Harper County 4-H
Harper County 4-H offers training and development programs that improve the leadership, life skills and overall education of youth members. County Extension Educators and staff coordinate with the Oklahoma 4-H program to offer 4-H projects, programs and activities that ensure that our members have the best possible opportunity to participate throughout the county, state, and nation.
The Harper County Extension Service receives considerable support from volunteers, professional organizations and state / national agencies in order to ensure that the 4-H program is as beneficial as possible to its members.
4-H membership is available to any boy or girl ages 9-19. While in 4-H, members will learn a great deal about themselves, develop new interests and abilities, and cultivate inter-personal skills in a safe, friendly learning environment. 4-H is now considered to be a highly diverse program with a broad range of interests. Gone are the days when 4-H was thought of as being based purely on agricultural tutorials. Instead, today's 4-H members can take pride in the fact that they participate in activities that are designed to make them well-rounded individuals with a broad knowledge base.
4-H Projects
- Animal Science
Beef, Dairy, Horse, Poultry, Sheep
- Small Animals/Pets
Dog, Rabbits, Swing
- Communication Arts
Photography, Speaking
- Family and Consumer Sciences
Fabrics and Fashions, Consumer Education, Food Science, Personal Development
- Health and Safety
Health & Fitness, Safety
- Leisure Education
Arts and Crafts, Rocketry, Shooting Sports
- Mechanical Science
Bicycle, Electricity, Woodworking
- Natural Resources
Entomology, Environmental Education, Forestry, Geology, Wildlife
- Plant Science
Agronomy, Field Crops, Soils
- HorticultureGardening, Home Grounds, House Plants
- Social & Political ScienceCitizenship & Community Development, Leadership
Harper County Meat Science
The meats project teaches about processing meat from animals and poultry; how to identify meat cuts, evaluate quality, and proper cooking of meats.
Depending on interests, experience, and abilities of the 4-H member, skills and literature can apply across levels.
- Focus
- Processing livestock
- Identifying species, wholesale cuts and retail cuts
- Cookery methods
- Evaluating quality and quantity differences
- Role of red meat in the diet
- Exploring career opportunities
- What members can do: (Beginner level)
- Identify species
- Identify some wholesale and retail cuts
- With supervision, cook and eat cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal
- Present illustrated talks and demonstrations on meat topics
- What members can do: (Intermediate level)
- Identify species, wholesale cuts and retail cuts
- Select proper cookery methods for cuts
- Explain inspection and quality and yield grading
- Identify quality and yield factors
- Present talks and demonstrations on meat topics
- Identify and describe uses of by products
- What members can do: (Advanced level)
- Describe the steps in processing livestock
- Explain uniform meat labeling and the nutrifast program
- Explain meat storage techniques
- Describe the importance of red meat in the diet
- Describe the relationship between wholesale and retail cuts
- Compare carcass and retail prices and calculate cost per serving
- Serve as a teen leader and teach younger members
- Resources
Harper County Shooting Sports
Harper County 4-H shooting sports, has many opportunities for youngsters to learn gun safety, sportsmanship, teamwork and marksmanship. One of which is trapshooting. The Harper County 4-H trap range is located on the north side of Highway 64 just eight miles west of Buffalo. There is currently one trap range, with plans underway to add a skeet range as well.
Thanks to the generosity of our county, local individuals & business owners, along with grants from the NRA, the Harper County 4-H has had a very successful shotgun class of shooting sports. Typically there are 15 or more participants in the trapshooting events which are sponsored by the state 4-H sponsors bi-annually. There is usually a spring season beginning in March lasting through mid May and a fall season beginning in August lasting through mid October. Students wishing to participate must be enrolled in 4-H, must have successfully passed a hunter safety course, and must be at least 10 years of age.
Typically there is a practice during each season at 1:30 PM on Sunday afternoons. This not only serves as a practice but as a family day also. Family members and friends are encouraged to come and participate, the only stipulation being that they bring their own shells.
Most competition events take place on Saturday mornings. Students are required to have 8 hours of range training before allowed to enter competition. Several safety rules are in place which everyone on the range must adhere to. Harper County 4-H Shooting Sports strongly promotes safety while sponsoring a family oriented activity for our members.
- Something for Everyone
The Shooting Sports curriculum uses the resources of the land-grant university and the time, talent, and dedication of Cooperative Extension agents and certified 4-H leaders, instructors, and trainers who instruct 4-H members in firearms safety and marksmanship. The shooting disciplines include archery, muzzle loading, pistol, rifle, shotgun and hunting. Each discipline is taught by a National or State Certified Instructor.
- Healthy Competition
4-H members have opportunities to test their shooting, hunting, and sportsmanship skills in county, regional, state, and national competitions. In fact, they could ultimately set Olympic competition as their goal. There are seventeen Olympic shooting sports events, which continue to draw the third-greatest number of countries.
- Building Life Skills
Specific objectives for the program are to:
- Teach decision making, teamwork, self-discipline, confidence, and problem solving
- Promote the highest standards of safety, sportsmanship, and ethical behavior.
- Encourage an appreciation and understanding of natural resources.
- Develop leadership abilities
- Build character and willingness to assume citizenship responsibility.
- Furnish enjoyable, positive relationships with peers and adult instructors.
- Strengthen families through participation in lifelong recreational activities.
- Build awareness of related career opportunities.
- Shooting Sports Resources