County Club Day

County Club Day is on Saturday, February 28th at Pioneer Ridge Middle School in Gardner, KS. Refer to these guidelines as you prepare your performances. Not performing? Read below for many other ways to be involved in this fun, county-wide event!



County Judging Opportunity

There will be two county level judging activities led by other K-State Extension Agents at this event. Judging activities help deepen your project knowledge and strengthen critical thinking skills. Taking part in a county level judging experience also satisfies a requirement on membership pin applications!

• 9:00 - 11:30 Family & Consumer Science and Foods & Nutrition
• 11:00 - 1:00 Horticulture and Natural Resources

Both judging activities will take place in the Commons Area in the middle school.

Room Monitors Needed!

Room monitors are an essential role for this event and ANYONE can sign up to room monitor. You do not have to be registered to perform at this event to be a room monitor. Important note: serving as a room monitor satisfies a requirement on membership pin applications! Never been a room monitor before? No worries! It is easy and we will show you what to do!

Club Day Snack Donations

The Club Day Committee would love your help providing some snacks for the club day judges to enjoy during the event. Please use the signup genius to find out what is needed. If you would like to donate you can drop the items off by 8:00 AM at the front doors of Pioneer Ridge Middle School (16200 S. Kill Creek Rd. Gardner, KS).

Thank you for helping show our judges how much we appreciate them!

-Ellie D., Great Plains 4-H Club Member and County Club Day Committee Member

Kitchen Restore Community Service Project

The Johnson County 4-H Council is hosting a donation drive to benefit the Kitchen Restore Project. The Kitchen Restore Project strives to improve the nutrition, food safety awareness, health, and quality of life of Johnson County residents through the provision of basic kitchen items to those with minimal or no resources for cooking. Clubs are encouraged to gather donations, which will be collected at the County Council meeting on March 2nd, 2026. Donations will also be collected at the County Food Fare, or they may be dropped off at the Extension Office. View the flyer for more information!

CWF Youth Delegation Fundraiser

This March, eight Johnson County 4-H youth delegates will attend Citizenship Washington Focus (a conference track at the Ignite 4-H Conference) in Washington D.C. This delegation has spent the last several months meeting together, focusing on leadership, service and civic engagement in order to prepare for the penultimate trip. A focus of their planning efforts has also been group fundraising to cover their conference and travel costs.

Support the delegation at their Chipotle Fundraiser - grab dinner out at the Olathe Chipotle on Monday, March 2nd between 5:00 and 9:00 PM and a portion of sales will benefit the delegation. Be sure to mention the fundraiser when you either order in-person OR online. This flyer has more information. The delegation appreciates your support!

Archery SPIN Club Enrollment

Online registration for Johnson County 4-H Archery SPIN will open on Tuesday, March 3rd. Focus of the SPIN Club will be on beginning archery, but those that have more advanced skills are also welcome to register. This SPIN Club is a pre-requisite for perhaps joining the Match Practice group during summer. The match practice group has limited space available. Class is taught by Kansas certified 4-H Shooting Sports Archery Instructors. Safety will be a top priority. This is the only opportunity to get this instruction in the 4-H Shooting Sports Archery project this year.

Archery SPIN will meet four times on Sunday afternoons, beginning April 12. This outdoor event will be held at Powder Creek Shooting Park (8601 Monticello Rd, Lenexa, KS). Dates/times are tentatively set for April 12, 19, 26, May 3 from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. In the event of bad weather, make-up days may be added during the week. Participants must be there for the first meeting since most safety topics will be covered that day.

Participants for this class do not need to be current 4-H members but must be between 4-H ages of 9-18 (age before January 1, 2026). Previous years’ participants that are not a member of Archery Match Practice group may take the class again.

The registration link will be provided in the March Clover Clips and will be posted on the Johnson County 4-H webpage. A $40 equipment fee will be required during online registration. This fee is for class use of all the equipment including bows, arrows, targets, stands, armguard, finger protection, etc.

Registrations could fill up quickly. If you attempt to sign up and see an announcement the class is full, please contact the Johnson County 4-H office to get on a waiting list. In addition to the equipment fee, participants will be required to fill out a SPIN Club Participation Form. Contact Arn Eccles for more information about the class or contact the Johnson County Extension 4-H Office about help getting registered. Further details will be provided to enrolled participants after registration has closed.

Regional 4-H Club Day

4-H’ers receiving a Top Purple ribbon placing at County Club Day will be invited to participate in Regional Club Day which will take place on Saturday, March 21st at Baldwin City Junior High School. And remember, 4-H’ers who are 4-H age 9 and older that receive a purple ribbon for a Demonstration, Illustrated Talk, Project Talk, or Poetry/Prose are eligible to enter in the Kansas State Fair. 

