Welcome to March! There's so much to look forward to in this month. We celebrate Women's History all month. 3/8 is InterNational Women's Day, a good day to learn about Women in other cultures. 3/14 is Pi day! mmm...pie! 3/17 is St. Patrick's Day and your Program Assistant's birthday! important: Vernal Equinox is 3/20 at 10:46 AM - garden time!
Douglas County 4-H Members attended the 2026 4-H Citizenship in Action Conference on February 15 and 16, where they learned how the state legislative process works and how their voice and participation in decision-making can make a difference in their local communities. They spent Sunday evening debating a bill on both the Senate and House Floors of the Kansas Capitol and then spent Monday touring the Capitol, visiting with their legislators, and attending the Senate legislative session.
Any 4-H member can become a Project Award Finalist! Simply complete a Project Report Form, and you can start any year you are a member. As you gain experience, you’ll receive helpful feedback from judges to strengthen your report each year. That’s why we emphasize setting goals, keeping records and photos, and learning how to use ZBooks! Ask us for more information!
To enroll and add projects for the 2025-2026 4-H Year by May 1, go to: https://4honline.com/#/user/sign-in
If you did not get signed up by the deadline or slots were filled, but you are interested in competing, please email Nickie at nharding@ksu.edu by March 2. Event rules and presentation guidelines can be found at: https://www.douglas.k-state.edu/news-events/4h-news/4h-events/4-hclubdays.html.
Above is an at-a-glance guide for the spoken formal competitions on club day. For more in-depth rules and information on all competition areas, visit our webpage: https://www.douglas.k-state.edu/news-events/4h-news/4h-events/4-hclubdays.html. It is a great experience in public speaking and communication. All members are encouraged to select a project area for which they are enrolled and develop a presentation or demonstration. These can be given at club meetings, community events, trade and livestock shows.
4-H Project Skill-A-Thon Spring 2026! Youth will enjoy a morning of hands-on activities and projects while having fun learning new skills. Youth (recommended ages 5-10) will have the opportunity to experience various project areas as we complete activities as a group or in small break-out groups. Come learn about the 4-H Project areas from older 4-H members and volunteers! Registration link: https://bit.ly/20264HProjectSkillathon Registration Closes: March 6
Money Smarts is a hands-on financial literacy event designed for youth ages 11–14. Participants will explore real-world financial skills through fun, interactive stations. We are excited to have community leaders explain the basics of budgeting and help youth understand the true costs of owning a car. They will test their knowledge in a life-like simulation where they will roleplay the life of a young adult making monthly money decisions. The participants will visit stations to make essential spending choices for housing, transportation, food, childcare, insurance, and more. This event is organized by Douglas County 4-H Extension, SparkWheel, and LiveWell Douglas County. Lunch will be provided. Participants do not have to be enrolled as a 4-H member to participate. Contact Nancy at nnoyes@ksu.edu with any questions! To register by April 1, go to: https://bit.ly/dgco-money-smart
The following slides are upcoming county-wide project meetings. These are for any youth in the project or interested in learning more. Remember, you have until May 1st to add a project. Although it's better to enroll early, so you receive any project-specific emails and know when meetings are happening! Come out to your project meetings. You can learn a lot from your leader and other 4-H members while having fun! Please direct your questions to nnoyes@ksu.edu
Check out our new Facebook page! Douglas County, KS, Poultry Project. We hope to see you at our monthly meetings. These are held in the Dreher Family 4-H Building unless otherwise noted. These meetings are important for anyone who plans to show birds at the Douglas County Fair or participate in the Douglas County Poultry Judging Contest! They are educational and will make you a poultry whiz! For questions or information, reach out to Leader Janine at 785-330-3867 or j9dolphins@hotmail.com
