Feature Programs
2019 Special Gardening Project
The Special Gardening Project is an opportunity for 4-H members to grow unusual and fun projects in their gardens. Each year, a new plant is selected as the focus for all members enrolled in the project. Youth receive seeds which they plant and cultivate using project resources provided throughout the experience. Youth then have the opportunity to exhibit cut flowers or harvested vegetables or present their experience through a poster or report. The project is designed to challenge youth interested in horticulture by introducing them to new and unique growing experiences and foster real-world problem-solving skills through a guided horticultural experience.
This year the Special Gardening Project is focused on the unique Carmine Splendor Okra. Carmine Splendor Okra is as unique as it is tasty. This plant is high yielding and produces uniform, red pods. The stout 5-pointed pods are deep red when small and at the best eating quality. The tropical-looking, pinkish flowers are also edible and have a sweet, mild flavor. The mature seed pods also give a fun twist for winter interest in a container.
To participate in this year's Special Gardening Project, youth must enroll in the project through 4-H Online and contact their local Extension office to order seeds prior to February 1. There is a small enrollment fee of $0.50 for this project which covers the cost of seeds.
Pick Your Project
The Pick Your Project is an online database and selection guide for finding 4-H projects and their resources. Users can search for projects by keywords or browse by curriculum area, knowledge level, and geographic level.
Looking for a printable list of Nebraska 4-H projects? Download the 2019 Nebraska 4-H Project Listing.
2019 Enrollment Now Open!
Enrollment is now open for the 2019 program year! Enrollment is not required for many 4-H programs and events. However, club and independent members are required to officially enroll through 4-H Online each year to maintain membership. By enrolling youth have the opportunity to participate in county fairs, the Nebraska State Fair, and additional statewide activities and events. Club and project leaders must also enroll through 4-H Online each year. There is no state-level fee for officially enrolling. However, some counties or clubs may implement their own annual fees. Additionally, each county implements their own enrollment deadlines. Please contact your local 4-H office for more information.
Enrollment instructions are available for new club members, returning club members, new club leaders, and returning club leaders.
Club of the Month - September
This month we would like to congratulate the I-80 Livestock 4-H Club for being awarded the Nebraska 4-H Club of the Month for September 2018. This club from Aurora, Nebraska, in Hamilton County, has truly made a difference in its community. The club is dedicated to building strong citizenship and teamwork through various activities.
This club formed several years ago when independent 4-H’ers were looking for a club experience. Over the last three years, this club has grown from three families to six! All summer the seven-member club competed in competitions, attended training sessions on fitting and fed and maintained their cattle.
The group started with just 4-H bucket calves and has since grown the herd to around 40. The club has members that have attained their AI certification, completed over 400 hours of community service work and have learned how to decide what genetics they want in their herd.
Two of the club members are junior leaders and two are shooting sports ambassadors for the state of Nebraska. Four of the six are also FFA members. Three of the members have shown at the state fair for the last 4 years! They do all this while maintaining stellar GPA’s in school.
The club leader began with two bucket calves and two members. He has loaned his bucket calves to other Clover Kids to show, helped haul other people’s cattle, and never says “no” when needed to lend a helping hand. He is the leader of the junior leaders, he attends PASE Life Challenge, works with FFA as a judge for districts and just finished up his third year as a member of 4-H Council.
Everyone in this club works hard at school and at home, helps with community events and promotes 4-H and leadership.
The Nebraska 4-H Foundation provides the 4-H Club of the Month program to all Nebraska 4-H clubs throughout the state. Clubs can nominate themselves by telling why their club should be chosen as Club of the Month. A different club will be chosen each month and will be awarded a certificate and $50 cash card. For more information visit the Nebraska 4-H Foundation website or email ne4hclubofthemonth@gmail.com.
Club of the Month - August
This month we would like to congratulate the Eager Achievers 4-H Club for being awarded the Nebraska 4-H Club of the Month for August 2018. This club from Hampton, Nebraska, in Hamilton County, has truly made a difference in its community. The club is dedicated to building strong citizenship and teamwork through various activities.
