Dundy, Hayes & Hitchcock 4-H Newsletter April 2017 www.sw3.unl.edu UPCOMING EVENTS (all times are local time) April 1 4-H Enrollments Due (changes can be made till June 1) 1 College Scholarship applications due (Dundy & Hayes) 2 Hitchcock Bowling Contest, 1:30 p.m. 19 Hitchcock 4-H Council Meeting, 7:00 p.m. 20 Hayes Livestock Quality Assurance, 6:30 p.m. 24 Dundy Livestock Quality Assurance, 6:00 p.m. 24 Dundy 4-H Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Fairgrounds 29 Regional Public Speaking Contest, North Platte May 4 Hayes 4-H & FFA Livestock Judging Contest 12 Horse ID s & District & State Entries Due 25 Lamb/Goat Tag Day Culbertson, 5:00 p.m. 25 Hitchcock Livestock Quality Assurance, 6:30 p.m. June 1 All 4-H Project Changes Due 1 All Livestock ID s Due to Extension Office 5-19 Citizenship Washington Focus Trip 22 Recipes for Life & Life Challenge Contest, Benkelman 29 Discover Camp, Hayes Center If you have not enrolled in 4-H yet please do so immediately. If you have not enrolled before the May newsletter goes out you will be removed from our mailing list. Email us at: Kimberly Cook kcook2@unl.edu Nancy Frecks nfrecks1@unl.edu Find us on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/nebraskaextensionsw3counties Twitter: @SW_NE_4H Dundy Hayes Hitchcock (308)423-2021 (308)286-3312 (308)334-5666 (800)485-0219 (800)286-2612 (800)237-5564 Horse ID s & District/State Horse Entries Due May 12 ID forms may be found at: extension.unl.edu/statewide/central4/4hforms/ or at your local Nebraska Extension Office. Livestock Quality Assurance 2 options for completing Face to Face Training Online Training Face to Face Training Dates April 20 at 6:30 p.m. CT Hayes Center, Fairgrounds April 24 at 6:00 p.m. MT Benkelman, Fairgrounds May 25 at 6:30 p.m. CT Culbertson, Fairgrounds Online Training The new Livestock Quality Assurance is now available. To log on go to https://yqca.learngrow.io/account/login 4-H ers must use the 4-H button, even if you are also an FFA member. All YQCA questions should be should be directed to help@yqca.org. The cost of the online training will be $12.00. All youth planning to exhibit beef, sheep, goat or swine projects are required to complete the online training. All Livestock Quality Assurance must be completed by June 15, 2017. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST DAY!!!
Save the DATES! There are several opportunities for youth to participate in a variety of summer events being offered thru the local Nebraska Extension 4-H Program. Please be sure to mark you calendars now so you don t miss out on these great summer educational events. DATE EVENT LOCATION AGE May 4 Hayes Cnty Livestock Judging Contest Hayes Center All ages May 25 Youth Science Field Day Curtis 8 to 18 June 1 Amazing Ag Field Day Tours in area 8 18 June 22 Recipes for Life & Benkelman 8-18 SW3 Life Challenge Contest June 29 Discover Camp Hayes Center 8-11 July 18 Clover Kid Camp Trenton 5 7 Don t for get 4-H Camps running all summer long at the 4-H Camp Centers in Halsey and Gretna! Please watch future newsletters for more detailed information on each event and camp. Presentations Contest The Southwest Three 4-H Presentation Contest will be held on June 20 at 10:00 a.m. CT. Place to be determined dependent upon registations. Please pre-register by calling the Extension Office with your type of presentation and name of your presentation by June 13. Presentations should be related to 4-H, the 4-H member s 4-H experiences, or 4-H project related. Youth may give an individual presentation by him/herself or a team presentation in any class except multimedia. Presentation may be given using posters, props, LCD projector, slide, video or overhead projector. For complete guidelines on preparing your presentation please refer to your county fairbook. Tractor Safety Training Being Offered All youth aged 14 and 15 and working on a farm or ranch other than their own MUST be certified through a Hazardous Occupations Course. Successful completion of the course will allow trained youth to operate a tractor 20 PTO horsepower, or to connect or disconnect an implement or any of its parts to or from a tractor. All on-site classes begin at 8:00 A.M. and end times will vary, depending on the number of participants. Dates, locations, and Site Coordinator phone numbers are as follows: May 30 & 31 - Kearney Fairgrounds (308) 236-1235; June 1 & 2 Auburn Fairgrounds (402) 245-4324; June 6 & 7 Valentine Fairgrounds (402) 376-1850; June 13 & 14 North Platte West Central Research and Extension Center (308) 532-2683; June 15 & 16 Gering Legacy Museum (308) 632-1480; June 19 & 20 Wayne Fairgrounds (402) 584-2234; June 22 Gordon Fairgrounds (308) 327-2312; June 23 McCook Fairgrounds (308) 345-3390; July 10 & 11 Grand Island College Park (308) 385-5088. Participants must submit registration forms to the location they will attend at least one week before the course. The registration form is available online: kearney.unl.edu. Cost of the course is $60, which includes educational materials, instruction, supplies, and lunches. For more information, contact the Extension Office of the location where student will attend.
