4-H News in Keith/Arthur Counties

• 4-H Calendar
• Deadlines
• Welcome Joy Manning - Office Manager/4-H Aide
• YQCA Training
• 4-H Online
• Keith Livestock Fairbook
• Arthur Livestock Fairbook
• Keith & Arthur Static Fairbook - Coming Soon
• Shooting Sports Kids Needed
• Summer 2024 Workshops
• Arthur 4-H Camp Scholarship
• 4-H Happenings
• State 4-H Updates/Events
• Dog Clinic in North Platte
• State 4-H Summer Camps
• Junior Jumpstart
• Livestock Judging Circuit

March 18-April 1: Fundraiser Packages will arrive

March 18-20: OFFICE CLOSED - Both Tessa & Joy have to be away for training and programming.

March 26: Arthur 4-H Council Meeting, Veterans Hall, 6:00 pm

March 27: Keith/Arthur Extension Board Meeting, Roads Department Meeting Room, 7:00 pm

March 29: OFFICE CLOSED - Good Friday

April 8: Keith 4-H Council Meeting, Courthouse, 5:30 pm

April 22: Arthur 4-H Trash Pick-Up Tentative, 4:00 pm

July 29 - August 4: Keith County Fair!

August 5 - August 12: Arthur County Fair!

Deadlines:

April 22: Arthur 4-H Camp Scholarships due

June 1: Horse IDS due to Office

June 15: Animal Affidavits, YQCA, 4-H Online enrollment due

July 1: Fair Entry Forms due

Here is a little bit information about 4-H deadlines. More information will come out each month as we get closer to the deadlines. NOTE - Both counties have moved up fair entry form deadlines to JULY 1!

ARTHUR 4-H DEADLINES

June 1: Horse IDs due

June 15: 4-H Online Enrollment, Animal Affidavits due, YQCA certification due

July 1: Fair Forms due

KEITH 4-H DEADLINES

June 1: Horse IDs due

June 15: 4-H Online Enrollment, Animal Affidavits due, YQCA certification due

July 1: Fair Forms due

Joy Manning started as the Office Manager/4-H Aide on March 4, 2024. She can be reached at jmanning12@unl.edu

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I am excited to introduce myself as the new Office Manager/4-H Aide and look forward to assisting Tessa in her role as 4-H Educator. I transplanted to the Ogallala area two years ago from Wyoming, where I was an Energy Management Advisor for a local rural electric cooperative. Prior to that, I worked for the State of Nebraska as the State Energy Program Administrator and the Wyoming Military Department Assistant Energy Manager. I have enjoyed other careers, including business analyst, financial analyst, real estate broker and appraiser, and paralegal.

I was a 4-H’er in my younger days. I enjoy entrepreneurial adventures, having started five businesses over the past several years. I also enjoy gardening, sewing, oil painting and flipping houses. I married a most wonderful man last July, and we can expect to see him volunteering and assisting in whatever capacity we need.

Please stop by the office to say hello!

IN-PERSON TRAINING:

Tessa is certified teach face-to-face YQCA training. The training will include 4-6 hands on activities like giving a shot to a banana and more. There is no test required in-person.

Dates face-to-face training will be offered:

• May 21 - 1:00- 3:00 pm, Arthur Veterans Hall at Arthur Fairgrounds

• May 23 - 3:00-5:00 pm, Keith County Fairgrounds in Ogallala

• June 3 - 10:00am- 12:00 pm, Keith County Fairgrounds in Ogallala

• June 5 - 1:00-3:00 pm, Paxton Community Building

To register, click the link below and register for the instructor-led courses in Keith or Arthur County under the date you prefer. https://yqca.learngrow.io/Account/Login

Nebraska 4-H requires all youth enrolled in livestock projects to complete annual quality assurance training through Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA).

