Looking for the Fairbook or ID sheets? (County & State Fair)
What about information on Quality Assurance? (Miscellaneous)
Need forms, dates or deadlines?
You can find all this and more in Resources for 4-H and More Resources for 4-H below.
Complimentary 4-H Curriculum
Nebraska 4-H Curriculum
In celebration of 4-H Member Month, Nebraska 4-H is pleased to announce that all enrolled Nebraska 4-H youth and volunteers receive complimentary online access to the 4-H curriculum developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln!
More than 30 digital publications are available at no cost to enrolled 4-H members and volunteers. These learning resources cover a variety of topics, including clothing, babysitting, shopping, entomology, poultry, and many more. The complimentary, free version of Nebraska-developed publications is view-only. Printed or downloadable copies of most materials may be purchased in the UNL Marketplace.
Access to the digital curriculum is provided through the 4HOnline Member Enrollment system. Once enrollment has been completed and approved, youth members and volunteers will receive an email with a link to begin exploring the available resources.
More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/news/complimentary-4-h-curriculum-now-available-enrolled-nebraska-4-h-youth-and-volunteers/
4-H NEWSLETTERS
FEBRUARY 4-H NEWSLETTER
- Achievement Celebration recap
- 4-H enrollment is open - earlybird deadline 2/15/26
- February is 4-H member month
- State Fair livestock Identification & nomination
- YQCA scholarship Now open
- 4-H Virtual Volunteer training - 4-H Council Treasurer Training
- 4-H All Contest Day - 4/25/26 St Paul's Lutheran Church - Emerson
- Shooting Sports Instructor training
- Special Garden and Agronomy Project
- Opportunities for continuing education
- Pesticide Applicator training
- Master Gardener Classes
2026 4-H Calendar
Scroll to the bottom of this page to view.
Past Newsletters
THINGS TO DO & TRY
Youth in Action Applications Are Now Open
The 4‑H Youth in Action (YIA) program celebrates young people who are creating real change in their communities. This national program amplifies the stories and leadership of 4‑H youth, showcasing how 4‑H has shaped their lives and equipped them to impact others.
Four Award Winners will receive a(n):
1 - $5,000 scholarship for higher education, paid directly to the institution, including two‑year and four‑year colleges, trade schools, or other advanced learning opportunities.
2 - Year of professional and media development, training, networking, and national opportunities to serve as a spokesperson and thought leader.
3 - All expenses paid trips for each award winner and a chaperone to attend national events.
4 - Official reference letter from a National 4‑H Council leader for educational or career purposes.
If you know a young person whose work deserves recognition, encourage them to apply today and share their story with a national audience! Applicants must be a 4-H member or recent alum of any type of 4-H program in the U.S. They must also be between the ages of 14-19.
Applications are open now through April 13, 2026, at 11:59pm PST. If you’d like to learn more about the program and application, please register for the info sessions at https://4-h.org/programs/4-h-youth-in-action-program/application:
Youth in Action applicants or parents’ webinar will be hosted on March 4, 2026 at 7:00 pm ET
More details at: https://4-h.org/programs/4-h-youth-in-action-program
Special Garden Project
The Special Garden Project is a way to offer Nebraska youth the chance to grow unusual and fun projects in their gardens.
The 2026 Special Garden Project will focus on the Alumia Vanilla Cream Marigold. This marigold produces creamy, yellow flowers on compact plants. This variety not only has a unique color, but it also has a very long bloom time.
Youth are encouraged to enroll for Horticulture/Plant Science through 4-H Online. Youth will then have to reach out to their local Extension Office to sign up and order the seeds. It will be up to the county office to keep track of the youth that signed up and share the educational materials including the growing newsletter & evaluation (included at the end of the growing newsletter). https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/special-garden-project/
SPECIAL AGRONOMY PROJECT
The Nebraska Extension Special Agronomy Project gives 4-H members an opportunity to experience a crop that is grown, was grown or has the potential to be grown in Nebraska. Youth participate by receiving seed and resources to grow the crop, research traits of the crop and determine the viability of that crop in the part of the state they live in. The project allows 4-H members interested in agronomy to grow something fun, new, and different. This year, we will be exploring a crop that can be marketed different ways depending on the variety.
In the sixth year of the special agronomy project, youth will explore TWO varieties of popcorn! The first is an heirloom variety that was discovered and developed by a farmer in eastern Nebraska, called Nebraska Red. The second is a commercial variety, Robust 997. Be sure not to plant sweet corn in your garden with these to prevent cross pollination.
Be eligible to enter an exhibit at the County and/or State Fair in the agronomy project area.
Contact your local Extension Office to order packets of seeds. The local Extension Office will order and distribute the seeds to members. Please have your order placed prior to March 15th.
For project specifications and details, be sure to go to the Nebraska State Fairbook at https://4hfairbook.unl.edu/fairbookview.php/rules.
