Santa Rosa Valley 4-H Projects

Alpaca

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: 1 Saturday a month for 1 - 2 hours

Location: Windy Farms

Cost:  No project fee

Focuses on care and breeding, performance, showmanship, and the fiber production of alpacas. There are two show opportunities, one in the fall and one in the spring. You don’t have to have your own alpaca to participate. You can simply learn and participate in a variety of activities. 

Cavies

Level: Juniors and Above

Schedule: Runs concurrently with the rabbit project.4th Sunday of the month (Oct- July)

Location: RSR Clubhouse

Cost: project fee dependent on project needs

Do you want to learn all about Cavies? (Guinea pigs)  This project will teach how to care for and how to Show your cavies.  This is a Great project for younger kids looking to join an animal project or older kids new to showmanship or who want to do an animal project but can't own a larger animal. Cavies are amazing pets. They are so full of personality!  Did you know that a cavy is what we commonly know as a guinea pig? In the cavy project, you can learn about selection and raising your animals, but also dive into health issues, management practices, and careers!  Learn the basic principles of animal science by owning, caring for, and keeping records on one or more head of cavies.  Explore knowledge of sound breeding, feeding, and management practices.  Learn about the important breeds and varieties of cavies and their characteristics.  Investigate marketing, project expansion, and how you can start a cavy business. 

Goats - Market

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: Meetings held weekly on Monday nights March-August. and daily during Ventura County Fair (typically the second week in August) 

Location: Project Leader's home is Somis

Cost: Cost of purchasing and caring for goat.

Members will raise a goat and take it to fair for auction. Members will learn all about the health, nutrition and care that goes into raising goats. Members will need to be prepared to care for their goats daily (April- August.)

Lamb- Market

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: Weekly on Monday nights March- August  and daily during Ventura County Fair (typically the second week in August) 

Location: Project leader's home in Somis

Cost: Members are responsible for all costs associated with purchasing and caring for the lamb.

The Lamb project is a great opportunity to raise livestock and get to experience the entire process of raising a market animal and showing them at fair. Late February/ Early March you get your lamb, at this point they are small and weight around  50lb. For the next 6 months until fair, you get to raise the lamb, halter break, and work on showing techniques. After the first few weeks of having your lamb, the project team will meet weekly. At the weekly meeting, members learn what adjustments need to be made to care for their lamb, and they work with their lamb to prepare for showing at The Ventura County fair large livestock show. At the fair you will exhibit your lamb and show in the market and showmanship class, as well as sell your lambs at the livestock auction.

Commitment: Project runs (Jan-August) Members must be prepared to care for their lambs daily once they’ve purchased them.

Dairy Goats

Poultry - Avian Bowl

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: Practices will begin in December and will continue through the competition in February. The leader works with the participants to determine frequency and dates of practices. 

Location: Project leader's home in Camarillo

This is the academic decathlon of raising birds! Come learn all about poultry from history, to science, to cooking eggs, raising birds at home and commercially. Teams of 4-H youth age 9 and up compete in avian knowledge bowl, representing Ventura County in the State Avian Bowl Competition in February.

Poultry - Show Birds

Level: All Levels- Primary level members must be accompanied by an adult in order to participate.

Schedule: 4th Sunday of the month at 3-4 pm 

Location: RSR Clubhouse in Camarillo

Cost: 

Learn all aspects of poultry, (nutrition, health and disease prevention, biosecurity, safe housing) This project also allows members to learn to showmanship to compete in shows. Poultry ownership recommended but not required.

Rabbits - Show

Level: All Levels

Schedule: 4th Sunday of the month (Oct - July) and daily during the Ventura County Fair generally the first week of August.

Location: RSR Clubhouse

Cost: Project fee dependent on project needs

Learn how to care for, breed, and show rabbits. This project covers all aspects of owning and caring for a rabbit. We will cover breeding as well. Members will also learn showmanship to show at fair and other rabbit shows.

Small Market Animals

Level: All Levels

Schedule: 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7PM (Jan-July)

Location: Project leader's home in Somis

Cost: Project Fee Based on the needs of the project. Members are also responsible for all costs associate with purchasing and caring for their market animals.

In this project members will breed and raise small market animals. Members can choose between raising market rabbits, chickens, or turkeys to sell at the county fair. Chickens and Turkeys are raised April-August. Members are responsible for purchasing and housing their own small market animals. 

Swine Market

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: TBD starting Jan. 2024

Location: Project Leader's home in Somis.

