UNION COUNTY 4-H NEWSLETTER. Union County Families: Calendar of Events. PT Testing for ALL Poultry, 7:00-10:00 AM

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1 UNION COUNTY 4-H NEWSLETTER Like Union County Extension on Facebook at May 2018 Another source for important information! Union County Extension Sandy Seals Office Assistant WHAT S INSIDE: Welcome Michaela! FSQA Reminder Dog Obedience 4 Meeting Rule 4-H Appreciation Day Annual Volunteer Training Camp Wild Youth Conference 4-H and Clover Kid T-Shirts PT Testing for Poultry Ak-Sar-Ben Livestock Judging Camp Youth Advisory Council Broiler Project Animal Identification Deadline Beautification in a Bucket Union County Families: It has been my pleasure to serve Union County these past few months. I am happy to inform you, the new County Youth and Outreach Coordinator has been hired and will begin Monday, May 7th. With that, May 31st will be my last day in Union County. I can t say THANK YOU enough for your patience, guidance and trust in me. If you have any questions, I can still be reached at or my is milerj@iastate.edu. Calendar of Events May 15 Animal Identification Deadline in 4-H Online, 11:59 PM May 15 Market Broiler Project Entries Due to the Extension office May 15 County Fair T-Shirt Orders Due to the Extension office May 28 Memorial Day, office closed June 1 Iowa State Fair Livestock and Horticulture Entries Open June Camp Wild, Camp Clover Woods, Madrid, IA Randy Ehm Vice Chair June 16 PT Testing for ALL Poultry, 7:00-10:00 AM Shiloh Gennaro Secretary June 24 Communication Judging, SWCC, 6:00 8:00 PM June Iowa 4-H Youth Conference, ISU, Ames Mark Ide July 1 Iowa State Fair Livestock and Horticulture Entries Close Jerry Hartman July 2 Bottle Lamb/Goat/Beef Worksheets Due to the Extension Office July 2 Livestock Entry Forms Due to the Extension Office July Union County Fair Extension Council Dan Waigand-Chair Jean Weisshaar Treasurer Jennifer Foglesong Ronda Driskill Larry Bailey

2 WELCOME MICHAELA! Hi everyone! My name is Michaela O Grady and I am your new County Youth and Outreach Coordinator. To give you a little background about myself, I grew up on a farm raising cattle in Grand River, IA. I was very involved in the Wrangler s 4-H club in Decatur County and served as the president for two years. I showed cattle my entire 4-H career and exhibited static exhibits, mainly sewing and cooking projects. I graduated from Murray High School and was involved in FFA, FCCLA, and NHS. I am currently an Iowa State University student majoring in Agriculture and Life Sciences Education. While at Iowa State was involved in Alpha Gamma Delta Women s Fraternity, AGEDS club, and the Food Recovery Network. I have spent the last semester student teaching in an agriculture program in Northeastern Iowa and am excited to be graduating the first weekend of May with honors. As an Extension employee, I am looking forward to serving the community and it s programming needs. I m also excited to meet all of you and learn your interests. When not working, I like to spend time with friends and family, read, and do outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, hiking and camping. FSQA Options FSQA is a certification REQUIRED to exhibit livestock at the Union County Fair and Iowa State Fair for youth in grades 4 th -12 th exhibiting in the following project areas: Beef, Sheep, Swine, Poultry, Rabbit, Dairy Cattle, Meat Goat and Dairy Goat. Don t forget, you must be ACTIVE in 4-HOnline to order to receive credit for completing FSQA training and or testing. The local training options have passed however, members still have two options: 4-H ers in 7th through 12th grades are eligible to test out by appointment only. I am most commonly in the office Tuesday s and Thursday s but can be flexible. All testing should be complete by June 15th. Members in 4th-12th grades have the option to complete the online version for $12 per member. The online version is also available until June 15th. To complete the online version simply go to click Sign Up or Log In and log in with your 4-HOnline information. Dog Obedience Classes Dog Obedience classes are officially underway! When: Beginning Friday, April 20 th will continue each Friday Where: McKinley Park- Basketball Courts Time: 7:00 pm. Who: Open to all active Clover Kids and 4-H members Reminders: Dress Appropriately, it will be chilly. Dogs must be on a leash Parents- suggested to bring a lawn chair 4 Club Meetings Rule! 4-Hers are REQUIRED to attend at least four, regular 4-H meetings in a year in order to participate in county and/or state fair. Members are welcome to attend the 4-H meeting of any club throughout the year if you can t make it to your own. Things that do not count as meetings: Must attend at least 3 Union county 4-H dog FSQA trainings practices to participate in the Dog Show at the Fair clean up Union County Fair. Friday night dog practices Friday night horse practices

