Upcoming 4-H Calendar of Events
Date & Event |
Location |
Info or Registration |
|---|---|---|
|
4/13/24 10 AM -3 PM MA 4-H Dairy Goat Da |
Erin DeCoste Farm Lancaster, MA |
|
|
4/14/24 4-H Night at Thunderbirds Hockey |
MassMutual Center Springfield, MA |
|
|
4/17/24 |
Big E West Springfield |
|
|
4/18/24 7 PM National 4-H Trip Info Session |
Zoom |
|
|
4/19/24 Wear Purple Day |
All day in honor of the month of the military child |
|
|
4/20/24 1 – 3 PM STEM Training |
Auburn 4-H Office |
Registration in 4honline |
|
4/22/24 3 PM MA 4-H Beef visit to Plymouth Meats |
Plymouth, CT |
|
|
4/26/24 4 PM National 4-H Trip Info Session |
Zoom |
|
|
4/28 OR 4/30/24 7 PM Dog Academy Participant Meeting |
Zoom |
|
|
4/30/24 6 PM National 4-H Trip Info Session |
Zoom |
|
|
5/2/24 5:30 PM Dog Project Spring Fling |
Norfolk Agricultural High School AKC Arena |
|
|
5/3/24 7 PM National Horse Teams Orientation |
Auburn 4-H Office |
|
|
5/3-5/5/24 |
Big E West Springfield |
|
|
5/4/24 10 AM – 3 PM STEM Training |
Hadley 4-H Office |
Registration in 4honline |
|
5/5/24 8:45 AM Southeast Regional Horse Show |
Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children |
|
|
5/6/24 6:30 – 7:30 PM Mandatory Dog Academy Chaperone Zoom |
Zoom |
Link will be sent to approved chaperones |
|
5/10-5/12/24 Dog Academy |
Camp Farley Mashpee, MA |
|
|
5/13/24 7 PM National 4-H Trip Info Session |
Zoom |
|
|
5/17-5/18 MA 4-H Dairy Academy |
Three County Fairgrounds Northampton, Massachusetts |
Coming soon! |
|
5/25 - 5/26/24 |
Fryeburg, ME
|
Opened February 1st |
|
6/2/24 Goat Tour |
Thomas Farm Sunderland, MA |
|
|
6/8-6/9/24 Vet Science Academy |
|
Stay tuned for details! |
|
6/22-6/23 Annual MA State 4-H Horse Show |
Three County Fairgrounds Northampton, Massachusetts |
Registration in 4honline |
|
6/23-6/25 Explore UMass |
UMass Amherst |
|
|
8/4-8/5/24 State 4-H Dairy Show |
Franklin County Fairgrounds Greenfield, MA |
|
|
9/27-9/28 Western MA Regional Horse Show |
Three County Fairgrounds Northampton, Massachusetts |
Approaching Deadlines
Deadline |
Event or Opportunity |
Application or Info Link |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
4/12/24 |
Dog Academy Registration |
Registration in 4honline |
|
|
4/15/24 |
Deadline for 4-H Foundation Grants |
||
|
4/22/24 |
Pre-entry deadline SE Regional Horse Show |
||
|
5/1/24 |
Animal Verification Forms Due (Dairy Cattle, Beef Cattle, and Working Steers) |
Form Links Below |
|
|
6/1/24 |
Animal Verification Forms Due (Goat, Sheep, Llama, Alpaca, Swine, and Dog) |
Form Links Below |
|
|
6/1/24 |
State Horse Show Registration Deadline |
|
|
Explore UMass 2024
SAVE THE DATE! 
Explore UMass 2024 is back!
This program is for ages 12-16, 4-H members and non-members. Youth get to experience Campus Life during this 3-day, 2-overnight STEM program at UMass Amherst.
Block off the dates June 23-25th and think about what track most interests you from this year’s STEM tracks: Plant and Soil Science, Veterinary Science, Food Science, and Engineering (Cardboard Arcade project).
Registration opened March 20th in 4honline for members. Please reach out to 4-H Educator Lauren DuBois via email ldubois@umass.edu with any questions.
National Teen Leadership Trips
Are you a 4-H teen who would like to represent Massachusetts 4-H as a youth delegate at a national leadership event?
