K-State Research and Extension

Below are the scheduled meeting dates for the 4-H Councils in Post Rock District. Dates, times and locations are subject to change and members will be notified in a timely manner.

Osborne County 4-H Council
Meetings are at the Osborne Extension Office at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise stated. 

June 3, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Smith County 4-H Council
Meetings are at the Smith County Courthouse 
June 23 at 2:00 p.m. 

Applications are now open for the 2024 K-State Animal Science Leadership Academy. The goal of this academy will be to further develop young leaders within the livestock industry and prepare them for a successful future in this field. The four-day experience for selected teens is hosted by the K-State Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. In 2024 the program will be held June 5-8. Applications must be postmarked by April 15. Find all the details at the KASLA event website.

National 4-H has some great learn-at-home activities to explore interesting topics and have fun! Checkout the CLOVER experiences at 4-h.org/clover/.

Post Rock District county fairs will be here soon! Be watching your email for important reminders. We are also using the PRD 4-H Insider Experience Facebook Groupto post reminders. Do not hesitate to reach out to your local Extension Office if you have any questions. If you are new to 4-H or new to a project, navigating the county fair can be confusing. Post Rock District staff, your club leader, and our entire 4-H family are here to help you!

County Fair Websites: www.postrock.k-state.edu/4-h/county-fairs/Visit your fair website to find the online fairbooks, forms, and more... updated as available!

Discovery Days will be June 5-7 at the K-State Campus in
Manhattan. The exciting event is for youth ages 13-18 years old.
Post Rock District will provide a staff chaperone and
transportation to and from Discovery Days. At Discover Days,
youth learn new ideas, techniques, and skills they can use
personally and in their 4-H clubs or groups and communities.
Participants will gain in-depth training through hands-on
educational sessions from content and youth development
experts. Discovery Days will prepare youth to make informed
decisions about their careers and college path, and so much
more! Register by May 5. Sign-up early to have the best choice of
sessions. Find the schedule, sessions, and online registration
link at the Kansas 4-H Discovery Days website. After registering,
you will need to pay your local 4-H Council your registration fee.

Post Rock District’s 4-H Dog Project Leader, Kelli Burrus, will be hosting spring Dog Project meetings on Sundays - June 2, 16, & 23- at 3:00 p.m. at the Osborne County Fairgrounds covered arena. 4-H members can work with their dog on showmanship, obedience and rally obedience, and/or prepare for the 2024 Post Rock District 4-H Dog Show which will be July 22. There will also be a dog project workshop and state fair 4-H qualifying dog show in Phillips County on June 22 (more details to come). Contact Kim Naber with questions at kimn@ksu.edu.

Flyer

The 2024 Dr. Bob Hines Kansas Swine Classic is scheduled for July 12-13 in Manhattan. This two‐day event includes an educational swine skillathon, photography contest, showmanship, and a prospect and market hog show. Registration deadline is June 24th. The flyer is available at KSUswine.org.

Kansas 4-H is once again providing the equine webinar series. Each month there will be a virtual learning experience for all things equine. You can register to participate in the live Zoom or watch recordings. More details are on the Kansas 4-H project experience’s website.

The Geology Field Trip will be June 14-16 and is open to 4-H Geology project members and their families. All attending youth/adults must register by May 24. The headquarters for this trip are at Trego Community High School, WaKeeney, KS. A variety of workshops and activities are planned for Friday and Saturday evenings. Many stops are planned on the Field Trip Saturday and Sunday. Project members are encouraged to participate in judging and quiz bowl. Details and registration are on the Kansas 4-H event webpage.

The Kansas 4-H Horse Safety Webinar and Quiz is available for member review and preparation. Youth must be enrolled in the horse project via 4-H Online before completing. All youth planning to compete in the 2024 State Fair 4-H Horse Show must watch the video and receive a passing score on the quiz before submitting a horse entry. This is a great state-level learning opportunity for all youth in the 4-H horse project! Find more details on the Kansas 4-H Horse Project’s website.

The Kansas 4-H Insect Spectacular, a two-day state-wide entomology workshop, will be held June 21-22 in Hays. The event is open to all youth and adult volunteers interested in 4-H entomology! Classes will include basic pinning, basic and advanced identification, insect photography, and much more. A parent or legal guardian must register and attend with their 4-H'er. For more information and to register, go to the Insect Spectacular website. Registration deadline is May 30.

The Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes is in Manhattan on August 17-18. It includes the state 4-H livestock judging contest, meat judging contest, livestock skillathon, and livestock quiz bowl in one action-packed weekend. 4-H'ers can test their knowledge and display their expertise in a variety of livestock-related events. This is also the qualifying event to select youth who will represent Kansas at each of the national 4-H contests. All entries must be submitted through local extension units by August 1.

Contact your local Extension Office if you want to participate. We register you from the extension office as Post Rock District, and these are due by August 1. We can combine youth from across Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne and Smith counties into Post Rock District teams. Adult volunteers are needed to serve as coaches if any teams sign-up. If there is enough interest we can assist coaches with coordinating district-wide educational practices. Post Rock District does not provide transportation to Sweepstakes and all costs are at the expense of the participants. Additionally, we do not provide transportation or organize teams for any competitions leading up to the Sweepstakes (outside of your county fair offerings), yet we are happy to help connect you with other youth/families exploring these opportunities.

The State 4-H Horse Show will be on September 12 - 14. Entries are due August 1 via Kansas State Fair’s ShoWorks entry system. Exhibitors must have completed ALL qualifications prior to August 1, including completing the Horse Safety Webinar and Exam. The guide “Are You Ready for the Kansas State Horse Show?” is helpful for setting goals and to help determine the level of exhibition for state level competition. Find it and many other resources on the Kansas 4-H horse project website. The complete schedule for the 2024 Kansas State 4-H Horse Show can be found at the Kansas 4-H State Fair website.

KSU Horse Judging Team’s One Day Advanced Camp is June 13 at the Stanley Stout Center. This is for 4-H and FFA youth with experience in giving reasons or participating in horse judging competitions who are looking to seriously enhance their knowledge. Registration closes May 24. For more information visit the judging camp website.

The K-State Livestock Judging Team camp sessions will be June 3-5 and June 10-12. In addition to evaluating livestock, this camp focuses on reason development and presentation, as well as incorporating performance data into the decision-making process. It is open to youth 14-18 years old. Prior livestock judging experience is necessary for this camp. Additional details and registration forms are on the Champions Livestock Judging Camp website. Registration is open.

I am excited to share the flyer for the NW Kansas 4-H Dog Conference & Show, which our Phillips-Rooks District will be hosting at the Phillips County Fairgrounds on June 22nd. It will offer a rotation of three workshops in the morning: Adventures in Agility, Ready for Rally Obedience and Paws Together for Service (a service project for area animal shelters). In the afternoon, we will have a State Fair qualifying dog show for Agility and Rally Obedience ONLY. The workshops will be designed with the beginner in mind, but will be appropriate for all experience levels. We will be offering the on-leash levels of Pre-Agility and Rally Obedience I that are not State Fair eligible for true beginners who would like to give it a try. Attending workshops (with or without a dog) only or show only will also be an option.

Lunch is not included, but concessions will be available and exhibitors may also choose to bring in food. We do ask that every youth bringing a dog be accompanied by an adult chaperone (can be responsible for a group) who they will need to specify during the registration process. Adults do not need to register to attend the conference and there will be no charge for them to do so. You will find additional details on the flyer. Further information and rules can be found in the Qualtrics during the registration process. Please share this with youth enrolled in the Dog Project. Questions to Cindy Walker, 785--543-6845

The Kansas Range Youth Camp will be June 11-14 at Camp Mennoscah in Murdock, KS. Upcoming
sophomore, junior and senior high school students are eligible to attend and learn range plant identification, plant growth, stocking rate determinations, livestock nutrition, rangeland wildlife management, and much more! Registration is due May 12. Space is limited. Learn more at the camp's website.

Off to the Races Adventure Lab is Tuesday, June 4 in Burr Oak at the Burr Oak Library. For all school-age youth. The youth will practice Steam concepts as youth strategically build racers and complete energizing challenges. Come problem-solve wile developing leadership skills and having fun! Registerat bit.ly/24OffToTheRacesAdventureLab.

aMAZE Adventure Lab is June 18 in Sylvan Grove at Sylvan Grove Library. For all school-age youth. The youth will practice STEAM concepts related to mazes. Come problem-solve while building leadership shills and have fun! Register at bit.ly/24aMAZEAdventureLab.

