GC Newsletter April 2025

April 6 - YQCA Training @ Bridgeport Schools Auditorium @ 4:00 p.m.

April 18 - Office Closed (Good Friday)

April 21 - Communications Contest Prep (see flyer below)

April 25 - Office Closed (Arbor Day)

April 26 - State Robotics Competition @ Bridgeport

May 4 - Sheep/Goat Weigh-ins 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

June 1st - Horse ID papers due

June 15th - YQCA Training due, livestock ID papers due, poultry nominations form due, last day to enroll in 4-H, last day to day nominate animals for State Fair

2025 Garden County Fair Dates - July 29th through Aug 3rd

You can stop by the office to get your hard copy of the fairbook. The digital version will be ready as soon as we figure out how to get it up on the new website 🫣

If you registered your child last year, you still need to register on 4HOnline for this year!

For returning families, please do not create a new account; instead, use your log-in credentials for 4HOnline used in previous years. Instructions can be found here...

Enrollment instructions for new families can be found here...

Project Selection is NOT required when registering, but it does help us get a good idea of what projects you are interested in! However, if you are doing SHOOTING SPORTS or HORSE, you need to select those projects so you can sign an additional Parental Consent Form. If those forms are not signed, youth will not be able to practice until they are signed!

It is important that you put your youth's t-shirt size when enrolling them! Please remember to do this during the registering process.

Health Forms need to be filled out if you child will be attending overnight camps, especially CWF. Otherwise, you can answer only the required questions!

After submitting your youth's enrollment, it would be good to periodically check your email to see if it was approved or sent back. Sometimes there is something missing in the registration and we need extra information before approving it, and once we send the enrollment back, we can't see it. If you are ever in question of whether your youth's enrollment got approved or sent back, feel free to call the office.

Remind is gone!! If you haven't already, download the sportsYou app to stay up-to-date on all the happenings within our 4-H Community! This is our primary source of communication that allows families to connect with each other and have access to important forms for fair, and has an open calendar with all the upcoming events that you will need to know.

The app can be downloaded on your mobile device from your App Store (apple) or Google Play Store (android).

Once you have the app downloaded, you will need to Create an Account.

In order to join a team (Garden County 4-H), you will need to put in an access code....this one!

If you need help signing up, please watch the video at https://youtu.be/wZHW2qtMlOc. It walks you through step by step on how to sign up for a training!

If you need more of a step-by-step, here's a How To Video to help you!

The app will allow you to directly talk to one of the coaches or staff members within the Extension Office, post a question, get notifications about the latest updates, see a shared calendar with due dates and upcoming events, shared photos, and easily access forms that you will need for 4-H projects and the county fair. Of course, if you have any questions, we are always here to help!

If any of you missed on attending the YQCA Training that happened in Oshkosh, don't stress! There is another YQCA Training that will be happening in Bridgeport on April 6th at the Bridgeport Schools Auditorium at 4:00 P.M. You can always complete it online as well. Please refer to the following flyer for more details!

The Nebraska Extension Special Agronomy Project gives 4-H members an opportunity to experience a crop that is grown, was grown or has the potential to be grown in Nebraska. Youth participate by receiving seed and resources to grow the crop, research traits of the crop and determine the viability of that crop in the part of the state they live in. The project allows 4-H members interested in agronomy to grow something fun, new, and different. This year, we will be exploring a crop that can be marketed different ways depending on the variety.

In the fifth year of the special agronomy project, youth will explore sunflowers! There are two types of sunflower production in Nebraska. There are those grown for oil production, and those grown for human food consumption referred to as confectionery seeds. A portion of the oil seed production is used in the bird seed industry. Sunflowers are grown throughout the state of Nebraska with the greatest concentration in western Nebraska. The variety we will be growing is a high oleic hybrid. Its oil profile combined with a nice black seed color ensures multiple market options.

Be eligible to enter an exhibit at the County and/or State Fair in the agronomy project area.

Enroll for the 2025 Special Agronomy Project through 4-H Online by enrolling in the Agronomy project and contacting your local Nebraska Extension Office to order packets of seeds. The local Extension Office will order and distribute the seeds to members.

Seeds are AVAILABLE at the office now!! Stop by to get your packet and planting/care information.

