Wells County
The Cooperative Extension Service is one of the nation's largest providers of scientific research-based information and education. It's a network of colleges, universities, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving communities and counties across America. The Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service program areas are:
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Health and Human Sciences
Community Development
4-H Youth Development
Purdue Extension is a service tailored to meet the needs of Indiana, needs we know firsthand. Our educators, specialists, and volunteers live and work in all 92 Indiana counties. We provide the link between Land Grant research and Indiana citizens. In doing that we provide practical solutions to local issues. We provide information and expertise that's available in the form you want, when you want it. That's Purdue Extension, Indiana's home team advantage.
What We Do
We improve lives and livelihoods by delivering tested and trusted educational resources. The Cooperative Extension Service is one of the nation's largest providers of scientific research-based information and education. It's a network of colleges, universities, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving communities and counties across America. The Purdue Extension focuses on: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Human and Health Sciences, Economic and Community Development and 4-H Youth.
Contact Us
Purdue Wells County Extension
horan@purdue.edu
1240 4-H Park Road
Bluffton, IN 46714
(260) 824-6412
2024 Wells County 4-H Rule Book
Check out the 2024 Wells County 4-H Rule Book for updated information about your 4-H projects.
2024 Wells County 4-H Rule BookServSafe Classes Offered
For more information and a list of available trainings and exams in our area visit the Purdue ServSafe link below.
Learn More HereWells County Newsletters
Check out Health and Human Science Newsletters with helpful articles on health, nutrition, family and finances.
The January/February 2025 edition includes the following articles:
New Year's Resolutions: Building Good Mental Health Habits
Happy New Year! By now, the hustle and bustle and stress of the holiday season is behind us. You have probably spent weeks shopping, gift-giving, and visiting with friends and family – mostly time spent focusing on everyone else. Now, with the New Year upon us, it is time to focus on you. As we think of New Year’s resolutions, we naturally reflect on how we can better ourselves and contemplate changes to make that happen.
For most, New Year’s resolutions typically focus on self-improvement – whether it’s losing weight, exercising more, or learning a new skill or hobby. These resolutions can fill us with excitement in anticipation of the possibilities of achieving goals or weigh us down with dread and apprehension of not living up to our expectations.
It’s tempting to want to make significant behavioral changes each January. It doesn’t help that society pushes us to do just that. Yet, resolutions are rarely kept beyond the second Friday of January—a day known appropriately as Quitter’s Day! Resolutions can fail for a myriad of reasons. It might be because people often start with the best of intentions but realize later that their expectations were unattainable. Sometimes our goals take too long to achieve. Or we take on changes we perceive as important because others are doing something similar, but in the end, it is not realistic for you.
Too often, we set goals for ourselves, and when we don’t meet them, we can have feelings of failure that can ultimately lower our self-esteem, which can trigger stress and anxiety and take a toll on our mental health.
Setting New Year’s resolutions can be a positive way to focus on self-improvement, but it's important to approach them in a manner that promotes good mental health and well-being and maximizes our chances of sticking with them.
There are strategies to prioritize our mental health during this time as we strive to achieve our resolution goals, but keep in mind that you know yourself better than anyone else. Your resolutions – if you even choose to make them – should be custom-tailored to you. Before deciding on your goals, ask yourself, “Does the very thought of making a New Year’s resolution excite you or overwhelm you? How can I make simple day-to-day changes that will help me achieve success? What are the little goals that will allow me to build momentum, so I’m headed in a positive direction?”
Taking it one day at a time forces us to be intentional and think about the “now” and not the long-term, which can be overwhelming. This approach can help us achieve our desired goals. New Year’s resolutions are a tool for personal growth, but the most important thing to remember is to prioritize your mental health throughout the process. If a particular resolution is causing significant stress or negatively impacting your well-being, feel free to reevaluate and adjust your goals as needed. Taking care of your mental health is key to overall health.
Here are some tips for creating resolutions that prioritize your mental well-being:
- Pick a Goal that Motivates You: You are more likely to stick to your goal if it motivates you or if it is influenced by others, such as a spouse, a workout partner, or a medical professional. If your goal is to exercise more, but you know going to a gym is not a motivation for you, then pick another exercise you can do outside of the gym.
