Project work is at the heart of 4‑H learning. Through hands‑on, project‑based activities, 4‑H members develop practical skills, explore their interests, and gain confidence by doing. Whether raising animals, learning about science and technology, practicing creative arts, or developing leadership abilities, project work provides structured opportunities for young people to grow, learn responsibility, and set and achieve personal goals.
Participation in projects also allows members to work alongside peers and caring adult mentors, building relationships and contributing to their communities in meaningful ways. Projects help 4‑H members experience success and learn from challenges, forming the foundation of the 4‑H philosophy of learning by doing.
Listed below are the current local projects being offered. Please note that projects change each year and are updated when enrollment begins to reflect local interests, volunteer availability, and emerging opportunities.
Not all projects are appropriate for all ages. We have a separate project list for our Mini-Members.
Sign up for any and all projects your are interested in using our online enrollment system. When the project is about to begin, the office or a leader will reach out with more information including meeting times. Please RSVP promptly to ensure you have a spot. If you didn't sign up, you can add projects at anytime. Office staff will be glad to help.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, a project may get postponed or cancelled. And sometimes new, unplanned projects will be announced.
2025-2026 Project List
This is the list of current projects. Updated 9/29/2025.
More complete descriptions of the projects are listed below.
Regular Members, Ages 9–18 as of December 31, 2025
- Bracelet Making – Arts & Crafts
- One Day Wonder – Arts & Crafts
- Fine Arts – Arts & Crafts
- Halter/Lease Making – Arts & Crafts
- Meat Chickens – Poultry Market/Meat
- Market Turkey – Poultry Market/Meat
- Poultry – Poultry
- Pullet Project – Poultry
- Cake Decorating – Cake Decorating
- Market Beef – Beef Cattle
- Breeding Beef – Beef Cattle
- Dairy Cattle – Dairy Cattle
- Sewing – Sewing
- Crocheting – Crocheting
- Cooking – Foods
- Baking – Foods
- Mule Packing – Horse and/or Pony
- Dairy Goats – Goats: Dairy
- Bird Watching – Birds
- Meat Goats – Market/Meat
- Nigerian – Goat: Nigerian
- Pygmy – Goat: Pygmy
- Paper Airplane – Hobbies
- Leatherworking – Leathercraft
- Embroidery – Arts & Crafts
- Rabbits – Rabbits
- Meat Pen – Rabbits
- Breeding Sheep – Sheep
- Market Sheep – Sheep
- Archery – Shooting Sports: Archery
- Rifle – Shooting Sports: Rifle
- Breeding Swine – Swine
- Market Swine – Swine
- Fly Tying – Fishing
- Intro to Fly Fishing – Fishing
- Bug Collecting – Entomology
"Mini-Members", Ages 5–8 as of December 31, 2025
- Intro to Farm Animals – Animal Husbandry
- Bracelet Making – Arts & Crafts
- One Day Wonder – Arts & Crafts
- Poultry – Poultry
- Crocheting (must be 8 years old) – Crocheting
- Baking – Foods
- Pygmy – Goats: Pygmy
- Nigerian – Goats: Nigerian
- Paper Airplanes – Hobbies
- Embroidery (must be 8 years old) – Arts & Crafts
- Clover Buds – Primary Member Beginning 4‑H
- Rabbits – Rabbits
- Bird Watching (must be 6 years old) – Birds
- Mule Packing (must be 6 years old) – Horse and/or Pony
Project Descriptions
Listed below are descriptions of the the projects listed above.
Agriculture and Animal Projects 🐷🐑🐓🐇🐎
These projects are usually specific to a club. You must be in that club to take that particular project or leader.
If no club is listed or if "All Bishop Clubs" is selected, then members from other clubs can also join.
Swine
Learn how to select feeder pigs for your project, select proper feeds and combine these feeds into a balanced diet, tell when your pigs are healthy or sick, raise a quality meat product, and manage your pigs in the show ring. Members may raise animals for the market or breeding to show at the Jr. Livestock Show. Must be 9 years of age and older. Project cost estimate: $1200–1300.
Project Leaders
- Bristlecone 4-H Club: Carolyn Yount
- Mt. Tom 4-H Club: Aimee Michener
- Sierra Crest 4-H Club: Lily Brooks
Sheep
Learn about the management and care of sheep and incomparable meat products. You will learn about selecting proper feeds and managing a balanced diet for your lamb, showmanship skills, and getting your lamb ready to show. Members may raise animals for market to show at the July Junior Livestock Show. Must be 9 years of age and older. Project cost estimate: $950–1050.
Project Leader: Maria Kemp (All Bishop Clubs)
Market Meat Goats
Members will learn how to feed and raise a quality meat product, and lead their meat goat. Members will also learn how to get their goat ready for the Jr. Livestock Show and Auction, including washing, drying, and clipping. Must be 9 years old and older. Project cost estimate: $950–1050.
Project Leader: Lenee Talbot (All Bishop Clubs)
Market Beef
You will learn how to select a steer for your project, select proper feeds and combine these feeds into a balanced diet, prepare your steer for exhibition, handle it in the show ring, and determine if your steer will be acceptable to the consumer. You will also learn record-keeping skills and be able to calculate costs and returns. Must be 9 years and older, and ALL members must be approved by the office. Project cost estimate: $5500–6500.
Project Leaders
- Bristlecone 4-H Club: Maria Kemp
- Mt. Tom 4-H Club: Aimee Michener
- Sierra Crest 4-H Club: Matt Fisher
Market Broiler
You will learn how to raise quality meat birds by selecting proper nutrition, choosing three that are most similar in size and weight to show. Must be 9 years and older. Project cost estimate: $16–20 per bird. The exhibitor is responsible for processing the broilers for the buyer.
