Opportunities – County

4-H Holiday Crafting Event

Join us on December 23rd from 9am till 12noon for a holiday crafting event.  All are welcome to attend, come learn more about 4-H and make a few crafts and stocking stuffers for the holidays.  The event is for children ages 5 to 19 and staff and volunteers will be present to assist attendees with their crafting items.  We will be making pillowcases, ornaments, wreaths, gingerbread houses, coloring pages and more.  We will have a snack and sweet treat during the event.  Please RSVP at the following link so we can plan for our supplies and treats.  This event is always a fun kick off for the holiday season.  For more details please contact Kathryn at 740-376-7431.  Here is the link to sign up                https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A094EADA72CA1FD0-46485833-holiday

Timeline for County 4-H Awards & Trips – Due Oct 10

Members can apply for 2024 Pin Awards and 2025 Trip Awards.

There is one application that does it all and you can choose the application that works best for you. See the options below.

Why Awards?

  • To recognize outstanding work by a 4‐H member at the end of a successful
  • To recognize a history, or an accumulation of successes throughout a 4‐H
  • To provide a career training opportunity for members to learn to complete an
  • To provide a basis for Ohio 4‐H Achievement Awards & College Scholarships

2025 Trip Details

  • Buckeye Leadership Workshop – Recreation Unlimited, Ashley, OH. March. Age 16 or high school sophomore.
  • State 4‐H Leadership Camp – 4‐H Camp Ohio, early Must be age 15 as of Jan 1st.
  • 4‐H Citizenship‐ Washington Focus – National 4‐H Center, Washington June/July. Must be age 14 as of Jan 1
  • 4‐H Forestry Wildlife Camp – Forestry & wildlife education, fishing, hiking, tree climbing. Canter’s Cave 4‐H Camp. Weekend in April. Ages 12‐18
  • 4‐H Sea Camp – Kelley’s Island, July, Must be ages 15‐17
  • Ohio 4‐H Sr. Shooting Education Camp – Canters Cave 4‐H Camp, Jackson, OH. July. Must be ages 12 – 18.
  • Ohio 4‐H Jr. Shooting Education Camp – Canters Cave 4‐H Camp, Jackson, OH. July. Must be age 9 – 12
  • Space Adventure Camp – Marietta College. June. Youth ages 11‐13 and/or grades 5 – 7.

Award Application for Members to Complete. Choose the format that works best for you!

Club Award Forms & Year End Recognition

  • Charlotte Wagner 4-H Club Community Service Award – due October 10, 2024 – Cash Prizes!
  • 2024 Honor Club Application (completed by club) – Cash Prizes!
  • 2024 Scrapbook Application/Score Sheet (completed by club)
  • October 10                   Member’s application due to Extension Office.  Extension Office removes names and adds numbers to applications to provide an anonymous packet for the Awards Selection Committee to review.
  • October 28                      Awards Selection Committee reviews applications and selects Project Pin and Special Pin Award Winners. Trip Committee interviews applicants and selects winners for 4-H Trips and Margaret Meredith award.
  • Early November          Award winners invited to attend the 4-H Year Celebration.
  • November 21                 4-H Year Celebration – Ice Cream Bar at 6:30 PM and program at 7:00 PM. at the Washington County Junior Fair Building. Award Applications are returned to applicants.

4-H Public Speaking Contest – July 9

County 4-H Public Speaking Contest – July 9 –  9:00 am at OSU Extension Office

  • Public Speaking Incentives for 4-H Members! The 4-H Advisory Committee will award a $6 voucher to each member participating. One award per member. Each participant will be entered in a drawing for a cash award sponsored by Bob and Peg Byers.
  • Entry Form due July 3: Entry Form 2024 – County 4-H Public Speaking Contest

The following events are offered to 4-H members (not Cloverbuds):

  • 4-H Demonstration & Illustrated Talk without Technology Contest (Junior Division – ages 8-10)
  • 4-H Demonstration & Illustrated Talk with or without Technology Contest (Intermediate Division – ages 11-13 and Senior Division – ages 14 & up)
  • 4-H Pledge Contest
  • 4-H Creed Contest
  • 4-H Marketing Contest – thank you card, holiday card, 4-H Infomercial Promoting 4-H (items due to Extension Office July 3)

Free Sunflower Seeds!

Want to grow some sunflowers just for fun?

Tim Glover has donated free sunflower seeds and they can be picked up from the OSU Extension located at 1115 Gilman Ave, Marietta. The Extension Office is located on the second floor. Office hours – 8 am – 4 pm

Red, White & Groom – Washington County Show

The Washington County Livestock Committee and County Fairboard will be hosting Red, White and Groom. This will be a Jackpot Heifer and Steer Show.

Show Order: Showmanship, Heifers, Steers, County Heifers, County Steers Senior, Intermediate, Junior, and Beginner Classes

Food Trucks, Heritage Cooperative, and Sutherland Valley will be present.

Interested in helping for the event? Contact Dan Mason at 740-336-4530

2024 Red White & Groom Flier

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