This project is open to all youth of 4-H ages 5-18 and it will give them the opportunity to learn about growing, harvesting, and exhibiting this unique fruit. The Special Gardening Project lets 4-H members try herbs. The project allows experienced 4-H gardeners to grow something fun, new, and different while letting those new to gardening get their feet wet in this project area.
The focus of the 2025 project is the Goldie Husk Cherry. This old-fashioned fruit from the tomato family has sweet berries inside golden husks. The fruits have many uses and can be eaten raw, dried, frozen, canned, or made into tasty treats like pies, desserts, or preserves.

Seeds are AVAILABLE at the office now!! Stop by to get your packet and planting/care information.

Call the office if you are interested in participating so we can decide how big of a room and how much technology we need to get ready!

Got to the Communications Contest Smore's Newletter to find more information on all of the different contests available!! The registration sheet is also available and due on May 9th.

Our Panhandle Leadership Camp for 5th through 7th graders will be a two night stay at Fort Robinson this year. This one will fill up quickly so apply early and think about your answers before your submit! Go to https://go.unl.edu/logn25

If you have students who are curious about agriculture, choosing a college, or who just like to network with other students, here’s a chance to connect them with some of the fine folks of the CASNR department by joining the Zoom in to CASNR webinar series! The next session will be April 28, 2025, at 7pm CST.

https://go.unl.edu/vb2s

Do you have students who are interested in the livestock industry and livestock judging? Here are some great opportunities to hone their skills in the Great State and beyond. This is an outstanding opportunity for students to meet peers also interested in livestock judging as well as network with industry professionals.

The Nebraska State 4-H Camp is excited to announce the 2025 season! Youth can join us for an un-BEE-livable summer and learn all about What's the Buzz? in 2025.

The 2025 What’s the Buzz? season of the Nebraska State 4-H Camp will share the importance of pollinators in Nebraska- why they’re important, how they impact agriculture, and what youth can do in their own communities to support the various native pollinators we have in Nebraska. From bees and butterflies to hummingbirds and bats- it’s going to be a week full of learning and fun!

The Nebraska State 4-H Camp is returning to Chadron and Burwell for summer camp 2025! Youth new to camping can attend a shorter camp session designed to let them experience all the best parts of summer camp in a 3 day/2 night session. Choose from one of two 5 day/4 night sessions for youth 10-14 years old and returning this year is the Leaders in Training camp for high school youth 15-17 years old! Campers will focus on developing leadership skills with an opportunity to put those skills into practice by volunteering at one of our other camp sessions!

Registration is now OPEN! More information on sessions, dates, and the link to register can be found at 4h.unl.edu/camp.

Register today for the Heavy Equipment Career Exploration Day set for Monday, June 23, 2025 at Central Community College - Hastings Campus in Hastings, NE. Sessions include:

• Navigate and drive virtual heavy equipment simulators
• Behind the wheel experience with a variety of Heavy Equipment Pieces
• Learn about the Hastings CCC Heavy Equipment Program
• Career panel
• Optional campus tours

Check-in is from 9:30 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.

Lunch is included! The day ends at 4:30 P.M. with optional campus tours. Registration cost is $35.00. Register at Heavy Equipment Career Exploration: Heavy Equipment Career Exploration

Registration will close on Friday, June 13, 2025 at 5 P.M. or until all spots are filled.

Ready to branch out and try a new project area??

Projects provide the basis of the 4-H program by offering various educational experiences. Carrying out a project will help the member "learn by doing" as well as learn "why" things happen the way they do.

There are over 200 project areas that youth can enter a project under for the fair. From showing an animal to growing produce in a garden, the opportunities are almost limitless! For more information and some ideas for future projects, click on the button below.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Garden County Staff are here to serve you!

Use our website below as a valuable resource for information on Beef Systems, Community Environment Community Vitality, Crop and water systems, Food Nutrition and health, and The Learning Child.

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 States Department of Agriculture.

The 4-H Youth Development program abides with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Email: spaisley3@unl.edu
Website: go.unl.edu/garden4h
Location: PO Box 350, 611 Main St., Oshkosh, NE 69154
Phone: 308-772-3311
Facebook: facebook.com/gardenco4h

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