Upcoming Livestock and Horse Shows Date Event Location May 4 Hayes 4-H & FFA Livestock Judging Contest Hayes Center May 24 NCTA Standard of Excellence Livestock Judging Contest Curtis June 1 South Central Nebraska Livestock Exposition Bladen June 3 Phelps/Gosper Beef & Sheep Progress Show Holdrege June 3 Phelps/Gosper Small Animal Progress Show Holdrege June 8-10 Fort Robinson Horse Camp Crawford June 10 Fun in the Sun Beef Progress Show Sidney June 11 Duel County Beef, Sheep, Swine & Goat Progress Show Chappell June 11 Sheridan County Goat, Sheep & Beef Progress Show Gordon June 17 Dawes County Goat, Sheep & Beef Progress Show Chadron June 18 Platte County Swine Progress Show Columbus For more information on any of the events, please contact your local UNL Extension Office. Ag Science Expo A Free Family Event at Raising Nebraska Spend the afternoon on Saturday, April 29 th from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm engaging and interacting with science! See new technology and challenges up close while you solve problems. Sessions include: 3-D Sand: Understand topography maps by playing in the sand. Nutrients for Soil: Discover the nutrients that let plants grow. Electric Flower: Build a circuit to make your flower glow. Print your Fix: Design and print your solution to a problem. Laparoscopic Surgery: Complete the challenge by designing a tool and conducting surgery. Code your Name: Use binary code to make a name bracelet. This is a great family and friend affair! Register your family or entire youth clubs (ex. 4-H, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, etc.) at http://go.unl.edu/agscienceexpo. Pre-registration is preferred by Friday, April 21 st, but walk-ins are welcome. Recommended age is for 8 year olds and older, but all ages are welcome! Questions can be emailed to raisingnebraska@unl.edu IMPORTANT Premises ID needed for all animals tagged with an EID Exhibitors of 4-H and FFA beef, swine, sheep, and goats that carry an EID tag will be required to obtain a Premises ID number through the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at no cost to the exhibitor. Exhibitors without a Premises Identification number will not be allowed to exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair. Steps to Obtain a Premises ID 1. Set up an account with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture by email or phone a. Ross Baker: ross.baker@nebraska.gov b. Jean Gibson: jean.gibson@nebraska.gov c. Call 402-471-2351 and ask for Premises ID Information 2. Provide the following: a. Name of the individual owning or in control of the location (parent, guardian). If the location of livestock is owned by someone other than immediate family or guardians, the owner of the location should have or should request a Premises ID through this same process. b. Address (post office address or P.O. Box) c. Address (the street or 911 address) where the animals are located and housed. d. Phone number of the owner or control person of the location. An email is optional, but not required. If there is no mail or 911 address for the location, GPS coordinates or driving directions from the nearest major intersection will be required. After completion of these steps, a Premises ID will be assigned and relayed to the account holder. If you believe you may already have a Premises ID call 402-471-2351 and ask for Premises ID Information
Important Horse Information Horse ID s DUE: 4-H members who plan to exhibit horses in the 4-H Program this year must identify all horses they plan on showing and using in competition. All horse ID s forms are due to the Extension office by May 12th. District and State Horse Entries DUE: All entries for the District and State Horse Shows are due to the Extension Office no later than May 12th. Registration forms and information may be obtained at 4h.unl.edu/horse or from the Extension Office. All required level testing must be completed by this date to be eligible to compete. District Horse Shows: This year the closest District Horse Show is scheduled for June 1 2th in Lexington. State Horse Show: To be held July 1 6-20 in Grand Island at Fonner Park. IMPORTANT There is new Horse Guideline and Rule book. Please pick up at your local office. They will be available by May 1st. LIVESTOCK ID s DUE - June 1 All ID sheets for goats, breeding heifers, cow/calf pairs, stocker/feeder calves, bucket calves as well as market hogs, market lambs and breeding ewes are due June 1 to the Extension Office. If you are planning to exhibit at State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben, please