Green & Growing
Franklin County 4-H News - Mach 17, 2023
Last Chance to Enroll in 4-H for 2023
All youth, ages 8 and in 3rd grade through 13, are invited to join the adventure at Franklin County 4-H Camp. Campers will have fun meeting other youth while participating in a variety of camp activities like canoeing, disc golf, bottle rockets, creeking, nature exploration, swimming, hiking, team challenges, high ropes, a climbing wall, zip line, campfires, crafts, and so much more!
Date: June 13-17, 2023
More Information: go.osu.edu/camp
ATTENTION 4-H CLUB LEADERS: If you would like some 4-H Camp Counselors to come to your club to do a short presentation about camp for your members, please reach out to Beth at boomershine.10@osu.edu.
4-H Project Requirement Guide
2023 4-H Calendar
Required Horse Safety Training & Education
NEW FOR 2023! EquiSTEP - Equine Safety, Training, and Education
EquiSTEP is an annual statewide requirement for all youth participating in Ohio 4-H Horse Program activities. EquiSTEP replaces the statewide requirement of attending Horse Safety and Ethics for youth and their families who are new to the 4-H horse program. The EquiSTEP curriculum focuses on helmet safety, equine safety & handling, equine health & nutrition, and sportsmanship and is designed to rotate topics every year. The topics for the EquiSTEP program are shared below and will rotate as the member completes the course annually. Every member taking a horse project (not Horseless Horse) must complete EquiSTEP every year a horse project is taken.
STEP 1: Head (Helmet Safety)
Helmet Safety Video (Every Year)
STEP 2: Hands (Equine Safety & Handling)
YR 1 Equine Behavior
STEP 3: Health (Equine Health & Nutrition)
YR 1 Assessing Horse Health
STEP 4: Heart (Sportsmanship)
YR 1 Winning & Losing
Use this link to enroll in/access EquiSTEP: go.osu.edu/equistep2023
To complete EquiSTEP individually, a participant must enroll using their own unique email address. Siblings with the same family email address cannot use the family email address. Each participant needs an email address different from all other participants. (Participants should not use their school email addresses as the course enrollment invitation will be blocked by the school’s email system.)
Participants must view all five videos (introduction and STEPS 1-4) which last approximately one hour in total.
Once the videos are completed, participants will be able to access the 10-question quiz. Participants must complete the quiz associated with the training and achieve a minimum score of 7 (out of 10) in order to pass the training.
Once the quiz is successfully completed, participants will need to complete the course survey to trigger a certificate of completion. The certificate will be emailed to the participant’s email address as well as to the county Extension Office. The participant must select FRANKLIN COUNTY to trigger the email to the correct Extension Office. They must also click on the submit button at the end of the survey to trigger the email.
The EquiSTEP Program is required for ALL 4-H Horse members beginning in 2023! Failure to complete the online course will result in the members' inability to participate in the Franklin County Fair.
Spring Equine Clinic
The Franklin County Spring Equine Youth Clinic is held at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hilliard, Ohio. It is an opportunity for participants to learn the basics and improve their skills in Showmanship, Equitation, Hunter Under Saddle, Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Ranch Pleasure, Trail, and Trail in Hand.
Saturday, May 6, 2023
Registration Information: https://sites.google.com/view/fchorse/events-pre-fair/equine-clinic
4-H Walk & Serve
The 2023 Franklin County 4-H Walk & Serve will be held on Saturday, April 15. Mark your calendars and invite all of your family and friends!
- Area 4-H clubs adopt a local non-profit organization.
- The club members learn about that organization, how it serves the community, and how they can help meet some of those needs.
- The clubs purchase and prepare all of the supplies needed to make/assemble a cool project to be completed at the event by the public that comes to the event.
- Example: Great Expectations and the FC Shooting Sports Club adopt Mash Pantry. They purchase supplies to make dinner kits for veterans. Then at the event, the club members help the public assemble the dinner kits.
- Grant funds are available to help clubs purchase supplies.
All Franklin County 4-H Clubs are encouraged to consider working with a non-profit organization and participating in the Walk & Serve this year. Contact Amy Fleshman with questions at amy1peter3.4@gmail.com
More information can be found at 4HCouncil.org
Clover 5K
Get your walking shoes ready. The annual walk/run has been a valuable fundraiser for the Franklin County 4-H program and we're excited about this year's event! The Clover 5K will be held the morning of the Walk & Serve on April 15.
Club Volunteers: Save the Date
4-H Club Advisor Fair Update
The annual 4-H club advisor meeting regarding the Franklin County Fair and everything club volunteers need to know about fair entries is fast approaching!
All 4-H Clubs are required to send at least one representative to the update on April 19, 7:00pm.
Why is attendance required for this event? All clubs need to send at least one representative so that they are informed about the fair entry process. The representative is then responsible for sharing the information with their club. All advisors are encouraged to attend so they can hear the info firsthand.
Date: April 19, 2023
Time: 7:00pm
(The update will start after a short 4-H Council meeting that begins at 6:30.)