UMass 4-H is launching its new application process for 4-H teens who are interested in attending one of the three annual national 4-H leadership trips during the 2024-2025 4-H year: National 4-H Congress (in November 2024), 4-H Ignite Summit (in early 2025), and National 4-H Conference (in March or April 2025). The delegate selection process for all three trips will happen during this timeframe even though the trips are spread throughout the fall and spring of the following 4-H year.
Timeline:
- April 2024: Applications Open
- April/May 2024: Zoom Information Sessions on 4/18, 4/26, 4/30, & 5/13
- including Cover Letter, Resume, and Interviewing Breakout Sessions
- June 2024: Applications Due followed by Interviews for all Three Trips
- July 2024: Delegates Invited to Participate
- August 2024: Signed Contracts & Family Contribution Payment Due
- The link to the application will be released in the next NewsBlast. Please direct questions to Cynthia Bushey or Kim Pond
Animal Science Programs & Updates
Animal Verification Forms
Now is the time to print off your Animal Verification Forms to plan for the upcoming show season. Lease Forms are also due at the same time. Animal Verification Forms are to be completed for all livestock, dogs, and horses that you plan to show at a 4-H fair, dog academies, and/or Big E 4-H Shows. Note: Lambs and kids born after June 1st are still eligible to show based on your fair’s requirements, but you will still need to file a Verification Form on them once they are born. Verification Forms are due to your county/regional 4-H office by the following dates:
- New Date: May 1st – Horse (only if planning to show at the Sept. New England 4-H Horse Show at the Big E)
- May 1st – Dairy Cattle, Beef Cattle, and Working Steers
- June 1st – Goat, Sheep, Llama, Alpaca and Swine, Dog
Links to Verification and Lease forms:
- Livestock Verification Form
- Livestock Lease Form
- Beef Lease Form (Youth cannot show a leased steer at the Big E)
- Horse Verification Form
- Dog Verification Form
4-H Dairy Program
SAVE THE DATE! This year’s MA 4-H Dairy Academy will take place on Saturday, May 18th at the Three County Fair Grounds in Northampton, MA.
Youth are encouraged to come in on Friday, May 17th after 5 PM to get settled and be ready for our “mock show” and workshops! Registration will be available soon!
4-H Poultry Program
We are excited to announce that the MA Avian Bowl is officially in the planning stages! Thank you to our youth and volunteers who have helped launch this event. If you are interested in participating, you can contribute to our Doodle poll to let us know when you are available.
4-H Goat Program
Registration open in 4honline
Cost of attendance: $25.00 Payable to UMass 4-H.
The 2024 MA 4-H Dairy Goat Workshop will be held on April 13th from 10 AM to 3 PM. Rain or shine!
This workshop will cover breeding, genetics, showmanship, and more! We will organize ourselves into learning groups by levels of experience: beginner, growing, experienced. Please DO NOT bring your goats to this workshop. Goats will be provided. Disposable plastic boots will be provided for the day.
Pizza and drinks will be provided for lunch. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share.
Location: Erin DeCoste Farm, 2680 N. Main St., Lancaster, MA 01523
Livestock Judging Resources For 4-H Clubs
The MA 4-H Animal Science Program has a subscription to Livestockjudging.com. This platform has TONS of virtual judging resources for all species. Interested? Please contact Andrew at asamuelson@umass.edu.
Dog Project
Dog Academy
Dog project members who are interested in attending dog academy must register in 4honline no later than April 12th. Cloverbuds are required to have a parent attend with them, and youth are not allowed to attend without their dog, unless it is approved by their dog leader.
You will need to have your dog evaluated by a dog leader before attending Dog Academy with it. The dogs need to be able to sleep in a crate all night without getting stressed or whining and barking all night. Once approved, checks made payable to Mass 4-H Dog Committee ($100 for overnight youth, $50 for pre-approved chaperones, $50 for youth attending just on Saturday, $25 for parent attending just on Saturday) Should be sent along with all paperwork, including an up-to-date rabies certificate, to Cathy Acampora in the Plymouth County 4-H Office.
Mandatory Dog Academy Participant Zoom April 28th at 7 PM or April 30th at 7 PM. Sign up here
Mandatory Chaperone Zoom on May 6th from 6:30-7:30 PM. Zoom link will be sent out.
