Make sure you take the opportunity to fill out the appropriate award forms so that you can receive the credit you deserve for all of your accomplishments in 4-H! Here are the awards that are available...

Clover Award Forms (project members only)
These simple award forms are easy to fill out. Just mark off the activities that you've participated in this year, add up your points, and find out if you've qualified for a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Clover Pin Award.

Community Service, Leadership, & Public Speaking Awards (project members only)
Check off the activities that you've completed on each of these forms to see if you've qualified for one or all of these award pins. You must complete a clover award form also to be eligible to receive these awards.

Outstanding 4-H Member of the Year Award (project members only)
This competitive award is only given to a select few in each age category to honor those that have gone above and beyond in their 4-H experiences. Award reviewers compile scores from clover and pin awards, review project and 4-H experiences, and read the short response essays on the all new online application to select the winners of this award.

Cloverbud Pin Award (Cloverbud members only)
Our youngest members in Kindergarten through second grade can complete this form to receive their Cloverbud Pin Award at the recognition program.

ALL AWARD FORMS ARE DUE SEPTEMBER 10, 2018.
Mark your calendars for the annual 4-H recognition program to be held October 29, 6:00pm, at the Ohio 4-H Center. These awards will be presented that night. Look for the RSVP link in your inbox in October!

ATTENTION ADVISORS:
Your club may be eligible for the Helping Hands Community Service Award or the Honor Club Award. The applications are available HERE.

Applications are now being accepted for teens interested in serving as new or returning camp counselors at the 2019 Franklin County 4-H Camp, Monday, June 17, through Friday, June 21. Individuals thinking of applying should check out the position description and application details found HERE.

Important - New and returning counselors must apply. All applicants, new and returning, must have their club advisor complete a Member in Good Standing Form in addition to filling out the online application. Note that applicants that were not counselors in 2018, need to be collect references prior to the deadline of October 26.

Do Not Wait Until the Last Minute! Failure to plan on your part is not the fault of your references or your club advisor.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be a 4-H member in good standing & complete at least one project
  
• Must be at least 14 years old by the start of camp (June 17, 2019)
• Must be able to get transportation to meetings and events as needed
• Must complete a minimum of 24 hours of training
• Must attend a minimum of seven counselor training meetings
  
• Must complete Child Abuse Awareness training
• Must sign Standards of Behaviors and complete the Code of Conduct form
• All applicants must submit a completed Member in Good Standing Form
  
• Applicants that were not counselors in 2018 must submit two completed references
  
• Applicants who are 18 years old or older as of April 17, 2019 must also submit to a background check

Save the date for the 2018 Carving New Ideas Teen Camp!

Carving New Ideas is a statewide teen leadership camping opportunity for any 4-H members in grades 8-12. The focus is on improving skills in critical thinking and program facilitation. This unique event is planned and facilitated by the Collegiate 4-H Club at The Ohio State University. The weekend begins on Friday night at 4-H Camp Ohio in St. Louisville, Ohio, with check-in between 6:30pm and 8:00pm. This year's theme is CSI at CNI. Stay tuned for announcements about the registration coming next week!

Are you or someone you know interested in becoming a 4-H Volunteer and helping a 4-H Club? 4-H Advisors must be screened Ohio 4-H Volunteers. This process takes several steps. One of which is to attend an orientation. Two are currently scheduled for the 2019 4-H year.

September 17, 2018, 6:30pm (Extension Office - 530 W Spring St.)
January 29, 2019, 6:30pm (Extension Office - 530 W Spring St.)

If you would like to apply to be a 4-H advisor, click HERE for the application. If you are interested in attending the orientation please contact Christina Byrd at byrd.282@osu.edu to register.

TAKE NOTE OF THESE UPCOMING DATES FOR THE 4-H PROGRAM...
(Subject to Change)

2018
September 17, 2018, 6:30pm - New 4-H Volunteer Advisor Orientation (Extension Office)

September 19, 2018, 7pm - Franklin County 4-H Council

October 1, 2018, 7pm - 4-H Horse Advisory Committee Meeting (Fairgrounds)

October 26, 2018, Deadline to submit registration for Carving New Ideas Camp

October 26, 2018, Deadline to submit 2019 Camp Counselor Applications

October 29, 2018, 6pm - 4-H Recognition Program (Ohio 4-H Center)

November 5, 2018, 7pm - 4-H Horse Advisory Committee Meeting (Fairgrounds)

