$1000 Scholarship to the CSU College of Agriculture being offered to all participants of the Colorado Youth GROW Institute. Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in the very first Colorado GROW Youth Institute at the CSU Spur Campus on May 7th, 2024! Registration is open now through April 15th. To register, complete your Global Challenge Research paper and submit via the student registration link on the Colorado GROW Youth Institute website.
The Colorado 4-H Program has a variety of projects to offer youth, ages 5-18. By becoming involved in a 4-H, you will not only learn practical skills in each project, but you will develop life skills that will equip you with the skills you need to succeed throughout your life.
4-H projects are designed to develop the following life skills:
4-H projects are specific areas of planned experiences for young people to learn, such as training pets, making clothing, growing plants, shooting sports, agriculture animals and building rockets. Projects offer in-depth learning experiences for 4-H members. A wide range of projects are offered in each state and may vary from state to state. The project materials are written by faculty members at Colorado State University. In Eagle County, there is club support for the following projects:
Beekeeping
Cake Decorating
Cooking
Leather craft
Sewing
Shooting Sports
Beef
Dog
Goat
Horse
Poultry (chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, quail)
Rabbit
Sheep
Swine
Active 4-H Clubs:
Bees and Beyond
This hands-on club meets periodically at their hives located in Gypsum. They work together to care for their bees, extract honey, bear-proof the hives, etc. You will learn how to care for a hive and bees, from beginning to end.
Bunny Trails
You will learn rabbit care and management in this club. You will be supported through every aspect of rabbit ownership including: where to purchase a show-quality rabbit, how to feed and care for the rabbit, what supplies are necessary, how to show a rabbit and prepare for Fair, etc. This club also warmly welcomes 4-H cloverbuds (members ages 5, 6 and 7) that will participate in the club using a stuffed bunny. 2024 Bunny Trails HandBook.
Cake Decorating
This hands-on club meets once/month on Tuesday evenings at the Methodist Church in Eagle. You will bring a pre-made frozen cake to each meeting where you’ll be taught decorating techniques as you decorate the cake you brought. The requirements for the particular unit you are signed up for will be practiced so you’ll be ready to decorate your prize winning cake come County Fair time.
Cake It Up (cloverbuds only)
Cloverbuds - this one’s for you! They meet once a month, at the Dotsero Community Room in Gypsum is where this club will meet. Cloverbud members ages 5, 6 and 7 will decorate their own cake at each meeting.
Cookin’ Kids
Foods and Nutrition is the project that you’ll enroll in for this club. You’ll work together at each meeting (twice/month on Tuesday nights at the Methodist Church in Eagle) learning to cook a new dish. You’ll practice cooking the dish that’s required for County Fair entry depending on what unit you are signed up for.
County Council
This leadership club is open to Intermediate (ages 11-13) and Senior (ages 14-18) members. They meet once/month on Monday evenings in Gypsum. In addition to club meetings, these members serve as group leaders for the annual Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry, announce livestock and horse shows at County Fair and emcee the annual 4-H awards banquet. 2024 County Council Handbook. 2024 Meeting Schedule.
Freedom Riders
This club supports the 4-H horse project. Don’t be deceived by the name; you don’t have to be in the Freedom Riders 4-H Drill Team just because you’re in this club. Several members are a part of the drill team but others that are not are a part of the horsemanship aspect of the club. The club supports riders of all abilities and offers riding sessions several times a month for the members. You must own or lease your own horse to participate in this club.
Fresh Tracks (cloverbuds only)
Cloverbuds (ages 5, 6 and 7), this ones for you! This general cloverbud club meets once/month on Monday evenings and focuses on a different project at each meeting. For example, one meeting club members might do an activity around cooking and another meeting around dogs. The goal is once a member turns 8, they might have a better understanding of what project they’d like to sign up for.
Hop To It
You will learn rabbit care and management in this club. You will be supported through every aspect of rabbit ownership including: where to purchase a show-quality rabbit, how to feed and care for the rabbit, what supplies are necessary, etc. You will also learn what it takes to successfully show your rabbit at the County Fair. This club practices a model where the older members are involved in teaching the younger members. 2024 Schedule. 2024 Hop To It Handbook.
Rim Rocks
This livestock club supports all of the livestock projects: beef, sheep, swine, goats, poultry and rabbits. They meet up Brush Creek in Eagle once/month. They are a smaller, more individualized club where you will receive one-on-one support for whatever livestock project you’re enrolled in.