Resources for 4-H
JOIN 4-H
- 4-H online enrollment site
- Code of Conduct
- Volunteer screening information
- Project Resources
4-H CONTESTS
- Favorite Foods
- Public Speaking
- Presentation
- Music
- Clothing Day
CAMPS, WORKSHOPS & CLINICS
- 4-H Workshops
- Large and Small Animals
- Horse/Equine
More Resources for 4-H
4-H Council
- Meet Dakota County 4-H Council
- Minutes
- Constitution & Bylaws
4-H Ambassadors
- Meet the Ambassadors
- Ambassador application
County & State Fair
- Fairbook
- Livestock affidavits
- Entry Forms
- Dates/Deadlines
4-H In Dakota County
4-H in Dakota prepares our young people for successful futures. The Educational programs place a strong emphasis on life skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, social skills, communication responsibility, citizenship, and leadership.
Dakota County 4-H members are either in clubs or join as independent members. There are three clubs in Dakota County
- Dad's Cowhands & Mother's Helpers
- Homer Future Leaders
- Hubbard Jr Feeders
- Independent members
- Omadi Legacy Trailblazers
Contact the Extension Office for information on joining 4-H
2026 4-H CALENDAR
JANUARY |
| 1 /2- Office Closed, New Years Day 19 - Office closed—Martin Luther King Day |
FEBRUARY |
| 1 - Dakota County Achievement Celebration 1- Farrowed & Owned Swine Cohort registration deadline 2- Extension Board meeting 4 - NACEB Meeting—Lincoln 6 - Chamber coffee hour hosted by Extension Office 9 - Dakota County & Joint 4-H Council meeting 10- Big Red Camp registration open 15 - 4-H Enrollments and volunteer enrollments due 16- Office closed Presidents Day 18 - D-T Fair Board Meeting at Pender Fire Hall; 7:00PM 24 - Pesticide training Extension Office |
MARCH |
| 2 - Extension Board meeting 2 - 4-H Council meeting 3 - Volunteer Training—Haskell Ag Lab 15 - Jarvis Memorial Scholarship Application DUE 18 - D-T Fair Board Meeting at Pender Firehall 7:00PM 31 - Dakota County 4-H Scholarship due |
APRIL |
| 5 - Easter Sunday 6- Dakota County Extension Board 11 - Siouxland Garden Symposium, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, SC, IA 15 - Horse Stampede entries due 15 - D-T Fair Board Meeting at Pender FireHall 7:00PM 18 - Rocket Launch—Haskell Ag Lab 20 - 4-H All Contest Day - Registration deadline 19-25 - National Volunteer Week 25 - All Contest Day 25-26 - 4-H Horse stampede, UNL Animal Science Complex |
MAY |
| 4 - Extension Board meeting 4 - Dakota County 4-H Council meeting 12 - Quality Assurance Training (in person) Dakota Extension Office 15 - 4-H Foundation Governor’s Agricultural Excellence Award Deadline" 20 - D-T Fair Board Meeting at D-T Fairgrounds 7:00PM 25 - Office closed Memorial Day 26 - Quality Assurance Train (In person) Haskell Ag Lab 27-29 - Premier Animal Science event—Lincoln 29 - All horse ID’s, district & State Entries DUE |
JUNE |
| 1 - Extension Board meeting 5 - Babysitting Clinic—SSC Library 15 - ALL LIVESTOCK ID’S AFFIDAVITS DUE 15 - State Fair livestock nominations/DNA due 15 - Final enrollment/project deadline 19 -20 - Premier Communications Event—UNL 29 - 4-H Council meeting |
JULY |
| 3 - Office closed Independence Day 6- Extension Board 11-15 Fonner Park State 4-H Horse Expo 15 - ALL County Fair pre-entry deadline & YQCA 15 - D-T Fair Board meeting at D-T Fairgrounds 7::00PM 25 - Fairgrounds Cleanup day 27 - 4-H Clothing Day, Fairgrounds 26 - August 3 - County Fair Week |
AUGUST |
| July 26- August 2. - County Fair Week 3 - Fairgrounds clean up day 10 - State Fair Animal & in person entries due 19 - D-T Fair Board Meeting at D-T Fairgrounds; 7:00PM 25 - State fair exhibit due to Extension Office 28 - September 7—Nebraska State Fair 28-30 - 4-H State Fair Livestock Show Weekend |
SEPTEMBER |
| August 28—September 7- Nebraska State Fair September 5 - 7 State Fair FFA Livestock Show weekend 7- Office Closed - Labor Day 14- 4-H Council meeting (may be a joint meeting TBD) 24-27 - Ak-Sar-Ben Stock Show, Fonner Park Grand Island |
OCTOBER |
| 4-10—National 4-H Week 5- Extension Board meeting 21 - D-T Fair Board Meeting at D-T Fairgrounds 7:00PM 31 - Happy Halloween |
NOVEMBER |
| 2 - Extension Board meeting 2 - Dakota County 4-H Council Meeting 11 - Office closed - Veterans Day 26-27 - Office Closed, Thanksgiving Holiday |
DECEMBER |
1 - Extension Board meeting PRINT VERSION - pdf |