Youth enrolled in any of following projects or project areas will need to complete YQCA training;

• Beef (bucket calf, feeder calf, breeding beef, market beef)

• Dairy Cattle

• Goat (breeding meat goat, dairy goat, meat goat)

• Poultry

• Rabbit

• Sheep (breeding sheep, market sheep)

• Swine (breeding swine, market swine)

There are 3 options to complete the YQCA requirements;

• Web-Based Training (costs $12 per individual regardless of age)

• Face-to-Face Training (costs $3 per individual regardless of age)

• Testing Out (Intermediate -$36, Seniors-$48, not an option for juniors)

Test-out options are only available to youth in the first year of Intermediate (age 12) and Senior (age 15) age levels.

Have you got enrolled yet?! https://v2.4honline.com/ is open for the 2023-2024 Enrollment Year! Deadline for 4-H enrollment in both Keith and Arthur County is June 15, 2024. If you need help with enrollment, you may contact the Extension office for help!

Enrollment Fees:

• Keith County - $10.00 (payable with Credit Card online, cash, or check)
• Arthur County - Free

NEW UPDATE:

Starting in the 2023-2024 program year, project selection is now optional. By successfully completing the 4-H member enrollment by the June 15th deadline, youth will be eligible to participate and exhibit in any project area, contest, county and state fairs. While project selection is optional, it is encouraged for youth to select projects they are interested in exploring.
Please note:

o Youth are only eligible to exhibit in a project area or contest in a single county.

o Horse and shooting sports projects will continue to require project enrollment due to the parental consent required to participate in these projects.

Thank you to the Keith 4-H Council for spending several hours updating the Keith 4-H Livestock Fairbook! Make sure you are referencing the 2024 Fairbook ( it will say revised 2024 on the front page). It is available below, available in our office, website, and copies will be at beef weigh ins. We are hoping the document is more user friendly. We also made simple updates such as page numbers, index, and alphabetizing.

Updates/Changes in 2024:

• Several parts were removed from each species section because it was repetitive from front of book. (Such as showmanship ages, etc.)
• Links changed at top to be consistent with resources
• Several classes were created to be consistent with how shows run. For example: market steer and market heifer classes, market wether and market doe classes, etc.
• Purple Champions (p. 5) - Horse is an exception where top of the class can be champions.
• Grooming (p.5) - Exhibitors will have the option of full fit.
• Drenching (p. 5) - Drenching with water and electrolytes will be allowed for the health of the animals. No drenching of any kind will be allowed before and during weigh ins.
• Animals Weights (p. 7) - Market chickens weight copied from American Standard of Perfection, Market Goats 60 lbs minimum, market sheep 100 lbs minimum, and maximum 350 lbs for swine to only show, not sell.
• Beef (p. 10) - All beef must be used with a neck tie/neck rope AND halter when tied.
• Companion (p. 12) - this entire section was not included in Fairbook in past.
• Dog (p. 14) - this entire section was not included in Fairbook in past.
• Goat (p. 16) - Wording adjusted on Identification and Show Practices.
• Horse (p. 17) - Wording added on rule source, dress code, and pattern book.
• Rabbit (p.20) - Market class changes
• Sheep (p. 22) - Age - sheep are to be mouthed.
• Clover Kids (p. 24) - this entire section is new. In order to be in compliance with 4-H policy, any youth ages 5 to 7 by January 1st of current year must be enrolled in 4-H Online. Clover Kids will be required to turn in affidavits and sign up for specific classes. Clover Kids can NOT show animals over 350 pounds.

Thank you to the Arthur 4-H Council for spending time updating the Arthur 4-H Livestock Fairbook! Make sure you are referencing the 2024 Fairbook ( it will say revised 2024 on the front page). It is available below, available in our office and website. We are hoping the document is more user friendly. We also made simple updates such as page numbers, index, and alphabetizing.

