The first 4-H Club in Ontario was in 1913 and was an extension of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food with Agricultural Representatives and Home Economists leading the program with local leaders.
Prescott County has offered many different clubs over the years in both official languages including but not limited to: potato, field crops, farm machinery, horticulture, goat, beef, dairy calf, safety, fitness, financial, leadership, computers, plowing, veterinary and homemaking.
In 1936, the first homemaking club supported by the Woman’s Institute was started by Mrs. Alex Clark and Mrs. Irma Hunter. Clubs in Riceville (1949), Greenlane (1955), Lookout Bay (1957), Stardale (1960), Hillview (1964) and Cassburn (1967) were all facilitated by local leaders.
Agricultural Clubs started in 1935, organized by Ferdinand Larose. In 1950, Walter Ryan started the first calf club in Riceville. St. Eugene was under the leadership of Howard Smith in 1958. Howard passed away in 1991; he had been a leader for over 30 years. This marked the beginning of the Howard Smith Bursary.
In the mid-1990’s, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs decided that the Women’s Institutes, Junior Farmers and 4-H programs could run on their own, meaning lost support from Agricultural Rep and the Home Economist.
Today, 4-H Ontario programming is run by volunteers. There is a Cloverbud program offered for children 6 to 8 years of age and the 4-H program is for 9 to 21-year-olds.
For more than 100 years and with many Provincial, Regional and County opportunities for members, 4-H Ontario is a great program run by many dedicated volunteers.
PRESCOTT COUNTY 4-H CLUB: “LEARN TO DO BY DOING”
https://Facebook.com/PrescottCounty4H
http://4-hontario.ca/association/prescott-4-h-association/
