4-H News in Keith/Arthur Counties

• 4-H Calendar: Fair Schedules (note changes)

• 4-H Staff
• Communication during Fair
• Extension Office Hours

• Fairbooks and website links
• Superintendents and Leadership

• Preparing Static Projects for Fair - (several supporting documents are attached)

• Keith County Fair Information
• Fair Clean Up & Pizza Party!
• Sewing/Clothing Judging (including Interview Schedule)
• Static Judging (including Interview Schedule)
• Raffle Fundraiser Opportunity
• Keith County Passport (prizes)
• Animal Check In/Weigh In & Release
• Sullivan's Trailer- dates UPDATED
• Bake Sale Flyer Promotion
• Livestock Sale Flyer Promotion

• County Fair Events

• Arthur County Fair Information
• 4-H Exhibitor Meeting
• Fair Clean Up
• Animal Check In/Weigh In
• Static Check-In and Judging
• Fair Events

• State Fair Entries
• Keith Small Animal Scale Use
• Recent Programs and 4-H Happenings
• 4-H Summer Reading Connection

• Youth Accounts
• Volunteer Resources
• Council and Extension Board openings
• 4-H'ers Helping 4-H'ers
• Extension Personnel

Below are the Keith & Arthur Fair Schedules of 4-H Events!

***Keith Updates***

Bake sale during the BBQ- start time has moved up to 5:30***

Removal of Rocket shoot

SWINE LOADOUT Sun 8/2 6:30am

***ARTHUR schedule UPDATE***

5K start time changed to 7am

Keith County Fair Information | Nebraska Extension in Keith & Arthur Counties | Nebraska Extension | Nebraska

Arthur County Fair Information | Nebraska Extension in Keith & Arthur Counties | Nebraska Extension | Nebraska

Following our Facebook page is a good way to stay informed. Our page is Nebraska Extension in Keith & Arthur Counties.

The hours for the Extension office during fairs are listed below. For questions during fair, find a staff or 4-H Council member.

The Keith & Arthur Static Fairbook is available to view and download at the link below. It is also available at our office and on the website. Changes that were made this year are listed in previous newsletters and also are listed in the letters in the pre-fair packets. Please call or stop in if need to review projects or have questions.

Make sure you are referencing the 2026 Fairbook (it will say revised 2026 on the front page). It is available below, from the office, and is on the website.

Make sure you are referencing the 2026 Fairbook (it will say revised 2026 on the front page). It is available below, from the office, and is on the website.

Updates/Changes in 2026:

• *NEW* Changes to Horse section- pg. 11
• Rabbits, Poultry, Dogs and Companion Animals Divisions Added!
• Ribbon Premiums listed and Champion/Reserve additions

• Beef - John Skalsky
• Beef Weigh Master - Sam Most
• Swine/Sheep/Goat - Kyle Gartrell
• Swine/Sheep/Goat Weigh Master - Tony White
• Horse - Sadie Stephens
• Dog/Companion - Melissa Franken
• Rabbit/Poultry - Dani Forster
• Static Foods Only - Mary Faesser
• All Other Static - Extension Staff

Keith 4-H Council:

President - Jeremy Spurgin
Vice President - Rachel Walker
Treasurer - OPEN
Secretary - Melissa Franken

Modern Pioneers - Amanda Harger
Members at large: Anita Perrin & Shad Harger

Youth- Anthony Perrin & Kashley Walker

Arthur Superintendents:

• Beef/Swine - Megan Sprague
• Horse - Rebecca Corfield
• Static - Julie Haynes

Arthur 4-H Council:

President - Garrett Storer
Vice President - Aaron Eilers

Secretary - Jeana Meeks
Treasurer - Julie Haynes
Members at large: Megan Sprague, Matt Cooper and Rebecca Corfield

Keith-Arthur Extension Board

President - OPEN
Vice President - Laura Cooney
Secretary/Treasurer - Kevin Wilkins

Members at large: Cal Schultz & Tony White

Make sure to thank your Fair Board/Ag Society members too!

It is really important you read the Fairbook sections for any project you have entered!