Garden To Table Day Camp is June 4 in Beloit at the fairground’s 4-H Building from 8:00 a.m. to Noon. All youth entering Preschool - 3rd Grade in the fall are welcome! Explore growing plants, healthy eating, creativity and having fun! Register and pay the $5.00 fee (due to PostRock District) to secure your spot by May 16 at https://bit.ly/GardenToTableDayCamp. Space is limited. This camp is hosted by Mitchell County 4-H Council.

Imaginarium Day Camp is Tuesday, June 11 at Glen Elder at Glen Elder City Library. All school-age youth are welcome! Youth will let imaginations thrive through a variety of exciting, hands-on activities that are sure to bring out creativity this summer! Participants will explore art, photography, nature, and leadership throughout the energizing day camp experience. Space is limited. Register by June 11 at bit.ly/24ImaginariumDayCamp.

Investigation Station Day Camp is Tuesday, June 25 at Kensington at St. John Lutheran Church. For youth entering grades 1-6 in the fall. Investigation Station summer day camp will challenge youth to collaborate while applying skills in investigation and innovation. Participants will explore basic principles of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) while further developing mindfulness and a growth mindset. Practice leadership and increase confidence during the energizing day camp experience! Space is limited. Register by June 17 at bit.ly/24InvestigationStationDayCamp.

Discovery Quest Day Camp is Thursday, June 27 in Lincoln at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. For all youth entering grades 1-6 in the fall. Spark curiosity and creativity in youth through compelling quests. Hands-on activities will challenge youth to problem-solve using principles of science, math, art, teamwork, and more as they embark on a mission to discover fun and friends this summer. Space is limited. Register by June 19 at bit.ly/24DiscoveryQuestDayCamp.

Shopping in Style Workshopis Wednesday, June 19 in Downs at the State Bank basement meeting room. All School-age youth are welcome! Youth will build confidence to show off their personality in a respectful and vibrant manner. Participants will learn how to build a versatile wardrobe that makes each individual feel good while reaching goals and being mindful of money. Register at bit.ly/24ShoppinginStyleWorkshop. Space is limited!

Super Sitter Workshop is Thursday, June 13 in Mankato at the Mankato Library. All 2nd grade - High School youth are welcome. This workshop will support the growth and confidence of youth babysitters, kids helping with younger siblings, and those who find enjoyment playing with littles. Register at bit.ly/24SuperSitterWorkshopMankato.

Super Sitter Workshop is Tuesday, June 18 in Sylvan Grove at the Sylvan Gove Library. All 2nd grade - High School youth are welcome. The workshop is focused on helping youth understand the ages and stages of child development (infant through school-age) while exploring safe, interactive play and engagement activities. Register at bit.ly/24SuperSitterWorkshopSylvanGrove.

Post Rock District will host an annual district-wide dog show in place of five separate 4-H dog shows at each county fair. To help avoid other fair events, it has been changed to Monday, July 8, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. at the Osborne County Fairgrounds in Osborne. Pre-registration is due by end of day Monday, June 24th. This is a state qualifying show. Follow PostRock District 4-H events webpage for updates.

Each 4-H Council in the Post Rock District will designate a pre-fair entry deadline. The pre-fair deadline is when all project exhibits must be designated for the class which will be shown at the county fair. Entries can be dropped, but not added after the pre-fair deadline. Any project areas not required by 4-H Council to meet the pre-fair entry deadline will submit entry requirements at the project’s fair check-in time. The 4-H Council will have an exhibit entry card or form designated in the fair book which will be used to meet the entry requirements for each project area. This will be used to describe the exhibit and articulate class of exhibition.

• Jewell County: June 20th.
• Lincoln County: July 1st.
• Mitchell County: July 8th.
• Osborne County: July 8th.
• Smith County: July 1st.

Kansas 4-H Camp registration is open for the summer 2024 season! 4-H camp sessions are posted at www.rockspringsranch4hcamp.org. There are over night camps for rising 3rd through 12th graders that include three-night or five-night sessions. There is a new two-night option for rising 1st through 3rd graders. Rock Springs Ranch even has Family Camp session opportunities! Another new opportunity this year is week-long specialty camps - a Ranch Camp and Shooting Sports Camp -where the camps are designed to further develop skills in campers’ desired areas of growth. Interested participants will register directly with Rock Springs Ranch through the website. Before you register, contact your local Extension Office and your club leader. There may be club or county-level event scholarships available. 