The Eager Achievers complete one major community service activity each year, along with several smaller projects. This year the club’s major project was making 40 first aid kits and delivering them to the local backpack program. The club realized that if families have trouble providing food for their families on the weekends, they probably have trouble providing band-aids and other emergency medical supplies. Along with providing the kits, the 4-H members participated in a first aid workshop led by a 4-H dad who is an EMT. Some members also became CPR certified that day. The backpack program was very appreciative of this donation.
The club’s smaller service activities have included making centerpieces for a local nursing home, making Christmas tree ornaments for the Plainsman Museum Christmas festivities, having a bake sale with a total of $303.25 being sent to hurricane relief in Puerto Rico, making Valentines for Vets, making and donating a basket for the silent auction at the Plainsman museum annual fundraiser, collecting items for the local Adopt A Pet organization, helping at the Can-Care-A-Van by collecting food, sorting and storing the donations, selling concessions once a month at the local volunteer-run movie theater, and the usual county fair clean-up and working at the 4-H food stand at the fair. Each member volunteers to be the chairman or co-chairman of one the community service activities.
The Nebraska 4-H Foundation provides the 4-H Club of the Month program to all Nebraska 4-H clubs throughout the state. Clubs can nominate themselves by telling why their club should be chosen as Club of the Month. A different club will be chosen each month and will be awarded a certificate and $50 cash card. For more information visit the Nebraska 4-H Foundation website or e-mail ne4hclubofthemonth@gmail.com.
Club of the Month - July
This month we would like to congratulate the Driftwood Feeders 4-H Club for being awarded the Nebraska 4-H Club of the Month for July 2018. This club from McCook, Nebraska, in Red Willow county, has truly made a difference in its community. The club is dedicated to building strong citizenship and teamwork through various activities.
The Driftwood Feeders 4-H Club members recently got busy with the paint brushes at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. When the fair board was asked if they had a community service project for a 4-H’er, they replied that the 19 letter boards for the grandstand needed to be replaced. The fair board provided the materials and the 4-H members got busy painting. Because the boards were new, it involved priming both sides of the board before the letters could be painted on. The 4-H'ers can be proud at fair time that their efforts contributed to sprucing up the grandstand.
The Club also hosted the Dog Days in McCook show in June to provide the dog project members–ranging from Imperial to Kearney to Hastings–a chance to practice their show ring skills in a show format prior to the county and state fair shows. The money raised from the show will be used to purchase the agility equipment needed by the members. The club also provides agility equipment to the Nebraska State Fair 4-H dog show.
Members plan on recording public service announcements at both local radio stations. These announcements will be used to promote the various 4-H shows, contests, and activities before and during the county fair.
The Nebraska 4-H Foundation provides the 4-H Club of the Month program to all Nebraska 4-H clubs throughout the state. Clubs can nominate themselves by telling why their club should be chosen as Club of the Month. A different club will be chosen each month and will be awarded a certificate and $50 cash card. For more information visit the Nebraska 4-H Foundation website or e-mail ne4hclubofthemonth@gmail.com.
Club of the Month - June
This month we would like to congratulate the Round ‘Em Up Cattle Club for being awarded the Nebraska 4-H Club of the Month for June 2018. This club from Gretna, Nebraska, in Sarpy County, has truly made a difference in its community. The club is dedicated to building strong citizenship and teamwork through various activities.
What started out nearly 20 years ago, with only a few kids, the 4-H club has grown in size and diversity. The Round ‘Em Up Cattle Club, founded by Monte Stauffer, has been active in many projects that represent what 4-H in Nebraska stands for.
The kids take on the huge responsibility of caring for their animals, which is a challenging and rewarding experience. Many kids take care of and show several different animals at the local fairs.
Not only are the kids active with their animals but also in their community. Meetings begin in late January to start planning for the upcoming year. One of the many community service projects members are involved in is making and passing out Valentine’s Day cards and treats to the residents at the local community living center.
In addition to this service project, the kids raise money throughout the year and vote on local charities that are important to them to give the donations to. In 2017, the funds raised were donated to buy craft supplies for the Omaha Children’s Hospital. The second organization the money was used for was to prepare care packages that included essentials daily items. These were then donated to Least Of My Brethren, a charity for the homeless located in Elkhorn. After a tornado caused severe damage to the Town and Country Humane Society in Sarpy County, donations such as food, toys, and beds were taken to the Humane Society for the animals.