let Kimberly know so the correct registration paperwork, tagging and/or DNA can be collected. The state still has a restriction on swine tag days so there will once again be no swine tag day. STATE FAIR BREEDING BEEF: If you plan to show Breeding Heifers at the State Fair or Ak-Sar- Ben please be sure to include tattoo (required for both commercial and registered) and a copy of registration papers if a registered animal. STATE FAIR HOGS, SHEEP OR GOATS: If you plan to show Hogs, Sheep or goats at State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben please be sure to the animal is tagged with an EID, paperwork completed and DNA collected, and filed with the Extension Office by June 1. All breeding sheep must have an official USDA ID tag (scrapies tag). The scapies tag will serve as the official 4-H ID tag. Big Red Summer Academic Camp Don t miss out on the opportunity to attend one of the Big Red Summer Academic Camps in Lincoln this summer. The 2016 Big Red Summer Academic Camps, to be held June 11-16, 2017 are just around the corner! To learn more about the camp offerings, click onto the recently updated Web site at: http://4h.unl.edu/big-red-camps. Camps include chickens, veterinary science, filmmaking, culinary arts and food science, engineering, weather & climate science, Outdoor Nebraska, and Unicameral Youth Conference. The camps open for all youth in grades 10-12 including recent high school graduates.
Special Garden Project Sunburst Summer Squash Garden Seeds are AVAILABLE at the Office NOW This project is open to all youth of 4-H age enrolled in any horticulture or floriculture project and it will give them the opportunity to learn about growing, harvesting, preparing, and exhibiting this unique vegetable. This year s Special Garden Project is Sunburst Summer Squash. Sunburst squash has yellow, scalloped shaped fruits with bright-green blossom ends. The squash is as attractive as they are tasty. The plants are very productive and are an All-America Selection winner for its early fruit production and for producing a large number of fruits per plant. On average it will take about 52 days from seeding date until the squash is ready to harvest. 4-H Members enrolled in the Special Garden Project will: * Receive a packet of Sunburst Summer Squash (one packet per youth) in March * Receive a newsletter about: Planting & growing Problems & insects Harvesting & using Exhibiting If you are interested in growing this year s special garden project, please contact your local Nebraska Extension Office to be put on a list and we will contact you when your seeds have arrived and begin sending you information. Still Looking for Volunteers! Please consider helping our youth grow! 4-H is truly a youth and volunteer oriented program. The 4-H Program would not continue if it wasn t for the many great volunteers it has! Below please find a few opportunities where 4-H needs you to help inspire and enrich the lives of so many youth! Older youth volunteers are as welcome as adult volunteers! Shooting Sports Leader 4-H is always looking for new 4-H Shooting Sports instructors to join great leaders we already have in teaching our 4-H youth. There are Shooting Sports leader certifications coming up in April. 4-H Club Leader 4-H is always in need of caring adults to lead a 4-H club! 4-H Clubs are a great way for youth to gain those leadership and citizenship skills as well as become connected with caring adults and learn skills in so many areas through 4-H projects. 4-H Afterschool/Out of School Workshops With the new year, afterschool, out of school day or summer workshops are being planned at least once a month. Volunteers are needed to help out with the workshops or if you have a great idea to teach let us know. We would love to have you share your talents with youth! Spin Clubs Spin Clubs are a new concept we want to try out in 4-H! Basically they are a group of youth that will meet once or so a week for 4 to 6 weeks to work on and master skills in a particular 4-H project. I am looking for volunteers to lead Spin Clubs that would focus on one 4-H project for a few weeks. Any 4-H project could become a Spin Club.Robotics, Vet Science, Clothing, Woodworking, Foods, Gardening are just a few example. In the time the Spin Club meets they could take a tour, use project manuals to guide activities and complete a 4-H exhibit for the county fair. For more information on any of the above volunteer opportunities, contact Kimberly at your local Extension Office or email Kimberly at kcook2@unl.edu.
