have plenty of time to work on and submit their applications! We’re trying to be optimistic and eager for 2021!

Help us plan to 2021 Madison County 4-H Camp! Applications are due November 2.

For more information, tentative meeting dates or to apply visit: go.osu.edu/madco4hcampcounselor

Thank You Notes

Now that fair is over, please make sure that you take the time to write a thank you note to the sponsors of your awards and buyers. It is very important to show appreciation to these supporters! While you are at it, feel free to write a letter of appreciation to others that helped make your 4-H year memorable and possible. This could be your parents, club leaders, volunteers and fair, and older youth member, etc.

The buyers list of addresses from the 2020 Jr. Fair Livestock Sale is available here!

Remember, the sponsors of awards and buyers did not have to do this for you. Please do these thank you notes in a timely manner to show your appreciation!

When writing a thank you note, remember to include the following:

• Greeting (Dear ____,)
• Express your gratitude (Thank you so much for sponsoring ___ award OR thank you so much for all your help with my project)
• Discuss Use (Say something nice about what you got and how you will use it/what it means to you!)
• Grace (Thanks again for your support)
• Regards (Sincerely)

For additional help writing a thank you note and to see a sample, click here!

Congratulations to the 2020-2021 Junior Fair Board Members

Congratulations to all of our Junior Fair Board members for this coming year! Listed above: Jayden Baker, Allison Barker, Emily Barker, Maya Berkey, Allison Dudgeon, Luke Furbee, Hannah Green, Ellie Heisler, Kaiden Howard, Anna LeGault, Macy Miller, Kinsey Null, Luke Peart, Brianna Peterman, Sierra Schlosser, Cade Smith, and Amara Suchy.

Jr. Fair Results

Congratulations to all who exhibited at the 2020 Madison County Jr. Fair! To view results from livestock classes and special interest awards, as well as the project showcase for special interest, click the links below!

• Special Interest Award Winners
  • Special Interest Project Showcase
• Livestock Show Results
• Showman of Showman, Scholarship, and other Fair Awards
• Equine High Point Awards

*There are some awards that need claimed in the Extension Office. If you are waiting for a banner/plaque, please call ahead to make sure it is in before making a trip to the Extension Office!

OSU Extension Office Hours

Office Hour Update: As a reminder, our office is open on Monday-Wednesday, 7:30am-4:00pm for open hours and Thursday and Friday by appointment only. Please continue to call ahead before coming into the office, wear your mask when inside, and stay home if you are sick.

In-Person 4-H Meetings and Events Update

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 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 our 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.

UPCOMING EVENTS

September 30 – Honor Club Apps, Community Service Club Awards, Jr. and Teen Honor Member Forms, Outstanding Member Nomination forms, Cloverbud, Volunteer Honor Form, and Friend of 4-H Nomination forms due

October 5 – 4-H Committee Meeting @ 6pm

November 2 – Camp Counselor Applications due

November 2 – 4-H Committee Meeting @ 6pm

November 11 – Veteran’s Day – Extension Office Closed

November 26-27 – Thanksgiving – Extension Office Closed

CLUB/VOLUNTEER UPDATES 

Volunteer Trainings: All club volunteers need to complete 2 trainings for 2021 4-H year. Attend 2 mandatory 4-H Volunteer training or opportunity at the county, district, or state level or a non-4-H training that relates to your work as a volunteer. This is a new requirement from the state level. To help meet this, Frances will be hosting several volunteer training dates from December-February (mostly virtual) with a variety of topics. Watch your emails for more information on topics, registration, etc.

4-H Club Update Event: NEW for 2021, we will be having a 4-H Club Update on January 20th. There will be a 10:00-11:30am time and a 7:oo-8:30pm timeslot. This will cover any updates for 4-H for the year (calendars, policies, new events, fair updates, etc.) so that the volunteer trainings can focus on more educational and applicable topics that will help you as volunteers. We will require at least 2 representatives from each club to attend – either 2 adult volunteers or 1 adult volunteer and 1 teen leader representative. This will count as a training opportunity for volunteers as well. This will most likely be held virtually. More information will be shared soon!

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 will receive notice in the next month or so via mail and/or email. Please get that done sooner rather than later!

4-H Online Update: This fall, we will be switching to a new version of 4-H Online, which is the system we use for enrollment. Don’t fret – it is much more user friendly! We will be offering some trainings this winter as well and plenty of tip sheets and videos to help families with the enrollment process in the Spring.]

New Volunteers: If you are adding someone to your club as a volunteer, make sure they fill out a new volunteer application ASAP to get the process started! Contact Frances for more information

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 Foundation Celebration of Youth

Join the Ohio 4-H Foundation for this year’s Celebration of Youth event on Thursday, November 5 at 7:00. This year, for the first time, the virtual event is open to everyone free of charge.  Participants will enjoy a program featuring many Ohio 4-H members and an online auction. Funds raised from Celebration of Youth support Ohio 4-H programming and operations to help engage youth across Ohio’s 88 counties. Please visit go.osu.edu/COY for event details, sponsorship information, and registration for the event.

