July, 2008
Greetings 4-H Friends!  July brings us the final 2 camps of the summer, still project judging, demonstration contests, and state fair preparation.  Please make sure you are aware of the Summer Judging dates, so all youth know when to be judged!  If they are not able to make the judging date, they have the option of attending the make-up judging July 29th at the Extension Office.  They will not receive a placing, but will still be able to complete their project!  For this option, call the Extension Office for an appointment.  If you have any concerns or questions let me know by emailing kohler.61@osu.edu or 740-653-5419 x19!  Have a great month!!! 

Yours in 4-H,

~Hannah :-)

County 4-H Reminders
Summer Judging Help
If you have not done so already, please sign up to assist with Summer Judging.  Your responsibilities will include registration, checking 4-Hers grades, and handing out ribbons.  The available dates to help include July 14, 12-2, and 3-7 p.m., July 15, 2-7 p.m., July 16, 3-7 p.m., and July 17, 1-7:00 p.m.  It is not required you assist the entire day, so every little bit you volunteer helps!   Contact the office (740-653-5419) to sign up! 

Possession Deadline for all livestock-July 1
All Beef Breeding, Dairy Feeders, Dairy Breeding, Breeding Sheep, Market Lambs, Poultry (except Market Chickens), Breeding Rabbits, Market Goats, Meat Goats, Dairy/Angora Goats, Pygmy Goats, Llamas, Cavies, Pet Rabbits, Cats, Other Small Creatures, and Rodents must be in possession by July 1.  If you do not have them in your possession, you are ineligible to show in 2008!  If an animal is being housed at a location other than where the 4-H member resides, a Livestock possession form needs to be completed and turned in to the Extension Office by the animal's possession deadline.  (This rule is in effect for ALL species!) 

Registered/Qualified Livestock Notification Papers & Lease Forms Due-July 1
Breed Association or a notarized letter is due July 1st to the Extension Office for members exhibiting Registered/Qualified Livestock (Beef, Dairy, Sheep) whose names do not appear on the registration/quality papers.  Lease forms for dairy heifers are also due at this time. 

Demonstration Contest Entries Due-July 1
If a youth is planning to enter the Demonstration Contest, s/he must notify the Extension Office (740-653-5419) with their name, age, category, club, and topic.  It is a great way for youth to practice speaking in front of a group and learning more about a topic!  The demonstration contest is July 14th from noon-2 p.m. 

Writing Entries Due-July 1
If a 4-Her is taking a writing project, the written submission must be turned in by July 1st.  This allows the judge the opportunity to read the entries before interview judging with the 4-Her. 

Cloverbud Camp Registration Deadline-July 3
In order to ensure the proper amount of food, supplies, and activities, Cloverbud Camp Registration will be CLOSED on July 3 at 4:00 p.m.  All registration forms must be to the Extension Office by this time!  

Office Closed-July 4
The Extension Office will be closed July 4th in observance of Independence Day.  Happy 4th of July--Celebrate responsibly! 

Junior 4-H Camp Staff Move In-July 6
In order to finish important training & planning for camp, counselors for Junior Camp will be moving in to Tar Hollow 4-H Camp on July 6th at 5:00 p.m.  They will remain at camp until the conclusion of Junior Camp on July 10th. 

Junior 4-H Camp-July 7-10
Junior 4-H Camp will be held July 7-10 at Tar Hollow State Park.  Registration begins at 3:30 p.m. on the 7th and dismissal is the 10th at 10:00 a.m.  The camp theme is "Knights of the Clover Table".  Campers will be exploring knighthood in addition to other  fun activities.  Traditional activities (campfire, scavenger hunt, water carnival, etc.) will also take place!

Weigh-In/Tag In-July 12, 2008
A reminder that weigh-in/Tag in for Dairy Feeder Calves, Market Lambs, Market Goats, and MQ&P hogs is this Saturday, July 12 from 8-11 a.m. at the Fairgrounds.  This is required if you want to exhibit at the 2008 Fairfield County Fair!  You may also bring your live market hogs to be tagged; however, this is not required for the live hogs. 

Horse PAS Show #2, July 12, 8:30 a.m., Fairgrounds
The registration was due June 1--this is just a reminder of when the date is! 