The Horse Project Club meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. All winter meetings are held in the Dreher Family 4-H Building, starting at 6:30 p.m. In May, they will begin ride nights to prepare for the Douglas County Fair. The Douglas County Fair Horse Show will be held on Sunday, July 26. If you have any questions, please contact leader Bobbie Hinds at 515-480-3533 or email bobbiehinds@yahoo.com. The club's Facebook page is updated throughout the year with activities and can be found at Douglas County 4-H Horse Project Club
Report from Bobbie Hinds, Horse Project Club Leader: We spent the weekend at Rock Springs Ranch at the Kansas 4-H Horse Panorama! We had a great time and came home with lots of hardware! Thanks to all of the Extension employees, volunteers, and our parents who made this weekend possible. * Ad Layout Lane - Blue Morgan - Blue * Photography Morgan - Purple, Blue, Red * Poster Lane - Purple Morgan - Purple Joy - Purple *Power Point Lane - Purple Morgan - Purple Joy - Purple * Intermediate Hippology Joy - 6th Individual Douglas County Team 1, Joy, Lane & Morgan - 5th * Senior Team Hippology Kianna, Ruby & Alena (from Shawnee County) - 5th * Intermediate Quiz Bowl Joy - 1st * Open Quiz Bowl Ruby - 8th * Intermediate Project Talk Jackie - 2nd Morgan - 3rd Lane - 5th * Intermediate Illustrated Talk Joy - 2nd * Senior Public Speaking Ruby - 1st
The March meeting will be at the Project Skill-a-thon event and is an opportunity for you to share your knowledge of the project and plant information with younger youth. We need some volunteers to help with our sessions. We will be covering Horticulture, Crops, Ecology, and Forestry. We will do a color wheel of vegetables with the youth! It's going to be fun and interactive. What an excellent leadership opportunity! Learn more about the Plant Science project HERE. If you would like to help with the Horticulture session at Project Skill-a-Thon or have any questions, contact Nancy Noyes, Project Leader and 4-H Program Assistant, nnoyes@ksu.edu
We will hold two sessions each day. Younger, inexperienced sewists meet from 10 AM to noon. Members with sewing experience will meet from 1 pm to 3 pm. March 18 morning session: We will spend some time getting to know the sewing machine, learning to thread it, and wind the bobbin. We will practice sewing on paper, learning how to sew straight and curvy lines. We will then do a small take-home project using straight stitching. March 18 afternoon session: Please bring a project that you might need some help with, and then we will do a take-home project using zippers. Please sign up by March 1st if you plan to attend. A minimum of five attendees is required. The link to sign up is https://bit.ly/4HSEWING.
Participants in this project will learn how to care for a dog and how to train a dog in basic or advanced commands. Any kind of dog may be used in this unique project, which is not designed to conform to the American Kennel Club or other professional standards. Members without dogs may wish to participate in quiz bowls, conferences, and other activities that do not require owning a dog. To find more project information, go to: https://www.kansas4-h.org/projects/animal-science/dog/. Please direct any questions to Lauren Berg, Dog Project Club Leader. Lauren can be reached at 785-917-0226 or by email at laurenrberg@yahoo.com.
Please RSVP for this meeting by April 6 to Kjrsten at this email kjrstena@hotmail.com This meeting will focus on the 4-H Pets Projects, this includes hand pets and dogs and cats. There is a Pet Show at the Douglas County 4-H Fair!
RSVP for this meeting at: https://bit.ly/SwineProjectMeetings. We require a minimum of five attendees. Matt Kocher will lead the meeting with helpful information to assist Swine Project Members with their animals. Questions? Please email nharding@ksu.edu or call our office and speak with Nickie Harding. For any questions regarding YQCA training, contact Nancy nnoyes@ksu.edu. This is a great way to attend your meeting and become YQCA certified for the Douglas County Fair, Kansas State Fair, and Kansas Junior Livestock Show.