Blast Off to Mars with Ohio 4-H and join the 4-H STEM Challenge!

We’re launching a trip to Mars Base Camp and want to help you get there! The 2020 4-H STEM Challenge explores sending a mission to Mars and what it takes to sustain life in space. The Mars Base Camp kit includes activities that use STEM skills like mechanical engineering, physics, computer science, and agriculture.

We want Ohio 4-H families to join in and thanks to the Ohio 4-H Foundation and Google, you can receive an $8 discount on the Mars Base Camp family kit. The family kit is available at shop4-h.org for $15.95, plus shipping, but with the Ohio 4-H discount and the $5 discount available on their website, your final cost is just $7.80 + tax.

Want to learn more?

• Find 4-H STEM Challenge details at https://4-h.org/parents/4-h-stem-challenge/#!2020-challenge
• Get your discount code at  go.osu.edu/2020ohiostemchallenge
• Participate online with a coding challenge at Insight from Mars

And to help you on your Martian journey, the Ohio 4-H STEM Team is hosting a week of virtual, space activities from Oct. 4-10. Details at https://ohio4h.org/statewide-programs/4-h-science/mars-base-camp-4-h-stem-challenge . Get ready to blast-off!

Ohio 4-H Teen Survey

Ohio 4-H is seeking input from 4-H teens to help us design virtual programming that would be specific to ages 13-19. We know that during a time of distance learning and modified 4-H programs, that there are many new opportunities to explore! With your feedback to a short survey, Ohio 4-H intends to use your thoughts and ideas in offering more teen-specific programs that can be accessed virtually! Please visit www.go.osu.edu/ohio4hteeninterest and respond to the survey questions by October 16 to have your feedback shared! If you received this survey from another source, you are only asked to complete it once. Thank you in advance for taking a few moments to complete this survey!

Tractor Supply Paper Clover Campaign – October 7-18

It’s time for the fall Tractor Supply Paper Clover Drive! Purchase a clover in-stroe or at checkout to support 4-H camp and leadership opportunities in Madison County. Head to TSC in London from October 7-18 and purchase a paper clover!

National 4-H Week: October 4-10, 2020!

Happy #National4HWeek! Madison County 4-H is proud to support #Opportunity4All kids, and we invite you to celebrate with us by showing your 4-H spirit on social media and in your community!

Greetings 4-H Families!

In this issue:

• 2021 Junior Fair Board Applications due September 1
• End-Of-Year Award Applications due September 30
• Camp Counselor Applications due November 2
• Thank You Note Reminder
• Extension Office Hours
• Ohio 4-H Updated Guidelines
• Ohio Youth Skillathon Result

COUNTY 4-H UPDATES

2019 Jr. Fair Aglympics

Junior Fair Board 2021 Applications Available – Due September 1

Time to start thinking about 2021! If you are a teen and interested in helping make decisions about the Jr. Fair and serve your community, apply now to be a 2021 Junior Fair Board member!

Applications and information on meeting dates and expectations are available at go.osu.edu/madcojfb. Applications are due September 1st to the Extension Office or emailed to madisoncountyjfb@gmail.com or nicol.115@osu.edu.

End-Of-Year Award Applications and Forms available – Due September 30th

2019 4-H Honor Members

Want to be recognized for your 4-H accomplishments? Nominate an outstanding member or friend of 4-H? All end of year award applications are due September 30th to the OSU Extension office or emailed to duffey.2@osu.edu. Awards are annouced at the end of year banquet in December. You can find all the forms below or linked to our website here.

• Jr Honor Member Award (Ages 8 and in the 3rd grade to 13 years)
• Teen Honor Member Awards (14 & up)
• Cloverbud Member Activity & Participation Sheet (Ages 5 and in Kindergarten to 8 years)
• Outstanding 4-H Member Nomination form
• Volunteer Honor Award (Adult Volunteers)
• Community Service Award and suggestions for community service projects
• Honor Club (For advisors)
• Friend of 4-H Award

2021 Camp Counselor Applications Available!

We want to make sure individuals interested in applying for Madison County 4-H Camp Counselor have plenty of time to work on and submit their applications! We’re trying to be optimistic and eager for 2021!

Help us plan to 2021 Madison County 4-H Camp!

For more information, tentative meeting dates or to apply visit: go.osu.edu/madco4hcampcounselor

Thank You Notes

Now that fair is over, please make sure that you take the time to write a thank you note to the sponsors of your awards and buyers. It is very important to show appreciation to these supporters! While you are at it, feel free to write a letter of appreciation to others that helped make your 4-H year memorable and possible. This could be your parents, club leaders, volunteers and fair, and older youth member, etc.