Where: Kunz-Brundige Franklin County Extension Building
2548 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210
Livestock Quality Assurance
Are you taking any of these 4-H projects to the Fair?
- Market Rabbits
- Market Poultry
- Market Lambs
- Market Goats
- Lactating Dairy Goats
- Market Beef (including beef & dairy feeders)
- Market Swine
If you answered yes to the question above, YOU ARE REQUIRED BY LAW to attend a livestock quality assurance session in order to exhibit your animal at the fair. Franklin County is offering two sessions this year.
ASE Feed & Supply LQA Session
Details: General species Quality Assurance for 4-H and FFA livestock exhibitors in Union, Madison, Franklin, Delaware and Champaign Counties. FREE event with FREE pizza.
Date: Mar 30, 2023
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Tolles Career & Technical Center, s, 7877 US-42, Plain City, OH 43064, USA
Registration Required: asefeedandsupply.com Must register by 3/17/23
Franklin County 4-H Session 1:
Date: April 26, 2023
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Kunz-Brundige Franklin County Extension Building
Franklin County 4-H Session 2:
Date: May 22, 2023
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Franklin County Fairgrounds
2023 Franklin County Fair Camping Application
Submit your application to camp at the 2023 Franklin County Fair today: https://www.fcfair.org/franklin-county-fair/camping-permit-application/
All applications will be reviewed after the May 12, 2023 application deadline to determine those that will have camping space for the fair. Please remember that large animal livestock exhibitors, horse exhibitors, and Senior Fair Board members will be given preference for camping sites. The camping committee will also consider camper size, number of amps needed, and fair commitments to determine who receives the camping spaces. If more applications are received than spaces allowed, a waiting list will be started.
Once the committee determines who may camp, those individuals will need to pay the $275.00 fee by June 1.
For questions regarding camping at the fair please contact the Senior Fair Office - 614-876-7235 or mail@fcfair.org.
Franklin County Fair Family Fun Day
Last year, a core group of volunteers worked to create the first-ever "Family Fun Day" at the Franklin County Fair. Needless to say, through a lot of creativity, time, and effort by lots of volunteers, it was a great success. The event had over 200 families visit, with great feedback and fun from those who participated and those who gave their time and effort.
A few of the highlights included:
- An active literacy station for families to visit with guest readers doing story times and Character Meet and Greets. Last year's sponsored character was Pete the Cat. Following the reading and meeting session, any child attending was given the opportunity to select and take home a free book.
- Another station was devoted to character interaction with Spiderman and Elsa.
- The day also hosted a Touch A Truck activity, Make-It and Take-It stations, Food eating contests, spontaneous game stops, and loads of other activities all centered on the fun of family.
The Franklin County Fair Board is seeking clubs, volunteers, and sponsors to help make the event a success this year. Please check out the following information to be a part of the event:
Contact the Junior Fair advisors with questions: franklincountyjuniorfair@gmail.com
Ohio 4-H Photo Contest
Help recognize the 4-H members, Cloverbuds, volunteers, or educators in your life who embody This is Ohio 4-H! by submitting your photos. Any 4-H member may submit photos for the This is Ohio 4-H! Photo Contest. There will be two divisions, Junior (4-H age 8-13) and Senior (4-H age 14-19). All entries must be submitted by May 17. Winners will be featured in a special Ohio 4-H Highlights newsletter and used to promote 4-H around the state. Please see attached guidelines for full details.
Submission:
Please submit a JPEG file for each photo. One photo may be submitted per category.
Submissions for the Junior division: go.osu.edu/photocontestjr2023.
Submissions for the Senior division: go.osu.edu/photocontestsr2023.
All entries must be submitted no later than Wednesday, May 17.
4th H Club Challenge
Ohio 4-H Urban Immersion Project
The 4-H Urban Immersion Project (UIP) is an Ohio 4-H initiative that combines cross-cultural learning, teamwork, and service learning in the urban environment of Washington, DC. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the UIP Experience!
4-H teens, ages 15-18, and still in High School are eligible for this 4-day service-learning experience that will build skills and abilities to prepare youth for success in a diverse workplace as well as build a cultural understanding of those who are different. This experience will not be about shopping or sightseeing, although we will visit some monuments and historic sites.
The cost of the experience is $180. Limited scholarship funds are also available. All teen applicants will be contacted to complete an additional phone interview before selection.
Who: Teens ages 15-18 (by the date of the trip – still in High School) - Space is limited.
Where: Washington, DC (Washington Seminar Center - 201 4th St. SE, Washington, DC)
When: Thursday (6am), September 21st – Sunday, September 24th, 2023
Application: go.osu.edu/uip23
Cost: $180 (check payable to Warren County Extension)
(Includes most meals, program fees, overnight lodging and transportation)
Download the App
OSU Extension, Franklin
For an accessible format of this publication, visit cfaes.osu.edu/accessibility.
Email: boomershine.10@osu.edu
Website: franklin.osu.edu
Location: 2548 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH, USA
Phone: (614) 866-6900
Facebook: facebook.com/4hfranklin
Twitter: @OSUEFranklin