3 4-H Appreciation Day at Living History Farms Living History Farms says Thank You to all the 4-H members and leaders who have participated in the program this past year. Be sure to attend Appreciation Day on Sunday, May 6th from 12:00 pm until 4:00 pm. Members and leaders who wear their 4-H shirt will get free admission this day. Families are welcome to go up on their own. Get creative and make it a 4-H club event or team building opportunity. This is a great event to explore Iowa s rich history! Annual Volunteer Training All volunteers in their second year or service or beyond are required to complete continuing education to support their 4-H Youth Development volunteer work. A face-to-face session was offered in November. Volunteers who missed the in-person training can complete the required training in a web-based format in 4-H Online. This training must be completed before July 1, 2018 to retain your volunteer status. Please see the February and March 4-H newsletter for directions or myself at milerj@iastate.edu. Camp Wild Registration Deadline, May 15th! Save the Date: CAMP WILD June 11-13, 2018 Take a ride on the "WILD side and mark your calendars to attend Camp Wild, June 11-13, 2018 at Camp Clover Woods near Madrid, Iowa. Camp Wild is offered for youth completing grades 5, 6, and 7 in Spring Experience adventure and excitement during three days filled with 4-H camp traditions and favorite activities, including nature hikes, challenge course, creek walk, rock wall, archery, swimming, camp songs, crafts, and campfires. Bring a friend with you, and make new ones while you are there too! Camp will run from Monday, June 11 at 11 a.m. until our closing ceremony, starting at 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13. Registration will open online starting March 1st, please visit If you do not have access to the internet, the Extension office is happy to assist you in this process. Registration deadline is May 15, Register before May 1, 2018 to secure your spot, and receive our $200 registration early bird price. Registration costs $220 after May 1 and before May 15. No registrations will be accepted after May 15, Make sure to check with the Extension office, as there may be financial assistance for 4-H members attending camp! Scholarships are also available from the Iowa 4-H Foundation, with an April 25 th deadline for application. Visit for information or to apply. Ever thought about being a camp counselor? We encourage any youth 16 years old and older to apply for a camp counselor position. There is no registration cost for this position. Counselor applications are available at the Extension office, on our website or can be ed.

4 Youth Conference Register NOW! Every June, almost 900 teenagers converge on the campus of Iowa State University for 3 days full of speakers, workshops, mixers, dances, a banquet, and community service activities. If you've completed 8th grade, you're eligible to attend. You don't even have to be in 4-H to attend this conference! You will get to experience campus life and meet new people from across the state! You will be having fun while learning by doing, dancing the nights away, and serving the community. You will get to learn new things to take back to your community and school, and in the process you might even discover something new about yourself! There are opportunities for you to share your talents with the rest of the delegation through small group discussion, the Conference Chorus, and a Talent Show! Please visit for continued updates regarding the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference. Regular registration for a fee of $180 closes on June 1 with late registration for $200 available until June 11. We have had great representation from Union County the past few years, let s make it happen again! 4-H and Clover Kid County Fair T-Shirt Order, Deadline May 15th! All 4-H ers (4 th -12 th graders) will be expected to wear the traditional, green 4-H T-shirt while in the show ring or during static exhibit judging during the county fair. Horse exhibitors will continue to follow the dress code as described in the 4-H fair book. The idea of a county-wide 4-H shirt is to showcase ourselves as 4-H with the traditional, green shirt that everyone knows to be 4-H. The shirt can also be worn year after year, passed down to siblings, shared among other 4-H ers in the county and is relatively inexpensive. New this year, we would like families to contact the Extension office at before May 15th to let us know how many shirts your family needs and what size. These shirts are available in youth and adult sizes. This just helps us in the ordering process and to ensure we have enough sizes for all members. The cost of the shirt is $7.00 each and payment is due at time of pick-up. Clubs are certainly welcome to design their own club t-shirts that can be worn throughout the year, during the county fair (excluding showing and judging times) at roadside cleanups, etc. All Clover Kids (K- 3rd) have the option to purchase the official Clover Kids T-Shirt. This t-shirt will be blue with the official Clover Kids logo on the front and Union County on the back. The cost of the shirt is $12.00 each and payment is due at time of pick-up. Again, we ask that families contact the Extension office prior to May 15th with your t-shirt order.

