CLARKE COUNTY FAMILY 4-H MARCH NEWS

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1 CLARKE COUNTY FAMILY 4-H MARCH NEWS Jennifer Miler Clarke County Extension County Youth and Outreach Coordinator Peterson Farm Brothers WHAT S INSIDE: Peterson Farm Brothers Notes from Jennifer Animal Science Round Up A huge thank you to the volunteers and supporters who attended the Peterson Farm Brothers event on Sunday, February 28. This was a unique opportunity for our 4-Hers to visit with the brothers, get their autograph, and take pictures. Also a shout out to the Clarke County Farm Bureau, Clarke County Fairboard, Clarke County Cattlemen and Farmer s Coop for helping sponsor this event for our 4-Hers. Project Scholarships 4-H SPIN Events Swine Project Opportunity Food Safety Quality Assurance Sheep/Goat Workshops Notes from Jennifer Animal Identification Plan ahead Thursday, March 17 is St. Patty s Day. Be sure to sport your favorite 4-H shirt which of course includes the 4-H clover. Mark Your Calendar Dog Obedience Thank you to all the 4-H families and clubs who donated items, baked goods, time or a monetary donation to the Fairboard Soup Supper. They greatly appreciate your support. Swine Reminders Jennifer Miler Clarke County Youth and Outreach Coordinator Clarke County Extension Office 154 W. Jefferson Osceola, IA (641) LEARN MORE AT Iowa State University Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.

2 Animal Science Round-Up Once again, the 4-H Animal Science Roundup will be selecting 20 youth for each species: beef, dairy cattle, horse, sheep, and swine. Roundup will be held in conjunction with State 4-H Conference June This opportunity is open to all youth 8th-12th grade. Applications are due Friday, March 4. To register please visit animalscienceroundup. We have had Clarke 4-Hers participate in these events in the past and had an outstanding time! Definitely worth applying for! Keep in mind, even if you are not selected for the round-up, you can still attend 4-H Conference. The 4-H and Youth Committee has project scholarships available to 4th-12th graders. 4-Hers can apply for this scholarship to purchase supplies to complete any 4-H project. The committee will select a total of 6 recipients, two from each age division. Project Scholarships The money could be used to purchase lumber, a blender, show stick, camera, feed for livestock, the animal itself or any other 4-H project. Those interested can pick up an application from the Extension Office. I have also attached the application for your convenience. Applications must be returned to the Extension before Friday, April 29 at 4:30 p.m. Who doesn t like free money? Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity! 4-H SPIN Events: March Osceola Vet Clinic Special Interest (SPIN) workshops, tours and events are designed to spark an interest in something new! A different event will take place each month at a different location focusing on a different project area. These events are designed to fit into the H project areas. We want 4-Hers to try something different and challenge themselves. Who knows, these new skills could turn into 4-H project opportunities for the county fair. Attached is a flyer with the different SPIN events. These opportunities are currently open to 4-12th grade 4-Hers. If these events are well received, I hope to implement with the Clover Kids in the future. Be sure to sign up for 1, 2, or all of these events!

3 Each year Swine Graphics gives 4-H ers the opportunity to show swine at the fair using their starter program. Swine Graphics will deliver the hogs at weigh-in (April 9) and 4- Hers will take them home from there. Swine Project Opportunity Hogs do not have to be paid for until after the county fair sale. Those who have utilized the program 2 years or less will pay $30/ hog. Members who have utilized the program 3+ years will pay $45/hog. The maximum number of hogs an exhibitor can receive is four. Contracts are available at the Clarke County Extension Office and must be signed, dated, and returned to the Extension Office before Friday, April 1 at 4:30 p.m. Food Safety Quality Assurance (FSQA) Clarke, Union and Adair counties are partnering to offer FSQA trainings with live presentations from SWCC Ag students at the SWCC Ag site in Creston. They will be covering required topics and will have live animal presentations and hands on activities. A training is required each year for 4th 6th graders. 7-12th graders have a few different options: Test out Attend a training Can complete both FSQA is required by the state for all youth in grades 4th through 12th exhibiting beef, sheep, dairy/dairy goat, swine, meat goat, poultry and rabbits. FSQA dates are: (choose one) Wednesday, April 13 from 5:30 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 16 from 1:00 3:00 p.m. Pre-registration is required by Monday, April 11. You may either contact the Extension Office at or me at jpollard@iastate.edu. If you are in 7th 12th grade and only wish to test out, you may do so by making an appointment with me. Keep in mind, I am not always working in the office so please do not wait until the last minute. Testing must be completed before Friday, June 24.