2026 Food Fare

The 2026 Food Fare will be held on Friday, March 6th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Johnson County Extension Office. This year's theme is "Around the World" - come to enjoy international cuisine! Invite your family and friends. Please RSVP by February 27th if you plan to attend.

Spring Break Classes - March 17th

Leathercraft Class

Instructor Randy Cornelius will touch on the basics of leathercraft including some history of leather, how leather is made, and the basic seven tools used to carve floral designs on leather. This class is geared toward youth above the age of 12 and is simply an introduction for those who have never done leathercraft before. Hands on work of carving and tooling a design will be done on a leather coaster.

The class will be held on Tuesday, March 17th from 1:30 - 4:30 PM at the Johnson County Extension Office, Room 1055. The class fee is $25 per participant. All the tools, leather, and other supplies will be provided. Each youth will also be supplied a leatherworking manual that is theirs to keep. Participants will need to bring two #2 lead pencils or a mechanical pencil, a 12” ruler, and a pair of scissors. The class is limited to 10 spots. Preregistration is required. Email Randy with any questions about the class.

Livestock Judging

If you are interested in joining or learning more about the Johnson County 4-H Livestock Judging team, please fill out this form. Livestock judging is a great way to learn more about each species, desirable genetics and traits for your animals, and gain confidence in communication skills. This team will also compete at the 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes contest. Please contact Cyla or coach, Wyatt Reece, with questions.

YQCA

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) program is an annual certification process.

ALL Johnson County Fair exhibitors (youth ages 8 and older) exhibiting in the beef, goat, sheep and/or swine project must be YQCA certified by June 15, 2026 in order to exhibit at the fair. Additionally, ALL exhibitors (ages 7 and older) at State Livestock Shows who will be exhibiting market or breeding animals in the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive or Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS) are required to obtain certification.

Certification can be done by taking a minimum one-hour in-person training or an online training. Both types of trainings are registered for and paid for by going to the YQCA website. All registrations and payments are handled through the YQCA website and must be done before attending either type of training. The online training is $12 per youth and the in-person training is $3 per youth. (If a family needs financial support, contact the Extension Office.)

Johnson County 4-H will hold one more in-person training at the Extension Office on Tuesday, May 5th at 6:00 PM. Registration is required to attend a training. If you cannot attend one of the in-person trainings that our county offers, you may also attend a training in another county. It is not required that you complete your certification in the county you show in. To find other counties' trainings, view other available dates on the YQCA website.

Families are responsible for turning in a printed copy of their YQCA certificate or emailing a copy to the Extension Office by June 15th, 2026. No late submissions (after June 15th) will be accepted. Additional details can be found on the Johnson County 4-H Livestock webpage.

Livestock Tagging

All market and commercial breeding animals, including beef, sheep, goats, swine, and bucket calves, must be tagged by Extension staff on or before the designated tagging deadlines to be eligible to show in the 4-H division at the Johnson County Fair. The cost of the Kansas 4-H EID ear tag is $3 per animal.

Tagging dates and times are as follows and will all take place at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. In an effort to meet state guidelines please note that tagging dates will be held earlier for the 2026 show year. Read more about best management practices for local livestock tagging.

State Livestock Nominations

4-H members planning to show their animals at the Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS) and/or the Kansas State Fair must submit nominations to the KSU Youth Livestock office. Market beef nominations are due by May 1. Commercial heifer, swine, sheep, and meat goat nominations are due by June 15. Information regarding state livestock nominations, ordering DNA envelopes, and the nomination process can be found on the webpage.

County-wide Poultry Project Kickoff

Join us Wednesday, March 4th from 6:00 - 7:00 PM at the Extension Office to kickoff the 4-H Poultry Project in Johnson County. Hear from this year's new superintendent Alicia Van Gotten, ask questions and share knowledge with other poultry families. Door prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the meeting (must be present to win).

Whether this is your first or tenth year in the Johnson County poultry project, you are encouraged to attend! We will be discussing new biosecurity protocols, showmanship expectations and plans for barn improvements. 

For first year poultry project families, we will discuss Poultry 101, where to buy project chicks, care and show processes. Bring your questions! Treats provided by the Blue River Wranglers Poultry Project.

Please RSVP if you plan to attend. Can't make the meeting? We will share a link to attend virtually. Feel free to email questions in advance to Alicia.

Building Block Engineering Project Meeting

The 2026 Johnson County Building Block Engineering Project Kickoff will be Tuesday, March 10th from 6:00 -7:00 PM at the Extension Office! Hear from superintendent Ben Powell, ask questions and share ideas with other Building Block Engineering families. We will have some mixed bins of Legos for 4-H'ers to experiment with while we go over the project expectations and guidance for required paperwork. Treats will be provided by the Blue River Wranglers Lego Group.

