4-H isn't just about raising livestock
- Nurse Karl
- Jan 27
- 2 min read
March 12, 2019
4H is not just about raising farm animals. That is just one component of the program. 4-H is run primarily by volunteers so each club is only limited by the number and expertise of their adult volunteers. Adult volunteers may choose to lead projects in robotics, rocketry, archery, arts & crafts, cooking, sewing, bee keeping, photography, public speaking, veterinary science, music, shooting sports, hunter safety, outdoor sports, and much more.
Especially for areas where farm animals are not allowed or are difficult to keep, it is important to offer different opportunities. We teach so that the member in turn can teach others, we learn by doing, and we do community service to pay it forward. Members are ages 9-19, with mini-members eligible to start at age 7.
Contact your local 4-H Program office for more information. There will be a state office that oversees the county offices and the county oversees the clubs. Each club may have one or more Community Club Leaders who manage club paperwork and general club maintenance. Each club then has projects they offer dependent upon adult volunteers. Generally, the club will have a monthly meeting and each project will have a monthly meeting (may be more or less frequent depending on the project). Member dues are collected by the club and then turned over to the county which in turn turns it over to the 4H state office. As technology and trainings are increasing, member dues are being used to maintain the technology and for insurance purposes. I reside in California and am a leader for Madera County. Things may be different in your region.
There are non-animal competitions as well. Some are built into the county fair such as arts & crafts, cooking/baking, floriculture, vegetable gardening, ag mechanics, dog obedience and agility, and more. Others have their own venue such as Fashion Revue, Mechanical Skills Day, Favorite Foods Day, and State Field Day. There are also other opportunities like joining a livestock judging team, summer camp, leadership camps, as well as educational trips such as Washington Focus and California Focus trips.
Madera County also hosts Horse Expo, Small Animal Expo, and Large Animal Expo to test your knowledge and skills for your animal.
As our social and economic climate is changing, so has our 4-H. Technology is making membership enrollment a bit easier and leader trainings are now online. The way of paper and pencil is fading, yielding to the electronic Record Book. Funding is also fading and from what I understand, our county program has 2 years to find a way to support our own county office staff (there is only 1) and fund our program. At the club level, clubs fundraise to create their own funds to help support the members. Funds are used to subsidize member dues (which have risen from $16/member about a decade ago to the $54/member it is today). It is still more affordable than most extra-curricular activities like sports, dance, or martial arts.
For more information, check out our local 4-H Office if you reside in Madera County, California:
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