Dawes County 4-H
May 2026
May 1 - Sewing Club at 1:30-4 pm
May 5 - Chadron Primary Clover Kids Club 4-5:30 pm
May 7 - Chadron Intermediate Afterschool Adventures 4-5:15 pm
May 8 - Sewing Club at 1:30-4 pm
May 11 - Dawes 4-H Council Meeting 6 pm
May 15 - Sewing Club at 1:30-4 pm
May 17 - YQCA Training in Crawford 3-4:30 pm
May 20 - Build a Better Babysitter Workshop
May 21 - Be the Hero: CPR, AED & First Aid Training
May 25 - OFFICE Closed - Memorial Day
May 26 - Dawes Extension Board Meeting at 6 pm
May 27 - Livestock Clinic
May 27 - Sheep & Goat Weigh Ins 3-6 pm
May 27 - Horse Levels Testing, 5 pm
May 28 - Wilderness Wonders Camp
May 29 - Wilderness Wonders Camp
DEADLINE DATES:
May 4 - Wilderness Wonders Registration Deadline
May 8 - Horse Camp Registration Deadline
May 15 - Babysitting & CPR Workshops Registration Deadline
May 21 - Livestock Clinic Registration Deadline
May 27 - Muffins & Decorating Workshops Registration Deadline
JUNE 15: FAIR DEADLINE - Enrollment, Dues Paid, YQCA, Affidavits
Dawes County 4-H will have our Market Sheep & Market Goat weigh ins on Wednesday, May 27, 3-6 pm at the Fairgrounds. *Note - If you saw the date listed in the Special Edition, we had to move it to make everything fit. All youth planning to exhibit a market sheep or goat animal at the Dawes County Fair are encouraged to weigh in to be identified. Remember 4-H Families - Market Sheep & Goats are required to have scrapies tags. The Dawes County office does not carry any of these tags. Youth are expected to have these tags in at weigh-ins.
Have you got enrolled yet?! https://v2.4honline.com/ is open for the 2025-2026 Enrollment Year! Deadline for 4-H enrollment is June 15, 2026. If you need help with enrollment, you may contact the Extension office for help!
As a reminder, if you plan to participate in Shooting Sports or the Horse project, you need to add those projects and sign the consents. To be completely enrolled, dues must be paid. CHANGES TO DUES - Dues are $5.00 and can be paid with cash, check, or credit card. Checks are payable to UNL Extension. Clover Kids (ages 5-7) are free.
Animal affidavits can be picked up at our office or they can be found online in the next two weeks at: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/dawes/animal-ownership-affidavits/
Beef Families - Don't forget about the British Breed Certificate
We also need Swine photos turned in with their affidavits. (1 full body photo, 1 showing tag)
Photos can be emailed to tessa.reece@unl.edu.
All animal affidavits (except cat & dog vaccination forms) are due by June 15th.
Below is the 4-H fair schedule. Please note the changes in Cat/Dog Shows, Rabbit/Poultry Check in, and Small Animal Show Order.
Learn what it takes to care for a variety of ages in a safe and fun environment. Get ready to learn about ages and stages, safety, and basic first aid, how to advertise, and more!
Who: Ages 10+
When: May 21, 2026 8:30 am-4:00 pm
Where: Dawes County Fairgrounds
Cost: $20
Register By: 5/15
Be prepared. Build confidence. Learn lifesaving skills. In this hands-on Heartsaver CPR, AED, and First Aid class, youth participants will learn how to respond to real-life emergencies at home, in school, or in their community.
Participants will learn how to:
- Recognize and respond to emergencies
- Perform hands-only CPR
- Use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
- Help someone who is choking
- Control bleeding and care for injuries
- Respond to common medical emergencies
Who: Ages 10+
When: May 22, 2026 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Where: Dawes Extension Conference Room
Cost: $30 payable to Life First Learning
Register By: 5/15
Bring: Water and a Snack
Come learn about showmanship, fitting, and nutrition. Plan to attend one or more sessions of this beef, sheep, goat, swine, rabbit, and poultry clinic. Lunch provided.
Who: Ages 5+
When: May 27, 2026 9:00 am-2:00 pm
Where: Dawes Fairgrounds
Cost: Free
Register By: 5/21
We are on the hunt... To see who wants to find the treasure at the 2026 Wilderness Wonders. On May 27th, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm camp will be offered for youth going into 3rd-5th grade. On May 29th, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm it will be offered for 5-7 year olds. Both camps are $50 each.
Registrations are due May 4th to the Dawes County Extension Office! We must have the form and payment for registration. Registration in PDF below.
Youth are invited to join Nebraska Extension for a fun, hands-on baking workshop all about muffins! Participants will learn basic baking skills, mix and bake muffins, and experiment with different flavors and mix-ins to create their own unique recipe. We’ll also talk about how food exhibits work and how youth can recreate their muffins at home to enter in the fair. This workshop will take place in Dawes and is great for youth who enjoy cooking, baking, or trying something new in the kitchen. Everyone will leave with their muffin recipe and ideas they can use for a 4-H Food & Nutrition fair exhibit.