- Break Down Your Big Goals into Smaller, More Manageable Goals: By doing this you’ll be much less likely to feel overwhelmed. If your ultimate goal is to run a 5K race, but you have not yet run a lap around the track, start with walking a shorter distance and gradually begin to jog once you feel you’re ready. It may just be a few yards or a lap around the track. Sometimes just signing up for that race is just the motivation you need to get started.
- Focus on Progress, Not Perfection and Stay Positive: Emphasize the journey and strive for progress rather than aiming for perfection. And reward yourself for the progress you made. For instance, if your goal is to lose 10 pounds, but you only lost five pounds, acknowledge the five pounds you lost were five more than before you started trying to lose weight. The way we talk to ourselves can foster a positive and realistic outlook and contribute to a healthier approach to both mental health and success in meeting our New Year’s resolutions.
- Lean on Others for Support and Motivation: Achieving goals can be easier when done with others. Consider joining groups or communities with similar goals to connect with people who can provide encouragement and accountability.
- Practice Self-Compassion: Be easy on yourself. Acknowledge that setbacks will happen and that’s okay. Just pick back up where you left off.
- Set a New Date: You do not need to commit to a resolution on January 1. Feel free to delay implementing your New Year’s resolutions until the time is right. You can make them at any time you want. Under stress now? Why not resolve to make that change beginning in March or by another preferred date.
- Don’t Compare Yourself to Others: Don’t get too caught up in the New Year’s resolutions of others. Set goals with only you in mind.
- Know When to Ask for Help: You are not alone. SAMHSA has behavioral health resources to help. Visit SAMHSA.gov.
No matter how big or small your New Year’s resolutions are for 2024, remember to show yourself some grace and forgiveness during the times when you may struggle as you work to reach your goals. Please take time over the course of this new year to engage in something meaningful to you, but more importantly, be kind to yourself. You deserve it.
Source: www.samhsa.gov
8 Things You Can Do To Prevent Heart Disease & Stroke
How can you live a longer, healthier life? These eight key factors can help you lower your risk of heart attack and stroke if you’ve never had one. They’re part of an overall healthy lifestyle for adults. And they can help you build a powerful prevention plan with your health care team (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, registered dietitians, and other professionals).
1. Know your risk.
Certain factors can increase your risk, such as smoking, kidney disease or a family history of early heart disease. Knowing your risk factors can help you and your health care team decide on the best treatment plan for you. Many risk factors can be improved with lifestyle changes.
2. Eat a healthy diet.
Center your eating plan around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, plant-based proteins, lean animal proteins and fish. Make smart choices like limiting refined carbohydrates, processed meats and sweetened drinks. Use the nutrition facts label on packaged foods to cut back on sodium, added sugars and saturated fats, and avoid trans fat.
3. Be physically active.
Move more – it’s one of the best ways to stay healthy, prevent disease and age well. Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. If you’re already active, you can increase your intensity for even more benefits. If you’re not active now, get started by simply sitting less and moving more.
4. Watch your weight.
Stay at a healthy weight for you. Lose weight if you’re overweight or obese. Start by eating fewer calories and moving more. You can check your body mass index (BMI). If you need help, talk to your health care team about a weight loss plan.
5. Live tobacco-free.
If you don’t smoke, vape or use tobacco products, don’t ever start. There’s no such thing as a safe tobacco product. If quitting smoking or tobacco is a challenge for you, ask your team for help to kick the habit using proven methods. Don’t just swap one tobacco source for another. And try to avoid secondhand smoke, too!
6. Manage conditions.
If you have high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, high blood sugar, diabetes or other conditions that put you at greater risk, it’s very important to work with your health care team and make lifestyle changes. Many conditions can be prevented or managed by eating better, getting active, losing weight and quitting tobacco.
7. Take your medicine.
If you have a health condition, your doctor may prescribe stations or other medications to help control cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. Take all medications as directed. But don’t take aspirin as a preventive measure unless your doctor tells you to. If you’ve never had a heart attack or stroke, a daily aspirin may not help you at all and could cause problems including risk of bleeding. If you’ve had a heart attack or stroke, your doctor may want you to take a low dose of aspirin to reduce your risk of having another.
8. Be a team player.
Your health care team can help you reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke to live a longer, healthier life. Work together on your prevention plan. Ask questions, and be open about any challenges you may face in trying to make healthy changes. Stress, sleep, mental health, family situations, tobacco use, food access, social support and other issues all can affect your health and well-being.
