Richardson County 4-H Forecast

• Enroll at 4HOnline.com
• Enroll by January 1st to be entered to win your choice of a shop 4-H sweatshirt!
• During enrollment on 4HOnline, you will be required to select at least one project but are not required to select all projects you will be participating in for the 2025-2026 4-H year.
• If you are participating in the Shooting Sports or Horse projects, you are required to enroll in those projects online since there are forms that are required to be filled out for those projects.
• Our adult leader volunteers are also required to enroll, if you don't have a current screening, the website will let you know if it's required this year and give instructions on how to complete the required screening.
• See the file below for a quick refresher on how to re-enroll for the new year.

We are looking to collect some of your 4-H stories to share in February during National 4-H Month.

Send us in your favorite 4-H photo with a couple sentences about your experiences!

It can be as simple as your favorite event, a contest, a memory at junior fair, your favorite project, a project you learned the most from, or anything discovered during your time in 4-H, we want to hear about it all!

Alumni, we want to hear from you too!

Email your photo and story to richardson-county@unl.edu

This project is open to all youth of 4-H age (8-18) and gives the opportunity to learn about growing, harvesting, and exhibiting this unique flower. The Special Garden Project lets 4-H members try their hand at growing unusual vegetables, flowers, and herbs. The project also 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 2026 project is the Alumia Vanilla Cream marigold. This marigold produces creamy, yellow flowers on compact plants. This variety not only has a unique color, but it also has a very long bloom time.

4-H members participating in the Special Garden Project will:

• Receive a ‘packet’ of Alumia Vanilla Cream marigolds (one packet per youth) in March/April
• Receive a newsletter about:
• Planting & growing marigolds
• Marigold problems & insects
• Harvesting & using marigolds
• Be able to exhibit this unique flower at County and State Fair
• State Fair Special Garden Project Educational Exhibit Class G-775-001
• State Fair Special Garden Project Fresh Cut Flowers or Harvested Vegetables & Herbs Class G-775-002
• Other fun county-only ways to exhibit this unique flower are with a story, poem, or poster.
• Complete an evaluation about their growing experience

Contact us at the office to participate in the Special Garden Project for this 4-H year!

The Above & Beyond Award is awarded to youth who have completed their Above & Beyond point sheet and have reached the threshold of the Above Award recognition or the Beyond Award recognition. This program was designed to enable youth to be recognized for providing outstanding contributions to the 4‑H program in Richardson County.

Above & Beyond Points will come from events attended from January 1 through December 31 and will be awarded at the Junior Fair Awards Program the following July.

Applications are due January 15.

We are excited to offer the Diamond Clover Program as an incentive to 4‑H'ers that are actively involved in their clubs and in their community. The Nebraska 4‑H Diamond Clover Program is designed to encourage 4‑H youth to engage in a variety of projects and activities that will enable members to acquire the life skills necessary to lead successful lives as competent, caring and contributing citizens. The program's overall goal is to provide 4‑H members a rich and diverse learning experience.

The form for this award represents all activities during the previous 4-H year, October 1, 2024 - September 30, 2025. Awards are presented at the Junior Fair Awards Program the following July.

Applications are due January 15 and can be found here.

Nebraska 4-H policy requires all 4-H clubs to submit a Year End Treasurer’s Report to account for the dollars raised and spent in the name of 4-H. The county also has a second page to the document for an Annual Club Inventory Report.

Inventory items may include, but are not limited to, physical items such as computers, robots, shooting sports equipment, etc. These reports are due to the Extension Office on or before January 15th and will be kept in your club’s file as support to the e-postcard we file with the IRS on your club’s behalf. You will need to fill out the report even if you have a zero balance for the year.

Community club leaders should be receiving their forms in the mail within the next week.

You can find more information about this by visiting https://4h.unl.edu/4-h-policy-procedures-handbook/section-12-financial-management/.

With our 2026 calendar of events now available, it's time to plan your upcoming 4-H year!

