CL VER P WER. July Fondness,

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1 CL VER P WER July 2013 POLK COUNTY EXTENSION Farewell! A Parent s 4-H Pledge I pledge my Head to give my child the information I can, to help him/her see things clearly, and to make wise decisions. I pledge my Heart to encourage and support my child no matter whether he/she has successes or disappointments. I pledge my Hands to help my child s club; if I cannot be a club leader, I can help in many equally important ways. I pledge my Health to keep my child strong and well for a better world through 4-H for my child s club, our community, our country, and our world. As a chapter opens, other must close. After working with Polk County Extension Office for almost the past 6 years I have decided it is time to make some changes. Many of you know that I started working for a direct sales company, Origami Owl Jewelry over a year ago as an independent designer. This adventure with them has taken off so fast that I need to have more time to devote to it. I have enjoyed working with our Clover Kids program, 4-H and the Polk County Fair. I have seen many of your children grow-up throughout the years. I have fond memories that I will always cherish. Fondness, Amy Marek Joy Niklasen Marci Vinsand County Youth Coordinator County Youth Coordinator niklasen@iastate.edu vinsand@iastate.edu 1625 Adventureland Dr., Suite A, Altoona, IA Monday Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM LEARN MORE AT

2 Best Wishes, Amy Please join us for refreshments on July 1 at the Polk County Extension Office. Stop in anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to wish Amy the best on her new business adventure and thank her for her time with Extension. FSQA 2013 All food producing livestock exhibitors are required to complete FSQA by July 12. These include exhibitors in Beef, Dairy, Sheep, Swine, Goat, Poultry and Rabbit project areas. This also includes breeding divisions of those exhibits. If you are in the 7 th Grade or above you are eligible to test out. Exhibitors interested in certifying by exam, please make an appointment by calling Marci at Exams need to be completed no later than July 12 th. Rabbit Workshop Mark the date on your calendar if you want to learn more about rabbits! Bring your rabbit, if you have one, but you don't need one to participate. You'll learn about the different rabbit breeds, preparing your rabbit for the fair and yourself for the showmanship part of the experience. There will also be a carrier building session at this workshop. Pre-registration is required so that the necessary supplies are on hand that day. Contact Bill Wolfe at to pre-register and to determine what carrier materials will be needed. Dates: Sunday, July 14 2:00-4:00 p.m., at the Polk County Extension Office To RSVP for the workshop, please contact: Joy Niklasen niklasen@iastate.edu Have your kids ever wanted to experience a Night Hike, Zip line, Archery, and campfire cooking? If so, you should check out the H Taste of Camp! Sample what Iowa 4-H Camp has to offer at our overnight camp, held at the Iowa 4-H Center near Madrid, Iowa. Activities and opportunities available for all ages including Clover Kids! For more information check out the camp website at Contact Joy at the Polk County Extension Office for registration details or niklasen@iastate.edu. MISSION STATEMENT 4-H EMPOWERS YOUTH TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL WORKING

3 King Arthur Flour Cupcake Baking Contest Copyright Form Break out Grandma s Cupcake recipe and bring them down to the Polk County Fair. You ll just need to bring an opened bag of King Arthur s flour or the UPC Code, and your best 6 cupcakes down to the fair. Pre-entry is required, and details can be found at As fair approaches, youth bringing exhibits should be thinking about copyright/trademark issues. A sample letter is located at: for you to use to write to the copyright holder to get permission to use logos, trademarks, photographs, etc. The safest course of action is: do not copy anything unless you have permission!! Let s Call it Sanctioned Eavesdropping! Conference Judging has been a great addition to the exhibit evaluation experience. With this fantastic opportunity for youth to practice their communication skills with a caring adult, however, something equally important is often lost and that is the feedback the judge provides through that conversation. Whether it is nerves or excitement, it s sometimes hard for a 4-Her to remember what the judge said. So on entry day (Wednesday, July 17) of the Polk County Fair, we want to try something relatively new (for us) in the 4-H Exhibit Building. We are asking for caring adults (other than the parent of the 4-Her being evaluated) to sit at the table during conference judging and take brief notes of the 4-Her s conversation with the judge (for the 4-Her s use). That way the 4-Her will have something to help them remember the conversation and what they learned from the judging experience. Now all we need are some note takers! What a great way to learn first-hand what a judge looks for in a particular project/exhibit area. We will have the judging time broken into just under two-hour periods (two blocks of time in the morning and two in the afternoon) for each judge in each department. To be able to provide this opportunity for our 4- Hers, that means we have 120 blocks to fill! We are looking for parents, grandparents, leaders, friends of 4-H any adult who has always wanted to know what is being said at that conference judging table. All we ask is that you choose a time other than the period of time when club members you know are assigned to be evaluated in the 4-H building. Here s an idea of the choices you may have: Blocks of time will be: 8:20-10:10 AM, 10:00-11:50 AM, 11:40 AM-1:30 PM and 1:20-3:10 PM (Clover Kids parents/ leaders are welcome as note takers too. It s a great way to learn about what is done in different project areas.) Ag, Animal & Natural Resources/Science, Engineering & Technology Child Development, Consumer Management & Health Clothing, Sewing, Needle Arts Food & Nutrition Home Improvement Horticulture (vegetables & floral) Music & Visual Arts Personal Development Photography Please start now to encourage the caring adults you know to help us with this learning opportunity for our 4- Hers. We re asking each 4-H club to provide four note-takers, if at all possible. Who will represent your club? Questions? Give Joy a call at or at niklasen@iastate.edu. 4-H PLEDGE I PLEDGE MY HEAD TO CLEARER THINKING, MY HEART TO GREATER LOYALTY, MY HANDS TO LARGER SERVICE, AND MY HEALTH TO BETTER LIVING, FOR MY CLUB, MY COMMUNITY, MY COUNTRY, AND MY WORLD.

