4-H Family Focus Newsletter

Transcription

1 February Washington County Extension Office th St. Washington, Iowa Phone: (319) FAX: (319) H Family Focus Newsletter W a s h i n g t o n C o u n t y p r o p e r t y t a x d o l l a r s s u p p o r t t h e W a s h i n g t o n C o u n t y E x t e n s i o n O f f i c e. T h e s e t a x d o l l a r s c o m e t h r o u g h t h e A g r i c u l t u r a l E x t e n s i o n D i s t r i c t t a x l e v y. T h e e l e c t e d n i n e - m e m b e r E x t e n s i o n C o u n c i l i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e s e f u n d s. T h e f e e s f o r s e r v i c e a r e u s e d t o o f f - s e t d i r e c t e x p e n s e s a n d t o s u p p o r t t h e C o u n t y E x t e n s i o n 4 - H P r o g r a m. T h a n k y o u f o r y o u r s u p p o r t! Dates to Remember Hills Bank Grant, National Congress, State Council, State Project Award Apps & Christina Hixson Award applications due State 4-H Leader s Retreat- Ankeny Feb. 1 Feb H Photography Project Meeting #1-9 a.m.-10 a.m. Extension Office 4-H Fire Up! - 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Wash. Co. Ext. Office FSQA Training, 9:00am- 11:30am Wash Co. Ext. Office Feb. 9 Feb. 10 Feb. 23 ELITE Survivor Day: Jan 2, 6th 8th graders gathered to improve and challenge their 4-H knowledge in a competition to be the Ultimate 4-H Survivor. At lunch each team competed in a salsa making competition/taste test. Leadership Development 6 p.m County Council 7 p.m. Extension Office Bucket Bottle Calf Project Meeting-7:00 p.m.-extension Office 4-H Scholarship Applications due to State Office Garden Project Meeting 9 a.m. - Extension Office 4-H Leader s Meeting- 5:15 or 7:00 p.m. -Extension Office Feb 25 Feb Highlights to this Edition: Livestock Tails Sheep, Goat & Swine Weigh-ins FSQA Training Dates Money, Money, Money Scholarships Galore Event Center 4-H Fire-Up! Project Meetings Volunteering Leader s Meeting Hall of Fame Nominations Odds & Ends Farm Bureau Donation Alumni Association Club Corner Recruitment Winners Club Activities 4-H Photography Project Meeting #2-10 a.m 11 a.m. 4-H Dodge Ball Tournament Washington High School gym 1:00 p.m. 3:00 pm Swine Weigh-in-Fairgrounds 8:30 a.m 9:30 a.m. Leadership Development 6 p.m County Council - 7 p.m. Extension Office Newsletter prepared by: Amy Green Gene Mohling 4-H/Youth Coordinator Reg. Ext. Education Director amygreen@iastate.edu mohling@iastate.edu Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.

2 County Fair 4-H Swine Weigh-In Production Barrow weigh-in for Production Barrow Classes: No barrow should weigh more than 45 lbs at spring weigh-in. Pigs must be ear-notched and castrated prior to weigh-in. Youth may weigh-in 6 barrows. Saturday, 23 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Washington County Fairgrounds CHANGES for State Fair Swine After much discussion and careful consideration the Iowa 4-H Program will discontinue the 4-H Derby Swine Show at the Iowa State Fair starting in The Iowa 4-H program is reviewing all activities and events to ensure our resources are aligned with the greatest possible impact on youth. This change means there will be NO State Fair Swine Weigh-ins which are normally held in April. However, ALL state fair swine will still need a DNA punch tag but those will be purchased from the Wash Co Extension Office, tagged by the 4-H er, returned to the Extension Office by May 15 and then entered into 4honline by the 4-Her by May 15. More information will be sent to swine families when the tags are in the Washington and ready for check out. Thank you for being patient with this program change. Required for SHEEP Dept. One production lamb is required of all sheep exhibitors at the county fair. There will be a production class with scan ($9/head) or no-scan option for these lambs. 4-H ers may bring up to 6 lambs total to exhibit at the county fair. AND The 2013 Iowa State Fair is requiring retinal image scanning for livestock verification. ALL State Fair 4-H Commercial Ewes & Market Lambs must be scanned. These will be scanned at county fair weigh-in on May 4. $5 per State Fair lamb. Market Sheep/ Meat Goat Weigh-In Saturday, May 4 8:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m State Fair Lambs See the State Fair insert regarding what needs to come to weigh-in. Washington County Fairgrounds 252 Market calves weighed in 127 FSQA Training All beef, swine, sheep, dairy cattle, dairy goat, meat goat, rabbit, and poultry exhibitors are REQUIRED to be FSQA certified to exhibit at the county fair and State Fair in Training offered in Washington: February 23, a.m. 11:30 a.m Check in at the basement. Wear coats for outdoor walking!!! Training offered in Iowa City: 11, p.m.-8:30 p.m. Youth with market beef Requirements are based on grade level. Grades 4-6: must attend training session every year Grades 7-9: Attend training session every year OR Pass the Intermediate Level Test Grades 10-12: Attend training session every year OR Pass the Senior Level Test 51 Calves nominated for State Fair Testing Out Option Tests may be taken up to 3 times in one day. Must pass with a 70% or higher. Once a test is passed, the member is certified until moving to the next age bracket. 18 Calves nominated for Ak-Sar-Ben Spring Preview Cattle Show County Council will host an Open Cattle Show on Saturday, April 20 at the Washington County Fairgrounds. This is a great opportunity for you to get extra work and experience with your project. Watch for registration details soon! Page 2 February