4 Sheep & Goat Workshops Available Each year Darwin Downing and Paula Hein offer outstanding opportunities to 4-Hers who have an interest in sheep and goats. Participants learn proper techniques and daily care, showing skills, washing, trimming and much more! This year five workshops will take place each focusing on a different topic related to sheet and goats. These workshops are available to all K-12 grade 4-Hers and is a great opportunity for the beginners and advanced. Attached is a flyer with details regarding each meeting. May 15 Animal Identification Deadline If you plan to show any beef, sheep, goats, dairy, swine, horses, pets, or dogs at the Clarke County Fair you MUST have these animals identified in 4-H online before Sunday, May 15 at 11:59 p.m. This is a state deadline and under no circumstances will late entries be accepted. If you are showing market beef, swine (weighed in), sheep or goats, I will enter this information for you at weigh-in. All other animals must be completely identified in 4-H on your own time. PLEASE do not wait until the last minute to complete this process. I have attached a help sheet that will be helpful when identifying your animals. If you do not have internet access or do not feel comfortable entering your information online, I am more than happy to help. Please keep in mind, I am not always in the office so calling in advance is recommended. Rabbits, poultry and bottle calves/lambs/goats have an extended deadline of July 1 to enter their information in 4-H online. Sometimes these projects aren t always born by May 15 so we allow for an extension on these animals. If you decide not to bring an identified animal, you will not be penalized. This just gives us a better idea of what might be coming to the fair. These identification requirements are for 4-Hers and Clover Kids. If you plan to bring a dog, but want to show it as a pet, please identify that animal under the pet category, not dog. Only dogs participating in dog obedience should be placed under dog. Animals such as dogs, rabbits, and horses that have been to the fair before, and plan to return again; just check the box by that animals name to re-activate, do not re-enter that animals information.

5 Refrigerator Reference MARK YOUR CALENDAR DOG OBEDIENCE CLASSES SWINE REMINDERS SPIN Event- Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m. Swine Weigh-In: Saturday, April 9 from 9 a.m. to noon FSQA: Wednesday, April 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. FSQA: Saturday, April 16 from 1-3 p.m. Sheep/Goat Weigh-In: Saturday, April 30 from 9a.m. to noon PT Testing: Saturday, June 18th from 9-11 a.m Clarke County Fair: July Iowa State Fair: August The 4-H Dog Obedience program is offered as a project area to Clarke County 4-Hers at no cost. Participants meet each Sunday beginning February 7 until county fair. An was also sent January 13 with specific details. Nancy Crabtree will facilitate these classes. Beginners will meet from 4-5 p.m. and second year and older will meet from 5-6:30 p.m. Classes will be held at the Osceola Vet Clinic. Please park on the east side of the building and walk around to the west entrance. We need to keep the west area and driveways open in case of livestock emergencies. Participants must be fully enrolled in 4-H and have proof of the following vaccinations: Rabies, DPHLP and Kennel Cough prior to attending. You must be an active 4-Her before weigh-in. I will not activate 4-Hers during weigh-in. Swine participants have the option to opt out of weighin, however, swine not weighed in will not be eligible for rate of gain or the carcass contest. If you are thinking about showing 4-H swine at the Iowa State Fair, remember there is a different process for ISF eligible hogs. Swine possibly attending the ISF must have a DNA tag. Tags may be purchased in advance at $8 per tag at the Extension office. Tags will be available at weigh-in or may be picked up at the Extension Office. All DNA tags and envelopes must be returned to the Extension Office before May 13. Swine attending the county fair and ISF do not need two separate tags, the ISF DNA will work for both. WANT TO KNOW MORE? FIND US AT: