Jefferson County 4-H

The fairbook and fair entry forms are available at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/jefferson/4-h/jefferson-county-fair-resources/. All livestock entries are due by Friday, June 13th.

NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED!!!!

Please make sure to let us know of any questions!

The 2025 Jefferson County Fair Dates are: July 9th-13th, 2025.

Theme: “Make a Beeline to the Jefferson County Fair”

It’s time to get enrolled in 4-H for the 2025 4-H year! To enroll, visit: https://v2.4honline.com/. For returning families, please do not create a new account; rather use your log-in credentials for 4honline used in previous years. Instructions can be found here: https://4h.unl.edu/enroll/returning-member. Enrollment instructions for new families can be found here: https://4h.unl.edu/enroll/returning-member

4-H enrollment is required for Clover Kids (ages 5-7) online at https://v2.4honline.com/. Youth should select at least one Clover Kid project to complete enrollment. Selection of multiple projects online is not required to exhibit multiple projects at the county fair. Check with our local 4-H club leaders for information about what is offered for Clover Kids during their club time.

We have a YouTube channel for all of our Jefferson County 4-H videos from events and projects that you can check out anytime! Our channel is named Jefferson County Nebraska 4-H Youth Development and can be found at this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMY3WfF8GnGUrEBvVKEsgeA/. Make sure to check it out and subscribe to our channel!

What to bring:

Menu - menu for a full meal. May be any meal of the day, but not just party refreshments or snack. Use proper form for writing menu. Consider variety, color and nutrition when planning menu. Here is a publication about writing the menu.

Food – one food item from the menu. Baked items work best.

Place setting for one person - table cover (placemat or table cloth), tableware, napkin, glassware and dishes

as needed for the meal. You must set your own place setting with no assistance.

Centerpiece - appropriate for the meal planned.

Recipe - must have recipe of the food item brought for the judge to sample

Judging:

Participants will interview with the judge. The following points will be considered.

• Knowledge of nutrition – know the food pyramid and what food groups the foods you are serving belong in.
• Meal preparation – how will you prepare your meal? Which foods do you prepare first, second, etc. It is a good idea to have actually prepared the entire meal before the contest.
• Menu - suitable for the occasion, pleasing combination of flavors, textures and color
  
• Place setting - appropriate for the occasion, table properly set
  
• Creativity
  
• Quality of food prepared
  
• Contestant – neatly groomed, appropriately dressed, speaks up and answers questions

All 4-H/FFA youth showing livestock (beef, dairy, sheep, goats, swine, poultry, rabbits) must compete the YQCA course each year. Youth will need to complete the web-based training at yqcaprogram.org. Contact the office with any questions and we can send you the instructions for how to get all of these steps done. Training must be completed by July 1st in order to show your animals at the fair!

Family Responsibilities:
FAMILIES MUST PULL DNA FOR ALL MARKET AND BREEDING ANIMALS, AND FEEDER CALVES FOR THE STATE FAIR.

1. Envelopes must be picked up at the Extension Office or from FFA Advisor.
2. Exhibitors showing market animals, breeding animals, and feeder calves at State Fair must have a completed and signed official DNA hair sample for verification turned into our office by June 13. NAMES OF ALL YOUTH WHO COULD POSSIBLY EXHIBIT EACH ANIMAL MUST BE LISTED ON THE DNA ENVELOPE AND ALL YOUTH MUST SIGN THE ENVELOPE.

1. Nomination website is OPEN!
2. Exhibitors must complete online nominations for all DNA samples pulled for potential 4-H and FFA animals to be exhibited at the state fair. This includes market and breeding animals for all species, feeder calves, cow/calf pairs, etc. using the www.showstockmgr.com site along with submitting online payment for DNA no later than June 15. DO NOT MAKE YOUR ONLINE NOMINATIONS AT THE LAST MINUTE AS THE 15TH IS A WEEKEND AND OFFICE STAFF WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO HELP IF YOU ENCOUNTER ISSUES. Follow these instructions for online nominations: https://go.unl.edu/stockshowmgrnominationinstructions

1. EACH YOUTH WHO COULD POTENTIALLY EXHIBIT THE ANIMAL MUST BE LISTED ON THE ONLINE NOMINCATION.
2. Female animals may be nominated as both breeding and market but can only be entered in ONE show division (4-H or FFA) for State Fair. No animal can be shown in both 4-H and FFA. Do not create two nominations, simply check both check boxes for market and breeding.
3. Each State Fair nomination will be $7.00 per animal and must be paid at time of nomination. Failure to pay online will result in you not being eligible for State Fair.
4. Any animal carrying an 840 EID tag will require the exhibitor to obtain a Premise ID and have the number of file at the Extension Office by June 13.
5. NOMINATIONS DO NOT SERVE AS AN ENTRY FOR THE NEBRASKA STATE FAIR. NOMINATIONS ONLY MAKE THESE ANIMAL ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY. ENTRY IS A SEPARATE PROCESS.