3 IMPORTANT 4honline information for all livestock exhibitors!!! JAN 31, 11:59 p.m. All market beef weights must be verified by members MAY 15: ALL animal identifications (old 106 forms) must be done through 4honline by MAY 15 by members. If showing, purebred breeding beef YOU MUST have the tattoo and registration numbers by May 15 OR they will be in the commercial class. NO LATE ENTRIES! Help sheets are available. They can be found: At the Extension Office From your leaders at /April meetings ment/help.htm Bucket Bottle Calves Must be calved between Jan. 1- April 30, 2013 Must be purchased and in possession of member within 2 weeks of birth Must be bottle fed. No nursing after 2 weeks of age. Calves must be castrated or banded by May 15 Must be dehorned May identify up to 3 but only exhibit 2 at the fair Bucket Bottle Project Meeting This meeting is geared towards beginning members in this project area. Superintendents will go over rules and expectations. February 28, :00 p.m. Extension Office All age divisions will complete a workbook, those can be purchased in the office. Single Source Commercial Swine Class Registrations Due This new class from 2012 will return for 2013! Applications and $10 deposit per head is due 1! Contact the Extension Office for applications. All pigs from this class come from one swine producer in the county and only compete against each other. The Extension Office makes arrangements with the producer. 4-H ers can get up to four pigs, but show up to only three in their own Single Source derby class. They may not compete with any other pigs in any other swine class. 4-Her will get tagged/vaccinated pigs at a pick up date in May and take care of them until fair. All pigs will be scanned at the fair and the average score will be used in the overall scoring. First time participants will be required to attend the Know Your Swine Session at the Extension Office end of. TBA. Participants will have an interview with Wash Co Pork Producers to discuss their experience before the fair for a score. Overall score and placings will be determined by: Derby = 45 points, Show Ring = 10 pts. Interview = 45 pts. TOTAL = 100 pt 4-H er pays for the pigs after the fair regardless if shown or not. Showmaster Clinic: Become a Master of the Showring An educational clinic will be offered on Feb 2 at the Iowa Equestrian Center at Kirkwood Community College and another offered 3 at Blackhawk Community College in Kewanee, IL. The focus will be on showing cattle and hogs covering daily care and management, clipping, fitting, feeding and showmanship. Lunch will be provided with great door prizes. Cost is $12 for early registration or $15 the day of. To register visit For more information contact Kim Lewis 319/ H Family Focus Newsletter Page 3

4 SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE Every county is awarded one Christina Hixson Scholarship per year. This scholarship provides half-tuition grant (estimated value of $14,000 over eight semesters) for incoming freshman at Iowa State University. Application deadline is February 1st. Contact the Extension Office for more information or check the web at Applications are available for the Herbert Hoover Uncommon Student Award, a $5,000 college scholarship program for juniors enrolled in an Iowa high school or home school setting. This program identifies & honors up to 15 students who propose & then accomplish a project of their own choosing & design. The application deadline is 31st. For application materials, contact your high school Guidance Counselor or download the materials at There are thirty scholarships available to freshman entering any Iowa two- or four-year post-secondary institution this fall and twenty-seven (27) scholarships available to current undergraduates attending Iowa State University. Applicants must major in animal science or a curriculum in agriculture or human sciences that is related to the agriculture industry. Winners will be announced during the 2013 Iowa State Fair annual 4 H/FFA Sale of Champions on August 17, Applications and scholarship requirements are available by visiting the Sale of Champions section of the Iowa State Fair's website: Undergraduate Application due April 1, Freshman Application Orschelns Discount Purchase 4-H supplies at Orschelns and receive a 10% discount as a 4-H member with your 4-H member discount card. Show your card at the register and explain your 4-H project. The Washington County Master Gardeners are offering a $500 scholarship to anyone pursuing a horticulture related degree or certificate from a college or university in the state of Iowa. Anyone is eligible whether in or out of high school. Applications are due April 15 to the Extension Office. For more information contact Nancy Adrian, State 4-H Scholarships Iowa 4-H members are eligible to apply for 4-H Scholarships. Over 100 scholarships totaling $100,000 will be given to youth planning to attend college. Scholarships range from $500 to $5000. Scholarships are to be postmarked no later than 1, Scholarship information can be obtained at the Extension Office or at Scholarships for current collegiate students are available as well. Farm Bureau Scholarships Available The Washington County Farm Bureau has two scholarships available. The 2013 Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Scholarship and the Washington County Jim Roberts and Celeste Hora Memorial Scholarship. Each scholarship with its own requirements and eligibility. For more information contact Washington County Farm Bureau, 319/ Applications are available at the Extension Office. Deadline for both of these scholarships is 1, Page 4 February