Have you Raised your Hand for Nebraska 4-H! Between March 1 June 30, 2017, National 4-H will kick off the Raise Your Hand promotion. During this promotion we are asking 4-H alumni and friends to complete the following steps: 1. Raise Your Hand Complete the form at http://4-h.org/raise-your-hand to show your pride as a 4 H alumni. 2. Compete for your state Raising your hand is a vote towards a $20,000, $10,000 or $5,000 award for the states with the most alumni hands raised. 3. Pay it Forward Tweet, post and share your #4HGrown experience or sup port and tag fellow alumni asking them to raise their hands for their state at http://4 H.org/RaiseYourHand. 4-H Clover Chase Join the 4-H Scavenger Hunt and Win a Water Bottle Nebraska will commemorate its Sesquicentennial with a yearlong celebration throughout 2017 involving a wide variety of programs and events across the state. Nebraska 4-H youth and volunteers in all 93 counties will have the opportunity to join the Nebraska 150 Celebration by participating in the 4-H Clover Chase developed by Nebraska Extension 4-H Youth Development, in partnership with the Nebraska 4-H Foundation. The 4-H Clover Chase will run from March 1, 2017, until August 15, 2017. The 4-H Clover Chase is an original event created just for those engaged in 4-H and the Nebraska 150 Celebration. Megan Burda, Extension Educator in York County, shares, We hope to build a link between 4-H members and the Nebraska 150 celebration. This interactive scavenger hunt will encourage a connection to Nebraska s history and heritage while fostering a spirit of community involvement and enrichment. The most exciting part is that we will get to see Nebraska through the eyes of 4-H youth. 4-H Clover Chase participants begin by downloading an app that contains a list of over 25 specific challenges. Challenges include taking a photo of a local celebrity, a leading industry, the tallest building in the county, and many more. Participants can submit scavenger hunt photos that will be displayed in the 4-H building during the 2017 Nebraska State Fair, and also on social media using #NE4HChase. Participants have 150 days to complete the chase. Each participant who completes the chase will receive a 4-H Clover Chase commemorative water bottle. Everyone who receives a prize for completion will be put into a drawing to win a drone with video capability. The county Extension Office with the highest percentage of participation wins a free National Youth Science Day kit. For more information about the 4-H Clover Chase, contact Nebraska Extension Educator Megan Burda at 402-362 -5508 or at megan.burda@unl.edu or go to http://4h.unl.edu/clover-chase. The Nebraska 4-H Youth Development Program strives to empower youth to reach their full potential working and learning in partnership with caring adults. 4-H programming is present in all 93 counties across Nebraska. To learn more visit www.4h.unl.edu.
