Saunders County 4-H
January 20, 2017
Volunteer Banquet! - February 1st!
Volunteers - The RSVP Deadline has been extended until Wednesday, January 25th!
LIVESTOCK JUDGING PRACTICE
- When: Saturday, January 28th
- Where: Agricultural Research and Development Center (ARDC)
- Time: 2:00-4:00 pm
- Ages: 8 – 18
- What: Come learn what livestock judging is all about! We will be covering the characteristics you should look for in each species as well as how to give reasons.
- Contact Dan Wolfe for more information: 308-440-9797
4-H CLUB LEADERS - END OF YEAR REPORTING
I am still waiting on a few End of Year 4-H Club reports. Please send them to the Extension Office as soon as possible! We mailed a letter including following three documents: the Year End 4-H Club Treasure’s Report, the Nebraska 4-H Club of Excellence Report, and the Club Information Form for 2016-2017. Please return all forms to the Saunders County Extension Office. An email was also sent with forms in either a fillable pdf or an excel file, if you prefer completing them on the computer. You may either mail, fax, or scan and email the forms back to the Extension Office. Please let me know if you need me to resend the forms!
Shooting Sports Training for BB Gun and Air Rifle
Where: Wahoo Fairgrounds
When: Mondays in February (Feb 6, 13, 20, 27)
Time: 6:00 pm
It is recommended that youth make it to all 4 Shooting Sports Trainings; however, you must make it to at least 3 of the 4 trainings to be eligible to compete and participate in the Shooting Sports Contest at the Saunders County Fair. The child must be turning 9 in 2017 to participate.
Volunteer Re-Screening
As many of you know, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension 4-H Volunteer application process includes a volunteer screening. All volunteers and staff who work directly with youth are required to complete the Youth Volunteer Protection Screening Form. Be assured the volunteer screening process is confidential.
Volunteer applicants are screened in order to:
- assure a safe, positive and nurturing environment for all youth involved with the Nebraska 4-H Youth Development program.
- provide protection for the child, the volunteer, the educator, the 4-H Council, the Extension Board, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.
Screening Rotation
Initial screening of volunteers and staff will occur when they sign up to volunteer or are employed as an Extension professional. Screening for all volunteers will be done every four years by district, regardless of when the original screening was completed.
Saunders County Volunteers are up for re-screening this year, so every volunteer must fill out the Youth Volunteer Protection Screening Form! This form can be found here:
In order to be approved as a 4-H Volunteer, you must be re-screened!
Please let me know if you have any questions!
4-H Enrollment
- 4-H Enrollment for 2017 is open! It can be done via computer at ne.4honline.com. There are information guides for enrolling new members, as well as re-enrolling and can be found on our website: http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/saunders/basic/.
- There is a $10 per 4-H member fee for those 8 (prior to January 1) and older. Clover Kids have a $5 enrollment fee (that are 5, 6, 7 prior to January 1). All enrollment fees will need to be paid online in the 4-H Online system.
- However, since the program cannot specify different enrollment fees for different aged youth, you will be charged $10 regardless of age. If your Clover Kid attends one of the Clover Crew sessions or the Clover Kid Day Camp, we will adjust the payment. For example, you would not have to pay for one of the Clover Kid sessions or the Day Camp would be $5 cheaper.
- If we do not receive your forms and fees, you will not be enrolled in 4-H for 2017 and will not be able to participate in the Saunders County Fair.
4-H COMPANION ANIMAL CHALLENGE
- When: Saturday, April 1, 2017
- Where: UNL East Campus
- Who: Youth 10 - 18
- What: The Companion Animal Challenge offers a variety of 4-H companion animal contests that do not require live animals, including a Demonstration Contest, Dog Quiz Bowl, Skillathon Contest, Art Contest, and Photography Contest. Youth have the opportunity to display their equine knowledge through these contests both as individuals and as part of a team. Speech contests can be done from a distance through adobe connect.
- Registration Fee: $5.00
- Entries DUE March 10th
4-H HORSE STAMPEDE
Registration for 4-H Horse Stampede begins at 7:30 a.m. and the program commences at 8 a.m. For more information on 4-H Horse Stampede, contact Luck at 402-472-9098 or lena.luck@unl.edu.
Contest rules and entry forms are available. Entries are due March 10 to the county office.
