A message from your 4-H Educator...

Dear 4-H Families:

If I had a nickel for every time someone has asked me that question or a version of it, I'd have quite the collection of nickels! But the answer is simple - and it's a resounding YES!

Yes, we will have 4-H in 2020! It's already happening. Clubs are meeting virtually. Members are working on their projects. Many are doing project demonstrations via club meetings on Zoom and some are even uploading them to YouTube to be shared widely. I mean, have seen our Facebook page? Kudos to all the members that have sent us your demonstrations. We're posting them several times a week and they are amazing!

4-H club advisors and sewing members are hard at work putting their hands to larger service making masks for first responders and community members in need. And if you're watching the governor's daily press conference, you'll note that one of our advisors, Pam Meadows, was recently recognized for her work teaching youth how to make masks! Even a pandemic can't keep our 4-H community from doing good work!

I know that the restrictions for face-to-face meetings and events are disappointing. And the cancellation of camp is equally sad - it is, after all, one of the two best weeks of the year. But through all the disappointment and sadness, there is hope. I can't answer questions about whether we'll be able to have the fair or other face-to-face events later this summer, because the truth is, nobody knows. There honestly isn't anybody that knows how this pandemic will play out. We are however holding out hope that the fair will happen this year.

Even though I can't tell you what the future holds, I promise you this - 4-H PROJECT EVALUATIONS WILL HAPPEN IN 2020. Right now, many of you are saying to yourselves, "She doesn't know if fair will happen so how can she say project judging will happen?".

Here's how I know...

Being the planners that we are, the Franklin County 4-H professionals and the Junior Fair Advisors have three plans - so far.

Plan A - The Franklin County Fair is able to take place as scheduled.

• We are currently planning for this scenario.
  

Plan B - The Franklin County Fair is unable to take place as originally planned but is able to function at a limited capacity - offering certain junior fair events with reduced attendance.

• This option could allow for some project evaluations to be held but done so with an appointment only basis. Members could schedule a time for their project to be judged.
• Animal shows could be done in an altered format with less crowding.
  

Plan C - The Franklin County Fair is unable to happen in any capacity.

• This is obviously not a scenario that anyone would want but we still have opportunities.
• Members would schedule times to have an online project judging.
• Animal shows could be held in a virtual format. Online auctions are even being investigated as an option.

And of course, we are not limited to plans A, B, and C - we are constantly looking into new and creative ways to offer programming to our members. It could be one of these plans or something in between. This summer will obviously look different no matter the scenario, but we're working tirelessly to make sure our youth are offered every possible opportunity that we can make for them. So don't lose hope. We're in this together!

Yours in 4-H,

Beth Boomershine

Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development

Each family must do their own online 4-H enrollment every year. This includes club advisors and members. Online enrollment is something we can still do while social distancing. Watch one of the videos below to see how to enroll.

• A NOTE ABOUT PAPERWORK AND COUNTY ACTIVITY FEES - Advisors, we will wait until our office reopens to collect enrollment and activity fees. DO NOT SEND YOUR PAPERWORK AND FEES BUT PLEASE CONTINUE ENROLLING ONLINE.
  

This information is subject to change based on updates the 4-H program is receiving daily.

• Club Meetings - All 4-H events and club meetings must be held virtually until July 6.
  
  
• Horse Safety & Ethics, April 14 - MOVED TO ONLINE COURSE
• 4-H Enrollment Deadline - Enroll Online by April 15
  
• Franklin County 4-H Advisor Fair Update, April 15 - POSTPONED - Date TBD
  
• Livestock Quality Assurance, April 25 - CANCELED - Virtual Options Coming
  
• New Family Orientation, April 30 - CANCELED
• Camp Counselor Meeting, May 1 - CANCELED
• Horse Committee Meeting, May 4 - VIRTUAL
• Horse Safety & Ethics, May 11 - MOVED TO ONLINE COURSE
• Franklin County 4-H Council Meeting, May 20 - VIRTUAL
• Livestock Quality Assurance, May 26 - CANCELED - Virtual Options Coming
• Horse Committee Meeting, June 1 - VIRTUAL
• Camp Counselor Meeting, June 4 - CANCELED
• PAS Horse Show, June 6 - CANCELLED
• Franklin County 4-H Council Meeting, June 10 - VIRTUAL
• Camp Counselor Meeting, June 11 - CANCELED
• Franklin County 4-H Camp, June 17-21- CANCELED
  
• Franklin County 4-H Dog Show- June 26-27 - POSTPONED - Date TBD
  
• PAS Horse Show, June 26 - CANCELED
• Horse Pre-Fair Grading, June 27 - CANCELED - Other Options Coming
  
• Horse Committee Meeting , July 6 - VIRTUAL

This year's 4-H Cloverbot Challenge will be virtual and individual Cloverbuds are encouraged to participate instead of working in groups/clubs.

Here's how it will work:

• All Cloverbuds are welcome to participate.
• No registration is required.
• The theme remains the same: On the Move. Read the Challenge details at the link below for more information. No poster is required.
  
• Create your model out of interlocking bricks (e.g., Mega Bloks, LEGOs) and take a photo.
• Send your photo to boomershine.10@osu.edu with your NAME, COUNTY and one sentence describing your model. Only the Cloverbud's first name will be displayed.
• Photos will be uploaded weekly to an online gallery on ohio4h.org.
• Cloverbuds will receive a certificate of participation via email.
  
• Deadline is June 13.

Are you taking any of the following 4-H projects to the Franklin County Fair this year?

• Lactating Dairy Cows
• 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 MUST participate in a livestock quality assurance session before the fair. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Ractopamine is sometimes fed to beef cattle, swine, and turkeys to improve growth rate. Product trade names include: Paylean®, Optaflexx®, Engain®, Actogain®, and other generic derivatives. It is also sometimes used inappropriately in other species.

FOR 2020, NO ANIMALS ARE PERMITTED TO HAVE BEEN FED RACTOPAMINE. This ban includes ALL species such as beef, swine, turkeys, goats, sheep, rabbits, other poultry, and horses.

Six things you should do to make sure your animal is Ractopamine Free in 2020:

1. Understand the status of any animal you purchase or raise on your own farm and comply by not feeding or exposing your animal to ractopamine.
   
   
2. Work directly with your feed supplier to assure that the feed you use is free of ractopamine.
   
   
3. Feeders and containers should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water and dried prior to adding new feed. This will prevent cross-contamination if you fed ractopamine last year.
   
   
4. Pens, bedding, fans, etc. should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water as they have a risk of containing ractopamine if you have fed it in the past.
   
   
5. Do a complete wash and dry of trailers and vehicles between loads of animals.
   
   
6. Don’t offer ractopamine as it is not acceptable for the fair or exhibition.
   

Signed affidavits will be required prior to exhibiting your animal stating that you have not fed your animal ractopamine. Random testing will occur during the fair.

• If you are taking a swine project in 2020, read the resources found at this link prior to purchasing your pig.