1 - Deadline to Order 4-H T-Shirt
1- Horse ID and level testing due for State Horse Show
1 - State Horse Show Online Entry Deadline
5-7 - 4-H Regional Camp
13 - Sheep & Goat Showmanship Workshop
15 - DEADLINE TO ENROLL IN 4-H
15 - YQCA and Animal ID Due for County Fair
15 - Horse Level Testing Due for County Fair
26 - Pre-Entry for all exhibits for county fair
13-17 State Horse Show, Fonner Park, Grand Island
10 - CONTEST DAY - Culinary Challenge (1 pm) & Horticulture Judging (2 pm)
10 - Fairgrounds Clean up - 6:30
15 - Clothing & Quilt Day - 9 am - Midwest Covenant Home
17 - Entry Day - Polk County Fair
17-21 - Polk County Fair
Enrollment for the 23-24 Year Is Open
It is time to enroll for the 23-24 4-H year! Log onto your account and 4HOnline 2.0 guides you through the enrollment process.
FOLLOW STEPS BELOW FOR YOUR FREE 4-H T-SHIRT
- ENROLL THROUGH 4-H ONLINE before ordering your t-shirt(see above enrollment details)
- Click the image to the left to fill out the google form.
- A FORM NEEDS TO BE FILLED OUT FOR EACH 4-H MEMBER.
- ORDERS ARE DUE JUNE 1ST so DO NOT WAIT to get your t-shirt ordered
SIGN UP FOR POLK COUNTY'S SPORTSYOU ACCOUNT!
NEW - Polk County 4-H will be using the SPORTSYOU app (in addition to email & social media) to communicate important 4-H news, events & deadlines to 4-H families. Get information for Polk County 4-H right on your phone through the app! We are able to share a 4-H Calendar with you along with short helpful videos and any schedule changes or updates quickly. It is optional, but we hope you will find out the benefits of using this app!
Options to sign up for SportYou:
- Download the SportsYou app through your app store if you do not already have it.
- Once downloaded it, then to sign up select the "join group" at the top right-hand side.
- The access code is: M5MMBAR6
Do you know what it takes to pick the best fruit and vegetables out at the grocery store? Or do you know what judges are looking for when they judge your plants at the county fair? Have you ever wondered, what plant is that!?! We are excited to offer the opportunity to learn these and other important horticulture skills through the Online Horticulture Contest. The contest will be available June 7-21, 2024 at: http://go.unl.edu/online4hhortcontest
Horticulture judging contest consists of three parts. The first is identification of plant material. Participants identify the plants by common name from a plant list. Specimens may be alive or preserved plant parts like stems, twigs, leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots, bulbs, tubers, or plant products.
The second is a knowledge portion, usually in the form of a true/false or multiple choice quiz. Questions will test the contestant's knowledge of cultural practices for horticultural crops, plant science, pesticides, horticultural careers and other topics related to the production, processing and consumption of horticultural crops.
The last portion is judging or placings. This is where four different plants, plates of vegetables, or containers flowers are ranked from best to worst based on a set of criteria. Classes are judged on the basis of condition, quality, uniformity, true-to-type, and size.
More information about the Nebraska State contest along with a list of study materials can be found in the Fairbook https://4hfairbook.unl.edu/fairbookview.php/contests/45 . Here you can find the written study materials for the knowledge portion, follow links to plant pictures for help with identification, and read how judging of plant material is done.
More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/online-horticulture-judging-contest
More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/online-horticulture-judging-contest
This camp is geared toward youth 7-18 years of age who have an interest in competitive livestock judging. The camp covers content on all of the livestock species including cattle, hogs, sheep, and goats. Youth will learn about the priority traits that we use when evaluating livestock and gain basic knowledge of the livestock industry as it pertains to each specie. A heavy emphasis in this camp will also be placed on oral reasons. Not only will youth improve their presentation skills but they will also learn about the basics of reasons format along with how to be accurate and concise in a set of reasons. At the end of camp, youth will be better prepared to compete in a livestock judging contest not only locally but at the regional and national level alike.
The Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program is designed to promote all educational aspects of 4-H livestock projects, including selection, production, leadership, and exhibition, by recognizing youth striving to improve their livestock project knowledge and leadership.
Members of Excellence are recognized within each 4-H livestock project area, including:
- beef
- sheep
- meat goat
- swine
- dairy cattle
- dairy goat
- rabbit
- poultry
The program consists of three levels that require 4-H members to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate and project-related accomplishments. For each level, the Livestock Achievement Program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H members choose their goals.
- Juniors, ages 8-10, must submit pictures, posters, presentations, and other learning activities to receive the distinction of Junior Member of Excellence.
- Intermediates, ages 11-13, must complete 100 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Intermediate Member of Excellence.
- Seniors, ages 14-18, must complete 150 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Senior Member of Excellence.
At the beginning of the 4-H year, youth must apply to participate in the program. Upon acceptance into the program, participants plan what to accomplish. At the end of the 4-H year, they report on their completed accomplishments. Additionally, participants must complete their annual 4-H Online enrollment process, YQCA requirements, and project record books in order to receive a Member of Excellence distinction.
Polk County Extension
Email: polk-county@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/polk/
Location: 400 Hawkeye Street, Osceola, NE, USA
Phone: 402-910-1640
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PolkCountyNebraska4H
