Month: January 2024

General Livestock Judging Webinars

Join the OSU Livestock coaches as they break down getting started with livestock judging.

The OSU Livestock Judging Webinar Series will have recordings of the webinars posted to: https://ohio4h.org/node/3429

January 24 – Let’s Start a Team

February 19 – Beef 101

March 18 – Swine 101

April 15 – Sheep 101

May 20 – Goats 101

June 17 – EPDs & Scenarios

July 8 – Reasons, Part 1

July 10 – Reasons, Part 2

Volunteers Needed for 4-H Open House

Older youth and adults are needed to help with the Washington County 4-H Open House on Thursday, February 29

The event will be held from 6:00 – 7:30 at the Jr Fair Building on the Washington County Fairgrounds. All volunteers are asked to arrive by 5:30. Everyone will be notified where your help is needed.

The 4-H Open House is a fun-filled evening of games, prizes, and learning about 4-H membership and opportunities. Each of the stations will provide interactive and hands-on activities to engage the children and adults as they visit the open house.

Helper Form: 2024 Open House Helper Request Form

Applebees 4-H Fundraiser – Jan 30

Applebees 4-H Fundaiser

When: Tuesday, January 30

Time: 4:00 to 8:00 pm

Where: Marietta Applebees

What: Order from the special 4-H Menu

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, January 30 and stop in and order off the “Together We Care Menu”. If you prefer not to dine in then call for your curbside to go order and help raise funds to support the Washington County 4-H program. The 4-H Advisory Committee will receive a portion of the menu item profit for all items purchased off the “Together We Care” menu on Tuesday January 30.

This event will run from 4 – 8 pm and the Washington County 4-H Advisory Committee Members and 4-H members will be present to greet guests.

Congratulations Darlene & Uncle Dan’s!

Congratulations Darlene Burke Ogletree and Uncle Dan’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream! We are ecstatic to announce Darlene was selected as a 2024 recipient of the Ohio 4-H Meritorious Service Award! This award is given annually to 4-H adult volunteers for a lifetime of meritorious service.
Uncle Dan’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, LLC is owned and operated by Dan & Cathy Lang. They will be honored as a 2024 Ohio Friend of 4-H for their tremendous support of the Washington County 4-H Program.
These awards will be presented at the Ohio 4-H Conference on March 9 in Columbus.

OSU Sheep Team Posts

There are three recent posts from the OSU Sheep Team that might be of interest to local producers. Click the link to be taken to the blog articles: https://u.osu.edu/sheep/

  • Top Tips for Healthy Lambs
  • Goat & Sheep Birthing and Animal Health – Dystocia (Difficult Birth)
  • Bedding Options for Livestock and Equine

Youth Preparedness Council Applications Being Accepted

This is a wonderful opportunity for our youth with an interest in Emergency Management. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is looking for students in grades eight through 11 interested in supporting disaster preparedness to join the Youth Preparedness Council (YPC).

The online application is now open, and closes March 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PT. To learn more about the YPC and application requirements, visit Ready.gov/kids/youth-preparedness-council and visit https://community.fema.gov/PreparednessCommunity/s/apply-to-ypc to apply.

FEMA will also host two webinars for potential applicants on Jan. 25, 2024 and Feb. 27, 2024. Join to learn more about the program and how to apply.

Home Garden Vegetable Seed Trials – Open to Youth & Adults

Athens County is hosting the 2024 Home Garden Vegetable Trials.  The trials are open to any home gardener in the state of Ohio. This means you and all of your friends. This is the sixth year of the trials and we have some exciting news. We have added a cut flower trial, a herb trial, and a youth trial (to get the kids excited about gardening). We’ve been listening to feedback and this year we’ve added lots of varieties that can be grown in containers.

The purpose of the trials is to have gardeners grow 2 varieties of a vegetable side-by-side and then give us their feedback through our online reporting site. To learn more details about the trials, you can visit the Vegetable Trials Homepage

There are a total of 13 trials this year. You can select to do from one to five vegetable trials plus the flower, herb, and youth trials. Community Gardens can choose to do all 13, if they would like. The cost of each trial is $3 plus shipping. If you pick up your order at the Athen’s County Extension Office, there are reduced  shipping charges. To see a description of this year’s trials, visit the 2024 Trials page. The deadline to order is Feb. 16 for guaranteed seeds or March 1 for remaining seeds, When you are ready to order, visit the order site at https://go.osu.edu/veggies2024

We’re Hiring! SNAP-Ed Program Assistant

This is a Full time Position for Washington County

Application Deadline: January 31, 2024

Posting Information: Posting for Washington County

Position Description

  • Use standardized curriculum materials to teach food, nutrition, food resource management, and other related topics to low-income adults, youth, and/or families as part of the education branch of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in a variety of community settings. Use standardized evaluation instruments to assess program participants’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors to determine educational needs and impacts. Refer program participants to appropriate assistance programs. Recruit adults for the program by collaborating with community agencies and programs, as well as using other tools of promotion. Recruit youth for the program by collaborating with schools that serve 50% or more of their students with free and reduced meals. Support target-audience and nutrition-related policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) interventions in the community. Participate in staff development and training opportunities to enhance knowledge of nutrition topics and successful methods for nutrition education. Regular travel will be required throughout the county from the county Extension office and occasionally to the state office and other regional locations around the state. This is a grant-funded position which is renewable annually by the sponsor agency.

About SNAP-Ed

SNAP-Ed is a free nutrition education program serving participants and low-income individuals eligible to receive SNAP benefits or other means-tested federal assistance programs throughout Ohio. Nationally, SNAP-Ed operates in 50 states, plus two territories, and targets individuals (youth and adults), and families. SNAP-Ed is funded by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and serves in partnership with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Ohio State University Extension in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. The goal is to improve the likelihood that families and individuals who receive SNAP benefits will make healthy food choices and choose active lifestyles.

Ohio 4-H Conference – registration due Feb 9

A conference for teens and volunteers is being planned for Saturday, March 9.  The Conference and Luncheon will be held at the Columbus Convention Center.  This conference offers a wide variety of sessions to attend.  The luncheon is attended by all participants and will recognize volunteers for years of volunteer service.  Registrations are due as soon as possible.  The actual deadline is February 9th, however if you want to get your first choice of sessions it is important to register early. A registration form is included.  The 4-H Advisory Committee will cover your registration but there is a $10 commitment fee.