Project Leader: Sarah Brown (All Bishop 4-H Clubs)
Market Turkey
You will learn how to properly feed your turkey for superior meat production and manage your turkey safely in the show ring. Must be 9 years and older. Project cost estimate: $500–700. Exhibitor is responsible for processing the turkey for the buyer.
Project Leaders
- Bristlecone 4-H Club: Carolyn Yount
- Mt. Tom 4-H Club: Aimee Michener
- Sierra Crest 4-H Club: Lily Brooks
Pullet
In this project you will raise chickens and choose three superb pullets to show. You will learn how to properly care for a group of chicks for egg production. This is a non-terminal auction project. Must be 9 years and older. Project cost estimate: $16–20 per bird.
Project Leader: Sarah Brown
Chicken
In this project you will learn about the anatomy of chickens and showmanship skills. This is NOT an auctioned animal, show only. Must be 5 years and older.
Project Leader: Sarah Brown (All Bishop 4-H Clubs)
Pygmy Goat
In this project you will learn to raise a healthy goat. You will learn showmanship skills and take it home for the rest of the year to be your pet. This is NOT an auctioned animal, show only. Must be 5 years and older.
Project Leader: Lenee Talbot (All Bishop 4-H Clubs)
Rabbit
In this project you will learn showmanship skills to compete in shows, along with expertise in rabbit health. This is NOT an auctioned animal, show only. Must be 5 years and older.
Project Leader: We need a leader (All Bishop Clubs)
Rabbit Meat Pen
In this project you will raise three meat rabbits and learn the importance of feed quality for a healthy project. The exhibitor is responsible for processing the rabbits for the buyer. Must be 9 years and older. Project cost estimate: $150–250.
Project Leader: We need a leader (All Bishop 4-H Clubs)
Intro to Animal Husbandry
This spring project will have a 4-week session learning about the complete care of cows, pigs, lambs, and goats. This project will meet at Bishop FFA Farm. Members will be able to pet animals, make a craft, and complete learning worksheets. All ages welcome.
Project Leader: Amy Phillips
Mule Packing
In this project you will learn the skills of mule packing, the same as professionals use in the back country. This will be a non-animal project. Must be 6 years and older.
Project Leader: Anna Bagoline
Horsemanship
This project helps you learn and improve horsemanship. Must own or lease your own equine. Must be 9 years and older.
Project Leader: Corey Buffington
Non-Agriculture Projects 🎨🍰🧶🪶💻
All clubs may join these projects.
Sewing: Beginning and Intermediate Clothing 🧵
This is a weekly project on Thursday afternoons. Project starts in January or February and should run through May. Class size is limited. Parent help is appreciated throughout the project. First-year members will make simple items, such as an apron or pillowcase and a clothing item like shorts or pajama pants. Second-year members will learn more advanced skills such as constructing garments with zippers, buttonholes, and gathering. Members may need to purchase notions, patterns, and fabric for their projects. Must be 9 years and older.
Project Leader: Melissa Schmidt
Hand Sewing 🪡
It’s our country’s 250th birthday! Join this county-wide project to learn hand sewing techniques to help with the replica Betsy Ross flag. This project will start in the winter and continue throughout the spring. We will also learn some flag history and etiquette along the way. Open to all ages. Under 9 years old a guardian MUST stay.
Project Leader: Melissa Schmidt
Beading
This beading project will cover the basics of seed beading. Must be 12 years and older.
Project Leader: Melissa Yeager
Baking 🥖
Learn a life skill with this hands-on baking project. Members will read a recipe, measure ingredients, and taste test their baked goods! All ages welcome.
Project Leader: We need a leader
One-Day Wonder 🪄
Does your 4-H member love crafting and surprises? This project offers a different craft activity every time. All ages welcome.
Project Leaders: Melissa Yeager & Amy Phillips
Bird Watching 🐦
Want to learn more about the birds that call our skies home? In this project, become a junior naturalist, learn about the varieties of birds and the different habitats they use, and learn how to document observations in your own field journal. This project will take place on a small walk in the Bishop area. Youth should have a backpack and good hiking shoes; a set of binoculars will be a plus, as well as bird guidebooks. Must be 6 years and older.
Project Leader: Jenny Richardson
Bitsy (Video Game Design) 🎮
Ever wanted to make your own video game? In this project you’ll use Bitsy, a fun and easy online game maker, to design your own characters, draw pixel art, build maps, and write simple stories that players can explore. Each week you’ll add new pieces to your game — from rooms and characters to items and endings — and by the final session you’ll be ready to share your creation with friends. No coding experience is needed, just creativity and a willingness to try something new. A laptop computer is required (on request, one may be available to borrow during class). There will be 6 sessions after school here at the office. Planned for fall/winter. Must be 10 years and older.
Project Leader: Dustin Blakey
Cake Decorating 🎂
In this project members will learn the basics of cake decorating. They will learn different styling tips and frosting types. Must be 12 and older.
Project Leader: Diane Doonan
Silversmithing 💍
In this project you will have the opportunity to learn the beginner steps of silversmithing. We will do two projects. MUST be 14 and older.
Project Leaders: Melissa Yeager & Amy Phillips
Pies 🥧
Members will learn to make a homemade pie crust and four different pies. Must be 9 and older.
Project Leaders: Melissa Yeager & Amy Phillips
Crochet
Members will learn the basics of crochet. No experience necessary. Must be 9 years and older.
Project Leader: Melissa Yeager
Knitting 🧶
In this project members will learn the beginning steps of knitting. Must be 9 years and older.
Project Leader: Melissa Yeager