Funds were also used to purchase plaques that were presented to the winners at the Sarpy County Fair. Finally, blankets, scarves, and hats were made and taken to Open Door Mission Lydia House in Omaha, which is an emergency shelter for women and families.
The Round ’Em Up Cattle Club represents how our heads, hearts, hands, and health are committed to our clubs, communities, country, and the world.
The Nebraska 4-H Foundation provides the 4-H Club of the Month program to all Nebraska 4-H clubs throughout the state. Clubs can nominate themselves by telling why their club should be chosen as Club of the Month. A different club will be chosen each month and will be awarded a certificate and $50 cash card. For more information visit the Nebraska 4-H Foundation website or e-mail ne4hclubofthemonth@gmail.com.
Club of the Month - May
This month we would like to congratulate the Bordeaux Trappers for being awarded the Nebraska 4-H Club of the Month for May 2018. This club from Chadron, Nebraska, in Dawes County, has truly made a difference in its community. The club is dedicated to building strong citizenship and teamwork through various activities.
The Bordeaux Trappers have been very busy this year! They visited the local assisted living center, Prairie Pines, and nursing home, Crest View Care Center, to show the residents the projects they have worked on during the 4-H year. They also networked with local businesses and asked for donations for the yearly giveaway table at their annual Shooting Sports competition held in March.
The biggest project for this club is the annual Parade of Lights event held in December. This is the third straight year the club has participated in this event. The past two years they have decorated a float and handed out stuffed animals along the parade route. This year, they decided to take the project a step further. With the help of several local volunteers and 4-H members, they crocheted and knitted hats and scarves to give away to kids along the parade route. The club wrapped 270 boxes total filled with the hats, scarves, gloves and stuffed animals. They also handed out candy to children after presents were given out. It is very rewarding for this club to know that they are giving back to their community.
The Nebraska 4-H Foundation provides the 4-H Club of the Month program to all Nebraska 4-H clubs throughout the state. Clubs can nominate themselves by telling why their club should be chosen as Club of the Month. A different club will be chosen each month and will be awarded a certificate and $50 cash card. For more information go to the Nebraska 4-H Foundation website or e-mail ne4hclubofthemonth@gmail.com.
Congratulations Nebraska 4-H
Nebraska has claimed second place in the National 4-H Raise Your Hand campaign. With over 14,000 hands raised, Nebraska 4-H is being awarded $10,000 to help provide hands-on learning experiences to more youth across the state. Thank you to all the 4-H alumni and friends who raised their hands for Nebraska!
Club of the Month - April
This month we would like to congratulate the Bunker Hillbillies 4-H Club for being awarded the Nebraska 4-H Club of the Month for April 2018. This club from Sidney, Nebraska, in Cheyenne County, has truly made a difference in its community. The club is dedicated to building strong citizenship and teamwork through various activities.
The Bunker Hillbillies 4-H club is a club that has progressively grown within the 4-H program. It is a very small club, with only 22 members; however the club does many activities, both community and club-related throughout the year so that our members continue to learn new practices. Members of the club are very versatile; there are many different expertise’s within the club.
In the past couple of years the club has picked a focus every year. They make community partnerships that have knowledge in the area of focus that can teach members different skills and tips that make them stand out among their peers. With this learning experience, the club also incorporates a project that tests the mastery of that focus. For example, last year members focused on baking. They had a local baking entrepreneur teach the members skills in cake decorating. The club then held a member “bake-off” to test the knowledge that was learned throughout the experience.
The club is also focused on giving back to the community through service pojects. In the past, they have painted around the county fairgrounds, served ice cream at the local rehabilitation center, and planted flowers at the local library. As stated in the introduction, this club may be small in size but is mighty in drive.
The Nebraska 4-H Foundation provides the 4-H Club of the Month program to all Nebraska 4-H clubs throughout the state. Clubs can nominate themselves by telling why their club should be chosen as Club of the Month. A different club will be chosen each month and will be awarded a certificate and $50 cash card. For more information go to the Nebraska 4-H Foundation website or e-mail ne4hclubofthemonth@gmail.com.