5 Pullorum Typhoid Testing for Poultry Exhibits All poultry being exhibited at the Union County Fair (except Market Broiler Projects) are required by the state of Iowa to be PT tested. Testing will take place, Saturday, June 16th from 7:00-10:00 AM with the location still to be determined. Simply bring your birds and Mindy Butcher, the small animal committee and Extension staff will take care of the rest. If you are unable to attend, you must line someone up to bring your birds. NO TESTING = NO SHOWING! Ak-Sar-Ben Stock Show AK-Sar-Ben Horse Show Sep. 22nd and 23rd Ak-Sar-Ben Stock Shows Sep. 27th 30th Nomination Deadlines for 2018: April 15, 2018 Market Beef June 15, 2018 Breeding Heifers, Feeder Calves, Breeding & Market Goats, Breeding & Market Sheep, Market Swine, Dairy Cattle and Horses Ak-Sar-Ben Stock Show will be using an online nomination process in 2018, more information will be available soon. New for 2018: Breeding Sheep & Breeding Goats Great Plains Regional Dorset Show Host Site. Market Swine Show is non-terminal with optional harvest. For all the latest updates and to get on their mailing list, visit MORE OUT OF COUNTY THEM OUT! OPPORTUNITIES, CHECK Livestock Judging Camp June 11th-13th This camp is designed for 4-H members who are currently enrolled in grades 7th-12th and interested in building their knowledge of evaluating market and breeding animals including beef, swine, sheep and goats. The camp will cover selection, oral reasons, evaluation and breeding animal performance data. Participants will stay in the dorms at ISU and members of the Iowa State Livestock judging Team will provide the instruction and supervision. To register and view the full details please visit- State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council (SIYAC) What is the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council? It is a non-partisan policy advising organization comprised of young people from across Iowa between the ages of 14 and 20. These youth leaders are selected to represent all Iowa youth and engage in topics important to young Iowans. Youth will partner with state-level agencies, talk with legislators at the capitol about proposed bills, and develop state-wide service initiatives. Members meet quarterly in Des Moines at the State Capitol Building and monthly meetings are held via conference calls. Members are selected in June and serve a two-year term. If you have an interest in government, policy and like your voice to be heard, this is a great opportunity for you! For more information please contact Rachel Nulle, SIYAC Coordinator at rachel.nulle@iowa.gov or at

6 Market Broiler Pen Project Pen of 5 broiler chickens 6 week Project Class is held during your Poultry Show at Union County Fair Entry Fee: $30.00(Additional Exhibitor: $10.00) 15 birds & 5 lb. Bag Flockraiser Prizes at the show for: Champion & Reserve Pen Heaviest pen of birds Best Feathered pen Cleanest Pen of Birds **You are responsible to buy feed, supplies and manage your birds through the 6 week growth period and exhibit your birds for the judge on show day, Friday, July 20th beginning at 9:00 AM. Pick up Date: Mid June (TBD) Pick up location: Creston United Farmers Coop Follow up meeting: Mid June (TBD) What to look for when culling birds How to measure your birds How to wash & prepare birds for show Entry forms are available at the Extension office and on our website: Turn registration form into Afton or Creston United Farmers Coop locations or to the Union County Extension office with entry fee by May 15 th. You do not need to identify your Broiler Project on 4-H Online, simply fill out the registration form and turn it in by May 15 th!

7 Animal Identification Deadline May 15th! Are you planning to showcase any animals at the Union County Fair this year? If so, May 15th is a very important deadline for you. May 15 th is a statewide animal identification deadline in 4-H Online and under no circumstances will late entries be accepted. Rest assured, multiple s will be sent between now and May 15th to ensure your animals are properly identified. IDENTIFICATION: All bottle lambs, bucket calves, bottle goats, feeder calves, breeding heifers, cow/calf pairs, all other beef not weighed in, all breeding sheep and goats not weighed in, dogs and horses need to be identified on 4-H Online before May 15 th! Market Broiler registration forms due to the office by May 15 th (do not enter into 4H Online). VERIFICATION: All weighed in swine, sheep and goats must be verified by YOU in 4-H Online before May 15 th. This information will be inputted by Extension staff and is the family s responsibly to verify the information inputted is correct. *** Be sure to check all fields- gender, description, weights, tag number, ear notch etc. are correct. Market beef animals were entered by Extension staff following weigh-in and must have been verified by the family no later than February 1, This verification date excludes poultry, rabbits and small pets. These species have an extended identification deadline of July 1st. Attached you will find a help sheet to guide you through the identification and verification process. DO NOT CLICK VERIFY ON ANY ANIMAL THAT NEEDS CORRECTED! Any mistakes made or changes needed can easily be fixed with a quick call to our office at or myself at milerj@iastate.edu BEFORE May 15th. Remember, do not verify anything unless all information is accurate. Clover Kids: If you are a 3 rd grade Clover Kid who is exhibiting a bottle goat, bottle lamb or bucket calf, be sure to identify your animals in 4-H Online by May 15th as well. These bottle animals need to be tagged with a 4-H tag. Tags may be purchased from the Extension office for $1 each. A bottle animal worksheet must also be picked up and returned to the Extension office no later than July 2nd. Everything identified and verified by the May 15 th deadline will stand as is for the Union County Fair and Iowa State Fair.

8 4-H Beautification in a Bucket Open to 4-H ers and Clover Kids Use 5-gallon bucket with hole in bottom for drainage. Fill part-way full of packing peanuts, bark or wood chips. Add dirt and plant(s) flowers, crops or other plants. Label with member name, club, and name of plant(s). Bring on conference judging day will be judged by Ag & Natural Resources judge. Exhibits will be judged on creativity and health of plant. Decorating bucket and adding accents (silk flowers, bows, etc.) is optional. A grand and reserve champion will be selected and awarded with rosettes. Club members can work individually or as a team of two. Clover Kids are welcome to participate. Bring to Clover Kids judging on Saturday between 2-4 PM. Buckets will be placed around fairgrounds during the fair to beautify the fairgrounds. Exhibitors will be responsible for watering projects during the fair. 4-Hers are required to complete a project write up. Clover Kids do not have to complete a write up.