Cloverbud Day Camp, July 12, 9-4 p.m., Fairgrounds
This opportunity is open to the Cloverbud members of the 4-H program.  The camp's theme is "Barnyard".  Youth will engage in many activities during the day and will prepare themselves for camping at Tar Hollow in year's to come!  

July 15, 2008, Market Hog Deadline
Market Hogs need to be in possession by July 15.  Taggers will be available from the Senior Fair Office July 14-20.  It is the advisor's responsibility to tag all hogs in the club!  Paperwork is due to the Senior Fair Office by July 25th! 

Summer Judging Dates
Summer judging projects are again being judged over 1 week this year. Dates for each project are listed below.  If you are unable to make it to the July date, late judging is July 29.  Contact the office to set up an appointment.

14   Judging for Demonstration Contest, noon-2 p.m. (See also July 1st)

14   Judging for Creative Writing (see July 1), Creative & Drawing Arts, Theater Arts, Photography, Collectibles, Self Determined, Leadership, Citizenship/International, 3:00-7:00 p.m.

15   Judging for All Foods & Nutrition & Other Home Economics (Health, Family Life, Child Care, Money Management, Home Environment, Home Equipment), 2:00-7:00 p.m.

16   Judging for Engineering (ATV, Lawns, Rope, Small Engines, Computers, Radio-Controlled Vehicles, Bicycle, Electric, Woodworking, & Welding), & Environmental Science (Outdoors, Forests, Ponds, Ohio Birds, Fishing, Aquatic Science, Gun Safety, Archery, Beekeeping,  Insects, Muskrat Trapping, Gardening), Discovering & Exploring 4-H, Vet Science, Horseless Horse, Science Starts with You II, 3:00-7:00 p.m.

17   Judging for All Clothing, 1:00-7:00 p.m. (break 5:30-6:00 p.m.)

19   County Style Review (all clothing), 9:00 a.m., Liberty Center

20   Space Day, All Aerospace Projects, 1:00-4:00 p.m., Fairfield County Fairgrounds

Counselor Fun Night-July 23, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Counselors will be having a fun night on July 23rd to reflect on the 2008 camping season.  Pizza will be provided for counselors.  This is not required for the youth, but encouraged to reflect upon the year and how to make improvements for future years! 

Junior Leaders Fairgrounds Painting-July 26, 2008
The Junior Leadership 4-H Club members will be painting barns at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds July 26th from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.  All older youth (13 & up) are welcome & encouraged to come!  Contact Hannah (kohler.61@osu.edu) if you are able to make it!

Late Judging-July 29, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
If a 4-Her missed the July summer judging dates, late judging is an option.  The 4-Her should contact the office (740-653-5419 x0) to set up an appointment for the judging time.  4-Hers will not be able to compete in the State Fair Competition, but will be able to receive a project grade and collect premiums if their project is displayed in the Display Barn during the Fairfield County Fair.

Junior Leader Potluck
The Junior Leadership Club is hosting a potluck at the Fairgrounds on August 11, 2008 beginning at 7:30 p.m. (following the 7:00 meeting).  They are then planning to tour the fairgrounds and the new facilities/layout for the grounds.  Please RSVP to Hannah (kohler.61@osu.edu) if you are planning to attend!  All are welcome to come!

Style Revue Decorations Needed
We need LARGE stuffed barnyard animals for decorations at the Style Revue.  If you or someone you know has any items you could contribute, please deliver to office during project judging.  Contact Cora (french-robinson.1@osu.edu) for more details or with questions.  

Fairfield County Junior Fair Book-Rules & Regulations Portion
The Rules & Regulations portion of the Junior Fair Book is now available electronically!  To view it, visit http://fairfield.osu.edu/4h/JuniorFairBook.htm. Books will be available in hard copy in the near future!  The awards portion to the Junior Fair Book will be available around August. 

Changes for the 2008 Year
There have been several important changes for the 2008 Club year.  These changes are not made because we are "tired of the same thing" or because "change just needs to be made".  There has been lots of thought put into reaching these decisions and many people (not just one or two) have been involved.  Hopefully it will be beneficial for all parties involved, even if it takes a while to adjust.  Thank you for your patience in this process! 