4 Polk County Fair 2013 The Polk County Fair will be July 17-22, 2013 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The fair book is available on-line or at the Polk County Extension Office.. The theme is iplan, ilearn, igrow. Rule and class changes or additions posted at the Polk County Fair Site: Conference Judging Conference judging will take place on Wednesday, July 17 from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. There will be staggered lunches for the judges and helpers so expect judging to be very slow over the noon hour. Be sure to check page 7 of the fair book for the time your club is scheduled for conference judging, or ask your club leader. No parents will be allowed in the judging area while their child is being judged. However, the 4-H program advisory board is looking for adult volunteer note takers to volunteer to take notes in areas where your children aren t being judged. Parents interested in helping take notes on judges comments should contact Joy Niklasen at or niklasen@iastate.edu to choose a time and department of interest. If this is your first year attending the fair, ask a fellow 4-H member or club leader about the experience. If you re exhibiting in the 4-H Exhibit Building, please remember to check-in with the front desk just inside the main entrance. Helpers at the desk will be able to give you your Exhibit Building Sheet of 4-H entries. There is space on the sheet for the judges to mark what ribbon you received. It s very important to remember to return your Exhibit Sheet to the information desk when you re through with judging without it, you will not be able to receive premium monies after the fair. Help for Preparing Fair Exhibits Determine the goal for the exhibit Check 4-H project manuals Discuss ideas with a parent, leader, or other 4-H ers Check the Polk Co. Extension Office for additional resources If you are preparing preserved foods (canning) check to be sure you are using currently approved methods. Check at the Polk Co. Extension Office for USDA guidelines or call the ISU Answer Line for information. Read and follow all class descriptions, rules, and guidelines in your fair book. Plan now, prepare ahead of time and enjoy the fair. Forms and Entry Tags If you are planning on exhibiting photography, posters, or preserved foods, there are forms or labels that you can either pick up from your leader or Extension Office. Entry tags (needed for all exhibits) are also available at the office. If you have old Photography labels please do not use them, instead use the updated labels found at Food & Nutrition Please read the 4-H publication, Inappropriate Food Exhibits for Iowa 4-H Fairs, available from the Extension Office, or online. These are the same rules that were instituted last year. Club Booths Clubs may decorate their club booths from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 16. All club booths are judged on their decorations. Booth decoration judging will take place on Thursday morning.

5 Exhibit Checkout All static exhibits are to remain at the fairgrounds until 2:00 p.m. Sunday, July 21. Members are responsible for picking up their exhibits at that time or making arrangements for someone else to get them. It is not the responsibility of the Extension staff to take any extra exhibits back to the Extension Office. Clothing Event Entry forms are in the Polk County Fair entry packets and are due July 1. Judging for the Clothing Event is scheduled for the morning of July 13 at the Extension Office. The Clothing Event consists of three divisions, Fashion Revue, Clothing Selection and the $15 Challenge. Fashion Revue is a competition for youth who are modeling clothing they have made themselves. Clothing Selection is a competition for youth who are modeling clothing they have purchased from a store. The $15 Challenge is a competition for youth to choose an outfit from a garage sale, consignment store, etc. with a total cost of under $15. PLEASE NOTE: Bargain items purchased at a regular retail outlet should be entered in Clothing Selection. The $15 Challenge is for items purchased at unconventional clothing outlets. Additional rules and regulations are in the fair book. Tips on filling out reporting forms and modeling are also available from the Extension Office. Entry forms are in the Polk County Fair Entry Packet. Reporting Forms are separate documents that participants need to bring with them on the July 13 judging day. The Clothing Event Superintendents are Marci Vinsand ( ) and Eileen Klemme-DeVore. Clothing Department Do you have difficulty writing elements and principles of design to your clothing exhibit reports? Try reading the publication, Unraveling the Mystery of Design Elements and Principles in Clothing. It is a full color brochure that provides some great examples and answers to clothing design. You can pick a copy up in the Extension Office. BBQ The BBQ will be Wednesday, July 17 at 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. in the 4-H Exhibit Building. There is no charge for the BBQ, but donations will be accepted. These funds are the major source of income for the 4-H Youth Committee to help cover the cost of the youth recognition, and scholarships for youth and adults. Your generosity is very much appreciated. Pancake Breakfast The County Council is having a pancake breakfast Friday, July 19 from 7:00 9:00 a.m. in the 4-H Exhibit Building. Please plan to support the County Council by attending the breakfast. Teen Dance The County Council is hosting a teen dance for youth ages 13 and up on Saturday, July 20 from 9:00 p.m. midnight. Location of event will be on the fairgrounds in the annex of the 4-H Building. Entry fee is $5.00. Decorate-A-Bale Contest Remember to decorate a bale for your club (or individual) to have a chance to win the $20 grand prize! Judging will take place Thursday, July 18 at 10:00 a.m. Rules for contest are in the Contest Division in the Fair Book. Anything Goes Contest Back by popular demand, the most wild and exciting competition of the fair! On Thursday, July 18 at 8:00 p.m. in the Horse Arena, clubs have an opportunity to participate against one another for the $20 grand prize! Scoring based on speed through an obstacle course and completion of challenging games. Entry fee is $1 per club due that evening. Poultry and Rabbit Exhibitors All poultry and rabbit cages need to be cleaned and checked by the superintendent before you leave the fairgrounds or you will forfeit your premium money. Only market broilers can be sold at the livestock auction on Monday. MISSION STATEMENT 4-H EMPOWERS YOUTH TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL WORKING

