4-H Blast

We want to celebrate all of our York County 4-H members this month! Be watching on Facebook for various ways that you can show your 4-H Spirit! Each week, there will be a different opportunity for you to participate. Feel free to take pictures and tag us in your posts.

Additionally, February is the perfect time to enroll in 4-H for 2026 for a few reasons:

1. Due to a new card service fee on 4-H online, starting March 1st , 4-H enrollments paid online will increase from $5 to $6.00. This enrollment increase is ONLY for online payment. If you choose to pay via cash or check at the Extension Office, the enrollment cost will remain $5.00.

2. After March 1st, only those that are enrolled 4-H members and volunteers will receive the monthly blast newsletter to their email. To ensure that you stay in-the-know with all things happening, make sure you get enrolled!

3. All 4-H and Clover Kid members enrolled for the 2026 year by March 1st will have their name entered into a drawing for a prize. Be watching Facebook next week to find out more details.

We are excited to celebrate 4-H Member Month with you this February! Don't forget to enroll to participate in all the new opportunities we have planned for this year.

Ever want to learn crochet, but not quite interested in a tedious blanket? Ready to discover something new each month? Join our Granny Square of the Month Club!

Granny Squares are making a comeback and can be found in all sorts of designs - clothes, blankets, pillows, bags, and more! Each month, this group will receive supplies and materials to make a new square. Make as many, or as few, as you like. In June, patterns will be provided where we can learn how to assemble our squares to make something fun.

Pick your colors, pick your patterns, pick your designs, and make something uniquely you!

How does this work? Explore your spark in this fun, new take-and-make workshop.

1. Use our sign-up form to receive February's square and beginning supplies.
2. Each month you will receive an email with the next square. You can choose to participate or skip the month; pay for the months that you participate.
3. In June, you will receive notification of pattern options to make with your completed squares, along with in-office hours you can attend to receive help.
4. If you so choose, you can enter your completed project at the York County Fair in August!

Find more information and costs at our sign up link: go.unl.edu/crochetclub. Reach out to our office if you have additional questions!

Club Leaders - this one is for your!

On March 9th from 6-8 pm, we are hosting our annual 4-H Club Leader training. It is mandatory for at least one leader from each club to attend that evening. We will be hosting this event in the 4-H Building. Please RSVP to the Extension Office by March 4th.

The goal of the fed steer challenge is to enhance the value of the traditional 4-H Beef project by providing an option that rewards production merit and carcass value of the market animal, along with accurate and complete record-keeping, industry knowledge, and producer engagement by the 4-H member.

Contest Components:

Raising a commercial steer -

• 4-H Member selects/purchases and raises a commercial steer to finished market weight.
• Maintains a detailed record book.
• Exhibit in the Fed Steer class at York County Fair.
• Evaluation of 4-H Member's knowledge.
• Steers entered in Fed Steer class will be shown in their own class, with top two steers advancing to the final market steer class.
• This is a non-terminal show. We will use ultrasound data to determine carcass traits.

Expectations and Responsibilities of participants:

• Be enrolled in the beef project before the mandatory weigh date.
• Have the financial ability to purchase a market steer if need to.
• Have the financial ability to provide proper facilities, care, and feeding of the steer.
• Obtain an official starting weight by attending the mandatory weigh in on February 28th from 1:00-2:00 at the Fairgrounds.
• Actively participate in the five educational opportunities. Must participate in a minimum of 90% of the educational opportunities.
• Exhibit the steer at the York County Fair.
• If any additional educational opportunities arise, the youth should make every effort to fully participate.

Awards:

• Top 2 Average Daily Gain (ADG)
• Top 2 Marbling Score
• Top 2 Ribeye Area
• Top 2 Carcass Value per Day on Feed

*With this being in its first year, please note that rues and expectations could be changed, however, we will make every effort to communicate those changes.

Please reach out to tanya.crawford@unl.edu if you have any questions.

Links can be found at extension.unl.edu/statewide/york/4-h-scholarships/.

York County 4-H Council Scholarship - February 15th

Open to youth who have completed their Junior or Senior year of high school AAND have been active in the York County 4-H Program for at least 5 years. *Youth are NOT eligible for this scholarship if they received the Outstanding 4-H Council Scholarship in the fall.

Dorothy and Howard May Trust Scholarship - February 15

Open to graduating seniors who are a current York County 4-H member, has been active in 4-H programs, and enrolled in a 4-H plant science area project for at least 5 years.

New for 2026: our Yorkstreet BB Gun and Air Rifle leadership has changed. We are excited to have Russ Linhart step into the head club leader role for the BB Gun and Air Rifle disciplines. Please see the following information below if you are interested in participating in these areas this year.

1. Practices will begin in January 2026. To receive communication for, and list of practice times, the following needs to be completed ASAP:

• You need to enroll at v2.4honline.com for the 2026 program year.
• During registration you MUST select Yorkstreet as a 4-H Club.
• Select BB Gun and/or Air Rifle as a project area.

This will allow you to fill out important consent forms on 4-H Online and will add you to our communications list.

2. Once completed, be watching your emails at the beginning of January for information on practice times. This communication will either come from the 4-H Club or the Extension Office.

Tanya Crawford - tanya.crawford@unl.edu

Jenny Brhel - jrees2@unl.edu

Amanda Hackenkamp - amanda.hackenkamp@unl.edu

Macee Parrish - macee.parrish@unl.edu

Laurie Linabery - llinabery2@unl.edu

Email: york-county@unl.edu
Website: https://york.unl.edu
Location: 2345 North Nebraska Avenue, York, NE, USA
Phone: (402) 362-5508
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unlextensionyork/?ref=bookmarks