4-H - how is it in your area?

[4-H chicken mom]

4-H is not just about livestock. We have many kids that don't have animals. My club has had both livestock and nonlivestock projects like woodworking, cooking, sewing, archery, photography, bee keeping, flowers, gardening, canning, welding, ect. Oh the list is just about endless. If someone can't find a club nearby, call the extension office and see about starting one of your own. I would think there would be a lot of kids that would be interested in joining.

 

[quadcam79]

wow, my 4-h was great, got right back to me when I asked about getting my daughter in. they said "Your daughter would love 4-H and since she is considered a cloverbud
(5-7 year old age group), she is somewhat limited in her activities, but 4-H has so much to offer no real worries. As far as overnight adventures, she can't do these until 8 years of age. She also is only permitted to have lap animal projects, so this includes, chickens, rabbits, but not pigs.

When she is 8 years of age, she can raise a hog for the county fair and this is growing rapidly in popularity at the
Northeast Florida Fair in October. She also at 12 years of age can participate in the Hog and Ham program, where she would raise her own animal and then process it with help from you and college students at the University of Florida meats lab. This is one of the most thorough learning projects I believe Florida 4-H offers and I highly recommend it. Just something to look forward to!

My concern with your weekend only arrangement is that your daughter will most likely not be able to find a club to participate in, but rather she can be a member at large. This will include her working on a project book/summary with you and she will receive recognition for completion of
this. I am thinking because of her age and uncertainty of what all 4-H has to offer, discovering 4-H would be great for her. It gives a small taste of lots of 4-H activities. Your daughter will also be eligible to participate in events advertised in our bi-monthly lucky clover
newsletter. If you
can think of any further questions, please do not hesitate to email or call me. Welcome to Nassau County and I am excited you are interested in the 4-H program. I look forward to meeting you soon!"

 

[hooligan]

I don't have kids, wasn't in 4-H bc my mom wouldn't let me have a pet at the time but is there anyway I can give a helping hand to 4-H kids?

 

[d.k]

*Wow-- I didnt even know they did all that!!! NOW I wondering if there's a grown-up version!!!

 

[d.k]

*Wow-- I didnt even know they did all that!!! NOW I wondering if there's a grown-up version!!!

 

[quadcam79]

I know right....where you at in Florida D.K,? That was Nassau Country 4-H

 

[Pelican49]

When my kids were young we were also in the suburbs. 4-H wasn't readily available, but FFA was, through their school.

My daughter raised pigs through FFA. We couldn't have livestock where we lived, but the school had facilities were the kids all kept their animals.

 

[lostinthewoods]

We have a great 4-h club here in North Western Wisconsin. Just keep trying to get a hold of people. I don't see why they wouldn't be getting back to you. I'm 1 of the 4-h poultry leaders for our county, and I think it's great to help out the kids. I'm sure they would love it if you donated some birds to them. Good luck, and like some others have said if you can't get a hold of them contact the extension office and ask them about starting your own. It's very beneficial.

 

[OHbluecoop]

4-H is a great program! Every one varies depending mostly on the sate but some counties have their own way of doing things. Ditto every one who said it isn't just animals- there are an endless #and kind of projects even ones that are self determined-

just keep trying- you may need to contact the extension office in your county if they have one or a neighboring county that is still rural. The Extension programs are funded wth fed $ and then states often match those $. Each year our wonderful gov. cuts their $ more and more - we don't need agriculture, home ec, or child development programs anymore just free handouts- food stamps,welfare, etc. Fill up those prisons! By the way the biggest portion of the funding you see for Agriculture budget is the food stamp program - not what the farmers get. Farmers have to work to get any gov. help. Ok I'll get off my soapbox now

I am a head advisor formy local club- there is everything in my club- sewing, rockets, food, garden-veg and flower, woodworking, remote control cars, scrapbooking, plus all the animals you can think of!