• General instructions for the entire department/division are listed at the beginning of each division. It is important to read this section completely before proceeding to the specific class you are entering.
• Exhibits entered without following the general and specific instructions for each division and class may be lowered one ribbon placing or disqualified from competition at the discretion of the judge, fair superintendent or Extension staff.
• Please read your fair book carefully as content changes from year to year. Contact the Extension Office if you have any questions.

We have linked some of the supporting documents that are to be included with entries.

Fair clean up day will be on Friday, July 24 at 5:30 pm! 4-H Council will have pen assignments done by clean up. Additionally, we plan to have 4-H t-shirts by then! Please bring items that might be helpful- tools, brooms, rakes, gloves etc. 💪🧼🧻🧽🧹

The 4-H Council is offering a Pizza Party at fair clean up! Pizza, drinks, and cookies will be offered. Thank you Keith 4-H Council!

Below is the schedule of interview times for Clothing Day. Please let us know if there is a problem with the assigned time.

Below that, is the Fashion Show Narration and Shopping In Style report.

Below is the schedule for static interview judging! Static interview judging will occur from 2:00-5:30 pm.

We know it is hard to read with all the names. You can download the PDF below the picture.

Nebraska Owner's Insurance Agency has donated an IGLOO TRAILMATE cooler to 4-H to be raffled. 4-H'ers ages 8-18 can sell tickets for the raffle. All proceeds will go into the individuals Modern Pioneer 4-H Savings that is kept with the Keith 4-H Council. This is an easy fundraiser for 4-H'ers who want to add some money to their Modern Pioneer 4-H Savings.

Details:

• Youth can start selling July 17 - July 31! Raffle tickets will be available in the Extension Office.
• Each raffle ticket will cost $10.00, payable to the Keith 4-H Council. 4-H'ers will have a max of 15 tickets they can sell.
• Ticket sales will be due at the same time Livestock Sale Cards are on Friday, July31st at 2:00 pm.

The Extension Office and the 4-H Council are offering this fun opportunity again during the county fair! We want youth to experience more of the fun and excitement during the Keith County Fair!

There are two versions of passports: Clover Kid and Ages 8-18. Youth will get to fill out the passport during the week of county fair. Everyone who turns in the passport completed will be entered into a prize drawing. We spent some money and have A LOT of COOL prizes to give away. 😉

Passports will be due to the Fair Extension Office by Saturday, August 1st at 2:00 pm. We will start handing them out on Monday, July 27th.

Animal Check In/Weigh In - Check in is on Wednesday, July 29 from 7-10 am. This includes beef, swine, sheep, goats, rabbits, and poultry. Swine - pigs must be weighed in by 8:30 am!

*Note: for Rabbit and Poultry not checking in on Wednesday- please contact Extension staff prior to bringing your animals to make sure a vet and staff are available to check that exhibit in.

Animal Release - animals will not be released until Sunday, August 2; Starting with pigs at 6:30 am.

Swine, Sheep and Goat families- For safety purposes please do not begin cleaning out pens until the animals are loaded on the trailer. After the animals are loaded, the exhibitor may clean their pens and areas- then may check out with their species superintendent before leaving.

Sullivan Supply will be joining us at the Keith Co. Fair Thursday 7/30 and Friday 7/31. Make sure to stop by!

Calling all Keith 4-H'ers - Did you know the 4-H Bake Sale proceeds go to the Keith County 4-H Scholarship Fund?! If you would like to help Keith 4-H promote the bake sale, you can download the flyer below or the office can print some too! Remind people that the time has changed this year- to start at 5:30!

Here is the Livestock Sale flyer 4-H'ers can take around to businesses to promote the sale. You can download the flyer below or the office can print some too!

The Fairboard is planning a lot of exciting things for the Keith County Fair. Follow their Keith County Fair Facebook page to stay informed.

The 4-H meeting will be held at the on Monday, July 20. This is the meeting for exhibitors, in which livestock information, handouts and sale invites will be gone over and handed out. The 4-H Council will follow, at 5:30 pm. Please be there!

Fair clean up day will be on Thursday, July 30! A message will be coming sometime in the future through Facebook messenger about specific time, if a meal will be served, and what everyone needs to bring.

