The History behind the 4-H Clover

The four-leaf clover has become associated with quite a few things, including St. Patrick’s Day, good luck, and 4-H! Who remembers trying to find a four-leaf clover as a child?

Clovers are weeds that usually have three leaves. Every now and then, a rare fourth leaf will be produced. The chances of finding a four-leaf clover are pretty slim. You’ve got about a 1 in 10,000 chance of finding a four-leaf clover, and if you do, it’s your lucky day! 

Our favorite four-leaf clover is the 4-H clover emblem. The four Hs, each on one leaf, stand for head, heart, hands, and health, which are the key values that members focus on through hands-on learning. How did the 4-H emblem come to be?  

O.H. Benson, who was the superintendent of an Iowa school, is credited with designing the 4-H emblem. Legend has it that during a visit to one of his schools, he stumbled upon students searching for four-leaf clovers during recess. This encounter with students in his county inspired him to use the four-leaf clover as the emblem for 4-H. 

The first 4-H clover logo appeared between 1907–1908. It had three leaves with “head, heart, and hands” written on them. In 1911, Benson decided to add the fourth leaf to the emblem. The word “hustle” was originally one of the words associated with 4-H. In 1911, the fourth word was changed to “health.”

4-H is a great youth development program for your children or grandchildren to get involved in. We offer a variety of activities with something for everyone! 

Interested in learning more about 4-H? Contact your county Extension office to get plugged in!