The K-State Extension Pesticide Safety and IPM Program is hosting it's annual insect-themed art contest, open to all ages and skill levels in Kansas. This year, the theme is "Metamorphosis Magic." The goal is to explore insects that go through complete and incomplete metamorphosis, then create artwork that fits the contest theme. We will select a winner from each of the outlined categories and one overall winner will be selected from those entries. Artists that have art selected as 1st - 3rd place winners will receive a certificate and a prize to recognize their achievement. Select artwork may be used to create educational items. • Kindergarten - 2nd grade • 3rd grade - 5th grade • 6th grade - 8th grade • 9th grade - 12th grade • Adults. Rules • Only one art entry per participant may be entered each year • A legible, completed entry form must accompany fill entries (use provided entry form) • Traditional illustrations must be on 8.5" x 11" flat paper; Digital art must be 8.5" x 11" print size • Participants may choose to email a jpg or png image of the entry if wanting to keep their original artwork; however, the image must be clear. The file should be named as the artist's name and age level (example: first name-last name, age level) • Entries must be the original work of the entrant - no traced or copyright protected images • Entries must feature an insect as the central point of focus that fits the contest theme • A legible, completed art label must be attached to original artwork (use provided art label) • Entries must be postmarked or received by April 15, 2026
Here is some information for our 4-H Rockhounds. Firstly, we want to share the Kansas State 4-H Geology Leaders Newsletter. There are upcoming events, so check them out! Are you familiar with Junior Rockhounds of the Topeka Gem & Mineral Society? I have had discussions with group members over the years at the KC Gem Shows, and I have been impressed by their knowledge and educational opportunities. For more information, go to: https://www.topekagms.org/junior-rockhounds. You can also visit https://kansasgeology.weebly.com/, a project designed by the Kansas 4-H Geology Action Team. The 2026 State Geology Field Trip will be held June 12-14, 2026. More information to come. Contact Nancy for details nnoyes@ksu.edu
Plan your getaway for summer camp at Rock Springs Ranch! Early-bird registration is now open until the end of the year! Douglas County dates are scheduled for June 3-6, 2026. Please visit our website to learn more about the 4-H camp experience and how to register. It is truly an amazing and memorable experience! Have fun in a beautiful setting while meeting new friends!
Please consult this calendar for all livestock project-related events and updates. As we move into spring and more activities it's important to stay up-to-date on deadlines for tagging, health papers, and registrations. Our Douglas County 4-H website has a section dedicated to livestock. Find that HERE. All the following slides pertain to Animal Science Projects. These are important dates to consider when planning your project year.
Our Annual 4-H Spring Livestock Show will be on April 25th at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. This event is open to Kansas 4-H/FFA members ages 7–18 as of January 1, 2026, and is a County Fair Prospect Show only. Our goal is to provide a positive and educational experience for all participants. Pre-entries must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on April 6 to guarantee a t-shirt. The final registration deadline is April 17. The entry fee is $40 per exhibitor. Registration is open! Visit Douglas County 4-H Youth Livestock for details and registration.
All Douglas County 4-H Members
who plan to exhibit a class of livestock that produces meat, milk, fiber, or other saleable products
must complete YQCA certification testing annually. I have updated the 2026 class offerings for in-person Douglas County. Please log in to the site using the same email address you previously used, which applies to all family members. Important: All 7-year-old 4-H members must take their first YQCA course in person! Here is a helpful guide: https://yqcaprogram.org/local/resources_for_youth_parents.php. You will need to register on the site and PAY THE $3 DIRECTLY TO THE VENDOR. We do not take payment, and we cannot register members. Be sure to register in the name of your 4-H member! Registration is tied directly to the issuance of the certificate, which will allow you to enter animals in the Douglas County Fair, Kansas State Fair, and the Kansas Junior Livestock Show.
