Any 4-H people here?

[This Busy Mom]

I've been thinking about 4-H a lot. I did 4-H for one year and was lost, lol, when I was about 9. I had not a clue as to what I was doing... and still got a 2nd place with my pet goat at the fair (she thought she was a dog :giggle ).

I've been considering trying 4-H with my kids and doing dog obedience. I called 2 years ago and asked them if they had a group focusing on it, and they said no but they would like to see one and they get a lot of calls... so... I do have a little bit of experience there because that's what my older siblings went through 4-H doing. I did for a little while too, but didn't finish the year. Our dogs were already obedience trained so it felt kinda pointless (lots of other reasons why I didn't stick with it, though).

I don't know how much commitment is involved, though. I wonder if our county has a website :think

[mommyTay]

Ohio state 4H site
http://ohioline.osu.edu/county/index.php

Huron County Site
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~huro/4h/4h.htm

[This Busy Mom]

Yeah, I found those... then got really, really sidetracked, :lol .

Did you know NL has the largest shrimp/crayfish farm in the eastern US? (that's where I got sidetracked to... I'm thinking field trip time).

[findingjoy]

We were thinking about trying 4-H this year. Ds is just 6 though so he will be a Cloverbud. I don't think Cloverbuds raise animals. Do you have to raise animals when you are in 4-H? I don't completely understand what 4-H is all about, but thought we would try it out this year. I wasn't involved in it when I was young and neither was dh.

[This Busy Mom]

Do you have to raise animals when you are in 4-H?

No. I think the best thing to do is find the website for your state/county and start reading. It confused me for a long time. I just read that the kids just have to take on a project either as an individual or as a group.

[phermion]

Our kids are doing this again this year - they are in the younger division (cloverbuds). They do projects, go on trips, and can enter the fair also. At this stage they all get participation ribbons for their entries. We meet once a month. I did not participate as a child, tho I did in FFA (horticulture for me) in highschool. It was fun and we got to go on lot's of trips and compete. :tu As a side note, I think almost all the kids in our group are homeschooling.

[erinee]

Zach will be in regular 4H for the first time this year and will be doing rocket club. He's been Exploring 4H the last 2 years. I think the time committment does increase in regular 4H, but it depends on what club you're in. Like Saddle Club meets more often than some others. Exploring 4H took almost no time committment at all. They had a daycamp and a couple of days where they could meet for help with their projects, but that was all entirely optional. This past year he was in pets and just made a poster about taking care of his gunea pig. The year before he did dinosaurs and made a diorama (or as he called it, a dinorama).

[mommyTay]

My sister and I were both in 4H for 10 years, in the process our mom became an assistant advisor and eventually the head advisor of the club. They didn't have cloverbuds when I was in 4H.
My children are now in the same club I was in, this was Bugs first year as a regular 4H member.

Do you have to raise animals when you are in 4-H?
There are tons of different super cool projects that have nothing to do with animals.
My son took "Beginning Fishing" and "Collectables" this year.
Dd took "Designing Interior Spaces", "Clothes for Teens and Tweens" and "Star Spangled Foods". She remodeled our living room, new paint, border and accents, she recieved 1st place in county! :tu Better yet, my living room looks really awesome!
There are also many projects on childcare, handling money, sewing, cooking, first aid, and many other home ec subjects.

they are in the younger division (cloverbuds). They do projects, go on trips, and can enter the fair also. At this stage they all get participation ribbons for their entries.

I plan to have my foster kids in Cloverbuds this next year. Our club usually chooses a group project for the cloverbuds and they work on them together during the meetings.

[hsgbdmama]

:ty for the info ... I've been kicking around enrolling ds1 in 4H, although we probably won't do any of the animal stuff -- but I would like to see him get involved in woodworking and stuff like that. :tu

[Stonebeck Farm]

I just started leading a 4H with no experience! (Thought it sounded like something fun to do with kids while moms participated in a Bible study- now that I'm doing it I do feel a little overwhelmed.)

Sometime this month I am supposed to actually get training on what I am supposed to be doing. :D Our group is made up of homeschoolers: we have 7 Cloverbuds and 3 4-Hers. I'm doing both groups at the same time.

After the first meeting I ran into someone who gave me excellent info and answered questrions I was asking locally and not getting much help on. She taught 4H for years. I think our group is going to be a Science group. (Although I like the idea of a rocket group :think :think) Right now we're just doing spy stuff for fun for this month. I wish I had talked to this women before the first meeting!