Rocky Mountain
This livestock club supports all of the livestock projects: beef, sheep, swine, goats, poultry and rabbits. They meet in Eagle at random times to accommodate the high school sports schedule. You will receive support for your livestock project including: where to purchase, equipment and supplies needed for the project, what to feed, how to prepare for the County Fair, etc. The club also brings in special guest speakers to talk about nutrition and selection.
Sew What
If you want to learn how to sew, this is your club! They meet twice/month Sunday afternoons at the Eagle County Building. You will need to bring your own sewing machine and if you’re cloverbud age (5, 6 or 7), your parent will need to stay with you. You’ll do a sewing project at each meeting the first ½ of the year to enhance your sewing skills. The second half of the year will be spent on sewing your project for the County Fair. Sew What 4-H Club Schedule
Sweetwater Bandits
This livestock club supports all of the livestock projects: beef, sheep, swine, goats, poultry and rabbits. They meet in Eagle once/month on Monday evenings. You will receive support for your livestock project including: where to purchase, equipment and supplies needed for the project, what to feed, County Fair preparation, etc. At each meeting, you will break into species groups and talk specifically about the project in which you are signed up for. In addition to livestock education, this club focuses on citizenship education and responsibility.
Waggin’ Tails
Bring your dog and learn how to train your dog for obedience and showmanship. The club meets twice/month on Monday evenings at the Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall. Special guests will come periodically to help with individual skills and at other times, more experienced members will work with newer members. 2024 Waggin' Tails meeting schedule.
Whistling Bullets
This club teaches kids to safely operate a firearm or bow/arrow. Safety is the main priority and every volunteer leader is required to attend a 20 hour training for each discipline they teach. Members can bring their own equipment to the meeting to practice with but it’s not a requirement: the club has enough equipment to supply every member with the necessary firearm and ammunition. The club will begin meeting at the end of February every Wednesday evening in the Exhibit Hall at the Fairgrounds through April from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Beginning in May, the club moves outside to the Gypsum Shooting Park and meets every Thursday evening through July; 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Inside, members practice archery and air-rifle. Once outside, members have the option of practicing archery, rifle, pistol, shotgun, or muzzle-loader. Check out their website for updated schedules and meeting information.
For questions and more information about the local 4-H program, please contact connie.melzer@eaglecounty.us at the CSU Extension office at Eagle County at or 970-328-8634.
The Colorado 4-H Program has a variety of projects to offer youth, ages 5-18. By becoming involved in a 4-H, you will not only learn practical skills in each project, but you will develop life skills that will equip you with the skills you need to succeed throughout your life.
4-H projects are designed to develop the following life skills:
- Positive Self-Concept
- Making Contributions - Being Successful
- Confidence
- Competence
- Connectedness
- Caring and Compassion
- March 26th 6-8 pm at the Garden level classroom - Eagle County Govt Building
- April 29th 6-8 PM Exhibit Hall in Eagle
4-H projects are specific areas of planned experiences for young people to learn, such as training pets, making clothing, growing plants, shooting sports, agriculture animals and building rockets. Projects offer in-depth learning experiences for 4-H members. A wide range of projects are offered in each state and may vary from state to state. The project materials are written by faculty members at Colorado State University. In Eagle County, there is club support for the following projects:
Beekeeping
Cake Decorating
Cooking
Leather craft
Sewing
Shooting Sports
Beef
Dog
Goat
Horse
Poultry (chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, quail)
Rabbit
Sheep
Swine
Active 4-H Clubs:
Bees and Beyond
This hands-on club meets periodically at their hives located in Gypsum. They work together to care for their bees, extract honey, bear-proof the hives, etc. You will learn how to care for a hive and bees, from beginning to end.
Bunny Trails
You will learn rabbit care and management in this club. You will be supported through every aspect of rabbit ownership including: where to purchase a show-quality rabbit, how to feed and care for the rabbit, what supplies are necessary, how to show a rabbit and prepare for Fair, etc. This club also warmly welcomes 4-H cloverbuds (members ages 5, 6 and 7) that will participate in the club using a stuffed bunny. 2024 Bunny Trails HandBook.
Cake Decorating
This hands-on club meets once/month on Tuesday evenings at the Methodist Church in Eagle. You will bring a pre-made frozen cake to each meeting where you’ll be taught decorating techniques as you decorate the cake you brought. The requirements for the particular unit you are signed up for will be practiced so you’ll be ready to decorate your prize winning cake come County Fair time.
