Monday, April 2 – 4-H Committee Meeting, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, April 4 – Livestock Quality Assurance Test-Out (4:30 p.m.) and Program (6-8 p.m.). Please call ahead to register for the test! 

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Reminders about Livestock Quality Assurance from the Muskingum County 4-H Family Handbook:

Livestock Quality Assurance (LQA) Certification is required for all youth exhibiting a market animal, lactating dairy cow or lactating dairy goat at the Muskingum County Fair.

Certification can be obtained in two ways:

1) Youth can participate in an LQA program provided by OSU Extension.

LQA Program Dates

April 4, 6-8 p.m., Veteran’s Building, Fairgrounds (General Livestock)

April 17, 6-8 p.m., Veteran’s Building, Fairgrounds (General Livestock)

April 22, 1-3 p.m. @ Veteran’s Building, Fairgrounds (Sheep)

April 28, 9-10:30 a.m., Veteran’s Building, Fairgrounds (Small Animal)

April 30, 6-8 p.m., Veteran’s Building, Fairgrounds (General Livestock)

• Youth may attend any LQA regardless of the animal they are exhibiting.
• Parent attendance is not required, but encouraged for LQA Programs

2) Youth can participate in the test out option.

All youth 12-14 years of age (4-H age) may take a LQA test designed for their age group. If they pass the test with a score of 70% or greater, the youth will be certified in LQA until they turn 15 years old.

All youth 15-18 years of age (4-H age) may take a LQA test designed for their age group. If they pass the test with a score of 70% or greater, the youth will be certified in LQA for the remainder of their Junior Fair years.

Youth are only permitted to take one test per calendar year. If a youth does not pass the LQA test, they will be required to attend a LQA program to gain certification.

LQA Testing Dates

Participants must call to pre-register.

April 4, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., Veteran’s Building, Fairgrounds

April 17, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., Veteran’s Building, Fairgrounds

Although the weather doesn’t quite feel like summer, the Junior Fair Board has been hard at work preparing for the 2018 Muskingum County Fair. We are excited to announce your 2018 officers:

President: Adam Crock
Vice President: Rachel Hampp
Secretary: Kamryn Kreis
Treasurer: Kailey Lindsley

If you have ideas or suggestions for improvements to the Junior Fair, feel free to reach out to one of these youth. The officers led a great discussion at the last meeting which led to our 2018 Junior Fair theme: Stand Out with Junior Fair!

We look forward to seeing how you incorporate this theme into your booths and barn displays!

Sharing on behalf of Kari Burkey, Organization Director:

This scholarship opportunity is for anyone who has an interest in a career in agriculture and would like to learn more about opportunities within the industry.  This is an intensive two-week internship spent shadowing leaders, making connections and pursuing jobs in the industry.

The applicant or parents/guardian must be and have been a member of the Muskingum County Farm Bureau in good standing and a senior in a Muskingum County school.  The student must plan to be a full-time student at a two- or four- year institution in an agriculture-related field. $1,500 will be awarded after completion of the internship. The deadline for submission is April 6, 2018.

For more information and a copy of the application, see the attached document.

mu-co-scholarship-app-2018

Hello 4-H Family! To help clear up some confusion: the Beef QA programs held at Muskingum Livestock DO NOT fulfill the LQA certification required for youth exhibiting a market animal, lactating dairy cow, or lactating dairy goat at the Muskingum County Fair.

Certification can be obtained in two ways:
1. Youth can participate in an LQA program
provided by OSU Extension.
2.Youth can participate in the test out option.

Are you an advisor whose members are taking woodworking? A parent with a child enrolled in woodworking? Specific projects include:

Measuring Up #556
Making The Cut #557
Nailing It Together #558
Finishing Up #559
Woodworking Master #560A

Last year at the Ohio State Fair, 39 4-H youth were not considered for final placings because they used ineligible tools. Check out the Ohio State 4-H Woodworking Guidelines to make sure tools youth wish to use for their specific project are allowed.

There’s always a lot of excitement and enthusiasm that comes along with a new 4-H year! The 4-H enrollment process is always a bit of chaos mixed with the constant sound of phones ringing – and this year was even more so with the change to family enrollment via 4HOnline.

As the enrollment period comes to an end (the deadline is tomorrow, March 15), I want to say a huge thank you to our 4-H family for your patience, understanding and willingness to learn with us in this new process! We’ve all learned a lot this year and I’m confident next year’s process will be smoother. We will have finalized enrollment MUCH earlier and be able to ensure all families are getting information sooner!

