Wednesday What-Nots 1/21

All 4-H families have been mailed an annual calendar and newsletter filled with important dates, updates, and helpful information for the 2026 year. Be sure to take a look!

All county fair checks that have not been cashed by February 11th will be voided.

Please turn in your club's REQUIRED year-end treasure report to the Extension Office by Friday, January 30th. We still need reports from the following clubs:

• All Things Possible
  
• Better Ba-C's
  
• Better Beef Producers
  
• Hoof N Hide
  
• Little Clover Kid Club
  
• Little Nemaha
  
• Mustangs 4-H Club
  
• Otoe County Aggies
  
• Otoe County Shotgun Sports
  
• Silver Creek
  
• Wyoming Feeders
  

All registered BEEF & SWINE animals that plan to be entered to compete in PUREBRED BREEDING & MARKET classes must present their registration papers at county fair check-in.

Join us at the Otoe County Fairgrounds in Syracuse at 10 a.m. for Beef Weigh-In.
Weigh-in is not mandatory unless you plan to compete in the Rate of Gain Contest at the county fair. To be eligible for this contest, market beef must be weighed at an official 4-H weigh-in. Anyone showing at State Fair will need to pull DNA, as well.

Please note, participants must be enrolled members of 4-H to take part in the contest. Clover Kids are not eligible for Rate of Gain.

If you do not intend to participate in the Rate of Gain Contest or show at State Fair, there is no need to attend weigh-in.

YQCA - Youth for the Quality Care of Animals

The Otoe County 4-H Foundation has allocated funding to provide mini-grants to Otoe County 4-H members and Otoe County 4-H clubs to strengthen 4-H Youth Development in Otoe County. Grant applications can be submitted online or paper copies can be dropped off at the Extension office by October 31 or February 28. More details and applications can be found at the Otoe County 4-H Foundation website.

The 2026 Special Garden Project will focus on 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.

Youth are encouraged to enroll for Horticulture/Plant Science through 4-H Online. Youth will then have to reach out to their local Extension Office to sign up and order the seeds. It will be up to the county office to keep track of the youth that signed up and share the educational materials including the growing newsletter & evaluation (included at the end of the growing newsletter).

The 2026 Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest is underway. This annual contest is part of Severe Weather Awareness Week in March and is coordinated by Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.

The contest is open to all Nebraska third graders, including public, private, and home‑schooled youth. Students are encouraged to create a poster that shares a clear, severe weather safety or preparedness message. While tornadoes are a common focus, posters may also highlight other hazards like floods, hail, blizzards, lightning, or wildfires.

Winners receive a monetary award and will be featured in the 2027 Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Calendar. The top winners and their families are also invited to an awards ceremony at the Nebraska State Capitol in March. The attached flier provides more details about the posters and submissions.

Deadline: All entries must be received by the local Emergency Management Director no later than February 6, 2026. Please allow enough time for mailed entries to arrive.

We are excited to announce the 2026 Nebraska 4-H Summer Camp season! Youth are invited to join us and Big Gumdrop Outdoors as we explore the world around us through our Exploring Ecosystems theme. Please share the following message and attached graphic with your 4-H families.

During the 2026 Exploring Ecosystems season, campers will explore Nebraska’s natural world, discover how ecosystems connect, and learn how they can help care for the environment - all while having fun at camp!

The Nebraska State 4-H Camp is offering both day camps and overnight camp opportunities. Camp will return to Chadron for a 5 day overnight session (June 15-19) for youth ages 8–14. Day camps will be held in Grand Island (June 30) and Lincoln (July 22) for youth ages 8–12 providing a great introduction to the camp experience.

Registration is now OPEN! More information on sessions, dates, scholarships, and the link to register can be found at 4h.unl.edu/camp.

Registration for the 2026 Nebraska 4-H Farrowed and Owned Swine Cohort is now open until January 30, 2026.

Youth may 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.

Registration Due: March 2, 2026

Tracy Ensor, 4-H Youth Development Associate Extension Educator, tensor2@unl.edu

Kristen Herrick, 4-H Extension Assistant, kherrick3@unl.edu

Ben Jewell, Rural Prosperity Nebraska Associate Extension Educator, bmcshane-jewell2@unl.edu

Cheryl Goff, Office Manager, cheryl.goff@unl.edu

Website: www.otoe.unl.edu

Location: 620 1st Street, Syracuse, NE, USA
Phone: (402) 269-2301
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nebraska-Extension-in-Otoe-County