5 4-H Fire Up! Sunday, February 10, :00-4:00 p.m. Washington Co. Ext. Office This special event is geared to fire up 4-H members of three years or less and their families. This meeting is designed to provide information about 4-H, various project areas in livestock and non, fair opportunities, upcoming events, and much more. Each family will receive a 4-H Handbook and firey snacks will be provided. 4-H ers and family members planning to attend the 4- H Fire Up!, please RSVP to the Washington County Extension Office by February 4 at 319/ or e- mail amygreen@iastate.edu to RSVP. From the CYCs desk: I wanted to give all 4-H families notice that I am having a baby the middle of April and will be taking some time to be home. 4-H information will be handled in the office by: Michele Sieren: mlsieren@iastate.edu Nancy Adrian: nadrian@iastate.edu Please feel free to them with any questions or 4-H needs from April June. We are excited to bring a new 4-H er into the world! ~Amy 4-H Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser SAVE THE DATE April 20, 7 a.m : 30 a.m. Fairgrounds - basement All proceeds go towards 4-H enrollment fees for youth in Washington County. This event is held in conjunction with the 4-H County Council Open Cattle Show at 11a.m. PROJECT MEETINGS: NOTICE the Dates to Remember on the front page for important project meetings. These meetings are a great opportunity to learn more about project areas, get ideas, speak to the superintendent(s), find out about deadlines and get your questions answered. Feb/ meetings are listed on the front page. April project meetings at the Extension Office include: Dog Project Meeting: Tues, April 2, 7 p.m. Pet Project Meeting: Wed, April 3, 6 p.m. 4-H Dodgeball Tournament - 10 SAVE THE DATE County Council has started the plans. Watch for more details coming soon! Mark your calendar now for Region 15 Trip Opportunities: Region 15 Junior Camp Junior members, Save this date: June to experience adventures in the outdoors at Junior Camp! Juniors from Region 15 will travel together by bus to the State 4-H Center in Madrid for two days and two nights of friends, fun, and learning. Nights will be spent in the camp s air conditioned cabins, but the days will be filled with archery, zip lines, crafts, swimming, canoeing and more! Youth will load the bus Tuesday, June 18 at 11:30am and return Thursday, June 20 at 6 pm. Registration information will be coming soon!! Region 15 Intermediate Trip 7th-8th grade intermediate members, information has been sent for the trip in April to Chicago, IL Registration forms and payment are due to the Extension Office by 1. The April trip will include the Sky Deck, Shedd Aquarium, Cubs Baseball Game, Medieval Times Dinner Theater and the Science Museum. Space is limited for each county, so get your registrations in soon! 4-H Family Focus Newsletter Page 5