K-State will be hosting a youth spring meat judging contest again this year. It is scheduled for Sunday, March 1, in the KSU Meat Lab on the K-State campus in Manhattan. This will be a great opportunity for youth to judge an actual meat product. Any 4-H member who participated in Livestock Sweepstakes in August, or anyone interested in learning more, check out this meats judging opportunity for your youth. The registration link is live through Judging Card at: https://www.judgingcard.com/Registration/Info.aspx?ID=24341. The deadline to register is February 27. Please
K-State Junior Beef Producer Day – Saturday, March 7, 2026 | Registration Deadline – February 13, 2026 | Cost - $20/person by February 13 ($30/person after February 13) *Only those who register by February 13 will receive a t-shirt. **Both youth and adults attending (including parents) need to register. ***No refunds. Online Registration Only. Visit the State 4-H Youth Livestock page for details and to register here.
All Market Beef intended to exhibit at the Douglas County Fair must be tagged by March 8, 2026. Register by March 4 at: https://bit.ly/2026BeefTagging. Remember, one sign-up per family. Please direct any questions to Nickie Harding at nharding@ksu.edu.
For nomination details and information, go to: https://www.asi.k-state.edu/extension/youth-programs/nominated-livestock/. DNA Envelopes must be ordered by April 20, 2026.
Check out the following slides for opportunities to serve others in your community, both as an individual and as a club member. Leaders and members, please feel free to share any community service opportunities you find that are suitable for our 4-H Program with Nancy at nnoyes@ksu.edu so that we can share them for the greater good.
To apply, go to: https://forms.gle/HB72taqyZmy4wyDr9
March 7 - County 4-H Club Day, Douglas County Fairgrounds (Registration Closes February 23)
March 7 - YQCA In-Person Training #1- 1:30 p.m., Dreher Family 4-H Building
March 8 – Douglas County Fair Market Beef Weigh-In, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Community Building - Sign Up Required
March 15 - County-Wide Poultry Project Meeting, 2:00 p.m., Dreher Family 4-H Building
March 17 - 4-H Project Skill-a-Thon, 8:30 a.m., Douglas County Fairgrounds (Registration Deadline, March 6)
March 18 - County-Wide Sewing Workshop 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Deal Six Auditorium ( New Sewists)
March 18 - County-Wide Sewing Workshop, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Deal Six Auditorium (Experienced Sewists)
March 19 - County-Wide Sewing Workshop 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Deal Six Auditorium ( New Sewists)
March 19 - County-Wide Sewing Workshop, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Deal Six Auditorium (Experienced Sewists)
April 11 - Money Smarts Youth Financial Workshop, 11:00 a.m., Flory Meeting Hall -Registration Required
April 12 - County-Wide Cloverbud Project Meeting, 2:00 p.m., Dreher Family 4-H Bldg. (RSVP Required to KJ at kjrstena@hotmail.com)
April 12 - Swine Project Meeting, 2:00 p.m., Dreher Family 4-H Building -RSVP Required
April 12 - Plant Sciences (Agronomy, Entomology, Forestry, and Horticulture) County-Wide Meeting, 12:30 p.m., Deal Six Auditorium, Extension Office -RSVP to Nancy at nnoyes@ksu.edu
April 12 - 2nd In-Person YQCA Training, 3:30 p.m., Dreher Family 4-H Building
April 16 - County-Wide Poultry Project Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Dreher Family 4-H Building
April 25 - Douglas County Spring Livestock Show, Douglas County Fairgrounds(Registration Required)
May 1 - 4-H Enrollment Deadline to be eligible to exhibit at the 2026 Douglas County Fair
May 1– Kansas State Fair/KJLS Market Beef Nominations Due Online
May 1 - Rocks Spring 4-H Camp Registration Deadline, Online
May 12 - Douglas County Fair Final Small Livestock Weigh-In, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Open Pavilion
May 27 - Final In-Person YQCA Training - 6:00 p.m., Dreher Family 4-H Building
June 1 - Horse ID Papers Due for exhibiting at the Douglas County Fair and the Kansas State Fair, Douglas County Extension Office
Credits:
Created with images by Margarita Ratatosk - "Clover leaves on green background.,Three-leaved shamrocks.,St Patrick Day holiday symbol.,Template for design card, invitation, banner" • Brad Pict - "Save the date"