Freestone County

Preserving the Past, Building the Future

Traditions

Freestone County is comprised of a land area of 885.2 square miles or 556,528 acres. Freestone County is listed amongst the top ten counties in beef cattle numbers. Our growing season averages 263 days a year. Freestone County is characterized as hot, humid summers and moderate winters. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year with peak accumulations in the spring and fall seasons. Ag commodities that dominated sales are beef cattle, hay, fruits, timber and hunting leases. Current market trends and weather patterns complicate production. Beef cattle and hay production continue to dominate all other ag enterprise in the area.

Facts

Freestone County has approximately 147,821 acres of rangeland, 340,914 acres of pastureland, 16,118 acres of cropland, 17,655 acres of forestland, 250 irrigated acres, 20, 376 acres of public land, and 28,553 acres of misc land. Freestone County is located in Senate Distric 5, House District 8, and Congressional District 5.

What is Extension?

Working hand-in-hand with its Texas A&M System partners, the state legislature, and the communities it serves, the mission of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to serve Texans through community-based education has remained unchanged for almost a century.

With a vast network of 250 county Extension offices and some 900 professional educators, the expertise provided by AgriLife Extension is available to every resident in every Texas county. But Extension educators are well-aware that a program offered in Dallas might not be relevant in the Rio Grande Valley. AgriLife Extension custom-designs its programs to different areas of the state, significantly depending on residents for input and program delivery.

The mission of AgriLife Extension is a seemingly simple one: improving the lives of people, businesses, and communities across Texas and beyond through high-quality, relevant education. Carrying out this mission, however, is a massive undertaking. One that requires the commitment of each and every one of the agency’s employees. Through the programs these employees provide, Texans are better prepared to:

• eat well, stay healthy, manage money, and raise their children to be successful adults.
• efficiently help themselves through preventing problems and using tools for economic stability and security.
• improve stewardship of the environment and of the state’s natural resources.

Today’s A&M AgriLife Extension is known for its leadership, dedication, expertise, responsiveness, and trustworthiness. Texans turn to AgriLife Extension for solutions, and its agents and specialists respond not only with answers, but with a significant return on investment to boost the Texas economy.

Freestone County 4-H

4-H Enrollment for 4th-12^th graders is OPEN! Enroll online at https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in, cost is $25 per youth, $10 per adult.

• Guide on how to enroll online: 4honline_family_quick_start_newenroll

For Club Meeting Information:

2025 2026 Calendar 4-H Club Meetings

• Archery
  • Practices and locations for the year can be found here-
    • You must be actively enrolled in 4-H to attend practices.
    • 4-H archery Brochure
• Shotgun 
  • Practices take place at 226 FM 80 S, Teague.
    • Join the GroupMe: https://groupme.com/join_group/110139386/1qCoRIQ0
• Food Show
  • Practices will take place at the Teague Community Center
  • 
• Livestock Quiz Bowl for practice times and dates see the Flyer
  • Quiz Bowl flyer-updated dates
• Fall Photography Contest

How do I know what’s going on?

• Follow us on Facebook, Freestone County 4-H
• Join us on GroupMe https://groupme.com/join_group/110139386/1qCoRIQ0

FAQs

I am new to 4-H what do I do?

Visit a 4-H club! Pick a club that works for your schedule and go to a meeting. You will see firsthand what happens at the club meetings, get to meet the volunteers, and see the youth involved. You can ask questions at the club meeting and even get enrolled! If you would rather ask the Extension Agent (Erin Davis) questions give us a call 903-389-3436.

If you don’t fill out a paper form and pay by check for your enrollment at the club meeting you can enroll online: 4honline.com

What happens at club meetings?

There are officers of the club (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer etc) that will be at the front of the room running the meeting. They will call the meeting to order, go over the minutes from the last meeting, treasurers report, announcements (dates and deadlines for things coming up), there will be an educational presentation, recreation (game or activity) and even sometimes snacks!

Make sure you sign in at every club meeting, so the club managers can keep track of how many meetings you’ve attended. (You must attend 4 club meetings to show at Freestone County Fair). Parents please sign in as well.

Club meetings will last 30-45 minutes. It is recommended that parents attend the meetings as well so you can hear the announcements and know what is going on.

I’m interested in a project but need help getting started

Look at the Explore guides and information and the Texas 4-H Website (https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/), if there is a project leader listed reach out to them to find out more. If you have additional questions reach out to Erin Davis, County Extension Agent 903-389-3436 and she can answer your questions and get you started!

When is the Freestone County Fair?

• To show at the Freestone County Fair 4-H members must attend 4 club meetings 

Freestone County Fair is always the week prior to the 3^rd Saturday in June. The sale takes place on the third Saturday, so the shows will take place Tuesday-Friday.

More information about the fair can be found at: https://www.fcfar.org/

Erin will present information about county fair livestock projects (heifers, sheep, goats, swine, rabbits, poultry) at the January club meetings. But keep in mind County Fair steers are validated the first Saturday in December. If you need help finding a livestock project Erin can help just let her know.

Projects Offered:

Citizenship

Consumer Education

Dog Care & Training

Entomology

Fashion & Interior Design

Food & Nutrition

Health & Personal Safety

Horticulture

Junior Master Gardener

Leadership

Livestock Judging

Meat Science

Natural Resources

Outdoor Education & Living Skills

Photography/Videography

Public Speaking

Range Science

Robotics

Rocketry

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

Small & Companion Animals

Soil and Crop Science

Sportfishing

Theater & Performance Arts

Veterinary Science

Wildlife & Fisheries

Workforce Preparation & Careers

Youth Entrepreneurship

Livestock Project areas:

• Dairy Cattle
• Beef Cattle
• Sheep
• Goats
• Swine
• Rabbits
• Broilers
• Horse

Most common project areas will have information presented at club meetings and there will be livestock project clinics.

Specific project information can be found at: https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/

Contest Opportunities

Information on contests will be posted here: https://agrilife.org/d84h/events-and-activities/

• Variety of Fishing opportunities for both teams and individuals
• Shotgun shoots (contact the Shotgun coach for info)
• Archery shoots (contact the Archery coach for info)
• Food Challenge/Food Show
• Dairy Judging
• Horse Judging
• Photography
• Fashion Show, Fashion Storyboard, Duds to Dazzle
• Consumer Decision Making
• Livestock Judging
• Meat Judging
• Soil Judging
• Leaders 4 Life Skillathon
• Education Presentations
• Public Speaking
• Share the Fun
• Horse, FCH and Livestock Quiz Bowls
• District & State Horse Show
  • Some contests are also offered at Major Shows (Fort Worth, San Antonio, San Angelo, Houston, Austin) pay attention to Major show information when posted.

Livestock Projects