The Mercer County Fair may be over, but planning for the next 4-H year is already beginning.

Mercer County OSU Extension Educator Beth Guggenbiller says families interested in joining 4-H in 2027 should begin exploring clubs and project opportunities now rather than waiting until the March 1 enrollment deadline.

Guggenbiller recently joined WCSM's Spectrum and explained that March 1 is essentially the deadline for members to commit to their club and project plans, not the date when families should begin investigating 4-H.

Many clubs begin organizing during the fall or early in the new year as members plan community-service activities, demonstrations, safety and health speeches, fundraising and other club projects.

Guggenbiller recommends families look at clubs available in their community and contact advisors to determine which group best fits their schedule.

Meeting nights can vary from club to club, and while all clubs can accommodate different types of projects, some may have a stronger emphasis on livestock or special-interest projects.

By January, Guggenbiller said families should ideally have selected a club and begun attending meetings.

The Mercer County 4-H enrollment deadline is March 1.

4-H also offers opportunities for younger children through Cloverbuds. Guggenbiller said Cloverbuds generally includes children from kindergarten through third grade and gives them an opportunity to learn about 4-H before beginning traditional individual projects.

Traditional 4-H project participation begins once youth meet the third-grade and age requirements.

Guggenbiller also stressed that 4-H offers considerably more than livestock projects.

Members can choose traditional projects including cooking, clothing and woodworking, but options also include STEM, natural resources, home improvement, creative arts and numerous other subjects.

Self-determined projects also allow members to build a project around a more specific individual interest.

Guggenbiller said those projects can sometimes become much more than something completed for the county fair.

During her 10 years with Mercer County OSU Extension, she has watched young people who began with cake-decorating projects later become involved in bakery businesses. She has also seen members who took photography projects eventually become photographers.

Other projects simply provide practical skills or introduce youth to hobbies they may continue throughout adulthood.

Guggenbiller said families can make their involvement fit their schedules, noting that most clubs meet approximately once per month while individual project work is largely completed at the family's own pace.

Families interested in joining Mercer County 4-H can find information through the Mercer County 4-H Facebook page or at mercer.osu.edu, including available clubs and information on how to join.

The enrollment deadline for the 2027 Mercer County 4-H year is March 1.