--Project Book Completion will be checked differently this year.  Advisors are asked to check within clubs.  For Exhibitors with Sale Animals, a summary of profit/loss sheet must be turned in with thank you notes to receive sale checks.  For Exhibitors with Non-Sale Animals, A summary of profit/loss sheet must be turned in at fair check-in (goats, dairy cattle, etc.) or exhibitors will NOT receive a premium.  For Exhibitors who already get their project books checked somewhere (horses, dogs, cats, pet rabbits, etc.), they will continue with project book checking as done in the past.  There will also be a 'Project Book Competition' for exhibitors who are interested in doing so.  More information will be forthcoming. 

--Livestock Judging Team has gone county-wide!  This team studies ways of judging livestock and competes in events around the state.  Contact Jim Spires (740-653-2362) or Regina Bresler (740-969-4991) for more information!

--Junior Fair Participants who have Disabilities--If Junior Fair Exhibitors have special needs & require assistance in taking tests, exhibiting at the fair, etc., a "Release of Information" form must be completed and sent to the Extension Office 30 days prior to the required function of the current year.  This form can be found in the Red Book or at http://fairfield.osu.edu/4h/4hforms.htm.

--County-Wide Dues changed to $7 a 4-H member.  After reviewing the 4-H Advisory Committee Budget, the Financial Committee decided to decrease the county-wide dues!  The entire committee, voted on to in turn approve the change in dues.  4-Hers still have the option to choose to participate in the fundraiser instead of paying club fees.  The fundraiser for this year is selling candy bars.   

More changes (including Junior Fair Proposals) will be included as they are known!

Club Biographies Available
Club Bios are now located on the website. This tool enables interested individuals in joining 4-H to search online for possible clubs and contact advisors directly to ask more specific information about club meetings, locations, and projects.  It's also a great way for club advisors and members to network with each other and help others out if there is a question regarding a project or event.  You can check these bios out at: http://fairfield.osu.edu/4h/ClubBios.htm. Please contact Hannah with any changes or updates! 

Junior Fair Livestock Buyers on Web
You can view the 2007 Fairfield County Junior Fair Livestock Buyers at: http://fairfield.osu.edu/4h/LivestockBuyers.htm. Check out last year's winners, buyers, and supporters of the Junior Fair!  Thanks to all who have helped make the sale a success!

Barn Raising Campaign
We are currently in the process of building a new barn at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds!   We had a ground breaking ceremony April 4th!  Check out the plan & benefits & photos of the process in addition to how you can contribute to making this dream a reality by visiting http://fairfield.osu.edu/4h/BarnRaisingCampaign.htm. Thanks to everyone who has already contributed!  Money is still being collected--the more money raised, the better quality of the building/upgrades to the Junior Fair Buildings we will have!  

4-H Member Pins
The Extension Office has an assortment of 4-H member gold (4th & 6th year) & bronze pins (1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 8th year).  If you, your club, or parents in your club would like to purchase these for your club members, you could save money on shipping by purchasing them at the office instead of from the Source Book!  Bronze pins cost $1.25 each, and gold pins cost $1.75 each.  Contact the office to find out availability of these pins!

State Opportunities

Ohio State Fair-July 30-August 10
The Ohio State Fair is being held July 30-August 10 at the Ohio State Exposition Center in Columbus. To visit their website, check out http://www.ohiostatefair.com/. Even if you don't have a 4-Her competing in an event, it's a great opportunity to visit to check out what other 4-Hers do throughout the state of Ohio!

Dog Skillathon Stations Posted
The Ohio State Fair Dog Skillathon stations for the You and Your Dog Skillathon on August 1, and the Dog Show Skillathon on August 4 and 5 are now posted at http://southcenters.osu.edu/4h/dog.

Workforce Preparation Day at the Ohio State Fair
Do you have 4-H'ers who are camp counselors, CarTeens volunteers, have a job, or are taking a leadership project? Then you might be interested in getting them connected with the Ohio State Fairs Workforce Preparation Day. This 4-H project day is a great opportunity for 4-H members to gain experience with attending the fair as well as skills that they will be able to use in the future.
This year's Workforce Preparation Day has experienced a few changes. Here are some changes you will want to note:

* As many 4-H members can be sent to the state fair as desired (there is not a limit of 2).
* 4-H'ers get to select a job to interview for instead of being required to interview for one position.
* 4-H'ers can directly register for the event
* Registration is due by JULY 20th, 2008.