Live well today for a healthier tomorrow.
The bottom line? Healthy living is the best way to delay or avoid many heart and brain diseases. This means being active and fit, eating healthy, avoiding tobacco and managing conditions that can put you at greater risk. Take charge of your health.
Source: www.heart.org
matter of balance
SERVSAFE Training Offered
Where Does YOur Money Go?
Women In Ag conference
Purdue Extension Annual Meeting
A PDF version of this newsletter is available HERE.
News Notes for Parents is a newsletter geared towards parents with children ages 8 and under. You will find articles about parenting, early childhood education, nutrition and much more.
In the February 2025 issue of News Notes for Parents, you will find the following articles:
teaching your kids about retirement
Financial literacy is an important skill for navigating life’s complexities. While retirement might seem distant for young children, introducing the concept early in their lives will help set them up for lifelong financial success. This article explores practical strategies to help teach young children about retirement while also emphasizing the importance of early financial education.
If you have not had a discussion about finances with your child yet, begin laying a foundation with the basics. Start by talking about fundamental financial concepts like earning, saving, spending, and budgeting. Try to incorporate interactive activities, games, and stories to make learning about money fun and relatable.
After you lay the foundation, introduce long-term goals. Gradually introduce the idea of long-term goals. As children become familiar with saving, you can then discuss goals that focus on buying a toy that they may want or saving for a family trip. This will help bridge the gap between short-term desires and lifelong aspirations!
Below are more strategies to help you educate your young child about retirement.
- Use simple analogies. Try explaining retirement using age-appropriate analogies. For example, compare it to a long summer vacation or a break after working hard on a school assignment or project. Analogies help simplify complex ideas for young minds!
- Create a piggy bank for the future! I recommend encouraging children to have a special savings clear container. This can help them visually see their long-term goals. This could also help educate them about saving for retirement. This tangible representation provides a hands-on connection to the abstract concept of retirement.
- Include real-life experiences. When they are ready and you are able, expose children to real-life retirement experiences. For example, you could visit a retirement facility or have a conversation with an individual living in a retirement facility, such as a grandparent about how they got to where they are today.
- Foster a positive work and saving ethic! It is important to instill a positive attitude towards work and saving. This may be easier said than done. Children learn by example, remember that! Elaborate on the importance of having a fulfilling career, combined with smart financial habits. Children may be able to recognize that this will lead to a secure and comfortable retirement in the long run.
In conclusion, teaching kids about retirement early will instill financial responsibility and set the stage for a secure future. By introducing basic financial concepts, using relatable analogies, and incorporating real-life experiences, parents can empower their children to make informed decisions about their financial well-being. Check out, “The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money,” by Stan and Jan Berenstain to help teach your child more about earning, saving, and spending money. This storybook provides practical lessons on how to manage finances!
Source: OpenAI (2023) Chat GPT [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com
Snacks Serve Several Purposes for Active Kids
- Providing energy (calories) to help working muscles power through activity.
- Supplying fluids for hydration and to keep the body cool.
- Providing nutrients for growth and development.
- Promoting recovery after hard exercise.
In addition, snacks should be easily digested so blood flows to the muscles during exercise and not to the gut in order to digest a heavy, greasy snack.”
For the full article, go to: www.eatright.org “15 Fueling Snacks to Take to Your Childs Game”
Alfredo Bagel Bites
A surprise ingredient adds healthy nutrients to these cheesy bagel bites!
Ingredients:
6 100% whole-wheat mini-bagels
3 cups (3 ounces) fresh cauliflower florets
¼ cup fat-free Greek yogurt
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1¾ cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
Before you begin: Wash your hands.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange bagel halves, insides facing up on sheet.
- Steam cauliflower for 3 minutes in large microwave safe bowl.
- Transfer steamed cauliflower to a blender. Add yogurt, salt, garlic and ¼ cup mozzarella. Puree until smooth.