Who: Ages 8+
When: June 3, 2026 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Where: Dawes County Fairgrounds
Cost: $15
Register By: 5/27
Learn basic cake decorating skills on 6 cupcakes to take home with Camie Johnson.
Who: Ages 8+
When: June 3, 2026 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Where: Dawes County Fairgrounds
Cost: $15
Register By: 5/27
Bring: Encouraged to bring a star tip and line tip
The annual 4-H Horse Camp will be held at the Fort Robinson State Park near Crawford. The sessions include working ranch, horse stretching, riding games, creating a rope halter, and more! For youth members 8 and above the fee is $75. This includes craft, supper, t-shirt, horse stalls for Thursday and Friday night. For more information visit: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/dawes/4-h-dawes-county/workshops-programs-camps-clubs/
This is a great opportunity for youth to test our their livestock judging contest through this local competition. The registration fee covers lunch and prizes.
Who: Ages 5+
When: June 17, 2026 9:00 am-2:00 pm
Where: Sheridan Fairgrounds Gordon
Cost: $25
Register By: Day of
Mark your calendars for the Dawes County 4-H Progress Show on June 20, 2026! This is great practice for fair! This will include Swine, Sheep, Goat, & Beef
Come learn about plant ID and work on a range project! Great way to prepare for Plant ID contests.
Who: Ages 8+
When: June 25, 2026 9:00 am-3:00 pm
Where: Chadron State Range Complex
Cost: $10
Register By: 6/16
Bring: Sack lunch
Learn it, pick it, arrange it! Join The New Leaf as youth identify flowers and create a fun, take-home arrangement.
Who: Ages 8+
When: June 30, 2026 9:00 am-11:00 am
Where: The New Leaf
Cost: $25
Register By: 6/22
In Next Level Flower Fun, youth will build on what they learned and get creative making fun, floral-inspired projects for the home.
Who: Ages 8+
When: June 30, 2026 12:00 pm-2:30 pm
Where: Dawes County Fairgrounds
Cost: $15
Register By: 6/22
Calling all Clover Kids! Come craft and explore with us. Youth will create projects that can be entered into fair, enjoy fun activities and have a sweet treat!
Who: Ages 5-7
When: July 7, 2026 9:00 am-2:00 pm
Where: Dawes County Fairgrounds
Cost: $20
Register By: 7/1
Bring: Sack lunch
4-H Curriculum Available to Enrolled Youth
New for this year, enrolled 4-H youth will receive complimentary access to 4-H curriculum developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln!
These hands-on resources help youth explore their sparks further and cover a wide range of interests, including shopping, entomology, poultry, clothing, babysitting, and much more! To learn more about complementary 4-H Curriculum, read this article: https://4h.unl.edu/.../complimentary-4-h-curriculum-now.../
Livestock Achievement Program
The Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program is back for its fifth year, recognizing youth who go above and beyond in their livestock projects! This program promotes learning in selection, production, leadership, and exhibition across all livestock species.
🔹 Open to enrolled 4-H livestock youth
🔹 Species include beef, sheep, swine, meat goat, dairy, rabbit, poultry.
🔹 Three achievement levels: Junior, Intermediate, Senior
🗓 Apply by June 15
🗂 Plans & Reports due August 1
🏆 Members of Excellence will be recognized at the Nebraska State Fair Grand Drive.
👉 Learn more & apply here: https://go.unl.edu/lap
Tractor & Equipment Safety Training
The Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH), in partnership with Nebraska Extension, host Tractor and Equipment Safety Certification Courses across the state of Nebraska every year. This year's trainings will be offered across the state in May and June 2025.
Learn more about the Tractor and Equipment Safety Certification Courses at https://go.unmc.edu/tractor-safety-training.
Registration URL: https://cvent.me/0oRoRz
Dawes Exhibitors
All Exhibitors from Dawes, Sheridan, & Box Butte
Inventure Day
Inventure Day
Look Who's Hatching
Crawford Ag Safety Day
Dawes County 4-H'ers in Crawford taught the Crawford Elementary Kindergarten-5th grade at Ag Safety Day
Crawford Ag Safety Day
Crawford Elementary Kindergarten-5th grade at Ag Safety Day
Sewing Club
Morgan Schommer and Tessa have been leading 9 girls in a four-week sewing club.
After School Programs
Butterfly Life Cycle & Ladybug Life Cycle
JFK & Chadron Primary Spring Fling
Tessa Reece - 4-H Extension Educator
(308) 432-3373
Melissa Mracek - 4-H Extension Educator
(308) 762-5616
Gracie Ortner - Support Staff
(308) 432-3373