Dundy County Announcements 4-H Council Meeting The next 4-H Council meeting will be held on April 24th at 7:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds exhibit hall. Please notify the office if you would like to add an item to the agenda. Please note time and place. 4-H Council now offering to pay for 75% of one 4-H Camp Don t miss out on your opportunity to go camping this year. The 4-H Council agreed to pay 75% of one 4-H camp per youth enrolled in 4-H in Dundy County and have completed their 4 -H Record Book the previous year. 4-H Camp Scholarships are available to help defray costs of registration fees for 4-H camps throughout the year. If you are planning to attend camp this summer, please be sure to contact the Extension Office. Plan ahead for your summer adventure at one of the many camps available to 4-H ers. Save even more money by signing up before April 15 to get the early bird price! Clover Kids and Large Animal Rules Horse Project No Clover Kids Allowed Reminder due to 4-H State Policies and safety there will be no clover kids (ages under 8 as of Jan. 1st) allowed to ride at 4-H Horse Events. Therefore, no clover kids will be allowed to participate in the 4-H Horse Project or at the 4-H Horse Show at the Dundy County Fair. Livestock Animals Also a reminder that youth under the regular 4-H age of 8 by Jan. 1st of the current year will not be allowed to show large animals such as Market Beef or Breeding Heifers. The guidelines for the Clover Kid age are as follows. Please keep these guidelines in mind as you choose your 4-H animal projects. Age, size and temperament of animal projects must be appropriate for the exhibitor s age and size. Adults are reminded to consider safety at all times when asking a child of this developmental level to handle animals. According to State 4-H Policy, the suggested maximum weight limit is 350 pounds. IMPORTANT 2017 changes in the County Fairbook Career Portfolios must be complete with all parts to be eligible for Booster. Photography Data Tags have changes. All livestock must be tagged before arriving to the county fair. Any animals with no tag or being tagged at county fair will have to show in Open Class. Llama Pack Class Added. Time change for Llama Show. It will be in the morning. Please read the 4-H Fairbook carefully for all details and changes that have been made throughout the fairbook.
Hayes County Announcements 4-H Council Meeting The next 4-H Council meeting will be held May 4 at the Livestock Judging Contest. An agenda will be sent out prior to meeting. Please notify the office if you would like to add an item to the agenda. 4-H Camp/Activities Scholarship The 4-H Council is offering $150 4-H Camp/Activity Scholarships to help defray costs of registration fees for 4-H camps or educational events throughout the year. Applications are enclosed in your 4-H newsletter packet and are due back to the office by May 1st. As a reminder you must have turned in a 4-H Record Book the previous year to be eligible for a scholarship. Plan ahead for your summer adventure at one of the many camps or activities available to 4-H ers. Save even more money by signing up before April 15 to get the early bird price! Clover Kids and Large Animal Rules Horse Project No Clover Kids Allowed Reminder due to 4-H State Policies and safety there will be no clover kids (ages under 8 as of Jan. 1st) allowed to ride at 4-H Horse Events. Therefore, no clover kids will be allowed to participate in the 4-H Horse Project or at the 4-H Horse Show at the Hayes County Fair. Livestock Animals Also a reminder that youth under the regular 4-H age of 8 by Jan. 1st of the current year will not be allowed to show large animals such as Market Beef or Breeding Heifers. The guidelines for the Clover Kid age are as follows. Please keep these guidelines in mind as you choose your 4-H animal projects. Age, size and temperament of animal projects must be appropriate for the exhibitor s age and size. Adults are reminded to consider safety at all times when asking a child of this developmental level to handle animals. According to State 4-H Policy, the suggested maximum weight limit is 350 pounds. Updates to the Bred & Fed Division Photography tags updated IMPORTANT 2017 changes in the County Fairbook Reminder that it is a blow and go beef show. Please review the guidelines in the fairbook. Rules will be enforced. Please read the 4-H Fairbook carefully for all details and changes that have been made throughout the fairbook.