Anyone interested in learning more about Building Block Engineering (commonly referred to as BBE, or the Lego project) is invited! No supplies needed. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

Save the Date: Foods Project Information Session

Our Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health Agent, Chelsea King, and the 4-H Foods and Nutrition Superintendent, Sue Pio, will host an information session via Zoom on Thursday, April 30th (6:00 - 7:00 PM). This session is designed to help exhibitors prepare for the fair’s food projects. We’ll walk through the fair book together, highlighting key rules and guidelines, and cover practical tips, such as calculating your frosting percentage, to ensure your entries meet judging standards. The session will conclude with a Q&A, giving you the chance to ask questions you may have around foods for the fair. 

Monday, February 16th 6:00 PM

County Electricity Meeting

Back by popular demand, join us for the second session on electromagnetism.

Registration: Class registration is FULL

Contact: Paul Voelker

Location: Johnson County Extension Office, Room 1060

Tuesday, February 17th 6:00 PM

Johnson County Horticulture Project Meeting

Join us for the monthly horticulture meetings.

In February, we’ll begin diving into entomology. Students will learn about both beneficial and harmful insects and be introduced to the basics of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Reminder: Please bring a leaf to share as we discuss leaf morphology and come ready to talk about your favorite bug!

Registration: Sign up required

Contact: Anthony or Markis

Location: Johnson County Extension Office

Thursdays, February 19th, 26th 6:30 - 8:30 PM

County-Wide Sewing Meetings

All levels welcome. Bring your sewing machine!

Contact: Martha Powell

Location: Johnson County Extension Office

Monday, February 23rd 6:00 PM

Johnson County Entomology Project Meeting

You are invited to join us on the third Monday of each month at the Johnson County Entomology Project Meetings. At these meetings we dive into the art of collecting and learning about insects! Whether you're a seasoned collector or just starting out, this hands-on meeting is perfect for anyone looking to improve their skills and take their insect collection to new heights. All skill levels welcome!

At the February meeting we will talk about more advanced aspects of pinning and positioning specimens. Don’t worry if you are new, you can come and learn no matter your skill level! If you have already caught some insects, remember to bring them so you can practice pinning and identifying. If you are looking for a new project where you can learn more about the world and nature, entomology is an excellent choice, and this meeting will give you the right place to start learning about the insects and how they live! 

Registration: None required

Contact: Patrick Delancy

Location: Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church (Room #115) 13145 Blackbob Road, Olathe, KS 66062

Thursday, February 26th 5:00 - 7:00 PM

Beef Tagging

All market and commercial breeding animals must be tagged by Extension staff on or before the designated tagging deadlines to be eligible to show in the 4-H division at the Johnson County Fair.

Contact: Cyla or Lexi

Location: Johnson County Fairgrounds

Saturday, February 28th

Johnson County Club Day

Join this county-wide event by observing a fellow 4-H'er perform, take part in county-wide judging or serve as a room monitor.

Contact: Cyla or Lexi

Location: Pioneer Ridge Middle School (16200 S. Kill Creek Rd. Gardner, KS)

Monday, March 2nd 7:00 PM

Johnson County Council Meeting

Youth representatives meet for council on the odd-numbered months.

Contact: Cyla or Lexi

Location: Johnson County Extension Office

Wednesday, March 4th 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Johnson County Poultry Project Kick-Off

Hear from this year's new superintendent Alicia Van Gotten, ask questions and share knowledge with other poultry families.

Registration: RSVP

Contact: Alicia

Location: Johnson County Extension Office

Friday, March 6th 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Johnson County Food Fare

Join us to celebrate cuisine from "Around the World"!

Registration: RSVP by 2/27

Contact: Cyla or Lexi

Location: Johnson County Extension Office

Sunday, March 8th 4:00 PM

Johnson County Fiber Arts Project Meeting

Join fiber art project leaders, volunteers and fellow members to craft together.

Contact: Emily or Dorothy

Location: Black Dog Coffeehouse (Lenexa, KS)

K-State Junior Sheep Producer Day

Junior Producer Days are hosted to provide educational material and hands-on experiences for youth, parents, leaders, extension agents, and ag teachers. Various speakers share information on topics such as selection, nutrition, showmanship, fitting, reproduction, feeding, and disease control. Talks, demonstrations, hands-on activities, and door prizes are present at all events. Beef and Sheep days are hosted in even years, and Swine and Meat Goat days are hosted in odd years. Sheep Producer Day registration is still open, register before March 20th!