6 State -Required Leader s Meeting: 6, 2013 Washington County Fair Board Mtg. Room 5:15 p.m. OR 7:00 p.m. This meeting will include the state mandatory training, livestock id through 4honline, and fair preparations. Come early or stay late and enjoy a dinner from County Council! Serving light dinner & dessert 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Washington Co. Extension Mtg Room YOU ARE APPRCIATED! 4-H Judge s Training in Iowa City This training will cover positive youth development, how to evaluate, educate and encourage during conference judging and 4-H exhibit expectations and guidelines. As a judge you are able to select your area(s) of expertise. Training for New Judge s will be held Saturday, 9 th from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Johnson County Extension Office, 3109 Old Highway 218 S., Iowa City, IA. Register by 1 st by visiting this website: Cost for the training is $20, payable at the door. This cost will cover judge s handbook and name entered in the statewide 4-H Judge s Database. WANTED: Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame SUGGESTIONS Each year we elect one person/couple from Washington County to be inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. This person can be living or deceased. We have so many well deserving volunteers in our county. We want suggestions from you! Send Amy an at amygreen@iastate.edu of someone you think should be inducted and why. Youth Committee will review the suggestions. This award is a great honor. Past recipients include: Esther Birney, Elmer Schneider, Mike Orris, Howard & Shirley Bohr, Gary Murphy, Robert Spenner, Marie Hora, Donnie Davison, Pat Greiner, Gale Whitacre & Harold Wylie and Nancy Adrian. Recognize Our Volunteers In 2009 we began presenting awards to our 4- H volunteers throughout Washington County. We award 4-H Alumni, 4-H Family of the Year, 4-H Volunteer of the Year, Partner in 4- H and Friend of 4-H. Anyone can nominate others for these awards. Nomination forms are accepted throughout the year. They are available on the web at page/adult-award-nomination-forms or the Extension Office. These nominations will be reviewed in October, when all nominations have been received. Nominate someone today to honor their hard work and dedication to 4-H! LEADERS NEEDED! 4-H Members, Mentor a Clover Kid Members of Washington County Clover Kids are the future of 4-H. Take on a leadership role by mentoring a younger member. Help them get a jump start on learning about 4-H opportunities. Current mentor opportunities for fair preparation: Sheep Mentoring-those 4-H ers who have shown sheep for at least one year can be paired up with a Clover Kid. The clover kid will visit your farm while you teach them a little about sheep. Following the sheep show at the fair, the Clover Kids will get to show your sheep in their special class. Clothing Event-those 4-H ers who have participated in Clothing Selection, Fashion Revue or $15 Challenge can be paired up with a Clover Kid. Walk them through the Clothing Event experience. They meet with a judge with you by their side and then they have a style revue during the fair. If you want to mentor a Clover Kid, but it doesn t fit into these areas, contact the Extension Office about your idea and we ll see what we can do! To sign-up contact the Extension Office by May 1st. WE NEED YOU! Possible new Washington Club Leader An additional Dog Project Leader Contact us ASAP with suggestions! Page 6 February

7 WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR DATES! Sun. July 14 Fri. July 19 Non-livestock Judging Sat. July 13 A huge thank you to everyone who helped with market beef weigh-in. The day went very smoothly with our veteran volunteers. AND thank you in advance to those who will help at the spring weigh-ins. - Amy Follow Washington County 4-H on face- book! Join Washington County 4-H - Iowa to follow the happenings, visit with 4-H friends, and reconnect with alumni from the past. Visit the Website for all 4-H details, click on the Kids and Teens tab Attendance Reminder In order to exhibit at the Washington County Fair you must attend club meetings and be active with your club activities. Any member with more than 3 unexcused absences will not be able to exhibit at the County Fair. This rule is in the Fair Book. Keep checking your family s! Unique opportunities for 4-H ers come our way all the time. Those will be sent via to you! Looking for a show box? Thank you, Washington County Farm Bureau! George& Margaret Colthurst have a show box they would love to give to a new 4-Her if they want to come and get it. Call him at It is made of ½ wood. Is 34 long, 18 wide, 19 ¾ deep and is on casters. Remember to check out project hot sheets at: Washington County Farm Bureau supports 4-H in many ways. Recently our local Farm Bureau voted to donate $2 toward each 4-H member s enrollment fees for the year. Members received this $2 discount at enrollment time. Please contact the Farm Bureau office or a Farm Bureau member and thank them for their support of Washington County 4-Hers. Snapshot Iowa This is a photography contest for Iowa students 7th- 12th grade. 4-H Alumni Association Do you know any 4-H alumni who want to be connected to 4- H again? Washington Co. 4-H has an Alumni Association just for them! Join this group for only $15 a year. All money goes towards 4-H enrollment fees. Reconnect with your 4-H days! Un-mounted, black and white Showcasing Historic Iowa Architecture Printed 8 x 10 on photo paper Get creative! Entries must be received by 8 $100 cash prizes available For more information and application visit m?nodeid=39628&audienceid=1 4-H Family Focus Newsletter Page 7

8 The Recruitment Winners are. Dutch Creek Flyers 4-H Club. They recruited 9 new members which OVER doubles their members from last year! The club will receive a $50 pizza party. Congratulations! We have a total of 65 new4-h members so far. The Little Hawk Clover Kids were the winners for Clover Kid recruitment with 23 new members. They receive a $25 ice cream party. Congratulations on your new club success! The Washington Go-Getters 4-H Club made pillows for children at the University of Iowa s children hospitals. 4-H ers picked the fabric, sewed the edges and stuffed the pillows at their January meeting. Washington Hustlers 4-H Club made Valentine s for Vets at their January meeting. They will be delivered to the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids Vet Hospitals. Is your best friend in 4-H? The Kalona Klassics 4-H Club spent their January meeting volunteering at Paws & More Pet Shelter in Washington. The Hart family even adopted a cat at the end of the day! Why not? INVITE THEM! Page 8 February

