Join us Sunday, March 9, for this year's 4-H Carnival!
The carnival will be held at the Chase County Fairgrounds from 2-4 p.m.
- Booths will be set up Friday, March 7, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. We encourage youth to help set up the carnival booths.
- All youth must be supervised by a parent or leader during set up.
- Make sure to have arrangements made for your member before sending them to the fairgrounds to set up.
- Members are expected to work with each club they participate.
Each 4-H Family is asked to bring the following (Or pay the $20 Fee):
1) One pie or cake for the Cake Walk
2) One baked/home canned/item OR a case of pop/children’s drinks for the Country Store (items other than cakes are helpful).
3)Make sure to sign in at the Country Store and Cake Walk when dropping off your items.
Fees:
If you are not able to help at the 4-H Carnival, the following fees apply:
Independent Members: $70/Family
Clubs: $350/Club
Country Store/Cake Walk: $20
All fees may be paid to Chase County 4-H Council
4-H enrollment for 2025 is open. Visit 4-H Online to complete the enrollment process before June. 15. Youth ages 8-18, as of Jan. 1, may enroll in the 4-H program. Youth ages 5-7 may enroll as Clover Kids.
4-H Members need to be enrolled before they participate in 4-H activities.
The Perkins-Chase Public Speaking and Performing Arts Contest is quickly approaching. The contest will be held April 27 in Imperial at a site to be announced. This is a great way to add some leadership to your life! Contests Available:
- Recite a Poem (Clover Kids and First Year Speakers)
- Public Speaking
- Impromptu Speaking
- Presentations (Video, Team, Individual)
- PSA (Public Service Announcement-a 1 minute recording that can be played on the radio)
- Music
- Instrumental
- Vocal
- Senior Scholarship Applications--Due March 14, for high school seniors who completed their 2024 Achievement Application
- Wilber Kuenning Bootstrap Scholarship-Due March 14, for high school seniors currently enrolled/participating in 4-H and/or FFA
- Enrichment Scholarship Applications-- Open to all 4-H youth who submitted an Achivement Application in 2024. Due May 1
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) certification is required yearly for all 4-H youth participating in the 4-H and FFA livestock shows.
Age divisions for YQCA certification are based on 4-H member age as of Jan. 1.
Exhibitors are required to complete training in-person or online. If the class is taken online, exhibitors must provide certificate copies (print or digital) to the Extension Office in their county by July 1.
Those who do not complete the training will not be eligible to exhibit livestock at the Chase County Fair or the Nebraska State Fair.
Upcoming In-Person Trainings:
March 31-Perkins County Extension Office, 10 a.m.-Noon
April 25--Chase County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m.-Noon
May 28--Chase County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m.-Noon
May 29--Perkins County Extension Office, 10 a.m.-Noon
June 4--Wauneta, TBD, 10 a.m.-Noon
July 1--ALL YQCA TRAININGS COMPLETED. CERTIFICATES TURNED IN IF CLASS WAS TAKEN ONLINE.
All 4-H members planning to exhibit livestock at the Chase County Fair must have Livestock ID Sheets turned in by the deadline in order to be eligible to show. ID Sheets are due on the deadline by 4 PM.
Horse: May 15
Beef/Sheep/Swine/Goat: June 2
Livestock Id Sheets are available online https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/perkins-chase/4-h/4-h-animal-resources/or can be picked up at the Extension Office.
Tags are available at the Extension Office.
**All MARKET livestock must submit a photo of the tag (4-H, EID or Scrapies) in the ear(s) of the animal(s) listed on the ID Sheet. Photos may be printed and turned in with the ID sheet or emailed to the office (dstamm3@unl.edu).
** Market Beef who participated in the Beef Weigh in do not need to submit pictures.
Do you know what it takes to pick the best fruit and vegetables out at the grocery store? Or do you know what judges are looking for when they judge your plants at the county fair? Have you ever wondered, what plant is that!?! We are excited to offer the opportunity to learn these and other important horticulture skills through the Online Horticulture Contest. The contest will be available June 10-24, 2025 at: http://go.unl.edu/online4hhortcontest
The Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI) is a weeklong experience for high school juniors and seniors from across Nebraska to learn more about career opportunities within agriculture. This conference features speakers, workshops, agricultural education, networking with peers and industry leaders, professional development, leadership experience, fun and new friends!
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has expanded its Defend the Flock program to educate all poultry growers about best practices in biosecurity. This comprehensive public education program provides new resources to ensure that all growers have the information they need to keep flocks safe from infectious diseases.
APHIS is introducing the expanded program to combat the increasing risk of serious disease outbreaks. Biosecurity, which encompasses structural and operating practices to block diseases and the pathogens that carry them, has proven to be the most effective way to protect the nation’s poultry, property, and people.
The Defend the Flock program includes checklists, videos, and other resources that reflect the knowledge, insights, and experience of USDA, veterinarians, poultry owners, growers, scientists, and other experts. All Defend the Flock materials are available at no charge 24/7 at the Defend the Flock Resource Center. For more information on the program, visit usda.aphis.gov/animalhealth/defendtheflock.
Follow Defend the Flock on Facebook and Twitter for practical tips about keeping poultry healthy and new additions to the Resource Center.
Debbie Kuenning, Extension Educator, debbie.kuenning@unl.edu
Diane Stamm, Office Manager, dstamm3@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/perkins-chase/
Location: 490 East 5th Street, Imperial, NE, USA
Phone: 308-882-4731
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chasecounty4H