Updates/Changes in 2024:

• Age Eligibility: Static and All Livestock will follow the same age divisions. Clover Bud 5-7, Junior 8-10, Intermediate 11-13, and Senior 14-18.
• Horse Pattern Book will be released 24 hours before the show.
• Clover Buds can only show swine and/or bucket calves. Read page 13 to understand the Nebraska 4-H Policy on Clover Buds. *Note- The Arthur Ag Society is potentially working on PeeWee Trail for ages 5-7. Tessa and Aaron are working this out.

Tessa is working on making the static Fairbook more user friendly! It is turning into a bigger project that Tessa originally thought. Stay tuned for the release of the 2024 Static Fairbook in mid-April! The static fairbook is projects such as baking, sewing, home environment, gardening, etc!

Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports is hosting a leader certification and update in Ogallala on March 16-17.

We are looking for participants ages 8 to 18 and adults on Sunday, March 17th and help assist with the Shooting Sports Leader Workshop. Youth will be the students for training the coaches. The shift begins @10:00 & runs for 2 hrs. Please let Tessa know if you are able to make it.

Tessa is working on finalizing summer events for Keith and Arthur for 2024! Be on the lookout in April for a finalized brochure!

Below are a few opportunities already being promoted!

New this summer will be Wilderness Wonders 4-H Camp! The camp will be at Cedar Point Biological Station. Enter CSI: Predator vs. Prey... On June 4th, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm camp will be offered for youth going into 3rd-5th grade. On June 6th, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm it will be offered for 5-7 year olds. Both camps are $40 each. The camp fee includes facilities, lunch, snacks, activities, projects, t-shirts, and insurance. The camp is open to youth in Keith, Arthur, Garden, Morrill, and Perkins Counties. We are excited for this opportunity!

Registrations are due May 3rd to the Keith-Arthur County Extension Office! We must have the form and payment for registration. Please reach out to Tessa if you have any questions!

Attention Arthur 4-H'ers - you can submit a camp scholarship to the 4-H Council to help with costs of attending State 4-H Camp. Submit what camp you are attending and a paragraph of why you want to attend the camp. Scholarships are due to the Extension Office or a 4-H Council Member by April 22.

Here is a link about the camps offered from Nebraska 4-H this summer: https://4h.unl.edu/camps-summer

See flyer below

Registration for the Nebraska 4-H Summer Camp program is now open! Registration deadlines are two weeks before each camp. The first deadline is May 18!

The summer 2024 theme is The Power of Being 🍀 Green. Youth will get to explore and interact with their natural world in six different sessions. Youth will learn how they can use their head, heart, hands, and health to make our natural world a better place for all.

The 2024 sessions offer tailored age cohorts, providing sessions for younger campers between the ages of 8-10, and an older cohort for ages 10-14.

You can find dates, session summaries, and registration information by visiting https://4h.unl.edu/camps-register.

Jumpstart your journey to success at UNL's Junior Jumpstart event! High school juniors, get ready for an action-packed half-day campus visit experience this April. From welcome sessions to campus tours, academic appointments, and a preparing for your senior year session, we've got you covered. Don't miss out on this opportunity to kickstart your future. Sign up now!

Arthur 4-H Council:

President - Garrett Storer
Vice President - Tammy Delatour
Treasurer - Megan Sprague
Secretary - Jeana Meeks
Members at large: Aaron Eilers, Julie Haynes, & Tara Hanna
These people are YOUR voice! Please contact any of them if you have an idea for a new or existing event or activity, have concerns with the program, or just want to have input in the decision making process.

Keith 4-H Council:

President - Jeremy Spurgin
Vice President - Rachel Walker
Treasurer - Brooke Namuth
Secretary - Melissa Franken

Modern Pioneers - Lora Barnhill
Members at large: Anita Perrin, Amanda Harger, Hannah Flaming, Ruby Schow, & Audrey Moorhead
These people are YOUR voice! Please contact any of them if you have an idea for a new or existing event or activity, have concerns with the program, or just want to have input in the decision making process.