Hitchcock County Announcements 4-H Council Meeting The next 4-H Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 19 at 7:00 p.m. in Trenton at the Courthouse Community Room. Please notify the office if you would like to add an item to the agenda. 4-H Enrollment & Fees This year s enrollment fee will be $5.00. The $5.00 enrollment fee must be paid at the Extension Office before the online 4-H Enrollment will be accepted and participation in 4-H is allowed. Please make send check to: 4-H Council in Hitchcock County, PO Box 248, Trenton, NE 69044. Changes may be made in projects until June 1st. CWF 2020 Group Fund-raising Garage Sale April 29, 2017 at Hitchcock county fairgrounds in green building Work will be done Wed, Thru, Friday evening. All day Saturday and Sunday as needed for cleanup. Depending on the number of people interested shifts will be worked out so no more than six 4-H members there at one time. Open to all Hitchcock county 4-H CWF future participants. Profit will be split based off hours worked made into points. Light work hours will be 1 point, heavy work hours will be 2 points. To get full credit for time worked there will be no sitting around or disappearing or playing on electronic devices. Any big ticket item over $10.00 you bring or have donated towards you must be marked and that profit will go toward your CWF account. Adults working with 4-H member will also earn points for that member. All profit for all items must go toward the CWF trip. Donations form communities are accepted with some exceptions. If the item may be hard to dispose of after the sale we don t want it. Unsold items will either be taken home by whoever brought it, donated to local thrifts stores, trashed, or taken home by the 4-H workers. For questions contact Jane Keith (308)340-8256 Interested in Donating Items to the CWF 2020 Group Help the local 4-H earn money for the 2020 Citizen Washington Focus trip. This trip is offered every four years. The 4-H members work at many different fund raising activities during that time to earn the funds to cover the once in a lifetime opportunity. We will be taking donations to sell in our garage sale. Items must be something we can sell or donate somewhere else if it doesn t sell. If you have a big ticket item that would sell for over $10.00 and want that profit to go to a specific 4-H CWF members just mark the item with their name. Sale will be at the Culbertson Fairgrounds in the green building April 29, 2017 8:00a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Most all items will be you decide a fair price, bag sale and negotiable. If you are in need of assistance to get your donations to the fair ground and it is something the youth can carry and get into a seat in a car get ahold of Jane at (308) 340-8256
Lamb & Goat Weigh In Lamb and Goat Weigh-in has been set for May 25 at 5:00 p.m. at the Fairgrounds in Culbertson. All lambs, ewes and goats need to be checked in, tagged and identified at this time. Lambs must be weighed and tagged at this time to be eligible for the lamb rate of gain contest. 4-H Dress Code Bowling Contest-blue jeans and a approved 4-H T-Shirt/polo purchased from the Extension Office or white sleeved shirt with a 4-H chevron. (no shorts or capris) Shooting Sports blue jeans and a approved 4-H T-Shirt/polo purchased from the Extension Office or white sleeved shirt with a 4-H chevron. (no shorts or capris) Livestock beef, dairy, swine, goat, sheep, llama, rabbits, cats, dog and small animals. Approved 4H T-shirt/polo purchased from the Extension Office or white sleeved shirt with a 4-H chevron, blue jeans, hard sole shoes Horse white long sleeved shirt with a 4-H armband (except Hayes), western hat, dark blue jeans, hard-soled shoes or cowboy boots. Be sure to check the rule book on page 18 for specifics on attire. The grey 4-H t-shirts that were designed for 2016 may still be worn in 2017. These grey t-shirts will be rotated on a 2-3 year basis. You can still wear the green polos but these will be phased out over the next 3 years. The white t-shirt with the green clover can also be worn and will remain approved 4-H attire. Livestock Sale Fee Effective in 2017 the Livestock Sale Fee will raise from 3% to 5 %. All animals sold through livestock sale will be assessed 5% of sale price. The fees that remain in the sale account go towards improvements to the livestock facilities on the fairgrounds. To date this has helped to provide concrete in sheep/hog area, large fans in livestock barn and scales. Hitchcock County 4-H Horse Show Date July 22 Horse 4-H ers: Mark your calendars for July 22 for the county 4-H Horse Show. Due to conflicts with several kids on the September date we are moving the 4-H Horse Show in the county to July 22. This was the only weekend available between fair and our previous date in September. IMPORTANT NEW Guidelines for 4-H Beef Project at County Fair Reminder that Beef Show (all classes) will be Blow & Go for the entire show. Changes have been made to the Pistol Contest. Photography tags have been updated. Please read closely in the 4-H Fairbook for more details.