Author: Bruce Zimmer

Senior Camp Wraps-up!

Our final summer camp wrapped up last week. Look at all of these smiling faces! We also have some lost and found items that will be kept at the Extension Office until August 9 and will then be donated to charity.

Pen Set up/Tear down at County Fair – Attendance Required

REQUIRED

All 2024 Livestock members showing animals at the Washington County Fair are required to attend Pen Set up or tear down at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
– Members whose last name falls between letters A to L will need to attend Pen set up on Aug. 11 at 3pm.
– Members whose last name falls between letters M to Z need to attend Pen tear down on Sept. 8 at 3pm.
Sign out sheets will be provided when set up or tear down is complete. Any junior exhibitor not signing out will forfeit 20% of their total sales.

REMINDER: Make-up Project Judging & Make-up Skillathon

Skillathon Make‐Up Date: August 5 – RSVP required with $20 registration fee. Sign up here to reserve your
spot: https://go.osu.edu/skillathonmakeup. Make‐up Skillathon participants will not be eligible for premier exhibitor.

Makeup Judging will be held on Monday, August 5 starting at 6:00 pm in the Jr Fair Building for members not available to attend Project Judging. Signup here to reserve your spot for makeup judging: https://go.osu.edu/judgingmakeup

State TLC Apps for Teens Due August 9

Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council (TLC) applications for the 2024-25 year are now available and can be found on our website at go.osu.edu/TLC! Please let any interested individual know so they may apply. Please note, because it is only a one year term, current TLC members who wish to continue their service must re-apply. NEW THIS YEAR: Every member will select a committee to join that is based on a program in Ohio 4-H (STEM, Healthy Living, College and Career Readiness, Civic Engagement, and Animal Science) – they will be working closer with design teams to help review and provide feedback to programming as well as creating new programs and resources and advocating for that program and project area – see attached graphic for more details.

Applications and more information about the group can be found online at: go.osu.edu/TLC. Please note: applications (and other materials, including letters of recommendation and program fees) are due by Friday, August 9, 2024.   The term for selected individuals will be September 1, 2024-August 31, 2025.

Livestock Skillathon – Saturday, July 20

Looking for the Livestock Skillathon guidelines: 2024 Skillathon Study Guide  The guidelines are also printed in your Jr Fair Guide.

Any Skillathon information not found in your resource handbook can be downloaded from https://go.osu.edu/washjudging or picked up from the OSU Extension Office

Skillathon Make-Up Date:  August 5 – RSVP required with $20 registration fee. Sign up here to reserve your spot: https://go.osu.edu/skillathonmakeup

Night to Shine in the Show Ring

Night to Shine in the Show Ring is an opportunity for special needs youth and adults to work with a 4-H/FFA youth member that has raised and shown animals. Youth mentors will be paired with Night to Shine Participants.

The show will take place on Monday, September 2 at 3:00 pm during the Washington County Fair. Mentors and participants will begin the show at 2:30 by meeting each other and meeting the animal prior to the show at 3:00.

The show is very informal and the youth will always have control of the animal with your assistance. A couple of adults will talk to each team about your animal and ask some fun questions.

You will be required to upload a picture of yourself with your animal when you complete the application.

Registration for Mentors is required and due by Saturday, July 20

Mentor Flyer: Flyer for Mentors

Mentor Application Link: https://go.osu.edu/night2shinementor

Do you know a special needs youth or adult that would like to participate in the show on Monday, September 2? Encourage them to apply by August 23

Participant Flyer: Flyer for Participants

Participant Application: https://go.osu.edu/night2shineparticipant

Questions: Contact OSU Extension at 740-376-7431

 

Making Food at Home to Sell – Virtual Series

Nicole Arnold, Food Safety Field Specialist, and team (Katie Stolte-Carroll, previous Ohio Dept of Ag inspector; Emily Marrison, Assistant Professor) will host the sessions to engage with new and experienced home-based food producers. Each Q&A will briefly introduce various topics and allow plenty of time for discussion and specific questions.

This activity is taking place on behalf of a USDA NIFA Food Safety Outreach Training grant supporting the safety and regulatory components of cottage foods and home bakery products (i.e., foods that can be produced in home kitchens and sold to the public).

Register here: go.osu.edu/virtualQA24

Each virtual Q&A session will begin with a 5–10-minute presentation.

You do not need to come prepared with questions. Feel free to drop in to listen!

*Please note that these virtual Q&As solely pertain to foods approved to be made at home (in Ohio) with the intention to sell them (e.g., cottage foods and home bakery products).

The virtual Q&A sessions are taking place once a month on Thursdays from 12 pm – 1 pm:

July 25 – What foods can be home-produced?

Aug. 29 – Who is a home baker or cottage food producer?

Sept. 26 – Where can I sell my products?

Oct. 31 – When should I reach out for help?

Nov. 14 – Holiday food production