Swine and Beef - Check-in is on Tuesday, August 4th starting at 9:00 am for swine then beef.

Signing up for static interview judging will come in a few weeks from either Julie Haynes or the Extension Office.

• Kale Blair
• Koven Blair
• Bailey Cooper
• Jaci Corfield
• Rave Corfield
• Alyse Eilers
• Jocelynn Meeks
• Paisley Sample

• Pepper Sample
• Berklei Walker
• Kacey Wernsman
• Thea Wilkes
• Fletcher Wilson

The Fair Board is planning a lot of exciting things for the Arthur County Fair. Follow their Arthur County Fair Facebook page to stay informed.

Sheep, Goat, and Pig Keith 4-H Families - If you would like to check your animals weight before fair, the Extension Office is coordinating the check out process.

You can call or stop in to the Extension if you want to use the scale. The 4-H Council purchased a trailer to house the small animal scale. The office will give you a set of keys to unlock the padlocks and scale head. You can haul the scale home and return it to Fairgrounds. If you want to use it at the Fairgrounds, Dani can work with you on that. Please note - the scale fits very specifically in the trailer. It takes man power and is not easy.

The clock is ticking! All 4-H livestock, dog, and all in-person contest entries must be submitted by August 10 at 8:00 p.m. CST. THIS INCLUDES STATE FAIR FASHION SHOW YOUTH.

For more information- Visit: 4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/state-fair/

Enter now at statefair.org/competitions/4-h-ffa-exhibitors. No late entries are accepted!

Remember: you still need to enter livestock that were identified/nominated earlier this summer. The identification/nomination process does not automatically enter the animal for the State Fair.

Youth who were registered for the STEM activity taking place next week will get to put their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to the test and create their own edible car, while learning about the engineering process! It will be a fun and exciting time!!

Just two more sessions of the Nebraska 4-H Reading Connection program happening at the Kathleen Lute Library. The classes go from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM and are for youth in K-6th grade. No registration fees!

Registration is open 1 week before each class scheduled. Call the library at 308-284-4354 or email tknaubklpl@gmail.com to see if there are any openings if you plan to sign up!

For those who have individual accounts within the 4-H Council under Modern Pioneers, or are interested in starting one- contact Amanda Harger, she is the volunteer who manages the Modern Pioneers' accounts. hargers42509@hotmail.com

For those who have individual accounts within the 4-H Council under 4-Her Savings, or are interested in starting one- contact Julie Haynes, she is the volunteer who manages the accounts. wwlivestockcolo@yahoo.com

One of the most important keys to making 4-H programs successful- are YOU- and the many people willing to help! Leading, teaching, setting up, taking down, the opportunities to lend a hand- are endless...

Clubs, shows, programs and events are a lot of fun, but also a lot of work to put together - we are always looking for caring adults & older youth to help at various levels. If you are interested in being a volunteer or know individuals who would be great fit- please reach out to the office.

More info can be found at: https://4h.unl.edu/resources/volunteers/

There are openings available on both the Keith County and Extension Board- we are seeking new members to fill these roles asap. If you would be interested in serving on the 4-H Council or Extension board and would like to learn more about what either of those roles would entail, please reach out to a Council, Board member or Staff.

🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀4-H'er

At its heart, 4-H is about resilience and community. When disaster strikes, we show up for one another. The Nebraska 4-H Foundation's Disaster Fund is open to all 4-H families in need of financial assistance. Nobody navigates disaster alone, and the Nebraska 4-H Foundation is here to help.

For more information on how to donate or receive assistance, go to https://www.ne4hfoundation.org/4-hers-helping-4-hers/.

Did you know there are several educators and professionals accountable for Keith and Arthur Counties and a larger region? Find more information through our local personnel directory: here.

TBD - Rural Prosperity and Early Childhood

There are currently no Educators that serves our counties for Rural Prosperity or Early Childhood.

For more information about the program areas and what UNL Extension has to offer, please visit:

About Us | Nebraska Extension | Nebraska Extension | Nebraska

https://extension.unl.edu/about-extension/

Nebraska Extension in Keith & Arthur Counties

Keith-Arthur 4-H Newsletters

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