Happy spring & happy easter!
We love and appreciate all our volunteers! You truly are the heartbeat of the 4-H Program in Douglas County. The time and effort you give the program; whether as a community club leader, project leader, PDC member, fair board member, a member of the Douglas County 4-H Foundation Board, as well as your service to the 4-H Council is of great benefit to our 4-H membership! We are happy to be in community with you. We are proud of our youth leadership, too!
Youth must be fully enrolled and approved as a participating member to participate in the 4-H Division of the Douglas County Fair. Please check your enrollment and project list before May 1st! Your membership and project list must be complete by 11:59 PM on May 1, 2026. To enroll and add projects for the 2025-2026 4-H Year by May 1, go to: https://4honline.com/#/user/sign-in
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 3, go to: https://bit.ly/dgco-money-smart
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.
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!
We will have a memorial observation for Mr. Alfred Bromelsick at Oak Hill Cemetery on May 23rd at 10:00 a.m. The Douglas County youth organizations of 4-H, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts annually join together to honor and remember Mr. Bromelsick, who generously made these youth groups the beneficiaries of his estate. All 4-H Community Clubs are requested to send two members to this memorial, each with flowers, for Mr. Bromelsick and Ms. Dreher. Directly afterward, 4-H members will also honor Ms. Dreher, who, in her lifetime, supported 4-H and made 4-H the beneficiary of her estate. 4-H members, please wear a 4-H shirt and meet at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, ready to begin at 10:00 a.m. You will see friends gathered there. Thank you!
Save the date of July 12th for County Contest Day at the Fairgrounds. More details to follow! The contests are: Horticulture Judging Contest, Livestock Skillathon, Photography Judging Contest, Poultry Judging, Reading Contest, and FACS Judging. Note: Cloverbuds may participate in JR-level contests but are ineligible for awards. It is a really great learning experience!
To view all the 2026 updates, rules, and fair information, go to: www.douglas.k-state.edu/news-events/4h-news/4h-events/douglas-county-fair.html
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
Participants in this project will learn how to care for a dog and how to train a dog in basic or advanced commands. Members without dogs can 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/. Project practice nights are to be held in the Open Pavilion at 6:30 PM on 4/02, 4/06, 4/20, and 4/27. 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.
The next 4-H Cloverbud meeting will be on April 12th at 2 PM in the Dreher Family 4-H Building. Please RSVP for this meeting by April 6 to Kjrsten at kjrstena@hotmail.com. This meeting will focus on the 4-H Pet Projects, including hand pets, dogs, and cats. Cloverbuds will learn about the project and all about Show and Share. 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.
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 project leader Janine Leslie at 785-330-3867 or j9dolphins@hotmail.com
The Horse Project Club meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is on April 21st at 6:30 PM in the Dreher Family 4-H Building. May 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
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
Leaf Collection Workshop! Forestry Project, calling all beginning foresters to come collect leaf specimens for your project. In this hands-on workshop, you will leave with all the information you need to complete this project and have your exhibit for the county fair. Choose a time that works for you during the week of June 2-6. Contact Project Leader Barbara Mullen at mullenfam96@gmail.com to set up a workshop time. Check out the State 4-H Forestry Project page for more information https://www.kansas4-h.org/projects/plant-environmental-science/forestry/
Building Block Engineering Project County Meeting: Sunday June 7th at 1pm. Dreher Family 4-H Building. Bring your builds to showcase and share, learn about the forms needed for fair entries and more! Reminder: If you are not enrolled in the Building Block Engineering 4-H project by May 1 you cannot exhibit your build under 4-H at the county fair. You will have to enter into an open class and open class entries are not eligible for the state fair. For more information about the Building Block Engineering (BBE) project visit https://www.kansas4-h.org/projects/engineering-technology/building-block-engineering/ or contact County Project Leader Marisa at 913-915-9151.
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? There are 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. Visit the State 4-H website here https://www.kansas4-h.org/projects/natural-resources/geology/ for more information. The 2026 State Geology Field Trip will be held June 12-14, 2026 in Southeast Kansas. More information to come. You may contact Project Leader, Thaddeus Swann with questions about the project at #785-341-7255 or thaddeusswan@gmail.com
Shutterbug events are photography workshops put on across the state, and are a perfect opportunity to develop new camera skills, hone your creative talents and try new photography techniques. Workshops are typically scheduled as a morning session and concentrate on a variety of aspects of composition. Sessions focus on topics including Portfolio, Camera Features, Panning, Close-ups, Aperture Settings & Kaleidoscopes/Reflections.
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.
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. Our county deadline to have your certification complete is June 15th! 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 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.
4-H Members planning to show a market steer/heifer (registered or crossbred) are required to nominate their animal by May 1, 2026. 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.
All market lambs, hogs and goats intended for show at the Douglas County Fair must be tagged by May 12th. This tagging event is for all market lambs, meat goats, and market swine. 4-H members may tag up to five (5) animals per species. It is to be held in the Open Pavilion from 5-7 p.m. Registration Coming Soon!
4-H members planning to show their horse at the Douglas County 4-H Horse Show and/or the State 4-H Horse Show are required to ID their horse. You must present a negative Coggins test dated within the past 12 months at show check-in. Horse ID papers are due to the Douglas County Extension Office by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 1st. New members showing a horse in the Douglas County Fair or KS State Fair must pass the horse safety quiz. For County Fair Horse information and links to Horse ID Papers, Safety Quiz, etc., go to: https://www.douglas.k-state.edu/news-events/4h-news/4h-events/douglas-county-fair-updates.html
To view all the 2026 updates, rules, and fair information, go to: www.douglas.k-state.edu/news-events/4h-news/4h-events/douglas-county-fair.html
2026 Douglas County Fair Camper Electrical hookups are available through a lottery system due to limited availability. There are sixteen spots east of the Open Pavilion. Each enrolled 4-H household will only be entered in the drawing once. Violation of this rule will result in forfeiture. Registration will close at 11:59 PM on June 30th. Names drawn from the lottery will be notified the first week of July by the Douglas County Maintenance Office. The cost for the hookup is $15/day, and campers will be charged for the entire week of the fair, totaling $105. Payment details will be provided after the drawing.
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.
Please sign up for the American Red Cross Blood Drive with 4-H! This donation drive will support 4-H youth for Citizenship Washington Focus. The drive is on Friday, May 29th from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the Flory Meeting Hall on the Douglas County Fairgrounds. https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=DC4HCWFDelegation
To apply, go to: https://forms.gle/HB72taqyZmy4wyDr9
April 11 - Money Smarts Youth Financial Workshop, 10:00 a.m., Flory Meeting Hall(Registration 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 nnoyes@ksu.edu April 12 - County-Wide 4-H 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 - 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
May 29 - American Red Cross Blood Drive to support 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Flory Meeting Hall, Douglas County Fairgrounds.
June 1 - Horse ID Papers Due(If exhibiting at the Douglas County Fair and Kansas State Fair), Douglas County Extension Office
Credits:
Created with images by Siam - "Happy easter!,Colourful of Easter eggs in the nest with flower on pastel blue wooden background.,Greetings and presents for Easter Day celebrate time.,Flat lay ,top view." • Brad Pict - "Save the date"