6 Sheep All ewes and rams need to have Scrapie tags in order to show at the Polk County or Iowa State Fairs. Wether lambs do not need to be tagged. Meat Goats Meat Goats can be sold through the auction this year. Contact Rob Vincent for more details. ( ) Helmets All horse exhibitors will be required to wear ASTM/SEI approved protective headgear with chin strap and properly fitted harness when mounted, riding and driving. Every time, every ride. Health Certificate Requirements for the Polk County Fair Cats & Dogs A vet will be at check-in, but a current rabies certificate is required. A $1.00 fee will be assessed per dog. Rabbits and Poultry A vet will issue a barn certificate for the rabbits and poultry. A $1.00 fee will be collected at check in for each exhibitor in each division. Beef, dairy goats, meat goats, horses, sheep, and swine The fair board will accept 1 health certificate for the entire family with multiple species listed on the certificate. Each superintendent will need to see the health certificate at check in. Animals not having health certificates will be excused from the fair and must be taken home. The 2013 Polk County Fair is scheduled for July at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

7 Do you have your Polk County Fair shirt yet? If you have already turned in or mailed in your fair entry papers and did not receive a shirt you may stop by the Extension Office anytime to pick one up! Ak-Sar-Ben Information The 86 th Annual Ak-Sar-Ben 4-H Livestock Exposition will take place September 26 September 29, 2013 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Entries will due to the Polk Co Extension Office in August. Remember that all market animals must have gone through the verification process to be eligible to exhibit at Ak-Sar-Ben. Day Care Tour Guides WANTED! Would you or a 4-H member you know like to guide children around the Polk County Fair? We are looking for youth and adults to lead day care tours during the Polk County Fair this year. The day care tours will be held on Thursday, July 18. The tours are scheduled to be one hour in length, with the first tour we are looking to fill 3 shifts in the morning starting at 10:00 am and the last tour ending at 3:00 p.m. We would love to have your help in guiding our guests around the 4-H building and in the livestock barns. All you need to do is lead the group around the fairgrounds, show enthusiasm and answer questions! Please contact the Extension Office at if you would like to help HORSE RULE CHANGE NEW: For all horse classes long sleeve collared shirts white or any solid color, no zippers or fancy buttons/snaps. No bling. No Polk County Fair shirts will be allowed during any 4-H horse or pony classes. To download a copy of the Rules and Regulations for 4-H Equine Shows in Iowa, please visit: ProductID=430. Polk County Fair Horse Show Rules can be found at:

8 DATES TO REMEMBER July 1 Polk County & Iowa State Fair Entries Due to Extension Office 4 Polk County Extension Office Closed 9 4-H Program Advisory Board 7-8:30pm 10 County Council Meeting Bowling 10 Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm August 8-18 Iowa State Fair 13 Clothing Event 14 Rabbit Project Workshop 2:00-4:00 pm Polk County Fair 31-8/3 Taste of Camp FIND US AT: EXTENSION.IASTATE.EDU/4H/POLK 222

9 Phone Numbers, and Website Addresses Joy Nikalsen Marci Vinsand niklasen@iastate.edu vinsand@iastate.edu County Youth Coordinator County Youth Coordinator Jeff Macomber Andrea Nelson jmacombe@iastate.edu nelsonar@iastate.edu Youth Development Specialist Executive Director Polk County 4-H Club Page The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC or call