One of my most frequently asked questions right now is in regards to completion of 4-H livestock projects in 2020 in light of the cancellation of the Muskingum County Fair.

Here’s a reminder:
Livestock Projects – Youth can complete a livestock project in 4-H by participating in Virtual Livestock Skillathon or by contacting the Extension Office if accommodations are needed. Virtual Livestock Skillathon through Flipgrid video submission is the preferred method; however, we can discuss alternative options for youth with Winning 4-H Plans or families who may not have access to adequate technology to complete in this way. Internet access is only required for video submission, so some families have uploaded pre-recorded videos at times when they have better access to internet. Showing at a livestock show unaffiliated with the Muskingum County Fair does not meet requirements for project completion.
______________________________________________________________

Virtual 4-H Still Project Judging and Junior Fair Livestock Skillathon 

If you haven’t already, don’t miss your chance to register online through July 23 at 11:59 p.m.: https://go.osu.edu/judgingregistration!

We also extended the deadline for video submissions on Flipgrid to August 9 at 11:59 p.m. This gives all families two extra weeks, but we encourage you to start soon in case you encounter problems.

The following documents will assist members in preparing and submitting Flipgrid videos:

• 2020 Still Project Judging Details
• 2020 Livestock Skillathon Details
• Flipgrid Submission Instructions

______________________________________________________________

OSU Extension Office Reopening

• Answer questions about your health:
  • your temperature
  • any symptoms
  • your exposure to COVID-19
• Wear a face mask
• Practice social distancing of 6 ft apart
• Use hand sanitizer upon entering

______________________________________________________________

Muskingum County Youth Livestock Expo 

The committee meeting scheduled for July 22 has been moved from the sale barn to the Adamsville Ball Park next to the Twp Garage.  For more information or if you have questions, please contact Jim Porter at 740-819-9839. This effort is not affiliated with the Muskingum County Agricultural Society (Senior Fair Board) or OSU Extension.

Greetings 4-H Families!

2020 continues to be a year of surprises. The cancellation of the 2020 Muskingum County Fair earlier this week has generated a variety of questions about completing projects and finishing the year in 4-H. The cancellation of the fair does not mean 4-H is cancelled! We are an organization that loves the fair, but functions independently! Clubs can still meet virtually (and in person if they follow guidelines) and projects will still be judged.

Here’s an update related to 4-H Member Guidelines and 4-H Project Completion from the 2020 Muskingum County 4-H Owner’s Manual.

• A 4-H member in good standing must be enrolled in a club and have project enrollment by March 15; attend a minimum of four meetings from January through August 1; complete at least one project in order to receive credit for the year in 4-H; follow the Ohio 4-H Code of Conduct; meet additional club requirements. I will be contacting volunteers about providing information about club meeting attendance.
• 4-H projects must be judged at the county level to be completed. Youth can complete any 4-H project by participating in a county-level judging event outside of the fair.
  • Still Projects – This year, completion options are to participate in Virtual Still Project Judging or contact the Extension Office if accommodations are needed.
  • Livestock Projects – Youth can complete a livestock project in 4-H by participating in Virtual Livestock Skillathon or by contacting the Extension Office if accommodations are needed. Showing at a livestock show unaffiliated with the Muskingum County Fair does not meet requirements for project completion.
• Electing not to complete a project/or projects does not prohibit youth from participating in 4-H or that project in 2021. Clubs will not be penalized if members do not complete projects.

______________________________________________________________

Virtual 4-H Still Project Judging and Junior Fair Livestock Skillathon 

In light of the cancellation of the Muskingum County Fair, we have extended the registration for Virtual Still Project Judging and Junior Fair Livestock Skillathon. Youth who have already registered DO NOT need to register again. If youth have not registered, please do so by next week’s deadline. Register online through July 23 at 11:59 p.m.: https://go.osu.edu/judgingregistration

We also extended the deadline for video submissions on Flipgrid to August 9 at 11:59 p.m. This gives all families two extra weeks, but we encourage you to start soon in case you encounter problems.

The following documents will assist members in preparing and submitting Flipgrid videos:

• 2020 Still Project Judging Details
• 2020 Livestock Skillathon Details
• Flipgrid Submission Instructions

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

• Youth enrolled in Project #588 The Writer in You will not be required to submit a portfolio to the Extension Office this year. Please share your writing activities during your Flipgrid video. If you like, you can include a link to your writing portfolio by following “If you want to add photos or a presentation” in the Flipgrid Submission Instructions.
• Flipgrid will ask you for a Flipcode. Many are assuming this is a number, it is not. Refer to the Flipgrid Submission Instructions for the list of Flipcodes by project area. Example: The Flipcode for Livestock Skillathon is: musklivestock. The password for every grid is: Musk4h!!
• Parents/project helpers are encouraged to help members (especially younger members) complete the video process. This could include: asking the questions from the project judging rubric, prompting them to show pages of the project/record book, providing cues on or off screen.
• Youth are not expected to show every page of the project book during their video. They should show the book, highlight some completed activities and what they learned.
• Be sure to review “Produce an Awesome Project Video!” in 2020 Still Project Judging Details and/or 2020 Livestock Skillathon Details, as well as the rubric. As long as suggested items are included, this process is intended to allow members to be creative in how they present information!
• Youth are not required to include animals in Livestock Skillathon videos; however, this might help the youth explain/demonstrate what they learned. If youth have already sold their animal or the animal has died, they can still participate!

