An excerpt from the January 2024 issue of the Bay Farm Beat. By Evelyn Golden, Bay Farm Agriculture Specialist.
We are thrilled to welcome 4-H to the Bay Farm campus! 4-H holds a special place in my heart, as I come from a 4-H legacy family, and my children are fourth-generation 4-H’ers. I am excited to share all the joy, wonder, and excitement 4-H has to offer with the students of BFMA.
Like Maria Montessori, 4-H has roots dating back to the late 1800s. Researchers found that adults in rural farming communities were hesitant to learn about new agricultural advancements found at the university campuses. However, they discovered that the youth were open to learning and exploring these recent advancements and shared the latest agriculture technology with their rural communities. The idea of “learn by doing” was created by building community clubs, with the youth being the first step in helping to solve agricultural challenges at that time. The Cooperative Extension System under the USDA was created in 1914, making 4-H a national program allowing 4-H clubs to form. By 1924, the clover emblem was adopted and granted a unique and special status; it is in a category similar to the Presidential Seal and the Olympic Emblem.
Today, 4‑H clubs are found in rural, urban, and suburban communities in every state nationwide. 4-H has out-of-school programming and in-school enrichment programs. 4-H clubs and camps offer a wide variety of STEM opportunities, from agricultural and animal sciences to rocketry, robotics, environmental protection, and computer science. Our 4‑H’ers are tackling some of our top issues, like global food security, climate change, and sustainable energy. Today’s 4-H’ers are our future; they are helping improve our ability to compete in key scientific fields and to take on the leading challenges of our modern world.
CLUB MEETINGS: Each club meeting is run by its members, and the 4-H Leader is there to guide and mentor. The meeting is set up according to a standard Parliamentary Procedure followed by officers and membership. We begin each meeting with our 4-H pledge, roll call, and discussion of new and old business.
HANDS-ON, YOUTH-LED: 4-H provides youth with hands-on, youth-led experiences. In these leadership experiences, they give back to their community, helping others. They learn by doing and grow from failure. They are given opportunities to use their influence, express ideas, and work with others to create positive outcomes. Each stage empowers independence, resilience, and compassion using these experiences, helping develop well-rounded leaders of tomorrow.
Plymouth County 4-H: Plymouth County 4-H has many opportunities around the County and State. 4-H provides a wonderful public speaking program called Visual Presentations. Children choose a topic that interests them, create posters or PowerPoint presentations, and deliver a speech about their topic for 3-10 minutes, based on their age. These topics can range from how to care for a pet, making cookies or STEAM projects. The possibilities are limited only by their imagination. Our Bay Farm 4-H’ers will be able to present their VPs (Visual Presentations) at the Club and the County. During the County presentations, they deliver their VP to a panel of judges, and the judges provide tips and encouragement to improve their presentations. The children are awarded ribbons based on the Danish system. The judges will award one presenter in each category the chance to compete at the state level or present at the Big E Fair.
Plymouth County 4-H also has two wonderful fairs that our Bay Farm 4-H’ers can participate in and exhibit. Our Bay Farm 4-H’ers could have the opportunity to show goats and chickens while learning about the health and proper care of the animals. They will also learn tips and techniques needed to show and present the animal to a judge. Both the Marshfield and East Middleboro Fairs have many other wonderful opportunities to participate in if working with animals is not an interest to your child. Children could submit entries in a youth baking competition, horticulture, gardening, photography, crafts, and more.
Massachusetts has many 4-H summer camps to choose from! One is Camp Farley, located on Cape Cod. Your 4-H’er could spend the week exploring and learning about any of the 4-H projects they are interested in, which may include everything from helping at the barnyard to rock climbing. My sons cherish the memories they made during their summer camp experience at both 4-H camps they attended.
Being a 4-H member will stay with them beyond their time at Bay Farm. 4-H is open to youth up to the age of 19. Many 4-H alums return as leaders and even judges at our fairs, and VPs. Our members are encouraged to pursue the Key Award, the highest achievement given to a 4-Her. Each year, the Massachusetts 4-H Foundations choose a handful of delegates who embody the 4-H spirit to represent Massachusetts at the 4-H National Conference in Washington DC, and/or the 4-H National Congress in Atlanta, GA.
Being a 4-H-er has shaped my life in many ways. It has helped shape me into the person I am today. I look forward to sharing this 4-H experience and the journey with our Bay Farm families.
“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, my county, and my world.”