4-H Camp Counselor in Training (CIT) participants can receive a full-ride scholarship in 2024! This is the final year for the full-ride scholarship provided by a donor through Rock Springs Ranch/Kansas 4-H Foundation. Teens age 16 to 17- years, especially rising 12th graders, may participate. Participants will receive camper care training and counselor experience, in addition to "camp" time with peers.

There are a variety of 4-H shooting sports activities going on by our Post Rock District certified instructors. Youth are required to participate in practices and learning experiences with a certified instructor in order to be eligible to compete. Contact Tonia at tiunderw@ksu.edu if you have questions. Post Rock District is organizing an Archery Qualifier to take place at Waconda Lake the morning of Sunday, July 21. Youth must qualify in shooting sports disciplines in order to attend a state match. Qualifiers scheduled around the state are posted at the Kansas 4-H Shooting Sports website as information becomes available.

The State 4-H Horticulture Judging Contest will be held on Saturday, August 10 in Manhattan (tentative date). The contest is hosted for the day by the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources. The objective of 4-H Horticulture Judging is for members to grow in their ability to think, to reason, and to make logical and scientific judgments, through plant identification, knowledge testing and judging classes. Interested youth should notify their Extension Office so we can form district teams. Adult volunteer coaches are also needed. If you want to participate, we can connect you with study resources. For more information, go to the State 4-H Horticulture Judging website.

Kansas 4-H is planning a lot of exciting activities across the state to help you dive into project learning. State 4-H events each have a dedicated webpage where the latest information is posted as it becomes available: www.kansas4-h.org/events-activities/. It’s also recommended to watch the Kansas 4-H Facebook page for important announcements about state events!

• Geology Field Trip is June 14-16 in Northwest Kansas
• Insect Spectacular is June 21-22 in Hays
• State Horticulture Judging Contest is August 10 in Manhattan
• Wheat Expo is August 12 in Manhattan
• Livestock Sweepstakes are August 17-18 in Manhattan

All market animals and commercial females youth would like to be eligible for the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive and/or Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS) must be nominated. The Kansas Youth Livestock Program website outlines the State Livestock Nomination Process under the "Nomination Information" tab. Families are highly encouraged to use the resources available, especially the Rookie Guide.

The nomination process transitioned to an online system in 2022, so there are no longer physical forms for families to complete and mail. Families will purchase DNA envelopes in advance, submit their animal and exhibitor information online, then mail their completed and signed DNA samples by the deadline. Extension Agents and FFA Advisors will approve nominations online. Exhibitors who nominated animals in past years (2022 or 2023) need to use their existing ShoWorks account. Those who need help accessing their account may request a password reset through ShoWorks or contact the Kansas Youth Livestock Program for assistance. Returning exhibitors should not create a new account. The ShoWorks website is https:/kansasnom.fairwire.com/.

Grand Drive and KJLS Important Dates:

• June 5:Last Day to Order Small Livestock DNA Envelopes
• June 15:Small Livestock Nominations Due & DNA Postmarked

- Market Swine, Commercial Gilt

- Market Lamb, Commercial Ewe

- ALL Meat Goat (Market & Breeding)

• June 15:Commercial Heifer Nominations Due
• June 15:Registered Breeding Heifer Papers in Exhibitor’s Name
• June 15:Registered Breeding Gilt Papers in Exhibitor’s Name
• July 1:Registered Breeding Ewe Papers in Exhibitor’s Name
• July 15:Kansas State Fair Grand Drive Entry Deadline
• July 25:Kansas State Fair Grand Drive Late Entry Deadline
• August 15:KJLS Entry Deadline
• August 25:KJLS Late Entry Deadline
• September 6 - 8: Kansas State Fair Grand Drive
• September 27-29:Kansas Junior Livestock Show

The 2024 Kansas 4-H Wheat Expo will be held Monday, August 12 at Pottorf Hall in Manhattan, KS. The day includes contests and exhibit opportunities for Crops ID, Photography, Foods, Wheat, Project Displays, and Cloverbuds. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn more about Kansas wheat through tours of industry partners. The cost will be $10 per person and registration is online at https://bit.ly/3Wrq7Uh. Registration is required by July 25th.For additional information and to register go the Kansas 4-H event webpage.