May Newsletter

Nebraska Extension - Wayne County

510 N Pearl Street, Suite C | Wayne, NE 68787-1939

402-375-3310 | FAX: 402-375-0102

E-mail: wayne-county@unl.edu

Website: http://wayne.unl.edu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLExtWayneCounty

1 Computing Science Summer Camp Application DUE

4 Nebraska 4-H Leadership Academy Application DUE

15 Hands for Larger Service Award Application DUE

15 4-H Council Camp Scholarship DUE

18 4-H Council

23 Dawson County Livestock Judging Contest (Early Reg. DUE May 11)

25 Memorial Day - Office Closed

27-29 PASE (Reg. DUE May 7)

27 YQCA

28 Floriculture Workshop (Reg. DUE May 22)

Jerzi Carlson, Claire Lutter, Reese Rethwisch, and Josie Vilkas each received a $500 scholarship from the 4-H Council to continue their education. Jerzi Carlson is the recipient of the Renee Felt Schulte $500 scholarship. Congratulations to the class of 2026 and best wishes in all your future endeavors!

4-H T-Shirt orders are due June 1, 2026. Cost is $15.00/t-shirt for youth S, M, L, XL & adult S, M, L, XL, sizes 2X & 3X are $20.00. Anyone, including parents and leaders can order at https://go.unl.edu/wayne4htshirt or call the Extension Office.

Seeds are ready to be picked up at the Extension Office. If you forgot to sign up, please reach out, we have plenty of seeds!

Wayne County Fair Passes are available at the Extension Office. Volunteers received a postcard with details on purchasing half-priced passes. The price will increase on June 1st.

There are some banner sponsorship spots available. If you are interested in sponsoring any of the following awards, please contact the Extension Office.

Dog

Reserve Champion Dog Care & Showing Kit

Goat

Champion Pygmy Goat

Reserve Champion Pygmy Goat

Horse

Reserve Champion Walk-Trot Pleasure Horse

Reserve Champion Intermediate Reining Horse

Reserve Champion Junior Reining Horse

Reserve Champion Junior Pole Bending Horse

Reserve Intermediate High Point Youth

Reserve Junior High Point Youth

Static

Reserve Champion Beginning Clothing

Reserve Champion Advanced Clothing

Reserve Champion Senior Family & Consumer Science

Champion Fashion Show

Reserve Champion Fashion Show

Reserve Champion Senior Horticulture

Reserve Champion Junior Human Development

Reserve Champion Senior Human Development

Reserve Champion Consumer Management

Reserve Champion Shopping in Style

The 4-H Youth Development Program strives to instill responsibility in all 4-H members. Part of the responsibility is making sure that all 4-H deadlines are followed. It is the 4-H Council’s role to be consistent and fair to all 4-Hers. Therefore, if a 4-Her contacts the Nebraska Extension Office after a missed county deadline, the 4-Her will be allowed to participate in county events, contests, etc., but will be ineligible for trophies and advancement to the State Fair. In the case where ID papers are late, we must follow the state deadline so opportunities to participate in events beyond the county are out the 4-H Council’s control.

County Fair Entry Information will be mailed to all families soon. All forms are due to the Extension Office on or before 5:00 p.m., June 30. Online entries will be due at the same time. Please check your white form to make sure your information is correct and your project listing is complete. If changes are needed, log into your 4-HOnline account and update. All updates must be made by midnight on June 15. Please remember that projects the 4-Her intends to exhibit at the fair must be added by this date. A hard copy of the 4-H/FFA section of the fairbook will be included in the mailing. Organizational Leaders will receive a copy of their club’s enrollment in their packet. The State Fairbook is online and the Wayne County Fairbook will be online soon. Check out https://wayne.unl.edu | 2026 4-H/FFA Wayne County Fair Information. The links are under the County and State Fair Information heading.

The following changes will be in effect for the 2026 Wayne County Fair:

• Disaster Response, Preparedness and Safety (formerly Safety) - New classes: Disaster Kit - Emergency Preparedness, Disaster Preparedness Learning Experience, Care Package Display, and Telling a Story.
• Fashion Show - Electronic submissions for State Fair only.; no fabric swatches needed at County Fair or State Fair
• Goats - Rate-of-Gain classes discontinued

• Geospatial - GIS 4-H History Map class removed
• Photography - Black and White Photography Exhibit Print/Display and Creative and Experimental Photography Exhibit Print classes added to Unit II and Unit III.
• Quilt Quest - Supporting information consists of questions listed within the Quilt Quest section in the fair book instead of the Home Design and Restoration supporting information.
• Sheep - Rate-of-Gain and Performance classes discontinued; lambs weighing 94 pounds and below are Feeder class and lambs weighing 95 pounds and above are Market class; birthdates follow State Fair birthdates

The Nebraska State Fair Book is available at https://4h.unl.edu/4-h-fairbook-nebraska-state-fair/

We have several updates and reminders regarding animals. Click the button below to learn more.

There are also several upcoming animal related events this spring and summer. Click the button below for animal events.

New this year, the Wayne County 4-H Council Camp Scholarship can be applied to county workshops or summer camps! The application can be found at https://go.unl.edu/summer-camps-workshops.

We have several summer workshops planned for 2026! Click the button below for more information on the workshops.

There are several summer camps with registration due dates soon. Click the button bellow for summer camps.