November 7, 2018, Camp Counselor Interviews

November 14, 2108, 7pm - Franklin County 4-H Council

November 16-18, 2018, Carving New Ideas Teen Camp

2019
January 1, 2019 - Market Steer/Heifer Possession Deadline for Franklin Co Fair

January 14, 2019 - Volunteer Appreciation & Enrichment Night

January 22, 2019- Ohio 4-H Achievement Forms Due to the Extension Office

January 23, 2019- Snow date for the Volunteer Appreciation & Enrichment Night

January 29, 2019 - New 4-H Volunteer Advisor Orientation

February 9, 2019, 10am - Winter Project Fair

February 9, 2019, 12:30pm - Officer Training

April 1, 2019 - 4-H Enrollment Deadline

April 6, 2019 - Franklin County 4-H Walk & Serve
June 8, 2019 - Ohio 4-H Cloverbot Challenge

June 17-21, 2019 - Franklin County 4-H Camp

July 10, 2019 - Livestock Evaluations

July 13-20, 2019 - Franklin County Fair

More dates coming soon.

Check out the tentative schedule for the tent at the Franklin County Fair in 2019...

Please note that the online member enrollment process for the 2019 4-H program year cannot begin until October 1. The 4-HOnline enrollment system will not be ready for member enrollments until October. Thank you for your patience.

Changes for Pet Rabbits

Beginning in 2019, there will be a change to what rabbit projects stay in the barn and show in the breed show at the Franklin County Fair.

• Pet Rabbit Projects will no longer stay in the barn and show in the breed show at the Franklin County Fair. A pet rabbit will participate in the new Companion Animal Show that is anticipated to take place on Wednesday morning (July 17) of the fair in the tent.
  
• Pet Rabbits will be brought to the fair for the companion animal show and then taken home following the companion animal show.
  
• The companion animal show, while still being finalized, should include some fun show components and possibly a bunny hop competition. The rabbit fun show that was previously held at the fair is expected to be discontinued.
  
• Pet rabbit projects should complete their book, make an educational display/poster, and participate in the companion animal show.
  
• Pet Rabbits will not participate in the livestock evaluations that take place the week before the fair. Pet Rabbit projects will go through interview evaluations at the Companion Animal Show during the fair.
• Pet Rabbit projects are eligible to be chosen for State Fair Selection to represent the county at the Ohio State Fair Companion Animal Day.
  

Breeding Rabbits and Market Rabbits

No changes are expected to be made to Breeding or Market Rabbit projects.

• Members who previously took a Pet Rabbit Project that would like to take their rabbit as a breeding rabbit in 2019 may do so if they would like to participate in the Rabbit Breed Show and have their rabbit stay in the barn. Breeding your rabbit is not a requirement for completing the Breeding Rabbit Project, although it is a good learning experience.
• Spayed or neutered rabbits are not breeding rabbits. If your rabbit is spayed or neutered, you should take the Pet Rabbit Project.

These changes are meant to maintain the true educational purpose of a breed show and to mirror the breed show and companion animal day at The Ohio State Fair. We anticipate that not having pet rabbits in the barn will also reduce the heat stress put on some of the rabbits that might be house rabbits that are used to air conditioning.

Do you shop at Kroger? Why not let your shopping benefit the Franklin County Junior Fair Board. The Junior Fair Board raises money to pay for all of those pretty ribbons, banners, and trophies that our members receive at the fair each year! Please help them out by registering your Kroger Plus Card with the community rewards program so that 5% of your shopping bill goes directly to the Junior Fair Board. It's super easy. You just sign up and do your regular shopping - nothing extra gets charged to you! Kroger donates the money! You must re-enroll each year!

Register here: https://www.kroger.com/account/enrollCommunityRewardsNow

Organization Name: FRANKLIN CO. JR. FAIRBOARD

Organization Number: 84945

Do you enjoy growing your own food? Growing Franklin is an OSU Extension, Franklin County resource to assist the backyard grower, community gardener and urban farmer. There are several upcoming classes that are free and open to the public:

• A Garden Walk at The White-Davis Garden
• Hugelkultur and Lasagna Compost Layering at The Friend's Garden
• Winter Cover Crops and Season Extension @ Wallace Community Garden

Three new informative articles were recently added:

• A Monarch Project - Learn about Monarch Butterflies and their life cycle.
• Central Ohio 2018 Fall Weather Projections and El Nino Update - Make your plan for upcoming plantings.
• Growing Spinach Over Winter in Low Tunnels with Row Cover- How to grow delicious greens all winter long.

Subscribe to Growing Franklin to get the latest updates on upcoming gardening classes and articles.