Youth Livestock Projects and VFD
Please take a look at the Veterinary Feed Directive for the newest information!
COME RIDE WITH ME CLINIC – SATURDAY, MARCH 4TH
We invite you and your horse to join us for our first annual Come Ride With Me clinic featuring Casie Maxwell, Former coach of the Kansas State University, NCEA Equestrian Team (see below). This is a 2-part clinic on Horsemanship, with the morning session focusing on Body Work 9-12:00. After lunch, we will finish the day with pattern work from 1:00-3:30pm. Yes, you get to bring your own horse to learn on! The costs are $50 per session or $90 for both. There will be stalls available for rent at a rate of $20 per night. Space is limited to eight riders per session and is open to youth and adults. You must pay in full to reserve your spot! If you do not have a horse or cannot bring your own, you may come audit the clinic for $10 a person. Please bring your own food and drinks, as there are no concessions available on site.
Casie Maxwell served as Head Coach for the K-State Equestrian Team from 2009-2016 when the program was discontinued by the Athletic Department. The 2016 Big 12 Coach of the year and 2015 Co-Big Coach of the Year, Maxwell guided the program to a national runner-up finish at the 2010, 2011, and 2013 National Championship. Maxwell also served as President of the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) from 2011-2013. During her time coaching the Equestrian Team, Maxwell led her athletes to numerous accolades both in and out of the arena. Prior to coaching, Maxwell served as a student coach at the Texas A&M University, where she assisted with Aggies squad that placed third nationally in Western at both the Varsity Equestrian and IHSA National Championships. As a four-year member of the Aggie Equestrian Team, she was the Reserve High Point Regional Rider of the year in 2005 and also have two top-four finished at the Varsity Equestrian National Championships as a senior.
HORSE JUDGING SCHOOL – SATURDAY, APRIL 22ND
Join us for our Horse Judging School at the UNL Animal science complex from 9:30am-3:30pm. This school is for horse show judges, aspiring judges, judging team coaches, and youth! We will have classroom demonstrations as well as live classes to judge. The main classes we will go over are horsemanship, reining trail, ranch riding, and how to conduct oral reasons the colligate way.
2017 Special Garden Project
The Special Garden Project is a way to offer 4-H members the chance to grow unusual and fun projects in their gardens. Last year over 2600 packets of zinnia seeds were distributed across the state. 4-H members told us what they wanted to grow and this year the Special Garden Project is focused on the tasty, Sunburst Summer Squash. Sunburst squash has yellow, scalloped shaped fruits with bright-green blossom ends. 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 seeds of Sunburst Summer Squash
- Receive a newsletter and evaluation about:
- Planting & growing squash
- Squash problems & insects
- Harvesting & using squash
- How to exhibit squash
- Be able to enter this unique vegetable at County and State Fair
NEW THIS YEAR
Youth should enroll for the Special Garden Project through 4-H Online. Once enrolled in 4-H Online, youth are then to call the office by February 1st to reserve your seed packets. By enrolling through 4-H Online, youth will have access to the box folder with the educational materials including the growing newsletter & evaluation.
2017 Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees 4-H Essay Contest
Sponsored by: The Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees, Inc.
2017 Essay Topic: “How can MP3 (Managed Pollinator Protection Plan) more effectively protect honey bees from pesticide exposure?”
Beekeeping has had is five minutes of fame for the past seven years. Now more than ever, the general public along with beekeepers are asking “What will happen if the bees are gone?” With the continued threat of pesticides, this is a very real question. Your paper should research and help answer this question.
Survey your community to see what is being done. Include your state in your survey to see if there are any programs they are using for pollination or any other program that could aid the honey bee.
The scope of the research is an essential judging criterion, accounting for 40% of your score. The number of sources consulted, the authority of the sources, and the variety of the sources are all evaluated.
Personal interviews with beekeepers and others familiar with the subject are valued sources of information and should be documented. Sources, which are not cited in the endnotes, should be listed in a “Resources” or “Bibliography” list.
Submission Deadline: February 24, 2017
Saunders County Fair Dates
July 22-29. 2018
Saunders County Extension
Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.
Email: Saunders-county@unl.edu
Website: http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/saunders/4h/
Location: 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE, United States
Phone: (402) 624-8030
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/272483941458/