Nebraska 4-H Leadership Academy is a pilot, state-level experience inspired by the National 4‑H Leadership Academy program founded in honor of the late Joel Roth. This is a one-year opportunity designed for Nebraska 4‑H sophomores to grow as leaders, build connections across the state and make a meaningful impact in their communities. Learn more at https://go.unl.edu/4h-leadershipacademy. Apply by May 4.

Nebraska 4-H Foundation’s Hands for Larger Service Awards (formerly known as the Governor’s Ag Excellence Awards) sponsored by the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA) is a prestigious award designed to recognize 4-H clubs for their efforts to serve their communities. This grant is intended to provide funding for 4-H Clubs to complete projects that will have a lasting impact on their communities. Projects should be intentional and impactful, growing club members as leaders and fulfilling a need in their community. Recognition is in the form of a $500 grant issued to the club’s treasury to be used as described in the award application form completed by the club. Examples of fundable programs include mentorship programs, intergenerational programs, attending educational experiences, hosting workshops/educational events and service-learning opportunities. Check out https://www.ne4hfoundation.org/handsforlargerserviceaward/ for more information and to apply. Applications are due May 15.

Tractor and farm equipment safety courses are now open for registration! Teens ages 14-15 who work on farms, or others who are interested in learning about tractor and farm equipment safety practices, can register for a safety training course offered at 12 locations across Nebraska from May 26 - July 2. Learn more at https://cvent.me/0oRoRz.

Join this fun one-day camp to explore agriculture and technology through the creation of virtual reality (VR) tours. Participants will learn about local agriculture as well as Hawaii and Alaska, create tours, and publish their work for public viewing. You will also have the chance to immerse yourself in local agriculture and ask questions of ag professionals while learning about both VR Tour creation and innovative agricultural and research practices.

WHO: Youth going into grades 7th grade and up!

COST: $25 (includes lunch, snacks, and supplies for all activities)

WHEN: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: June 4 at Haskell Ag Lab (Concord)

Registration submitted and payment postmarked by May 26

Register at https://go.unl.edu/ag360 or use QR Code

Space is limited to 40 participants at each site.

Questions? Reach out to Brandy at (402) 759-3712 or brandy.vandewalle@unl.edu or Sarah at (308) 772-3311 or spaisley3@unl.edu

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 9-23, 2026 at: http://go.unl.edu/online4hhortcontest

Horticulture judging contest consists of three parts. The first is identification of plant material. Participants identify the plants by common name from a plant list. Specimens may be alive or preserved plant parts like stems, twigs, leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots, bulbs, tubers, or plant products.

The second is a knowledge portion, usually in the form of a true/false or multiple choice quiz. Questions will test the contestant's knowledge of cultural practices for horticultural crops, plant science, pesticides, horticultural careers and other topics related to the production, processing and consumption of horticultural crops.

The last portion is judging or placings. This is where four different plants, plates of vegetables, or containers flowers are ranked from best to worst based on a set of criteria. Classes are judged on the basis of condition, quality, uniformity, true-to-type, and size.

More information about the Nebraska State contest along with a list of study materials can be found in the Horticulture ID Contest Fairbook. Here you can find the written study materials for the knowledge portion, follow links to plant pictures for help with identification, and read how judging of plant material is done.

More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/online-horticulture-judging-contest

Attention seniors and parents of seniors! Check out our newsletter about scholarships and other college information. Juniors, feel free to take a peak to plan ahead for next year!

1 State Horse Show Horse Level Testing Must be Complete

1 State Horse Show Horse ID's DUE

1 4-H T-Shirt Orders DUE

1 Fair Pass Price Increases

3 Pitzer 4-H Horse Judging Clinic & Contest

3-5 Winners Unlimited Camp (Reg. DUE May 18)

4 AG 360: Exploring Hawaii, Alaska, and Nebraska in VR (Reg. DUE May 26)

4 Clover Kid Workshop (Reg. DUE May 29)

5 Baking Healthy and Creative Snacks (Reg. DUE May 29)

6 4-H Small Animal Progress Show

7 Hustler Progress Show

8 Let's Paint by Run-A-Ways (Reg. DUE June 1)

9-23 Online Horticulture Contest

10 Photography in Your Pocket (Reg. DUE June 5)

11-13 Fort Robinson 4-H Horse Camp (Reg. DUE May 8)

13 Cuming County Cream of the Crop Dairy Show

15 4-H Enrollments DUE

15 YQCA Must Be Complete

15 County Beef, Dairy, Goats, Sheep, Swine, and Rabbit ID’s DUE

15 DNA Collection Envelopes DUE to the Extension Office for Beef, Meat Goats, Sheep, and Swine

15 State Fair Online Nominations and Fees DUE for Beef, Meat Goats, Sheep, and Swine

15 County Horse ID’s DUE and Horse Level 1 Testing must be complete for County Fair

15 Livestock Achievement Program Applications DUE

17-18 Rocketry Workshop (Reg. DUE June 10)

17-19 Heartland Triple Crown Livestock Judging Series

19 Office Closed in Observance of Juneteenth

20 Arlington Progress Show (Early Reg. DUE June 15)

21 Red Willow County Progress Show (Early Reg. DUE June 12)

23 Disaster Kit Workshop (Reg. DUE June16)

30 Wayne County Fair Entries DUE

16 Contest Day Judging

22 Static Exhibit Judging

23-26 Wayne County Fair

24 Red Letter Day

28-30 North American Manure Expo

31 Red Letter Day

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for additional reminders and updates!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLExtWayneCounty

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waynecountynebraska4h/

Nebraska 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. ©2026