______________________________________________________________

OSU Extension Office Reopening

• Answer questions about your health:
  • your temperature
  • any symptoms
  • your exposure to COVID-19
• Wear a face mask
• Practice social distancing of 6 ft apart
• Use hand sanitizer upon entering

______________________________________________________________

Muskingum County Youth Livestock Expo 

A group of community volunteers has formed a Muskingum County Youth Livestock Expo Committee to plan an opportunity for 4-H/FFA members to show their livestock projects. The first meeting will be July 22, 2020 at 6:00 P.M. at Muskingum Livestock Auction. The committee plans to abide by COVID-19 guidelines. Species that have expressed interest are: beef, sheep, hogs, poultry and rabbits. If there are other species interested, please contact Jim Porter at 740-819-9839. This effort is not affiliated with the Muskingum County Agricultural Society or OSU Extension.

The Muskingum County Agricultural Society (Senior Fair Board) announced this evening that they made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Muskingum County Fair. This includes the Junior Fair, which is under their leadership. OSU Extension shares the disappointment of the Senior Fair Board, but supports the decision for the health and well-being of our community and the long-term sustainability of the fair in this unprecedented economic and public health environment. We value our partnership and recognize the important role that the county fair plays in the lives of our 4-H members, volunteers and families.

Junior Fair is a major component of the county fair and 4-H is one of several youth organizations involved in Junior Fair. While Junior Fair exhibition is a highlight for many 4-H members, it is not a requirement to be a 4-H member in good standing, which includes club meeting attendance, project completion, and adherence to the Ohio 4-H Code of Conduct. 4-H members can refer to the 2020 Muskingum County 4-H Owner’s Manual, page 5, for more details on completing the year in 4-H. This information was also outlined in our July 8 update e-mail.

Muskingum County 4-H is committed to helping young people gain skills that will help them succeed, including navigating disappointment and developing resilience in the face of challenges and uncertainty. Club meetings and activities can continue if they follow the Ohio 4-H Planning Guide for In-person Meetings & Events. Our office will communicate directly with volunteers regarding club paperwork and requirement deadlines. Virtual Still Project Judging and Livestock Skillathon will offer youth an opportunity to complete projects, although I ask for your patience as consideration is given to any changes that might be made in light of the fair cancellation – stay tuned for more information, but in the meantime, keep working on those projects!

This Friday, July 17 marks my 10^th anniversary of working for OSU Extension in Muskingum County. What a roller coaster ride it has been! Together, we face another unanticipated challenge that is a defining moment for our 4-H program. When our office first closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I shared a video on our Facebook page with the following quote, “If there’s one thing I know about our 4-H community here in Muskingum County, it’s that we are resilient.” Let’s show our strength by accepting today’s announcement with grace and encouraging youth to finish what they started in the ways that are available to us.

As I provide additional details related to Virtual Still Project Judging and Livestock Skillathon, I thought it would be a good time to share reminders from the 2020 Muskingum County 4-H Owner’s Manual related to 4-H Member Guidelines and 4-H Project Completion. Here are some notes from the information found on page 5:

• A 4-H member in good standing must be enrolled in a club and have project enrollment by March 15; attend a minimum of four meetings from January through August 1; complete at least one project in order to receive credit for the year in 4-H; follow the Ohio 4-H Code of Conduct; meet additional club requirements.
• 4-H projects must be judged at the county level to be completed. Youth can complete any 4-H project by participating in a county-level judging event outside of the fair, including livestock projects.
  • Still Projects – This year, completion options are to participate in Virtual Still Project Judging or contact the Extension Office if accommodations are needed. Still projects must be completed (judged) for exhibition at the Muskingum County Fair.
  • Livestock Projects – Youth can complete a livestock project in 4-H by exhibiting at the Muskingum County Fair or by participating in Virtual Livestock Skillathon. Virtual Livestock Skillathon provides an opportunity for youth to complete projects if they did not register animals for fair exhibition, have concerns about attending the fair due to COVID 19, etc.

I have been asked if choosing not to complete one or more projects during 2020 will result in youth being unable to join 4-H or enroll in the same project in 2021. The answer is NO. Many have indicated that they believe this penalty exists in a normal year – it does not. However, if they complete no projects, they will not receive credit for a year in 4-H and will not be eligible to be a camp counselor in 2021. It does impact club completion percentages, but this metric will be re-evaluated.
______________________________________________________________

Virtual 4-H Still Project Judging and Junior Fair Livestock Skillathon Submission Details

More than 400 youth registered to have a still and/or livestock project judged via Flipgrid. Our Flipgrid portal is now live! Submissions are due July 26, 11:59 p.m.

• Review 2020 Still Project Judging Details for more information! The document details requirements, information about awards and alternate opportunities.
• Review 2020 Livestock Skillathon Details for more information! The document details requirements, information about awards and alternate opportunities for project completion purposes.