Open Horse Show, Pickaway County Fairgrounds-August 23, 2008
100% of the proceeds to benefit the STEFANIE SPIELMAN FUND for Breast Cancer Research at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University. There will be $2000 Guaranteed Money in paybacks. Medallions to first 5 places. Additionally, there will be 2 raffles, a quilt raffle (1 for $3 or 5 for $10) and a pink manure spreader (1 for $5 or 5 for $20). Pictures for both are on the showbill, which can be obtained by contacting Hannah (kohler.61@osu.edu). For ay additional information, contact Barbara J Born <BarbaraBorn@jonesday.com>. This is a great community service event - and fun too!

For more detailed information as well as posters and podcasts that you can use to advertise within your 4-H program please visit the Ohio Workforce Preparation Website http://www.ohio4h.org/workforceprep/

Ohio Cheviot Breeders Starter Flock Award
The Ohio Cheviot Breeders Association (OCBA) is seeking applicants for the Jim Cluff Memorial Starter Flock Award. The OCBA started the contest in 1994 to award a bred ewe to an Ohio youth up to seventeen years of age. The purpose of the award is to introduce the youth to the enjoyment of raising and owning a purebred Cheviot sheep, as well as encouraging the growth of new Cheviot breeders in Ohio. The contest winner will receive the following: a one-year membership in the Ohio Junior Cheviot Breeders Association, one bred ewe the first year, one ram the second year, and in the third year the youth will donate a lamb to continue the award. The application deadline is September 30th. For an application and contest rules please contact Bob Hunter at (614)834-3948 or at rpkjhunter@msn.com.

Photography Contest
The Ohio Department of Agriculture is encouraging Ohioans to dust off their cameras and begin capturing “Life on the Farm” for a 2008 photography contest geared to feature the state’s unique agricultural resources. The contest, which runs through October 2008, will allow photographers to feature the sights of agriculture in every season. “Life on the farm means something different to everyone,” said Ohio Agriculture Director Robert Boggs. “This is an opportunity to tell the story of agriculture and to look at the industry through different eyes. I look forward to seeing the images and excitement tied to our great agricultural heritage.” The department will establish a panel, headed by Director Boggs, to judge images submitted by amateur photographers. Director Boggs will invite winning photographers to join him for a gallery unveiling of their photos. All other entries also may be used by the department for educational or promotional initiatives.

General photography contest rules:
Entrants must be at least 16 years old and the original photographer.
Amateur photographers only.
Color photos must be taken in 2008; Entries postmarked by Oct. 6.
No more than five photos per household.
Photos may be submitted as 5x7 prints or digital images burned to a CD.
No computer-aided adjustments to photos.
Digital photos must be at least 300 dpi and in jpg or tif format.
Each photo must be accompanied by an entry form, complete with signature.
Photographer must obtain written parental permission for photographed children under 18.

To enter the contest, send images and a signed permission form, available at the department’s Web site, to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Office of Communication, 8995 E. Main Street, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, 43068. For additional information about the contest, a permission form, or for a complete copy of the rules, go to www.ohioagriculture.gov or call 614-752-9817.

Contributing Art & Historic Artifacts to the 4-H Center
The 4-H Center Art Committee is inviting contributions of high-quality art and historically significant Ohio 4-H artifacts to help promote and tell the 4-H story in the new Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center. To propose an item for display, please complete the 4-H Center Art/Artifact Donor Form (click here for a copy of the form) and return it to the Art Committee at the State 4-H Office. The committee reviews proposals regularly and responds to prospective donors within a few weeks.

2008 Ohio Fair Schedule Now Available
The Ohio Department of Agriculture released the official dates for Ohio's 94 county and independent fairs and the Ohio State Fair. The Paulding County Fair will kick off the 2008 fairs on June 17, and the season will conclude October 5-11 with the Fairfield County Fair. The complete 2008 schedule is posted on the department's website at www.ohioagriculture.gov in the "News" section. In addition to setting and approving the dates for the independent and county fairs, the department is also responsible for helping to assure the safety of fair amusement rides, for monitoring livestock shows to help assure honest competition, and for coordinating animal health efforts with designated local veterinarians.