Cost: Cost of purchasing and caring for swine.

Members will raise a swine and take it to fair for auction. Members will learn all about the health, nutrition and care that goes into raising swine. Members will need to be prepared to care for their swine daily (March- August.)

Turkey- Market

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: TBD starting January

Location: Project Leader's home in Thousand Oaks

Cost: Cost of purchasing and caring for Turkeys and shared supplies.

Members will raise a turkey and take it to fair for auction. Members will learn all about the health, nutrition and care that goes into raising turkeys. Members will need to be prepared to care for their turkeys daily (April- August.)

Veterinary Science

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: 2nd Thursday of the month at Moorpark Veterinary Hospital

Cost:

Members will get hands on experience behind the scenes at a small animal veterinary clinic while they learn about the field of veterinary medicine. Possibility of field trips to other locations.

Zoo: Animal Care and Training

Bee Keeping

Level: Juior and Above

Schedule: three Saturdays

Location: Thousand Oaks

Cost:TBD

Learn all about Bees and how to keep them.

Entomology

Levels: Junior and above

Schedule: 1st Wednesday of the Month 6:45-7:45 

Location: RSR Clubhouse 

this project includes a hike and field trips to Bug Fair at NHM (May)  and Oxnard Insect fair (June)

Cost: no project fee but each member will pay their own admission to the Bug Fair.

Members will learn about and interact with various native and exotic invertebrates  There will be a field trip to the Natural History museum during their annual bug fair and a hike to see native invertebrates in their natural habitat. This project will include information about many species. We will also continue learning how to classify insects. This project is led by teen leader, Samantha. 

Family Consumer Science 

Fiber Arts

Levels: All Levels

Schedule:1st Wednesday of the Month 

Location: RSR Clubhouse, Camarillo

Cost: Project Fee TBD based on the projects

This project is for those that want to learn about raw fibers and take them to a finished product.  This is a fun project for first time members. Project in the past have included crochet, macrame, fabric origami and more.

 Cake Decorating

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: Project starts in January

Location: Project Leaders home in Thousand Oaks

Cost: Project fee of $25.00 to cover the cost of shared materials (Paper towels, parchment paper, dye, project pin and honorarium we give to the professional cake decorator who teaches this project etc).

Come learn how to improve your cake decorating skills. This year the project will cover more advanced techniques for those who have been in the project before. If you have not been in the cake decorating project previously, but do have experience decorating cakes you are welcome to join us. Project is limited to eight participants due to space constraints.

Required Materials (not provided by 4-H): Members are required to provide some of their own materials and supplies; such as, their own tip set, piping bags, couplers, frosting, cakes, and any other supplies needed for that week's project.

Food Science

Cloverbuds (Ages 5-8)

Level: Primary Only

Schedule: Runs concurrenlty with Monthly Community Meeting

This project is for Primary members (age 5-8) the focus is on building confidence and social skills while learning about all 4-H has to offer.

Hi-4H (Teen Connection)

Level:Seniors

Schedule: Varies by event

Cost: Varies by event

Hi 4-H is a hybrid of a social group and a leadership team. With a focus on connection and growth. 

We have fun monthly activities, which the members take an active role in deciding, planning and implementing.  Teens are encouraged to try new things. With help and guidance, we believe that this is just one more way to help teach our members valuable leadership skills and responsibility.  Teens are encouraged  (but not obligated) to work at County and Club events and activities to further their leadership skills.  This creates a perfect balance for either someone who wants to dive head first into leadership, or someone who isn’t quite sure if they are ready to commit to just yet! There are many roles in which to help, so members are constantly learning a variety of skills. T

Hi-4H Teens will host and/or participate in at least one (1) community service activity each year. 

Leadership Development

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: 4:30-6:30 4th Sunday of the Month

Location: RSR Club house 

Cost: no project fee

Members will learn the art of  setting goals and enhance their leadership skills needed for serving as a leader. Board members should participate in this project. We will engage in team building activities, learn the habits and skills used by successful leaders and plan club events and activities together. 

Public Speaking Presentation 

Levels: All Levels

Schedule: Individual project with guidance from Club Leadership.

Giving presentations helps develop many life skills including the ability to speak in front of a group, organize ideas, and create and use graphics to support the spoken word. Public speaking skills are ranked number one among the skill sets of professionals.  Members will play games and learn about the variety of 4-H presentations. We hope to have a group that will create and act in a 4-H Share the Fun skit for the Presentation Day event in the spring.

Outdoor Adventure