9 2013 Iowa State Fair 4-H Show Changes/Deadlines ***ALL dates are listed AS DEADLINES!! Those tasks listed must be COMPLETED by those dates!*** ALL ANIMALS FOR STATE FAIR MUST BE REGISTERED ONLINE BY JULY 1. More information coming soon! Market Beef Don't forget the July 1 online registration deadline! December 15 - All animals will be retinal scanned and weighed in. Scan cost is $5.00 per head All animals will be entered by county staff onto 4hOnline ASAP Registered steers must select breed at time of weigh-in or they will show crossbred Jan 11:59 p.m. - 4-H members MUST go onto 4hOnline and verify the weights and Identification information (iowa.4honline.com) Registered market steers will need to be tattooed by state fair only. Member must have tattoo numbers and original registration papers with them when checking in at state fair. Breeding Beef May 15 - All animals must be identified on 4hOnline by 4-H members (iowa.4honline.com) Registered heifers: registration numbers & birthdates must be entered at time of identification. PENDING registration numbers will NOT be accepted! Commercial and Registered heifers must be tattooed. Registered heifers must have registration papers with them at check in time at state fair. New class for 2013: Fall-aged heifers (Born Sept. 1 Dec. 31 of 2011; also heifers born in 2012 are eligible Horses May 15-4-H members MUST identify all horses on 4hOnline (iowa.4honline.com). Registration numbers need to be entered at this time. Photos must be uploaded to 4hOnline (photos from 2012 are there but need activated for 2013). 4 photos - 1 right side, 1 left side, 1 front, 1 back When entering classes, members will not need to specify which horse will show in that class until check in at the State Fair. Members must bring all paperwork with them to check in. Registration papers, drug affidavits, etc. New classes for 2013: Halter Mares & Geldings (age 3-7, age 8 & over), Pony Halter (mare & gelding classes), Flags (timed race) Classes dropped: 2/3 Year Old Western Pleasure, Saddleseat Pleasure, Saddleseat Equitation PLEASE read all id, ownership/leasing rules online. Breeding & Market Sheep May 4 - All market lambs, Commercial Ewes AND Purebred Ewes will be retinal scanned. Market lambs will be weighed-in. Retinal scan cost is $5.00 per head Market Lambs, Commercial Ewes, and purebred ewes will be entered by county staff onto 4hOnline ASAP after weigh-in. May 15-4-H members MUST go onto 4hOnline and verify the weights & information (iowa.4honline.com) Swine -May - Swine exhibitors must purchase DNA punch tags from the Extension Office ($9/tag), tag their state fair pigs and return the DNA envelopes by May 15 to the Extension Office. May 15 - All animals must be identified on 4hOnline by 4-H members (iowa.4honline.com) Rabbits & Poultry July 1 - Rabbits must have tattoos in the Left Ear and will be identified on 4hOnline by the 4-H member (iowa.4honline.com) Poultry are not required to be identified on 4hOnline. Breeding & Market Meat Goats Removed bracing rule. New rule states All goats must have four feet on the floor in the show ring at all times. Lifting feet off the ground or placing on any support or altered ring surface is not acceptable. Exhibitors will receive one warning if they are found lifting or slapping goats. Second offenses will result in automatic exhibitor disqualification from the 4-H Meat Goat Show. May 4 - All market wethers will be weighed in, receive 4-H tag and retinal scanned. Scan cost is $5.00 per head May 15-4-H members MUST go onto 4hOnline and verify the weights & information (iowa.4honline.com) May 15 - All breeding does must be identified on 4hOnline by 4-H members with a birth date and either a 4-H tag or permanent tattoo (iowa.4honline.com) Dairy Cattle & Dairy Goats May 15 - All animals must be identified on 4hOnline by 4-H members. (iowa.4honline.com). Registration numbers & birthdates are required. Dogs May 15 - All animals must be identified on 4hOnline by 4-H members. (iowa.4honline.com) Change the Sr. Handle Age from 10th-12th to 9th 12th ALL ANIMALS FOR STATE FAIR MUST BE REGISTERED ONLINE BY JULY 1. More information coming soon!

10 This is Your Washington County 4-H Newsletter Feb.- Iowa State University Cooperative Extension Washington County District th St. Washington, IA Return Service Requested