BY MEAGAN DANIEL
Special to the Times
Union County 4-H has been busy with its summer day camps. Day camps for Union 4-H are typically a one-day experience. The camps cost $20-$25 a day to cover the cost of snacks and camp supplies. Most Tuesdays of the summer, the organization offered a camp for ages five and up. Then, on Wednesdays, the camps were geared for older youth ages 8 and up or 11 and up. Although each camp had a topical theme, they all focused on teaching life skills found on the Targeting Life Skills Model developed by Patricia Hendricks of Iowa 4-H. The camps were first shared in April and were full by mid-May.
The first day camp of the summer was called Bring on the Butterflies and was held on June 6, 2023. We learned about all the stages of the butterfly life cycle. We worked in teams for fun butterfly relays. Then, we traveled to the Florida Museum of Natural History to visit the Butterfly Rainforest.
The second day camp for the summer was Focusing on Photography on Wednesday, June 7. This camp was free of charge due to funds allocated for this program through the Clay Electric Operation Round-Up grant obtained earlier this year. First, the youth learned about the history of photography and the parts of the camera. Then, they traveled to several locations throughout Union County to photograph the beauty the county has to offer.
The next camp was All About Animals. A presentation was made by Santa Fe Zoo, which taught facts about reptiles. The group learned about which animals produce which foods. They could even see freshly hatched chicks and move them to their new brooder. Then, the youth had a farm animal presentation with a steer and goat. Mr. Jason Stalnaker of the Union County Livestock Association held a Q&A session on show animals. It was a fun, busy, and exciting day.
June 14 was Adventures in Agriculture, where 4-H campers visited several places to learn about different agricultural operations. At the Dukes Family Farm, the campers learned about the challenges farmers can face, such as weeds, water, and waste. They also got to pick strawberries and make flower bouquets. The youth visited Lola Farms to learn about pig breed conservation and got to interact with a variety of animals, including heritage pigs, goats, miniature horses, and cows.
The 4-Hers saw the growing and the business sides of agriculture at the Double W Farms. The campers saw where the watermelons were grown and where they were shipped out. Thanks to the Williams family, each camper took home a fresh watermelon to enjoy. Last, the group visited Stalnaker Ranch, where senior 4-Her Kody Stalnaker taught us about his Brahman cattle. He shared information on how to get cattle ready for a show arena. He also demonstrated how to saddle his horse which can be used to work cattle.
Young 4-H participants were able to explore their creative side on June 20 at the Creative Clovers camp. Youth created canvas paintings, designed tie-dye shirts, and explored other hands-on art creations.
June 27-29 was a unique camp. It was a three-day camp for 11-year-olds and older. Union 4-H partnered with Mrs. Lizzie and Bradford 4-H to present Shark Tank Entrepreneur Camp. Middle and High school students learned about marketing, business plans, and other components needed to successfully run a business. On the first day, the youth learned about personal interests, pricing, and branding. Mrs. Kayla Alvarez of Engel and Volker’s Realty taught the campers marketing techniques. Mrs. Wendy Dukes from The Grind Coffee shared her business model with us and some fun summer drinks. On day 2, 4-H campers visited many local businesses that were hospitable and eager to share with the group. Thank you to Hillandale, Starke Landscape, Coastal Portable Buildings, and B Squared. On day 3, the youth created their business and worked on a presentation for our sharks (judges.) Each participant pitched a business proposal that was quite impressive. These campers have bright futures as entrepreneurs or whatever they set their minds to.
The Basics in Baking camp was held on July 11. It was an introduction to baking and decorating. Bakers mixed and baked their cakes, made about 20 pounds of buttercream from scratch, decorated sugar cookies, and finished with cake decorating. Many talented bakers showed off their skills.
On June 12, 4-H day campers learned about food safety, my plate nutrition, healthy choices, and teamwork through Camp Chopped. Youth worked in teams to simulate the Florida 4-H Cooking Challenge. They had a team cooking an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert. They were given one mandatory item for their dish and could “shop” for their other ingredients. Their culinary creations were impressive.
On July 18, youth 8 and older participated in robotics camp. They learned about the wiring, circuits, and electrical charges. They were able to engineer their very own bristle bot and an automobile. They were wired by participants to be battery powered.
Two water-based camps were a fantastic way to wrap up the summer. July 25 was a water camp that was based on fun water activities and water cycle STEM learning. Then, a Paddle the River camp wrapped our supper up on July 26 where youth learned about Florida’s natural resources while paddling down the Santa Fe River. They could understand Florida’s cave system by visiting several beautiful springs along the paddling trip.