Finally, this document will help you record and submit: Flipgrid Submission Instructions

Reminder: This is a learning process for all of us. Ask questions and we will do our best to help!

Greetings 4-H Families!

Earlier this week, OSU Extension released guidelines for a return to in person 4-H activities. This information was shared with volunteers on Monday, but I want to make families aware of the expectations when participating in face-to-face 4-H activities. Our office is still familiarizing ourselves with the new guidelines, but will work through questions from volunteers and families as they are presented.

Ohio 4-H clubs that choose to begin meeting in-person must follow specific guidelines to promote the health and safety of our 4-H community, as we face the challenge of COVID-19.

Clubs choosing to meet in-person should provide virtual connection options for members who have that preference. Please note that in-person 4-H club meetings, activities and other events may be suspended at any time if local, state, federal, and/or university authorities issue new restrictions. 4-H meetings and activities can only be held in person if Ohio 4-H Planning Guide for In-Person Meetings & Events guidelines can be followed.

The Ohio 4-H Planning Guide for In-Person Meetings & Events provides expectations for all members, volunteers, and their families while participating in 4-H club meetings and activities. County and Independent Fairs work closely with Ohio 4-H/The Ohio State University, but are separate entities and follow different guidance. When 4-H members and volunteers participate in Junior Fair activities, they follow guidance from these local partners, as Ag Societies have the responsibility for the Junior Fair.

The Muskingum County OSU Extension office is in the process of reopening, but employees will also continue to telework. We will continue to send information to you via e-mail. You will find the guidelines, a tip sheet and resources at ohio4h.org/families/stay-connected. When possible, we encourage OSU Extension programs, meetings, and events to meet virtually.

Also, the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department has issued an additional recommendation for local organizations. Effective immediately, any child or adult that is returning from a vacation out of state be expected to refrain from practice, meetings, activities and games for a period of two weeks upon their return.  Even if an individual is tested upon their return, they should still be excluded from activities with the group/team for a period of two weeks.  A person may test negative on one day and be positive the next, and the virus can take 2-14 days for symptoms to appear. With the gathering of more groups for classes, practices and activities if a child or adult becomes symptomatic, the entire group would be out for at least a 14 day period.

Be safe and be well!

-Jamie
______________________________________________________________

Last Call for Zoom Quality Assurance and Horse Education Programs!

Two additional Zoom Quality Assurance sessions will be offered in Muskingum County on July 6 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Youth can register here: https://go.os.u.edu/qahorseed. These are the final sessions that will be offered in county If you cannot attend on July 6, Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is the option for completion of the Quality Assurance requirement. Youth can complete this online course at a cost of $12. You will sign in utilizing your 4HOnline family login information. Details: https://muskingum.osu.edu/sites/muskingum/files/imce/Program_Pages/4H/Member_Resources/YQCA%20web.pdf.

One FINAL Horse Education Program will be offered on Zoom – July 9 at 6 p.m. Youth can register here: https://go.osu.edu/qahorseed. As a reminder, youth are required to attend the Horse Education Program to exhibit at the Muskingum County Fair.
______________________________________________________________

4-H Still Project Judging

2020 Muskingum County 4-H Still Project Judging will take place virtually on a platform called Flipgrid. Our Flipgrid will launch on July 8 for submissions! Instructions for submitting will be provided at that time.

Review 2020 Still Project Judging Details for more information! The document details requirements, information about awards and alternate opportunities.

IMPORTANT: In an effort to plan for project judge recruitment and to help us design our Flipgrid portal, we are asking youth who plan to submit Flipgrid project videos for still and livestock projects to complete the registration form by July 3: https://go.osu.edu/judgingregistration.
______________________________________________________________

Junior Fair Livestock Skillathon

2020 Junior Fair Skillathon will not take place face-to-face in 2020. A virtual option will be provided on a platform called Flipgrid. Our Flipgrid will launch on July 8 for submissions! Instructions for submitting will be provided at that time.

Review 2020 Livestock Skillathon Details for more information! The document details requirements, information about awards and alternate opportunities for project completion purposes.

IMPORTANT: In an effort to plan for project judge recruitment and to help us design our Flipgrid portal, we are asking youth who plan to submit Flipgrid project videos for still and livestock projects to complete the registration form by July 3: https://go.osu.edu/judgingregistration.
______________________________________________________________

Junior Fair Entry Forms Now Available!

Junior Fair Entry Forms due July 16 can be accessed on our website: https://go.osu.edu/muskcolivestockentry

• Feeder Calf – due July 16, 11:59 p.m. via online entry form. No late entries will be accepted. 
• Market Rabbit – This is a printable form due at Market Rabbit Registration on July 16 from 6-8 p.m. at the Muskingum County Fairgrounds. ALL Market Rabbits must be tattooed on July 16. If families are unable to print a copy of the entry form, printed copies are available on the table to the left of the Extension Office entry door. Please come to registration with the form completed (except for tattoos).
• Horse Vaccination Record Submission – for youth who did not submit proof of 5-way vaccination with their entry, documentation must by submitted by July 16, 11:59 p.m. via the online form.