K-State Junior Sheep Producer Day

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026

Registration Deadline: March 20

Cost: $20/person by March 20 ($30/person after March 20)

*Late registrants will not receive a T-shirt

**All attendees must register, including youth & adults

Save the Date: 2026 Insect Spectacular

Beetles, bugs, dragonflies and more! It’s time to get registered for the 34th Insect Spectacular. The State Entomology Workshop will be held Friday and Saturday June 19th and 20th. Activities will be based at the North Community building in Iola, Kansas.

Registration for the workshop will open April 24th and run through May 25th. Once registration closes, it will not be reopened. There will be no cancellations or refunds of money after registration closes. Cancellations before registration closes are eligible for a 50% refund. A parent from each family must pay full registration and attend the workshop. A parent is to stay with your child or children at the workshop. 

View the event flyer for more trip details.

Insect Spectacular T-Shirt Design Contest

Calling all creative 4-H'ers! Try your hand at creating a design to go on the 2026 Insect Spectacular T-shirts. This year's theme is Lepidoptera (Butterflies, Skippers and/or Moths) of Kansas. The contest dates will run from February 1st to March 6th. Designs must be submitted by March 6th at midnight. Contest details can be found on the flyer.

Rock Springs Summer Camp

Summer Camp Registration is OPEN - secure your spot today! Camp offerings include a mini camp, half week and full week sessions, teen leadership programs and several new specialty camps. All camp sessions are offered on a voluntary three-tiered pricing model based on the needs of families. For a description of the tiers and the pricing list, please visit this webpage. For families who are unable to pay the Tier 3 pricing, camperships are available through the generosity of donors to the Kansas 4-H Foundation. To apply for a campership, please complete the Campership Application.

Registration is also open for the Counselors in Training (CIT) and Leaders in Training (LIT) sessions. Registration for the Leaders in Training (LIT) and Counselors in Training (CIT) programs will be covered by generous philanthropic support from the Patterson Family Foundation. To apply, youth must complete a letter of interest.

Check out Kansas 4-H Camp at Rock Springs Ranch for information and registrations. Transportation from Olathe is offered for sessions 1-8.

K-State Invitational Youth Meat Judging Contest

A spring youth meat judging contest will be hosted again this year on Sunday, March 1 in the KSU Meats Lab on the K-State campus in Manhattan. This will be a wonderful opportunity for youth to see actual meat product.

Registration for the contest is live. The deadline to register is February 27.  

Booth Opportunity at American Royal Field Trip Day/Youth Rodeo

Walnut Pond Agriculture Discovery Center invites 4-H clubs to join them in their presentation "A Day Without Agriculture" to children at the American Royal Field Trip Day in association with the Youth Rodeo on April 22-24th, 2026.

Each club can choose a crop/livestock and make an exhibit that children of elementary age will view to learn about the chosen project and all the things they come in contact with daily that has been made at least in part from that crop/product. The discovery center will coordinate your booth space for you and provide assistance with whatever you may need. All booth topic selections must be registered with the center so there will not be any duplicates. This is a great opportunity for presentation, creativity, learning, leadership and community service. Your booth could even be chosen to become a permanent part of a traveling display! Please direct all your questions and communications to the Discovery Center.

Sunflower Livestock Showdown Scholarship Program

The Finney County Youth Livestock Committee, along with their generous sponsors, are pleased to be able to provide graduating high school seniors or college freshmen (still eligible to show livestock through 4-H) the opportunity to apply for a Sunflower Livestock Showdown Scholarship. Eligible students who plan to further their education full-time in an agriculture related field are encouraged to apply for the scholarship. The scholarship program hopes to identify talented students who may emerge as leaders in the agriculture industry. Up to five eligible students will be selected to receive awards during the 2026 Sunflower Livestock Showdown livestock show. Take note of the application requirements and details. All applications must be submitted by April 1st!

IPM Insect Art Contest

The K-State Extension Pesticide Safety and IPM Program is hosting its annual insect-themed art contest, open to all ages and skill levels in Kansas!

This year’s theme is Metamorphosis Magic. The goal is to explore insects that undergo complete and incomplete metamorphosis, then create artwork that fits the contest theme. Artwork may include drawings or paintings, digital art, or a 3-D piece such as sculpture, stained glass or other creative media.

Awards will be given for 1st – 3rd place in each of the following age categories: 

• Kindergarten – 2nd grade 
• 3rd grade – 5th grade 
• 6th grade – 8th grade 
• High school 
• Adult 

Entries must be received or postmarked before April 15, 2026. 

Clover Clips Submission

The deadline for submissions for Clover Clips will be on the 15th of each month. If you have a submission that you would like to have considered for an edition of Clover Clips please send it to Erin at Erin.Yeung@jocogov.org