Santa Rosa Valley 4-H Projects

Animal Sciences

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. 3rd Wenesday of the month (Oct- July)

Location: Project leader's home in Somis

Cost: project fee dependant 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 (dairy)

Level: Juniors and above; Primary Level members (ages 5-8 years old) welcome for first 30 minutes of each meeting.

Schedule: Meetings will be from 6:15-7:30 pm on the first Thursday of the month

Location: Moorheart Farm in Moorpark. 

Cost: 

Members will learn about the anatomy, breeding genetics, herd health, care and keeping of dairy goats and their kids. Hands on interaction including ultrasound, bottle feeding newborns, vaccines and milking as well as food safety and milk handling.  

Members do not need to own a goat to participate.

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.

Poultry - Avian Bowl

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: 3rd Wednesday of the month (Oct - July) and daily during the Ventura County FAir generally the first week of August.

Location: Project leader's home in Somis

Cost: Project fee dependant 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.)

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.

Project will be limited to 12 member participants.

Amphipians/ReptilesHerpetology

Level: Juniors and above 

Schedule: 1st Wednesday of the Month 6:45-7:45 (project runs Oct- Jan)

Location:  RSR Clubhouse, zoom and Jan Reptile show in Pomona plus a herping hike (location/date TBD)

Cost: no project fee

Learn all about reptiles and amphibians with our Certificated Junior Master Herpetologist, Samantha. Regular meetings will be a mix of in person and zoom as we learn all about Reptiles and Amphibians. There will be a day hike and an evening hike scheduled as well so members can go “herping” to see what we can find. 

Food Science 

Advanced Cake Decorating

Level: Juniors and above

Schedule: 1st Tuesday of the month 7:30-9:00 pm

Location: Project leader's home in Simi Valley

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 Baking / Cooking

Levels: To be determined

Schedule: We currently are not offering this project as we do not have a project leader

Come learn the basics of Baking and cooking.

Food Science

Arts & Crafts

Levels: All Levels

Schedule: Varies

Cost: Varies based on the art project

Our first project will be painting birdhouse gourds. We will meet on Saturday October 28th. The Gourd society will be teaching us about the many uses of gourds and each participant will make and paint a gourd birdhouse. Some projects will be done at the monthly community meeting. Looking into having a glass fusion artist work with us later in the year.

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.

Sewing

Needlework

Levels: Junior and above

Schedule: 3rd Friday of the month at Project Leader's home in Camarillo

Cost: Project fee is $15

Participants will create cross stitch and hand embroidery crafts. We'll start with learning cross stitch techniques and move on to basic embroidery stitches. These are fun crafts to do in your free time and can become beautiful gifts for family and friends.

Photography

Levels: All Levels

Schedule: We currently are not offering this project. We are in need of a project leader

Location:

Cost:

Learn the basics of photography while creating beautiful pictures and exploring digital camaras. If you don't have one you can use your cell phone camera. We will learn about the lighting, and the exposure. Managing digital images. We will also learn the tips for specific types of photography and we will have fun! This group will be focusing on the beginner level of photography but all levels are welcome. We are excited to go out there, have fun take beautiful pictures and start building our photography portfolio!

Table Setting

Member Levels: All Levels

Schedule: We currently are not offering this project. We are in need of a project leader.

Location:

Cost:

Why Should You Participate in the Table Setting Project? 

You can have fun learning how to: 

• Express originality and creativity in choosing a theme 

• Properly set a table 

• Plan nutritious meals 

• Choose a costume that fits your theme

• Use your skills for entertaining. 

We will put together a club table setting entry for fair as our culminating activity. 

Entomology

Invertebrates

Primary Program (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

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: Incorporated into Community Meetings with a workshop day near Speech and Presentation Day in Spring.

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.

Record Book (Record Keeping)

Levels: Juniors and above

Schedule: As needed basis

The 4-H Record book is your key to earning your 4-H stars. This is a great way to create a resume of all you have accomplished in 4-H. This project will teach you how to complete the record book forms and how to earn your 4-H stars. Each meeting we will learn about  a different part of the record book and will have time for members to put entries in their books and time for questions.

Hobbies: Tabletop Gaming

Dungeons and Dragons

Level: Intermediate and above

Schedule: 2nd and 4th Friday of the month 7:00-9:00pm

Location: Meetings held on zoom

Cost: no project fee

Members will enhanced their critical thinking and problem solving skills while working cooperatively to achieve common goals. We will be meeting over zoom and using the DND Beyond and Roll 20 online applications to participate. Participants must have access to a PC or laptop to participate. This project will be led by teen leader, Jake

Outdoor Adventure

Levels: All Levels- Members under 13 years old must be accompanied by an adult at all meetings and field trips

Schedule: To be determined

Location: Various each meeting 

Cost: Project fee to be determined

Learn to safely explore the amazingly beautiful world that surrounds us.  Together we will learn about our natural habitat and wildlife and explore how to safely enjoy it.  Get your hiking boots ready!