SENECA CO., N.Y. — Seneca County 4-H is pleased to announce there is a new animal science club forming! The focus of the group will be guinea pigs. They will meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month in Waterloo at 6pm. The group is accepting new members to 4-H or youth who do not own a guinea pig but are interested in learning about them. It is also open to youth already involved in 4-H.
The new club is being coordinated by 4-H Teen Leader, Jamie Fisher. Fisher has been actively involved in the 4-H Guinea Pig project for about two years and is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with other 4-H youth.
The club plans include learning about guinea pigs as well as having fun with guinea pigs. You can expect to learn about breeds and varieties of guinea pigs, begin to understand genetics, and groom them. Youth can also become excited to participate in a “Project Runway” costume contest for guinea pigs or develop a short guinea pig video.
Miss Fisher will be participating at the New York State Fair 4-H Cavy Show on September 2nd. The guinea pigs she is exhibiting there qualified at the Seneca County Fair 4-H Cavy Show. These guinea pigs will be evaluated on how well they fit a specific standard for their breed and variety. This includes the conformation of their body as well as the color and markings of their hair. Evaluators at the show will share advice on what they feel are each guinea pig’s strong points as well as areas for improvement.
“It has been wonderful to see Jamie grow in the 4-H Cavy Project. She has become a natural leader who shares her knowledge with other members as well as the public She has increased her knowledge through participation in 4-H Showmanship Classes and the NYS 4-H Cavy Decathlon Contest. It will be wonderful to see the 4-H Cavy Program in Seneca County grow under Jamie’s guidance.” shared Susan Coyle, 4-H Educator.
If you would like to attend the first meeting of the 4-H Guinea Pig Club on Wednesday, September 27th, please register by Monday, September 25th to smc226@cornell.edu. You are also invited to attend the Seneca County 4-H Open House on Tuesday, October 3rd and meet representatives of the club. The Open House will begin at 6pm at the CCE Seneca Office, 3rd floor of the Main Street Shop Centre in Waterloo. Contact the Seneca County 4-H Staff with any questions you have about joining 4-H.
For nearly 100 years, Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension has served the people of the County, putting to practical use the scholarship and research of Cornell University and the national land grant system in the areas of agriculture and food systems sustainability; families, nutrition, health and safety (human ecology); youth development (4-H); environmental and natural resource enhancement; and community and economic vitality. The office is located at 308 Main Street Shop Centre in Waterloo and the telephone number is 315-539-9251.
—Cornell Cooperative Extension Seneca County
For more articles out of New York, click here.