Cake It Up (cloverbuds only)
Cloverbuds - this one’s for you! They meet once a month, at the Dotsero Community Room in Gypsum is where this club will meet. Cloverbud members ages 5, 6 and 7 will decorate their own cake at each meeting.
Cookin’ Kids
Foods and Nutrition is the project that you’ll enroll in for this club. You’ll work together at each meeting (twice/month on Tuesday nights at the Methodist Church in Eagle) learning to cook a new dish. You’ll practice cooking the dish that’s required for County Fair entry depending on what unit you are signed up for.
County Council
This leadership club is open to Intermediate (ages 11-13) and Senior (ages 14-18) members. They meet once/month on Monday evenings in Gypsum. In addition to club meetings, these members serve as group leaders for the annual Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry, announce livestock and horse shows at County Fair and emcee the annual 4-H awards banquet. 2024 County Council Handbook. 2024 Meeting Schedule.
Freedom Riders
This club supports the 4-H horse project. Don’t be deceived by the name; you don’t have to be in the Freedom Riders 4-H Drill Team just because you’re in this club. Several members are a part of the drill team but others that are not are a part of the horsemanship aspect of the club. The club supports riders of all abilities and offers riding sessions several times a month for the members. You must own or lease your own horse to participate in this club.
Fresh Tracks (cloverbuds only)
Cloverbuds (ages 5, 6 and 7), this ones for you! This general cloverbud club meets once/month on Monday evenings and focuses on a different project at each meeting. For example, one meeting club members might do an activity around cooking and another meeting around dogs. The goal is once a member turns 8, they might have a better understanding of what project they’d like to sign up for.
Hop To It
You will learn rabbit care and management in this club. You will be supported through every aspect of rabbit ownership including: where to purchase a show-quality rabbit, how to feed and care for the rabbit, what supplies are necessary, etc. You will also learn what it takes to successfully show your rabbit at the County Fair. This club practices a model where the older members are involved in teaching the younger members. 2024 Schedule. 2024 Hop To It Handbook.
Rim Rocks
This livestock club supports all of the livestock projects: beef, sheep, swine, goats, poultry and rabbits. They meet up Brush Creek in Eagle once/month. They are a smaller, more individualized club where you will receive one-on-one support for whatever livestock project you’re enrolled in.
Rocky Mountain
This livestock club supports all of the livestock projects: beef, sheep, swine, goats, poultry and rabbits. They meet in Eagle at random times to accommodate the high school sports schedule. You will receive support for your livestock project including: where to purchase, equipment and supplies needed for the project, what to feed, how to prepare for the County Fair, etc. The club also brings in special guest speakers to talk about nutrition and selection.
Sew What
If you want to learn how to sew, this is your club! They meet twice/month Sunday afternoons at the Eagle County Building. You will need to bring your own sewing machine and if you’re cloverbud age (5, 6 or 7), your parent will need to stay with you. You’ll do a sewing project at each meeting the first ½ of the year to enhance your sewing skills. The second half of the year will be spent on sewing your project for the County Fair. Sew What 4-H Club Schedule
Sweetwater Bandits
This livestock club supports all of the livestock projects: beef, sheep, swine, goats, poultry and rabbits. They meet in Eagle once/month on Monday evenings. You will receive support for your livestock project including: where to purchase, equipment and supplies needed for the project, what to feed, County Fair preparation, etc. At each meeting, you will break into species groups and talk specifically about the project in which you are signed up for. In addition to livestock education, this club focuses on citizenship education and responsibility.
Waggin’ Tails
Bring your dog and learn how to train your dog for obedience and showmanship. The club meets twice/month on Monday evenings at the Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall. Special guests will come periodically to help with individual skills and at other times, more experienced members will work with newer members. 2024 Waggin' Tails meeting schedule.
Whistling Bullets
This club teaches kids to safely operate a firearm or bow/arrow. Safety is the main priority and every volunteer leader is required to attend a 20 hour training for each discipline they teach. Members can bring their own equipment to the meeting to practice with but it’s not a requirement: the club has enough equipment to supply every member with the necessary firearm and ammunition. The club will begin meeting at the end of February every Wednesday evening in the Exhibit Hall at the Fairgrounds through April from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Beginning in May, the club moves outside to the Gypsum Shooting Park and meets every Thursday evening through July; 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Inside, members practice archery and air-rifle. Once outside, members have the option of practicing archery, rifle, pistol, shotgun, or muzzle-loader. Check out their website for updated schedules and meeting information.
For questions and more information about the local 4-H program, please contact connie.melzer@eaglecounty.us at the CSU Extension office at Eagle County at or 970-328-8634.
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