- Spread cauliflower-yogurt Alfredo sauce evenly on bagels. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake 15 minutes until tops are golden. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Analysis
Serving size: 2 bagel halves (88 grams) Serves: 6
Calories: 229; Total fat: 8g; Saturated fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 22mg; Sodium: 505mg; Total carbohydrate: 28g; Dietary fiber: 4g; Sugars: 5g; Protein 15g
Watch the Video on how to make them! https://www.eatright.org/recipes/snacks-and-sides/alfredo-bagel-bites
Source: www.eatright.org
- Wells Co Soil & Water Conservation Districts 69th Annual Meeting
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DATE: Thursday, February 20th, 2025 TIME: 6:00PM PLACE: 4-H Park
Program: “Plant It Where You Are” Featuring Terri Theisen, Soil Health Specialist Join us as Terri from Urban Soil Health will provide practical tips on building healthy soil and growing thriving plants. We’ll cover ways to work the land and boost productivity. Growing food isn’t just for large farms - it’s for everyone! Please call or email to reserve your spot (no fee) 260-824-6412 mksteele@purdue.edu hoover@purdue.edu
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- 2025 fair dates:
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Wells County 4-H Fair: July 12-17, 2025 Indiana State Fair: August 1-17, 2025
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- Membership Dues:
- Please make sure that if you have not already paid your membership dues, that you do so ASAP! Dues are $20.00 per person, up to 3 people per family. This will ensure that we are sending you all the important information you need to know for your clubs & projects.
- Scholarships are available to any family that may need one. Please contact our office to let us know. No questions asked. Youth will not be turned away due to financial strains.
- 4-H Association Fundraiser - Yergys BBQ Meal Tickets
- Feel free to purchase a ticket, or help us sell tickets. The $12 ticket can be turned in at Yergy's BBQ anytime in April or May for a pulled pork sandwich, one side (baked beans, cole slaw, or potato salad) and chips. Ticket sales begin February 1 and will run until March 31. Tickets for purchase or to sell can be picked up at the Purdue Extension Wells County Office, through your club leader, or from 4-H Association President Brandon Gephart. Please contact him at 765-499-7042 for arrangements. Money should be collected when ticket is purchased. Ticket money and unsold tickets must be returned to the Purdue Extension Wells County Office by March 31 at 4PM.
- 2025 Mini 4-H Schedule
- All mini 4-H events will take place at the Wells County 4-H Park.
- March 3 @ 7PM, club meeting - Project Theme: Dinosaurs.
- April 7 @ 7PM, club meeting - Project Theme: Space.
- May 5 @ 7PM, Project Theme: Foods
- June 2 @ 7PM, Project Theme: Farm Animals
- June 30 @ 6:30 PM: Mini 4-H Night
- All mini 4-H events will take place at the Wells County 4-H Park.
- Hang it Up!
- DIY Macrame Decor
- Make macrame wall hanging with your peers during our DIY workshop! Learn how to craft the proper knots that will result in your very own fashionable and trendy piece.
- Best suited for 3rd grade and up.
- March 13, 2025
- 5:30 - 7:30 PM
- At the Wells County 4-H Park Meeting Rooms
- Cost $10
- Registration closes February 19
- DIY Macrame Decor
- QLC training Dates
- Quality Livestock Care Training is required for all youth planning to exhibit cattle, goats, poultry, rabbits, sheep, and swine at the 2024 4-H Fair. Below are all the current scheduled dates and times for QLC Trainings in Wells County. Classes will be held in the Expo Hall at the Wells County 4-H Park. There is a $3.00 fee per person that is to be paid in cash day of event. You can register online through your 4-H Online account.
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Monday, March 17, 2025 at 5:30PM
Monday, March 24, 2025 at 10:00AM
Monday, March 24, 2025 at 1:00PM
Monday, March 24, 2025 at 6:00PM
Monday, March 31, 2025 at 5:30PM
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Monday, April 21, 2025 at 5:30PM
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 6:00PM
Monday June 9, 2025 at 10:00AM
Monday June 9, 2025 at 1:00PM
Monday June 9, 2025 at 5:30PM
- Junior Leaders UPCOMING MEETING:
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February 3, 2025 at 6:00PM
March 3, 2025 at 6:00PM
- Meetings will take place in the Meeting Rooms at the 4-H Park.