Wanted: Your Special 4-H Stories
OSU Extension’s 4-H Youth Development program touches the lives of 4-H members, their families, as well as the communities where they live. Currently, the National 4-H Professionals Association is collecting stories to put into a "Chicken Soup For the Soul" type of book. These stories may be of exceptional efforts from a 4-H’er (or 4-H family), whether it was overcoming adversity, establishing a new program or activity, helping a younger member, or helping another family or community member. These stories put “faces” and “real life experiences” on our outstanding 4-H program. Please send me an email or give me a call with your stories to share!

New 4-H Policy Webpage Released
The new 4-H Policy & Procedures webpage has been released and can be found at: http://www.ohio4h.org/policies/. Please feel free to share this with volunteers and others that need to have information related to 4-H policies and procedures. If you have questions, comments or suggestions related to the new webpage, please contact Ryan Schmiesing at schmiesing.3@osu.edu.

Ohio 4-H Club Advisor Handbook
You may view this resource on-line! Photographs and fine-tuning of the website will continue. To visit the 4-H Club Advisor Handbook site visit http://advisorshandbook.ohio4h.org/.

Other County Opportunities
Scholarships Awarded
Congratulations to the following youth who received a Dorrin & Ruth Ross Scholarship. The Fairfield County amount of total money was $15,800 awarded to 30 students this year. 4-H & FFA Youth recipients include: Krystin Bachman, Emily Berry, Angela Black, Jared Black, Brianna Burgett, Abigail Dannemiller, Amy Dannemiller, Emily Dannemiller, Faith Ferbrache, James Guseman, Alisha Hammond, Mary Henwood, Kaleb Kohler, James Maynard, Allyssa Miller, Rebecca Mohler, Emily Riggins, Kellee Steffen, Katrina Swinehart, and Eric Tipton. Congratulations to the award recipients!!

Assistance Needed
Marianne Miller is looking for a person(s) to care for the animals (1 goat in milk, 1 yearling goat, chickens, ducks, and dog) while they are on vacation July 10-21, 2008 in addition to other sporadic dates throughout the year. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact her at 740-969-3245 or 43tigger@gmail.com. They live in the Amanda area off route 22.

Long Eared Pet Rabbits
Sharon Rowland had a couple Long Eared Pet Rabbits. They are under a year old (as of 6/08). If you or someone you know is interested in these rabbits, contact her at 740-653-2829.

Riding Boots for Sale
There is a pair of Emerson Ladies high English Riding boots (size 8 1/2 medium) for sale for $40 or best offer. Contact Marilyn Hickman at 740-503-2165 or mh286605@ohiou.edu if you or someone you know is interested.

Street Fair Safari
On Saturday, August 9th, 2008 from 4:00-8:00pm the Lancaster Vineyard Church will be hosting a Street Fair Safari in downtown Lancaster! This event provides food, fun and entertainment to the families of Fairfield County all for FREE! With that being said, we are in search of a group who would be interested in sponsoring a "Petting Zoo". Last year, we had approximately 250 people attend and would expect 300-400 to attend this year. Set-up can start any time after 12:00pm on the 9th and there is access to water and electric. This would make a great community service project for your group! Please contact Stacey Maholm at 740-654-1648 for further details.

Pet Rabbits Needing a Home
Forgotten 4 Paws has several pet (house) rabbits that need a home. The rabbits will be spayed/neutered prior to leaving the shelter. If you or someone you know is interested in this opportunity, please contact Wanda Dailey at 740-652-9244.

Animal Rescuers Friend (ARF!)
A small animal rescue organization, Animal Rescuers Friend (ARF!), located in Lancaster is hoping to find a youth group to volunteer for year round fund-raisers, yard sales, to collect and recycle aluminum cans, and other jobs to be determined. ARF’s founder and president is a recently retired school-teacher. Do you or someone you know of a Fairfield County 4-H group that would be interested in being affiliated with us? Our website is www.arfohio.org and phone number is 740-687-9244.