All dogs and cats need to turn in vaccination certification to be eligible to show at the fair. These forms can be found at:

• Dog
• Cat

All forms need to be turned in by July 1st.

The following changes were made and approved at the September 2024 Jefferson County Fairboard Meeting to the county fair horse program:

• Levels testing is due with entries on June 13th.
• Levels 1 testing - written and skills
• Level 2 - if you pass both of Level 1 - you can do the YQCA class in place of written test but still have to take the skills testing for Level 2.
• Skills testing: The adult testing, can not test their own children, or children who ride/use that adult's horses.
• If you plan to show at the State Horse Show, levels testing and skills need to be passed for each class entered for the state show. Different classes require higher levels than at county fair in most cases. Levels testing is due by June 1st (the above is for county only requirements)
  
• Halter classes have been changed to better showcase the horses exhibited at the fair. They will still be separated by mares and geldings:
• Yearlings
• 6 and under
• 7 and up
• Aged class which is 15+
• No horses will be stalled on the fairgrounds in 2025. Horses will be brought day of show only and then released.
  

The program consists of three levels that require 4-H members to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate and project-related accomplishments. For each level, the Livestock Achievement Program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H members choose their goals.

• Juniors, ages 8-9, must submit pictures, posters, presentations, and other learning activities to receive the distinction of Junior Member of Excellence.

• Intermediates, ages 10-13, must complete 100 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Intermediate Member of Excellence.

• Seniors, ages 14-18, must complete 150 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Senior Member of Excellence.
  

At the beginning of the 4-H year, youth must apply to participate in the program. Upon acceptance into the program, participants plan what to accomplish. At the end of the 4-H year, they report on their completed accomplishments. Additionally, participants must complete their annual 4-H Online enrollment process, YQCA requirements, and project record books in order to receive a Member of Excellence distinction.

More information at: https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/livestock-program/livestock-achievement-program/

Join Nebraska 4-H as we go on-site to learn more about science, agriculture, technology, and more! Virtual Field Trips offer facility tours, educational experiences, and additional resources for teachers. Virtual Field Trips are perfect for youth in 7th-12th grades. Each session will be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing. Youth do not need to be 4-H members to participate.

There are also numerous field trips that have been archived to view at your convenience. Check them out. See the link below to view of all the tours available.

https://4h.unl.edu/virtual-field-trips

We are looking for ideas for workshops in 2025. We would like to hear ideas of what you would be willing to attend. We would also like to hear from you regarding what times would work best for most people, after school, 1⁄2 days when school is out, etc. Please contact the Extension Office 402-729-3487 and let us know what YOU are interested in.

Just as a reminder, check out our Facebook page! The page name is "Jefferson County Extension & 4-H Youth Development". Along with our newsletter, we will be using this page to update our members about upcoming events, activities, and deadlines. We also hope to use this page to provide information about community outreach opportunities, scholarships, and research that is important to our followers. The staff will do our best to keep this updated and inform you all of what is going on at the office, Jefferson County, and in Nebraska.

May

30 - County Fair T-shirt Orders Due!

June

10-11 - Camp Renegade, Camp Jefferson

13 - Fair Entries Due, ID Sheets, DNA Envelopes/Online Nominations Due

19 - LED Card Workshop, Extension Office

25 - Clover Kid Workshop, 4-H Building, Fairgrounds

26 - SMART Cents Workshop, Extension Office

July

9-13 - Jefferson County Fair

Email: darci.pesek@unl.edu
Website: jefferson.unl.edu
Location: 517 F Street, Fairbury, NE, United States
Phone: 402-729-3487
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeffersoncountyext

Nebraska Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United Sates Department of Agriculture.

Nebraska Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

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