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- Club Meetings
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Lancaster Achievers: Monday, February 17th at 7:00PM in the Meeting Rooms
Chester Chargers: Aimee and Doug Paxson will reach out to members with details
260-273-1832 - Aimee
260-402-1121 - Doug
Horse & Pony: Sunday, February 2nd at 6:00PM in the Expo Hall
- Deadlines for 2025:
- 4-H members not complying with published deadlines may be denied the privilege to exhibit at the Wells County 4-H Fair or may be limited to exhibition only status, making them ineligible for premiums or awards. Deadlines are as follows:
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May 15th - All animals requiring 4-H Animal Identification (as accordance with Board of
Animal Health regulations) must be identified in 4-H Online.
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May 15th - All DNA (State Fair Animals ONLY) should be turned into the Extension
Office by end of the day.
- July 1st - The items below must be completed by the selected date for each county:
- 4-Hers exhibiting beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, meat goat, dairy goats, poultry and rabbits must complete Indiana 4-H Quality Livestock Care (QLC) or Youth for the Quality Care for Animals (YQCA)
- All exhibits must be entered into FairEntry for the county of exhibition. This serves as the “drop/add” deadline for 4-H projects.
- Livestock projects must identify classes of exhibition. Those missing this deadline may exhibit and will have opportunities to receive feedback from the judge, but will not be eligible to place. Youth may still participate fully in showmanship classes.
- Non-livestock projects must identify classes of exhibition. Those missing the deadline may compete, but the highest placing eligible is “blue.” Counties should correct mistakes in classes in FairEntry when mistakes are made by 4-H members.
- The intent for this deadline is for individuals who make no attempt to complete FairEntry by the county’s selected date. Counties may use their discretion as to the attempt made by individuals.
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- Auction Rule change:
- Failure to meet 4-H Program Deadlines will result in an animal being ineligible to exhibit fully at the Wells County 4-H Fair and can only be shown as “exhibition-only” status. Exhibition-Only status animals will NOT be eligible to sell in the 4-H Livestock Auction. These animals may opt to be put on the extra truck if provided.
- Livestock Release
- Release of any livestock will start at 10 PM or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the last event at the 4-H Park if conclusion is after 10 PM. Checkout will conclude at 12 PM/Midnight. Swine early release on the Monday of the fair will begin at 10 PM or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the last event at the 4-H Park if conclusion is after 10 PM. Notice will be given will all events have concluded. No other time will be given for early release without the approval of the Swine Superintendent or Veterinarian.
- Dairy Feeder/Dairy Beef projects
- In 2025, the Dairy Feeder and Dairy Beef Showmanship Competitions will be combined into one Dairy Steer competition. Participants may choose to show either their Dairy Feeder or Dairy Steer. One winner from the senior division will be selected to represent the Dairy Steers in Royal Showmanship.
- Strawberry Project
- The Wells County 4-H Strawberry project has been updated significantly to meet modern 4-H Project standards. Participants can choose to exhibit an educational poster, frozen berries, fresh berries, or a fruiting strawberry plant. Please consult the rulebook for specific guidelines.
- Wells County 4-Hers are responsible for knowing the rules and regulations for each project they are enrolled in. Please check each of your projects in the Wells County 4-H Rulebook to see new changes in each project. Rulebooks will be available in the Extension Office by the end of February.
- Summer interns needed:
- Our office is currently looking to hire two interns to help with 4-H summer activities this year! Interns will start mid-May and typically finish up the first or second week of August. This is perfect for any college student returning home for the summer that is interested in Extension and 4-H! Applications available February 1st!
- BEEF & Dairy beef id day:
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Saturday, March 8th, 2025
9:00 - 11:00 AM
Cattle Barn, 4-H Park
Enter Park on South Drive
Snow Date - March 15th, Same Time
- More information will be sent out soon via mail to those enrolled in Beef & Dairy Beef. You can also check our Facebook Page - Wells County 4-H.
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- Upcoming Meetings:
- 4-H Association:
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Monday, February 17, 2025
at 7:00PM
Meeting Rooms
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- 4-H Council:
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Monday, March 31, 2025
at 7:00PM
Meeting Rooms
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- 4-H Association:
- Wells County 4-H 2025 Animal ID Schedule
- March 8 - Dairy Beef and Beef ID Day (back up date March 15)
- April 5 - Dairy Feeder ID Day
- May 3 - Meat Goat and Sheep ID Day
- May 15 - Animals must be entered in 4-H Online, State Fair bound animals must have DNA samples submitted to Wells County Extension Office.