ARF! has several painless ways for you to help:
ARF! needs volunteers to work fund-raisers.
ARF! needs donations for the annual flea market, which is held this year at The Fairfield County Fairgrounds, 4H barn.
ARF! collects aluminum cans and sells them to the recyling center. Collecting cans for ARF! is an easy way to help pay for spay/neuter of homeless cats.
Do you like Cristy's pizza? Do I like Cristy's pizza? you may ask. ARF! can sell you a card of six buy one pizza, get one free coupons. You pay $15, you get six free pizzas - six free Cristy's pizzas - and homeless animals benefit.
What search engine do you use? ARF! is affiliated with GoodSearch, which means that for every time you run a search, ARF! gets a penny. Go to www.arfohio.org, click on the GoodSearch button, and select Animal Rescuers Friend (Lancaster, Ohio). Search your little heart out! I work at a Columbus law office and I use GoodSearch whenever I need to find anything on the Internet.
To benefit animal rescue organizations in general, click on "the animal rescue site" button. Each click gives the value of .6 bowls of food to rescued animals. While you are on that page, you can also click to give to contribute to the causes of hunger, breast cancer, literacy, child health and the rain forest.
To contribute grains of rice and increase your vocabulary, click on the "Free Rice - Play and Help" button. For each word you get right, twenty grains of rice will be donated through the UN World Food Program to help hunger.

Community Bank Checking
Community Bank is doing a program right now for Seniors.  If they open a checking account, sign up for on-line banking and order their first set of checks (which are free) and sign up for a debit card, they will deposit $100 into the Seniors account.  Feel free to mention this information to any senior!

Baltimore Festival Pie Baking Contest-Saturday August 9th
Anyone who resides in Fairfield County is eligible to enter this contest. (Contest is open to amateur bakers only.)  Pie crust and filling must be prepared and baked by the individual submitting the pie entry for judging and may from fresh or frozen fillings; no store bought pie dough or canned fillings permitted.  Only pies that do not need refrigeration will be accepted; for example no custard or cream cheese type pies. They must also be at room temperature for judging.  A $1 entry fee is required with each completed entry form. A separate entry form must be completed for each pie entered. There is a limit of 3 different pies per person.  First Place in each division will receive $75, second $50 and third $25. There will be two divisions: Adult (18 and up) and Juvenile (17 and under).  Entries will be taken from 12-1pm Saturday August 9th.  Judging will begin at 1pm, and winner will be announced at 2pm unless judging time is extended due to numerous entries.  Entry forms can be mailed any time prior to the event, or turned in with the pie the day of the contest. Contact Hannah (kohler.61@osu.edu) for a flyer or registration form.  For further information please contact Judith Cosgray, 332 E Market St, Baltimore, Ohio 43105; 740-862-8812; jcosgray@hotmail.com. 

Quentin's Quest-Fundraiser
There's a little boy who has a very rare disease and he's trying to raise money to help find a cure. Jennifer Guseman, a Fairfield County 4-H Alumni is working with this project.  Her goal is for the Fairfield County 4-H program to get involved and for participants to donate $1 to the cause.  To find out more info about this disease or on how to contribute please go to http://www.quentinsquest.org/.

Searching for 4-H Science, Engineering, & Technology Alumni
Are you a former 4-H'er working in pharmaceutical research, environmental science, engineering, biological or chemical science, aerospace, technology, or plant and animal science? Do you know one who is? National 4-H Council is looking for 4-H alumni to feature in an upcoming promotion. Take a moment to fill out a short 10-minute survey! Click here or visit 4-H Council to access the survey and learn more about the 4-H Science, Engineering & Technology (4-H SET) program.

Hog Bowl Feeder
Christie Kimmins is looking for a 2 bowl hog feeder. If you have one or know of someone who is wanting to get rid of one, please contact her at 740-652-1108.

Free Arabian Horse
Bill Bering-740-967-3607 is interested in giving away a 26 year old Arabian horse. The horse is chestnut, approximately 14.2, well behaved, in good health, and would be great for a beginning member. The horse is free to a good home. Contact Bill for more information on the horse.

If you would like to subscribe to this monthly update, send a message to kohler.61@osu.edu and type "Subscribe" in the body of the email.