See the information packet here. Contact Cathy Acampora with any questions.
Dog Project Spring Fling Show
sponsored by Thunder Hill Canine Encounters 4-H Club: May 2nd at 5:30 PM in the AKC arena at the Norfolk County Agricultural High School.
R.S.V.P. to cquinnkmt@aol.com to register.
Horse Project
Horse Chat
Are you a horse lover? Our monthly horse chats are designed to connect horse lovers with experts in the equine world. Meetings are held monthly via Zoom and feature a different guest speaker each month. Mark your calendar!
- Thursday, April 25th at 7PM - Lexi Kane, Cargill/Nutrena Field Rep - Nutrition
- Thursday, May 16th at 7PM - Dr. Laura Parisio-Wood, Nashaway Equine Veterinary Wellness - equine chiropractic therapy
Horse Chat meetings are offered via Zoom using the following link: Meeting ID: 631 794 3559 Passcode: HorseChat
Reach out to Liza at dutchessl@aol.com with questions.
April is the Month of the Military Child
Did you know the UMass 4-H program has about 100 military connected youth in clubs across the state and also reaches more through short-term 4-H programs? We encourage you to wear purple on Friday April 19th and post and share your pictures. Why purple? Purple references the joint environment of the military, encompassing all service branches: Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and Veterans. Purple combines each branch’s colors into one: the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard all use shades of blue, the Army uses green, and the Marines use red.
Month of the Military Child Coloring Page:
https://www.militarychild.org/upload/files/MOMC%202024/MCEC_ColoringPage_MKT_20240216.pdf
STEM Programs & Updates
Upcoming STEM Trainings registration now open in 4honline
Saturday April 20th 1:00 – 3:00 PM Auburn Office: 
Mapping, Geocaching and more. Open to tween, teens, and volunteers to learn about exciting opportunities, resources and try some resources.
- New classes coming to the STEAM Festival 2025
- Join a new mapping club
- Teen opportunity for National GGLEAD team
- Gear up for Earth Day and Arbor Day too!
Saturday May the 4th be with you 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM:
Aerospace and Rocketry at the Hadley office.
- 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon: session for teens and adults
- Rocketry resources (gliders, stomp rockets and bottle rockets)
- How to run a program at your club, school, or fair (Those outside of 4-H register with Kim Pond at kima@umass.edu
- STEAM Festival Classes
- 1:00 – 3:00 PM: 4-H youth event for members and clover buds with a teen/adult helper
- Learn about the history of flight
- Make a Glider
- Explore stomp rockets and bottle rockets
How did you celebrate the eclipse?
- Did you travel into the path of totality?
- Did you wear your 4-H green or fiery red to see how your eyes perceived the colors?
- How many of you made a pinhole camera?
- How about snacks like moon pies, sun chips and the cool art projects?
- Share your pictures and stories with Kim at kima@umass.edu .
Now what to do with all those glasses?
Donate your glasses so that school children in Latin America can use them October 2nd, to watch the South American Eclipse.
See if there is a collection site near you or set one up for a great community service project. You can also drop them off at the Auburn office.
Eclipse Glasses USA, LLC PO Box 50571 Provo, UT 84605Click here for more information.
Massachusetts 4-H Foundation
Extended Grant Deadline & Info Sessions!
The Massachusetts 4-H Foundation has extended its Grant application deadline to APRIL 15th for
4-H Clubs, Advisories, and Fairs! (See the Request for Proposal for eligibility guidelines.)
MONDAY, APRIL 15TH will be the final application deadline!
Give to the Foundation this Spring.
Give to the Foundation this spring ahead of 4-H horse shows, Explore UMass, and Fairs!
Donate today online or set up a recurring donation. Thank you for your support of Massachusetts 4-H!
4-H Partner Organizations
Donate at the register March 3-May 4, 2024, to support 4-H!
JOANN stores are connecting more young people to experiences where they can learn by doing, creating & making. By providing local 4‑H Clubs with resources and tools to run impactful programs, JOANN brings the 4‑H experience to more kids in need. JOANN supports National 4‑H Council through a combination of customer donations and year-round sales with the JOANN 4‑H Rewards Card and custom 4‑H fabric.