• 4-H Volunteers – Thank you for being creative in finding ways to help your youth and families enroll in 4-H – from meetings at schools with iPads to inviting families to bring laptops and hook up to your WiFi, your efforts do not go unnoticed. We are so thankful to have you as part of our team!
• 4-H Families – Thank you for sticking with us, asking questions and having patience! We are glad you’ve decided to participate in 4-H and we’re looking forward to a great year.
• Office Staff –
  • Stefanie coordinated with Tracy Nider at the State 4-H Office to help training our volunteers as data managers. had the idea to set up help nights at the county library branches and was able to help a few families on each date. She has answered many phone calls and had extra help sessions with volunteers.
  • HUGE shout out to our Office Associate Debbie for her support in this entire process. If you didn’t know it, Debbie is the reason all of your information was in there when you initially logged in! She has been our county 4-H data manager for many years. We’ve had some people comment about how it’s nice that “the system” does something – she is the one behind it all. Her familiarity with the system and willingness to help folks who call, walk in, e-mail has been a tremendous help. If you get a chance in the next few weeks, please tell Debbie thank you! She has handled this transition while managing her other duties as well.

Yours in 4-H,

Jamie

As I type this post, I’m sitting with a group of 4-H parents, as well as Junior Leaders Advisors James & Susan McDonald, at Ohio State Collegiate 4-H’s annual Plowboy Prom. Attending Plowboy Prom has been a tradition for Junior Leaders for many years – I’d guess many who read this will have fond memories of this event. I enjoy sitting back and watching our teens have fun line dancing, square dancing and getting to know each other a little better, while sharing conversation with the adults. Every once in a while, you will catch me on the dance floor!

Between this and attending the Ohio 4-H Conference today, it’s been a day full of my favorite things about this job – enjoying my 4-H family, from our youth and volunteers, to colleagues and friends from around Ohio. I also love sharing what’s happening in Muskingum County.

At the conference, I had the opportunity to teach a session called “Grow 4-H in Your County” with a colleague I greatly admire. Jessica Rockey (4-H Educator in Perry County) and I shared ideas for promoting 4-H, including our 4-H Kick-Off events.

Then one of my career goals came true – I wanted to do a presentation at the Ohio 4-H Conference with some of our youth. I worked with Camp Counselors Keirsten Jackson and Samantha Mozena to create a presentation on our Campbassador program and everything we have done to promote camp the last couple years. I had the opportunity to present with them twice today to groups of about 20 counselors and adult volunteers from all over Ohio. It was so cool to see these two outstanding teen leaders exude confidence and enthusiasm as they shared about our camping program! One volunteer from Coshocton County told me it was the best session she attended all day and they can’t wait to implement a similar program there.

Until next time,

Jamie

Deadline & Activity Reminders 

Monday, March 12 – Horse Safety & Ethics Program, Extension Office – 6:30-7:30 p.m., Required for all first year horse members!

Tuesday, March 13 – 4HOnline Enrollment Help Session, Dresden Branch Library, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 14 – Camp Team Meeting #3, Extension Office – Campbassadors 5:15 p.m., Everyone 6-8 p.m.

Thursday, March 15 – 4-H Enrollment Deadline

OSU Junior Swine Day is a great educational opportunity for youth enrolled in 4-H swine projects.

It will be held in two locations on March 25 – OSU Columbus and OSU ATI Wooster, with the same sessions offered at each location.

Registration is due by March 19 and is $10.00 per person.

More details can be downloaded on the State 4-H Animal Science page.

Registration Flyer

Looking for some new fun and educational excitement this summer? How about hosting a boy or girl from Japan in your home for 3½ weeks? (July 23 – Aug. 17)

The Ohio 4-H International Program is offering hosting opportunities to 75 families around the state, and Japanese youth on the other side of the world are anxiously waiting to learn who their new family might be! Host families should have their own child aged 10-15 who will serve as the main host sibling. Families will be matched with a Japanese youth of the same gender and approximate age. Special trips and activities are not required. The focus is on everyday family life. Host families provide lodging, meals, and any family activities. Medical insurance is provided. Youth bring money for personal spending (gifts, souvenirs, etc.) For more information, please visit www.ohio4h.org/youth/international or contact thalheimer.1@osu.edu.