Recently, there was an event in Cobden to celebrate 4-H being 100 years old in Ontario.
Since moving to this area, I have been exposed to 4-H. Never really heard of it before.
What our young people, ages 9 to 21, can learn from this organization is valuable to living a full life. There are currently between 180 to 200 Renfrew County 4-H members.
4-H has evolved from an organization that only farm children can join. There’s no longer the separation between a town or country child.
As a matter of fact, if a child wants to participate in a calf club, but doesn’t have a calf, there’s a few farmers who are willing to loan that child a calf. What trust these farmers have in our young people.
But it’s so much more than farming clubs in 4-H. Renfrew County 4-H president Nancy Schultz said there have been 29 different clubs since Jan. 1. Some of the non-farm clubs are photography, dancing, geocaching, baking, debating, woodworking and outdoor, just to name a few. There are no shortage of farming clubs either — calf, judging, dairy, sheep, bunny and beef.
Each 4-H club is 12 hours in length, usually six two-hour meetings, which are held in the best place for the club, at a farm, a hall, a home or even in the woods.
And we can’t forget our youngest 4-H members. These are the children not old enough to be in the 4-H program, so they are called Cloverbuds. They are between the ages of 6 and 8. This is the third year for Cloverbuds and there are 13 registered.
Cloverbuds is a hands-on, activity-based program that covers a wide variety of topics, including agriculture, food, crafts, lifeskills, environment and science. By participating in the Cloverbud program, participants are able to get a taste for the topics covered in 4-H projects while developing an understanding of 4-H values.
Ms. Schultz said it was necessary for 4-H to change from operating like a farming organization because life is much more than farming. Also, there aren’t as many farm children and not all farm children remain on the farm.
4-H is about teaching children skills they will need throughout their life, whether they get lost in the woods, or need to cook their food or sew on a button or work on a computer.
In today’s society, an opportunity for children to enjoy activities outside of school that are not always sports related is so important. A child’s life shouldn’t be all learning or all playing — and that’s what 4-H provides, an oportunity to learn while having fun.. and having fun while learning.
And it’s all said right in the motto: Learn To Do By Doing,
and in the pledge:
I pledge my Head to clearer thinking,
my Heart to greater loyalty,
my Hands to larger service and
my Health to better living
for my club, my community and my country.
If anyone is interested in 4-H, check out the website, 4-hontario.ca
