This summer, Clay County 4-H reinvented camp by allowing Clay County Youth to pick up activity kits during the summer. There were two types of kits either gardening or sewing. About a dozen youth signed up for each type of kit.

The gardening kits were distributed in April and May. Youth were given strawberry plants, tomato plants and bean seeds to start their own garden. Various activities were included to help them learn how to tend a garden, measure rainfall, and make a watering can.

This group had an opportunity to reinforce their gardening skills by visiting the Master Gardener volunteers of Clay County  Discovery Garden located behind the Community Services Building. Clay County 4-H has two raised beds in the Discovery Garden, one with tomato plants and the other is a sensory garden. The youth discussed how to take care of the tomato plants and learn when to pick the tomatoes. The sensory garden was designed and planted by the group. Jayson Weitz designed the planting arrangement for the dill, parsley, mint, and marigolds.

Sewing can be done either by machine or by hand. Most young people know very little about either one. There were about 15 young people who signed up to learn how to sew by hand. Sewing kits were given out in March, June, and July. Through this process the youth learned basic skills, such as, threading a needle and knotting the thread to more difficult skills of sewing on a button and embroidery. The youth were also able to make a few projects: mason jar pin cushion, ornaments, and other activities.

Clay County 4-H would like to thank Laurel Ridge Farms, Master Gardener volunteers of Clay County, and Ingles for their donations.

If you are interested in being part of 4-H either by joining a club or volunteering, please email Julie at julie_lyvers@ncsu.edu. Visit the Clay County 4-H website, go.ncsu.edu/joinclay4-h.