Franklin County Missouri 4-H

Franklin County 4-H members ages 8-18 are invited to join the Franklin County 4-H Beekeeping Project. Project meeting dates are July 7, 9, 14, 16, & 21 at 6 p.m. in Lonedell, MO. There is no cost to join but you must RSVP to Julie at [email protected] or by calling the Franklin County MU Extension at 636-583-5141.

It's a beautiful summer day and the perfect time to share another great 4-H story! Meet Kelsey of New Haven 4-H Club. She enjoyed the foods project last year and even took a special field trip to St. Louis to see some of the awesome markets that carry everything you can imagine and more!

"My favorite 4-H experience was going to St. Louis for the foods project field trip on Mrs. Connie's bus. We went to Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and World Market. My favorite was World Market because it was a very cute place. I bought a star fruit and got to try it for the very first time."

There certainly is a lot to see and taste when you visit the big markets of St. Louis. Keep exploring and trying new foods, Kelsey! We'd also like to give a special shout out to Connie Gildehaus for loading up her bus & taking her 4-H'ers on such a fun & educational outing! Watch out Miss Frizzle...Mrs. Connie's Magic School Bus is on the loose!

Summer vacation is here & we're gearing up for camps, fairs, and all the fun things 4-H brings in the summer! Here's another great 4-H story from a member who stays active with her projects and made a great friend at camp last summer. Meet Morgan of Go Hog Wild 4-H Club.

"Hi! My name is Morgan. I am in the Go Hog Wild 4-H Club. My favorite experience this year was being able to raise hogs at our house. We got to be with them every day to feed them, clean their pen, and develop a relationship with them even more! Any time I wanted to see my pigs, I could just go see them & didn't have to drive anywhere. The project that I learned the most from was the bacon project. Even though I have done the project other years, I learned more on how it is cured, and we got to look and see where the bacons hang and all that cool stuff. My favorite part though was having the labels printed out that said, "Morgan's Bacon". Another one of my favorite experiences was 4-H day camp because everyone is so nice, kind and everyone wants to make new friends. I made one great friend this year at 4-H day camp, and she ended up moving to my community. Now we go to the same school and are best friends. That is very cool!"

Thanks, Morgan, for sharing what you learned & enjoyed last year in 4-H! We love even more to hear about the friendships that are formed at camp and other 4-H events. That is "very cool"!

Happy Memorial Day to all! Our St. Pat's King & Queen, Kolton & Hazel, were looking sharp for the Memorial Day Parade in Union this morning. It was great to see so many people come out to honor those who have given their all serving their country! ❤️🤍💙

It may be the first Monday of summer vacation, but we're not taking a break from sharing all the great 4-H stories that we've collected this year. We want you to meet Easton of Campbellton Livestock 4-H Club. He made some great memories last year showing his bucket calf at the fair. Check out his story below.

"I showed my bottle calf, Midnight, at the Washington Fair. I liked feeding him every morning before school and every night after dinner. I liked showing at the fair with my friends. My neighbors helped me learn how to show Midnight, and I practiced with him a lot. I liked answering the judge's questions and walking around the arena. Our 4-H meetings were also fun! I had a great first year of 4-H!"

It sounds like you had a great first year, Easton! Raising a bucket calf is a lot of hard work. It's so great that your neighbors were able to help you learn all about showing Midnight, too! We can't wait to see you at the fair this summer!

The deadline to register for the Meramec Community Fair Archery Tournament is fast approaching! Sign up in FairEntry by Friday, May 22nd. The tournament will be held on Wednesday, June 24th at the Meramec Community Fairgrounds behind the swine barns and city equipment sheds. Cost is $5 to participate which should be paid at the archery shoot during check in. The tournament begins at 6:30 p.m. Please arrive 15 minutes early. Youth must be enrolled 4-H members who have been participating with a certified leader. Archery leaders will sign off on members who are eligible to participate. Please reach out to the Franklin County MU Extension with questions or for more information!

It's Monday once again and time to spread a little 4-H cheer! Meet, Sadie, a 5th year member of Jeffriesburg 4-H Club. She's a creative kid who enjoys cake decorating.

"I have loved the last few years that I have been in 4-H. There are so many activities you can do. My personal favorite activity is cake decorating. I made an Easter bunny cake for Easter. It's our traditional cake we make every year. I also made my birthday cake this year with cats on it. We just did a beach themed cake. It was fun to learn how to make the blue icing and decorate it ourselves. Karen is the best teacher! She always knows when we need help. My least favorite part is that we don't get to lick the icing off our fingers. But other than that, I love 4-H!"

Thank you, Sadie, for sharing what you love about 4-H! We're happy to hear that you are making cakes on your own at home as well. Keep up the good work!

Don't forget to register for 4-H Day Camp and 4-H Clover Kids Camp this summer! The last day to register in 4-H Online is Friday, May 15th. Day camp for 4-H ages 8-13 will be held on July 21st. Clover Kids Camp for ages 5-7 will be held on July 24th. Both camps will be held at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO. Camp is open to Franklin and Gasconade County 4-H members. Cost is $35 for either camp. Clover Kids have the option to spend the night with a parent for an additional $20. Bus transportation is available for day camp only. T-shirt, lunch, drinks, snacks, crafts, and activities are included for both camps. Don't miss out on the fun! For more information, reach out to the Franklin County MU Extension at 636-583-5141. Register by following this link to 4-H Online:
https://v2.4honline.com/ #/user/sign-in

Calling all Franklin County 4-H poultry and rabbit exhibitors! Join us on Sunday, May 17th at 3 p.m. at the J.C. Pavilion in Union (530 Clark Avenue) for the Small Animal & Poultry Clinic and Fun Show. There will be presentations on animal care & showmanship followed by a fun show. There will be attendance prizes and trophies awarded. Youth are encouraged to bring their animals. Anyone who plans to show poultry at Meramec Community Fair or Washington Town & Country Fair should plan to bring their birds for pullorum testing starting at 2 p.m. Testing is FREE but mandatory to show at the fairs. Contact the Franklin County MU Extension at 636-583-5141 for more information.

Happy Monday morning to all! It's time to share another great 4-H story. This week, our featured 4-H member is Luke of Campbellton Livestock 4-H Club. Luke is a 7th year member who enjoys showing hogs at the fair and is passionate about agriculture.

"This year in 4-H was a great experience for me. I focused on my hog project and also got to take part in the ag tour, which taught me different aspects of farming and agriculture. Our leaders helped us along the way and made sure we stayed on track, which I really appreciated. I also had a lot of fun hanging out with friends and meeting new people through 4-H. Overall, it was an awesome year, and I'm excited to keep learning and growing in the program."

Thank you, Luke, for sharing your 4-H story with us. We're glad that you are taking part in extra opportunities that are available to learn about farming and agriculture! Keep up the good work!