4-H Clubs

The first 4-H clubs were believed to be Corn Clubs for boys and Tomato Clubs for girls, whose purpose was to provide youth with research based practices for growing crops in rural settings where farmers resisted new agricultural practices. These clubs were so successful in spreading university-based research to these communities that 4-H became the largest youth organization in the United States. While 4-H values its agricultural roots, 4-H clubs include any gathering of at least 5 youth from 3 different families, meeting for a common interest. This can range from a coding club, to an environmental education club. A clubs’ focus may include such a range of topics as: raising pets, cooking, camping, shooting sports, sewing, community service, world cultures, health and drug abuse prevention, performance arts, collecting, gardening, and more. Clubs typically meet once a month, and are lead by an adult volunteer with assistance from the 4-H agent.

**Please note: due to high volumes of interest, most of our Durham club rosters are currently full. To be added to the monthly Durham 4-H newsletter, please email amauney@ncsu.edu. This is the best way to find out when club spots open up and to participate in many of our non-club specific programs and events.

Durham County 4-H Clubs

• Middle Ground Homeschool Gardening Club is a group of Durham homeschoolers that meet twice a month on Friday mornings to learn about different gardening skills. They volunteer regularly at Urban Community Agronomics in North Durham and participate in hands-on learning activities at the Briggs Ave Community Garden.
• Pura Vida Horse Club gathers the first Tuesday evening of every month at the Pura Vida Horse Farm in Bahama to learn how to care for and train horses. Each club member is paired with a foal that they can grow with and learn from overtime. This club is for12-18 year olds and requires members to bring riding helmets and paddock or steel toe boots.
• Hub Farm Afterschool Club is held for 7-9 year olds at Durham Public School’s outdoor learning center, The Hub Farm. The club is lead by Durham’s 4-H agent and Master Gardener Volunteers and helps kids learn through a variety of environmental education classes.
• Farm to Fork Club is led by Durham’s FCS agent. It is a small, focused club that aims to provide a select group of Durham youth with meaningful culinary skills and experiences.
• Kids Being Kids serves as a neighborhood club in eastern Durham. Club members (5-18) participate in a wide variety of 4-H activities and projects where they’ve presented at county, district, and state events. Teen leaders also take a strong role mentoring youth.
• Cooking Club currently serves members between the ages of 10-18. Started originally as a poultry club, cooking club helps teach youth about food safety and gives them hands-on experience cooking a wide variety of meals. They meet monthly on Friday nights in north Durham.
• Orange-Durham Livestock Club serves youth interested in learning more about showing and raising livestock. Meeting in Hillsborough, this club is composed of Durham and Orange County natives, and club members routinely participate in the Central Piedmont Junior Livestock Show.
• Sewing Club is an opportunity for youth ages 10-18 to learn basic sewing skills and work on projects to wear! The club leader hosts this gathering every other Tuesday night during the school year at the Durham Cooperative Extension building.

Contact Information

If you’re interested in leading, joining, or creating a new club please contact your Durham 4-H Agent, Adrienne Mauney by email at amauney@ncsu.edu

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, political beliefs, family and marital status, sex, age, veteran status, sexual identity, genetic information or disability. NC State, N.C. A&T, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.