Nuthin But Kids Dairy Goat 4-H Club

What is 4-H? 

4‑H is delivered by Cooperative Extension—a community of more than 100 public universities across the nation that provides experiences where young people learn by doing.  The goal of 4-H is to teach youth citizenship, leadership, and life skills.  For more than 100 years, 4‑H has welcomed young people of all beliefs and backgrounds, giving kids a voice to express who they are and how they make their lives and communities better.

Purpose: 

The Nuthin But Kids Dairy Goat 4-H Club is for youth age 9 to 18 years old to learn about the care, grooming, showing and responsibility involved in raising dairy goats, and the development and uses of goat milk products. Frequent activities including educational workshops, clinics, goat shows, petting zoos and other community service. 

Meetings: 

Monthly club meetings occur on the 1st Monday of the month (unless a holiday) at 6:30pm. We will start with the 4-H and American pledges.  Pledges are followed by any business the Club needs to discuss in our business meeting portion, then the educational part (either a hands on project lesson, guest speaker, or other activity that is dairy goat related), and finally after the close of the official Club meeting time, time to enjoy hanging out and getting to know each other.

Our Club frequently has additional events and opportunities at other times, but meetings are once a month.  Other events include but are not limited to fundraisers, volunteer work in the community, special visits to farms in the area, Fauquier County Fair, VA State Fair, local dairy goat shows in the VA area (both 4-H sponsored or American Dairy Goat Association/American Goat Society sanctioned), or hands on moments with our goats as a Club.  These events are not required, but highly encouraged.

Parent (or Grandparent, Aunt, Uncle, etc.) Involvement:

4-H Club Membership is free thanks to the 100's of volunteers that offer their time to organize activities for our clubs.  Volunteers help with things like planning fieldtrips, organizing a service project, bringing snacks, or leading kids in a hands-on project.  Parents/guardians are welcome (even encouraged) to stay and participate in meetings.  Many even learn valuable information to help in the care of the livestock at their homes.

Club Activities: 

Leadership: Our Club encourages members to take a hands-on approach to leadership and learning the responsibility taken on in leadership roles.  Even if a member is not elected to a Club leadership position (President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer), there are several leadership roles members can volunteer for to learn time management, deadlines, and public speaking. 

Responsibility and Goal Setting: Members are expected to complete a Dairy Goat Project book for the 4-H year.  This allows members to focus on new goals each year as they grow in their animal husbandry skills with their dairy goat(s).  Members are encouraged to take on most of the responsibility for their project animal (with adult guidance and assistance as needed).  Club meeting topics focus on empowering the members to learn and be able to take on this responsibility.

Petting Zoos:  One of the Nuthin But Kids main fundraisers is to bring our goats out to different community locations in Fauquier County for petting zoos.  These events are not only a fun, easy fundraiser for the Club to help cover Fair fees and other fun activities, but also a way for members to work on their public speaking and educating the public on dairy goats and agriculture in our area.

Dairy Goat Requirement:

To complete a 4-H Dairy Goat Project book, members do need to have access to a dairy goat that they regularly care for.  This does not mean that your family needs to run out and buy dairy goats.  Our group encourages members to research the best options for them before purchase of any livestock animals.  If your family is in the research phase Club Leadership will work with the Club member to complete a research style Project Book showing what they have learned through the year about the care of dairy goats.

The Club has partnered with herds in the Warrenton, VA, area that are willing for a 4-H member to lease a dairy goat for the 4-H year.  There will be a time investment as the 4-H member will be expected to assist in chores and caring for the animal (to fully do this it usually requires a 4-H member to be at the farm at least 2 days a week in the morning or evening to help with chores, and at least once a month on a Saturday to help with longer tasks).  

If your family is ready to begin their dairy goat journey and needs help finding the best dairy goats for your family, Club leadership is also happy to help connect you with breeders in the area or assist in any way they can in bringing your new goat friends home.

Membership: 

To join, youth must be registered at v2.4honline.com. If your child is not registered, they will not be able to participate in 4-H.  There is no cost to join 4-H.  Nuthin But Kids Dairy Goat Club Members must be 9 - 18 years old as of September 30, 2023.  Cloverbuds (5 - 8 year olds) can join on a case by case basis.

contact

For more information, please contact Hannah Wall at fauquierdairygoatclub@gmail.com .  If you are interested in joining, please send Hannah a note so she can make sure to include you in communications about upcoming meetings.