All dates are subject to change, some dates for statewide events are not published yet and based on last year's dates.

We will hopefully have our calendar updated on our website early in 2026.

Apply by December 15th, 2025 for the 2026 program year. For more information regarding the Fed Steer Challenge, or to submit an application please visit https://4h.unl.edu/fed-steer-challenge

The Program includes raising a steer purchased at market price, monthly webinars with industry professional and UNL Animal Science Faculty, a special class at the Nebraska State Fair evaluated by a commercial cattle buyer, and harvesting steers to evaluate carcass merit. Monthly content includes: Feeder Cattle Pricing and Starting Cattle on Feed, Winter Feeding & Care of Cattle, Implants & Growth Modifiers, Cattle & the Environment, Risk Management Strategies, Summer Feeding & Care of Cattle, Quality & Yield Grading and Grid Pricing for Carcass Merit.

A Farrowed and Owned Breeding and Market Swine division for youth interested in learning more about the swine industry is available for youth statewide in 2026! The Nebraska 4-H Farrowed and Owned Swine Cohort is designed to enhance the traditional 4-H swine project and cultivate the next generation of leaders in the swine industry by providing opportunities focusing on swine production as a goal of the 4-H member's project, along with accurate and complete record-keeping, industry knowledge, and engagement by the 4-H member. In order to participate, youth must be 4-H age 8-18 as of January 1, 2026, complete YQCA, farrowed their project animal(s) and participate in monthly virtual educational meetings.

Youth participating in the Farrowed and Owned Cohort will:

• Network with 4-H members across the state who are also participating in the cohort experience.
• Participate in learning opportunities hosted by Extension Swine Specialist Benny Mote about biosecurity, meat science, economics of raising swine and more.
• The cohort will meet virtually the first Sunday of the month at 7:00 p.m. CT, the months of February, March, April, May and June.
• Gain knowledge related to their project and the swine industry as a whole.
• Maintain records related to swine management and basic care.
• Exhibit their Farrowed and Owned project animals at a 2026 Nebraska county fair or the Nebraska State Fair.
• All cohort members will participate in an interview at the 2026 Nebraska State Fair.
• Exhibiting your animal at the Nebraska State Fair is not a requirement for the record book and interview portion of the cohort. Join the first session in February for more details!
• NEW for 2026: virtual tour of the UNL swine teaching facility will be a featured topic!

For more information or to register please go here.

📣 Announcing the Heartland Triple Crown Livestock Judging Series!

Get ready for an unforgettable three-day livestock judging experience! The Heartland Triple Crown Livestock Judging Series is coming June 17–19, 2026, bringing together youth from across the region for competition, learning, and celebration as the Great Plains Judging Circuit wraps up its season. This three-day event is open to all states.

Participants will take part in 10 placing classes, enjoy a clinic, and compete for awards in each age division and species. With events hosted in Columbus, Bladen, and Nelson, Nebraska, each day offers something unique—plus fun evening activities, including a BBQ after-party and a final banquet and awards ceremony.

Whether you're a seasoned judge or new to the arena, this is the perfect opportunity to sharpen your skills, meet fellow competitors, and close out the circuit in style.

📅 June 17–19, 2026
📍 Columbus • Bladen • Nelson, Nebraska
🔗 Registration details available at: https://go.unl.edu/lj26

Join us for three exciting days of livestock evaluation, learning, and community. We can’t wait to see you there! More details to come for each day.

Our office will be closed from Monday, December 22nd through Monday, December 29th and January 1 to celebrate the holidays. The Richardson County courthouse will be completely closed after noon on December 24th and all day on December 25th and January 1st.

We will be re open on December 30, 2025.

December 22 - December 29

• Office Closed for Winter Holidays

January 1

• Office Closed for New Year's Day

January 15

• Above and Beyond Award Application Due
• Diamond Clover Award Applications Due
• Club Treasurer's Reports Due