Explore the wide world of 4-H at March 4 open house
- Laurie Sidle, OSU Extension Wayne Co.
- February 19, 2024
- 298
Callie the Cow, robots, insect displays, and sewing and woodworking demonstrations are just some of what you will find at our 4-H open house on Monday, March 4 at 7 p.m.
We invite you to “Come Explore the World of 4-H” at Fisher Auditorium on the Ohio State University Wooster campus. Our 4-H staff, volunteers and youth members are excited to introduce you to the many opportunities 4-H offers and talk about our mission: “Empowering young people with the skills to lead for a lifetime.”
While the event is geared to families interested in joining 4-H, current 4-Hers also are encouraged to attend. It may be a chance to discover something new and spark your curiosity.
The open house will kick off the 4-H year in Wayne County and Ohio 4-H Week, which celebrates 4-H across the state. That particular day is Membership Monday, so it’s a good day to join us.
The open house is a chance for families to get connected to a 4-H club as those clubs accepting new members will be on hand to talk to interested families.
Our 4-H action committees have been creative with their plans to offer hands-on activities and displays about livestock and still and family and consumer sciences projects. Their goal is to get visitors excited about 4-H.
The dairy committee will feature the educational exhibit Callie the Cow, on loan to us from Lavern Coblentz of Benton. The fiberglass cow is about 33 inches wide, 90 inches long and about 5 feet high and is used to demonstrate how milk is produced. Visitors will have a chance to try their hand at milking the cow.
Dog committee members will be accompanied by some of their dogs to demonstrate proper leash and collar use and discuss what to expect when showing a dog at the fair.
Assistance Animals in Action is a new project this year that allows a 4-Her to learn more about how animals, especially dogs, can help people. The project discusses how service animals are trained, the amazing things they do and the best ways to interact with them.
Horse committee members will offer a roping demonstration, tack display and information about the Horseless Horse project for members who want to learn about horses without owning one.
The rabbit and poultry committee will have a rabbit at its exhibit and will hold egg and spoon races.
Other livestock committee activities include providing information on animal care, showmanship, breeds and places to purchase a project.
In the area of still and family and consumer projects, some award-winning project members will demonstrate quilting, sewing, woodworking and gardening techniques and display some of their finished projects.
Frank Becker, OSU Extension agriculture and natural resources educator in Wayne County, will display information about insect projects, and families can get a passport to visit the United Titanium Bug Zoo in the Wooster Science Building across the street from Fisher Auditorium.
Other featured guests include the Wooster High School robotics team with its robots and 4-H volunteer Bernie Caldwell, who will demonstrate 3-D printing with the help of some 4-H member assistants.
Informational sessions about the process of joining 4-H, showing at the fair and important deadlines will be offered throughout the evening.
Membership in the 4-H Club program begins when a child is at least age 8 and enrolled in third grade as of Jan. 1 of the current year. Membership ends Dec. 31 of the year in which the youth reaches age 19.
For children who are too young to join, 4-H Cloverbuds offers an introduction to the program. Cloverbuds is for children age 5 and enrolled in kindergarten as of Jan. 1 of the current year.
4-H has something for everyone, and the open house is just a sampling of what’s available. Come check it out.
Laurie Sidle is an Ohio State University Extension family and consumer sciences and 4-H program assistant and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or sidle.31@osu.edu.