The buyers list from the 2020 Jr. Fair Livestock Sale is available here!

Remember, the sponsors of awards and buyers did not have to do this for you. Please do these thank you notes in a timely manner to show your appreciation!

When writing a thank you note, remember to include the following:

• Greeting (Dear ____,)
• Express your gratitude (Thank you so much for sponsoring ___ award OR thank you so much for all your help with my project)
• Discuss Use (Say something nice about what you got and how you will use it/what it means to you!)
• Grace (Thanks again for your support)
• Regards (Sincerely)

For additional help writing a thank you note and to see a sample, click here!

Jr. Fair Results

Congratulations to all who exhibited at the 2020 Madison County Jr. Fair! To view results from livestock classes and special interest awards, as well as the project showcase for special interest, click the links below!

• Special Interest Award Winners
  • Special Interest Project Showcase
• Livestock Show Results
• Showman of Showman, Scholarship, and other Fair Awards
• Equine High Point Awards

*There are some awards that need claimed in the Extension Office. If you are waiting for a banner/plaque, please call ahead to make sure it is in before making a trip to the Extension Office!

OSU Extension Office Hours

The Madison County Extension Office is now open to the public! We are open Monday for open hours (no appointment needed) from 7:30am-4:00pm and Tuesday-Friday by appointment only. Please contact our office to schedule an appointment at least 24 hours in advance.

As an additional note, Frances will be out of office on vacation starting Thursday, August 27 through Monday, September 7. If you need anything feel free to contact Arlene Duffey at duffey.@osu.edu or call the office at 740-852-0975.

There are still plenty of Farm Bureau sponsored fair shirts available as well!

In-Person 4-H Meeting Update

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.

Visit the 4-H STEM Tent During this Year’s Virtual Farm Science Review

We’re excited to offer virtual STEM-focused programming during this year’s online Farm Science Review. Plan to join us on September 22, 23, and 24 to take virtual tours and field trips, learn about watershed and stream health, explore careers in agriculture, and more. The schedule for our virtual 4-H STEM Tent is below. More information, including how to register to participate in these free sessions, will be coming soon.

Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020

9 AM-10 AM – Virtual Video Tour of Myers Hatchery and Dialog

10:15 AM – Explore Agriculture in Hawaii Using Google Expedition

11 AM-Noon – Egg Catcher STEM Challenge

12:15 PM – Virtual Video Tours of Young’s Jersey Dairy and/or Guiggsberg Cheese

1:15 PM-2:15 PM – From Moo to You Dairy Science Lab at GISA

2:30 PM – Career Explorer

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020

9 AM-10 AM – Soil Health Challenge

10:15 AM – Soil Broken Down

11:00 AM – Clean Water STEM Pathways Challenge

Noon – 1 PM – Water Quality Challenge

1:15 PM-2:15 PM – Watershed and Stream Health

2:30 PM – Finding the Right Career Path, Assessing Your Employable Skills

Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

9 AM-10 AM – Virtual Video Tour of Robotics Dairy Systems

10:15 AM – Cookie Prospecting STEM Pathways Challenge

11:00 AM – A Boost Against Arthritis STEM Pathways Challenge

Noon to 1 PM – Agriculture Mechanization STEM Challenge

1:15 PM-2:15 PM – From Pasture to Plate Virtual Video Tour and Meat Science Lab

2:30 PM – Virtual Video Tour of John Deere Tractor Simulator and Ag STEM Career Discussion

UPCOMING EVENTS

September 1 – Jr. Fair Board applications due

September 7 – Extension Office Closed – Labor Day

September 30 – Honor Club Apps, Community Service Club Awards, Jr. and Teen Honor Member Forms, Outstanding Member Nomination forms, Cloverbud, Volunteer Honor Form, and Friend of 4-H Nomination forms due

October 5 – 4-H Committee Meeting @ 6pm

October 7 – Junior Fair Board Meeting @ 6pm

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 Youth Skillathons

Registration has closed for the online Ohio Youth Skillathons. For those participating, don’t forget to show proof of your score (70% or higher) at Vallery’s Farmhouse Bakery in London to redeem a free cookie!

Congrats to those that have completed skillathon so far: Results for each day can be found here: ohio4h.org/animalsciences/ohio-youth-skillathons (click on each species for results by county and placings)

• Callie Jenkins, Born in a Barn – Horse, Dairy, Dog, and Beef
• Jacob Hiles, Country Bunch – Poultry and Swine
• Isabel Hiles, Country Bunch – Poultry and Swine
• Garrett Vance, Clover Clippers – Poultry
• Olivia Seaburn, Beginners to Winners – Sheep