Author: Rebecca Hayes
Major Program: Agriculture
The six session gardening program was geared toward youth to learn about gardening, how to read gardening labels and tools, as well learning to make flower arrangements, the benefits of indoor plants and use what they grew from their garden in recipes. All youth learned how to take a seed and grow it into a product. They successfully grew flowers and made floral arrangements from them as well as grow tomatoes, jalapenos, and peppers to make salsa. At every session, youth learned about a healthy
Author: Larissa Tucker
With COVID-19 restrictions still in place it was decided to help youth and volunteers to keep their learning of the dairy industry going by offering a state wide virtual 4-H Dairy Club. One of the challenges for several 4-H’ers in the dairy project is that they are spread across the state. Lots of Kentucky 4-H’ers attend state wide educational events to receive their livestock educational hours. Those all had to be cancelled for most of the program year. The M
Author: Lois Carter
Due to COVID safety restrictions, Bourbon County 4-H was unable to offer Face-to Face, hands on workshops from March 2020 through May 1, 2021. The Bourbon County Extension Office staff spent time considering how we could still reach youth and families during this time. We decided to offer project bags for pick up. Various project bags were distributed including activities on agriculture, horticulture, art, SET, nutrition, needlework, gardening, woodworking, holiday crafts, internati
Author: Gregg Rentfrow
The pandemic canceled or changed 4-H activities in 2020. The 4-H Country Ham Committee wanted to make sure the project was completed. Therefore, since we could not be at the state fair, we judged the hams at the Shelby and Warren County Extension offices and replace the speech requirement with an essay. The project was completed with a lot of hard work and strategic planning; we were able to create some normalcy during a chaotic year.
Author: Meagan Klee
Country Hams are a throwback to the way food was preserved before mechanical refrigeration. The 4-Her’s began curing these hams in the cold months of January by applying a cure mixture of salt, brown sugar, and black and red pepper to the surface of the ham. The cure mixture penetrated the fresh hams during the cold months and by March the hams were fully cured. Country hams develop their characteristic flavor and aroma during the warm summer months, sometimes referred to as the “Sum
Author: Tyrone Gentry
With the pandemic having people at home more than ever, there was a greater interest in learning gardening skills by our families. The Cooperative Extension Service noticed an increase in questions related to different garden types, best management practices and preservation techniques of personally raised vegetables. Green County 4-H applied for a Kentucky 4-H Foundation grant to establish a garden club for our youth and families. The $620 grant would be used to purchase seeds
Author: Kimberly Lane
Just like everything and everywhere else during the pandemic, the 4-H Livestock Skill-a-thon had to make some changes and adaptations in order for youth to compete in 2021. Once the date had been set for April of 2021, the Morgan County Livestock Leader and Agent scheduled weekly Zoom trainings with participants. Youth had the opportunity to attend 8 Zoom practices and meetings in order to prepare for the 4-H Livestock Skill-a-thon. This event was huge for the Morgan County yo
Author: Catherine Webster
Simpson County 4-H received an Agriculture Mini Grant through the Kentucky 4-H Foundation to provide youth gardening opportunities this summer. The primary objective of the grant request was to teach youth how to grow their own food, including harvesting, preserving, and cooking what they grow. The Simpson County 4-H Agent, along with the Agriculture Agent, Franklin-Simpson Schools Community Education Director, and the Franklin-Simpson Farmer's Market Coordinators, are partnering to lead and
Author: Jacqueline Jacob
Despite much of the 2020 Kentucky state fair activities being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to hold the 4-H poultry showmanship contest. We had 15 junior participants and 1 senior participant. The 4-Hers were from Scott, Warren, Pendleton, and Jefferson County. We were able to social distance while giving the 4-Hers the opportunities to show off their talents.
Author: Jan Gibson
Taking the program materials that have been used in the classroom in a agriculture/natural resource core, 93 seventh graders are currently working remotely to integrate the concepts into a plan to provide resources to their "city" using clean energy for food production and delivery, employment, transportation, water. As part of the food production these youth created posters and submitted them to the KY Dept of Agriculture's Pollinators Contest to help educate the public
Author: Renata Farmer
Knox County 4-H received a $1000 grant from the Kentucky 4-H Foundation. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our plans for the funds changed and 4-H council members brainstormed ideas that would best reach today's youth. According to the CDC, American's are not consuming enough fruits and vegetables needed to promote a healthier diet. They state that making these products more affordable, available and making them relevant is important and can dramatically increase fruit and
Author: Ralph Hance
Trimble County is a very rural county along the Ohio River about half way in-between Louisville and Cincinnati OH. with 95% of the residents residing in Trimble County considered rural and only 5% making up urban residents. The Trimble County 4-H program, being in a more rural county, has had programs focused mainly on Agriculture topics. However there has been less and less kids each year growing up on or around farms, Trimble County 4-H is attempting to shift some of that focus from Agricultur
Author: Diane Kelley
“…the research on cognitive processing supports the importance of a teacher initiating activities that require students to process and apply new information” Rosenshine, Barak (ASU).The Kenton County Cooperative Extension Service 4-H agent with agriculture responsibilities presented two teacher orientation programs for educators hosting egg incubators in local classrooms. 6 teachers participated, representing 3 school districts. Due to the current covid protocol and pote
Author: Dawna Peters
Success Story: 2021 Virtual Chick IncubationWritten By: Dawna Jace Peters, 4-H Youth Development Agent for Leslie County COVID-19 shut down our in-school programming which led to virtually programming. In 2021 we did our first ever Virtual Chick Incubation in Leslie County. All schools within Leslie County were made aware of the Virtual Chick Program via social media, newsletters, and email. A series of interactive lessons were taught via Nearpod. Nearpod is an online tool that uses slide-b
Author: Misty Wilmoth
When the continuation of the longest running county fair in Kentucky was threatened in 2019, the LaRue County 4-H Council stepped up to continue to offer 4-H and open floral hall exhibits, as well as all the traditional livestock shows. A fair committee was formed and the committee worked to recruit superintendents for each of the livestock shows. The 4-H Council took over the financial aspects of the exhibit and show premiums. Sponsors were also secured to help with the expens
Author: Alissa Ackerman
4-H is an organization committed to building strong leaders with marketable skills to be successful in today’s global society. Kentucky 4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential working and learning in partnering with passionate adults. Without volunteers, 4-H would not be the organization that it is today. For the first time, Clay County 4-H established a 4-H Rabbit Club that is led by volunteers. Through this opportunity, 4-Hers can experience positive youth development in fo
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a common topic of discussion was the fear of food shortages. This became reality throughout the U.S. and other countries as well, which sparked an interest in farming for many families. Educating youth from an early age is imperative as retirement is on the horizon for many famers across the nation. According to Kentucky by the Numbers, there are 233 farms in Clay County and 14.8% of principal produces are under the age o
Author: David Gabbard
County Fairs can be so much fun with all the lights, rides and countless booths filled with sugary based foods, but for some it is an opportunity to show the community their creative sides, by entering exhibits. Last week the Owen County Cooperative Extension Office helped the Owen County Fair Board put on the Annual Owen County 4-H Fair and Horse Show. The Owen County 4-H Youth Development Agent urged parents and students to bring projects that they either did in a 4-H club meeting, at school,
