4-H Trips

Capital Days- (for youth currently in grades 10-12) This conference provides youth with the opportunity to achieve a better understanding of the New York State policy process, to gain a better understanding of state and local government connections, to meet with legislators and tell their 4-H story, to create an awareness of career opportunities within New York State Government and Public Service, to meet and exchange experiences with delegates from other counties. Delegates are chosen by their county 4-H program. 4-H Capital Days is a NYSACCE4-HE sponsored event.

Cornell Career Explorations- (for youth currently in grades 7-11) This is a three-day event for youth on the Cornell University campus. Delegates will immerse themselves in exploring their future education, career opportunities, and to experience Cornell University and campus life. Cornell faculty and graduate students conduct engaged-learning workshops, over 20 different programs are offered to help youth understand what a particular career field entails, what type of education they would need to pursue, and to learn from the experiences of the Program Facilitator. Youth will be exposed to academic fields and career exploration, develop leadership skills, and provided with hands-on experiences in a college setting while getting acquainted to Cornell University.

Pre-Teen Adventure- (for youth currently in grades 3-6, 8-12 years old)  This event is held annually in July at Dyken Pond Environmental Center.  Youth spend the day exploring the environmental center and in the past have chose to go canoeing and kayaking, practice archery, gone fishing, and created plaster tracks.   

Cloverbud Outing- (for youth currently in grades k-2, 5-8years old)  This event is held annually in July at Dyken Pond Environmental Center.  Youth spend half of day exploring the center and in the past they have engaged in pond studies, bird watching and shelter building. 

4-H Ignite brings together some of the best and brightest students to focus on STEM, agriscience, and healthy living. Designed for high school students in (grades 9 – 12), the summit provides opportunities to learn technical skills, participate in hands-on activities, workshops, and engage with nationally-recognized leaders.

National 4-H Conference brings hundreds of 4-H’ers to the nation’s capital each spring, National 4-H Conference is the flagship youth development opportunity of USDA, hosted by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The nationally recognized event is developing the next generation of leaders. Experience unparalleled discovery, learning, professional development, and networking with 4-H’ers from around the world. During the Conference, delegates will become familiar with the government and future career opportunities and share their voice with federal agencies and congressional committees.

Agri-business Career Conference (ABC Trip)- (For youth 14-19 years old) This annual conference is co-sponsored by NY 4-H, the State University of New York (SUNY) at Cobleskill, and the NYS Farm Bureau Foundation for Education. This two day, career exploration conference usually takes place mid-October at SUNY Cobleskill, and is for those who wish to become more aware of various agriculture opportunities as well as the academic requirements for careers in the agri-businesses field. The conference will feature mini-tours to farms and businesses in the Cobleskill area as well as seminars, guest speakers and guided tours of the SUNY Cobleskill agriculture facilities.

Animal Crackers – (For non-cloverbud aged youth) This annual program usually takes place the first Saturday in May at Cornell, and provides youth with fun, hands-on, science-oriented learning experiences on Animal Science topics. This day of workshops is for 4-H members interested in learning more about their favorite livestock, companion or pet animal species. The emphasis on different species groupings and activities varies annually. Participants will learn about different aspects of animal care, interact and exchange information with faculty, staff, students, professional producers, industry experts, and more, utilizing the unique facilities of Cornell University.

Dairy Discovery – (For youth 14-19 years old) This 1 ½ day trip is held annually at Cornell University in late March. The participants spend their time on campus learning about dairy careers and rotating through a series of hands-on stations which focus on a specific aspect of the dairy field. The focus of the Dairy Discovery workshops changes each year but includes the following areas: Dairy Herd Health and Management, Calf and Heifer Production Management, Quality Milk and Milk Production, Whole Farm Management Planning, and Maximizing the Feed Management Program.

National Dairy Conference – (For youth grades 10-12, 15-18 years of age) This four-day, annual conference is held in Madison, Wisconsin towards the end of September or beginning of October. The purpose of the National 4-H Dairy Conference is to provide an educational program for better understanding of the operations involved in the production, processing, marketing, and use of dairy products; to provide a means by which youth can achieve educational objectives based on the developmental needs of youth; & to provide a broader understanding of careers available in dairy production, processing, marketing, and selected areas.

Ag Tour Day – (For youth and adults 12+ years of age) The purpose of this day long trip is to give youth and adults the opportunity to learn about local Ag-businesses. The trip will take place in late summer, early fall, and the farms and other businesses visited will vary each year.

Last updated April 23, 2025