4-H Clubs comprise 4-H Members and trained and screened Volunteers who act as Club Leaders.
The Club decides on a topic of interest, and through instruction by Leaders and hands-on learning, Members learn about the topic during 4-H meetings. In addition to gaining a hands-on education, Members develop leadership skills, understand how an individual can affect their community and country, and make lasting friendships.
To supplement the learning at the Club level, 4-H provides provincial and national opportunities to enable Members to expand their knowledge and horizons further. Various camps, conferences and exchanges are available for 4-H Members and volunteers.
The first step to starting your year in 4-H is to choose a project. Learning new skills, making things, and visiting places with friends are part of a 4-H project. Members can take one project or many projects.
For first-year members, one project is probably enough. Make a list of the projects that your club offers that interest you. Give some thought to the projects you have listed. Do they match your abilities? Do you have the time, money and equipment to complete the project? Talk to your parents and 4-H leaders; they can help you choose a project that matches your needs, ability and resources.
4-H clubs hold general meetings each month. All members should attend general meetings. This is where we get together as a club, share information about things that will happen, review projects, have a challenge, etc. Parents are also encouraged to attend the general meetings. This is especially important if you are new to 4-H.
Members choose between various life skills projects like sewing, crafts, photography, heritage, scrapbooking, and/or livestock projects such as dairy, beef, light horse, sheep, dog, poultry, and goat.
Choose something that interests you or that you would like to learn. We recommend that first-year members choose 1 or 2 projects only.
Project meetings are usually held once a month (sometimes more when needed to complete project requirements). Project meetings can be 1 -2 hours long, may include a field trip, etc., but are always hands-on. The project leader schedules the meetings, and members are notified. If you are ever in doubt – call your project leader. Each project has requirements – every member will receive a project newsletter, and your leader will ensure you cover what is necessary. Life Skills projects usually begin in November, while Livestock projects typically start later in the 4-H year, as they are busier in the spring/summer months.
For each project, you will need to keep a notebook to record meeting dates, a summary of what you did and learned, and a record of any costs (if any). At the completion of each project, you will complete a record form.
Public Speaking is a requirement for all 4-H members to complete. Each member is required to do a speech or a demonstration at Club Rally. Club Rally is a fun day, even for shy members. Speeches are given before a friendly panel of judges, your peers and your parents. Speeches can be on any subject (HINT: Pick a topic that you know about or interests you – if you have a favourite pet, you could do your speech on your pet).
Younger members learn from watching older members, and we see a remarkable progression from year to year!
To complete your project, you will be required to attend County Judging Day. Judging teaches members to consider the positive and negative points of a group of four articles/animals and to compare one with the other.
Provincial Show is held the last weekend in September and is in a different location each year. Top projects from each county compete at the show. Of course, you don’t have to have a project entered to go, there is no cost, and it is open to all 4-H’ers and the public to attend!
In addition to project work, Achievement Day, and exhibitions (which can keep members very busy!), we have some fun activities where members can get together throughout the year. There are various club/county activities such as skating, sleigh rides, tours, and community service initiatives (ex., Highway clean up, planting flowers, visiting with seniors, etc.). Members and volunteers of clubs and counties choose the activities for the 4-H year together.
Tug-of-War practices begin in the spring and go through the summer leading up to the Tug-of-War Competition at Exhibition and Provincial Show.
Achievement Days happen between May and July (each location is different). Achievement day is when our members showcase all of their hard work from throughout the year! Members are evaluated non-competitively on what they have learned over the 4-H year. All projects are displayed, and livestock is shown.
All the clubs in the county compete at the local Exhibition. Members are encouraged to participate! Those projects and members who earn a Grand or Reserve Champion award will go on to compete at Provincial Show.
Lumbersports practices begin in the fall and lead up to county competitions. County teams compete provincially at 4-H Provincial Rally in May. Lumbersports consists of several fun activities, including Cross Cut Sawing, Pulp Sawing – Single and Double, Water Boil, Back Tank Race and Pulp Throw.
We raise funds to help with activities like club rallies and other costs each year. In the past, we have sold chocolate bars. We are always looking for suggestions for what members might like to do, so if you have something fun in mind, email us at info@4hnovascotia.ca
One-week 4-H Camps are held each year in Cape Breton. From all accounts, this is an excellent week of fun and friendship. A bus stops along the route to take campers to and from camp. Lifelong friendships and memories are made during camp!
Other than our club activities you can get involved in other 4-H activities, such as 4-H Nova Scotia Provincial Rally, junior and senior tours, conferences, public speaking rallies, 4-H exchanges for senior members, etc.
