Cass County Nebraska 4-H Newsletter
January 2017
Happy New Year!
Welcome to the new 2017 Cass County 4-H Monthly Newsletter.
We hope this format is easy for you to navigate on-line.
Deadline for Year-End Reports
Communication
4-H Friday NewsBlast: News Blasts are sent every Friday. They are sent to the email address(es) you supply us with in ne.4HOnline.com.
Newsletters: Monthly newsletters are sent to you by email. They are also available on the home page of ne.4HOnline.com. If you need a paper copy, you need to notify the Extension Office.
Facebook: "like us" on facebook and see what's up!
Twitter: Follow us on twitter at @UNLCassCounty
Answer: YES! Everyone (Clover Kids, 4-Hers, leaders, and volunteers) have to re-enroll.
When: Now is the time! Go to ne.4HOnline.com and re-enroll for 2017.
Clubs Reorganize
The new 4-H year began in October, so if you haven't already, it's time to reorganize your club and invite new members to join.
At your first meeting: elect new officers, select a club project, and plan the year by setting meeting dates, project talks, activities, demonstrations, refreshments, etc.
Your plan can be recorded and given to each club family. Helpful club, leader, officer, meeting and 4-H resources are available at http://4h.unl.edu/clubs/resources#leader Check it out!
Special Garden Project 2017
This project is open to all youth of 4-H age and it will give them the opportunity to learn about growing, harvesting, preparing, and exhibiting the unique vegetable!
The "Special Gardening Project" lets 4-H members try their hand at growing unusual vegetables and flowers. The project allow experienced 4-H gardeners to grow something fun, new, and different while letting those new to gardening get their feet wet in this project area.
4-H’ers need to enrolled in the "Special Garden Project". They will receive:
A packet of Sunburst Summer Squash (one packet per youth) in March
A newsletter about:
- Planting & growing squash
- Squash problems and insects
- Harvesting and using squash
- Exhibiting squash
4-H'ers will be able to enter their summer squash at the County and State Fair.
Contact the Ext. Office by January 15 if you are interested in getting Summer Squash Seeds! They’re free.
Beautifully Decorated Cookies!
Holiday Workshops
4-H Holiday Workshops were held on December 22nd. It was a great day together! Good job, 4-H'ers!
Warm Scarves to give away, made by 4-Hers!
4-H Council Meeting
KUDOS in 4-H Friday News Blast
We like to include a KUDOS section every week in the 4-H Friday News Blasts. Our 4-Hers, clubs, and volunteers are doing some fun, amazing, and worthwhile stuff, and we want to celebrate them!
When your members, clubs and volunteers accomplished something awesome, let us know. We want to share the good news!
KUDOS photos and news needs to be submitted to sondra.buell@unl.edu by 10:00 each Friday morning.
4-H Horse Stampede
Scholarships
Deadline December 1, 2016
Two $250 scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors with plans to continue their formal education following graduation from a Cass County high school. The applicants must meet the following criteria: Plan to attend an accredited trade school or college; minimum 3.0 PSA; Involvement in school and community activities; Enrolled in the 4-H program through Cass County, NE; Return a completed application to the Cass County Extension Office by March 1, 2017. The Freel/Lepert 4-H Family Scholarship application is online.
Deadline January 9, 2017
Entrants must submit a 250-word essay answering “What new technology will be the biggest benefit to production agriculture in your community?” Entries must be well-written, demonstrate commitment to the agricultural community and articulate ideas for future involvement. $1,000 awards each to 15 winners who either live or go to school in the state of Nebraska.
Applications are done on the Fontanelle Hybrids website at: http://www.fontanelle.com/ EssayContest/Pages/default.aspx
Deadline March 2, 2017
Are you interested in pursuing a career in the pet industry? Do you want to work in the field of animal health and nutrition: The companion animal (pet) industry is expanding rapidly all around the world. Career opportunities in animal health, animal nutrition, marketing, publishing, and pet food manufacturing are increasing every year. Oxbow’s Nebraska High School Senior Scholarship is for graduation high school seniors with a strong interest in pursuing a career in the companion animal industry.
Deadline March 1, 2017
Two $250 scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors with plans to continue their formal education following graduation from a Cass County high school. The applicants must meet the following criteria: Plan to attend an accredited trade school or college; minimum 3.0 PSA; Involvement in school and community activities; Enrolled in the 4-H program through Cass County, NE; Return a completed application to the Cass County Extension Office by March 1, 2017. The Freel/Lepert 4-H Family Scholarship application is online.
Deadline March 15, 2017
The Nebraska Association of County Extension Boards (NACEB) Scholarship Program offers scholarships for the current academic year. Scholarship Includes: One $1,000 scholarship at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) or in the College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) for an incoming student (freshmen or transfer student) | One $500 scholarship for a current student (sophomore or higher) enrolled in CASNR or CEHS. The NACEB application is available on-line.
Deadline April 1, 2017
This is a local Cass County Scholarship, presented by one of our very own Cass County 4-H Clubs—The Weeping Water Whiz Kidz. Applicants must be a senior who is a Cass County resident and who has actively participated in the Cass County 4-H program at least not not limited to, two of his/her high school years. The application is available on-line.
2017 - Share your Story for Nebraska 4-H Month
What does being a Nebraska 4-H member look like? Nebraska wants to know!
February is Nebraska 4-H Month, and the state office wants to hear your 4-H story! Maybe it’s showing a rabbit, interview judging, or zooming down the zipline. Share a short video or photo that shows your 4-H experience. Videos or photos may be shared through social media using the #NE4H and #TrueLeaders hashtags.
Video shared as a #NE4H Video View may also be shared at the Nebraska State Fair and through state 4-H social media networks.
We look forward to seeing your 4-H story this February during Nebraska 4-H Month!
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2017 4-H Companion Animal Challenge
The Power of Wind Art Show
We’re announcing this now so those who are interested have time to prepare. There will be a “Power of Wind Art Show” April 24-29, 2017 at the Kimmel Education & Research Center. Youth are encouraged to enter. Exhibits should be original, whether it’s artwork or written work, and should illustrate or represent how wind is used for energy (for example, windmill, wind turbine, pinwheel, etc) The event is co-sponsored by the Kregel Windmill Factory Museum and UNL Kimmel Education Research Center. More Power of Wind information can be found on our website.
Pheasants Forever
Each year, Pheasants Forever hosts a free mentored hunting experience for kids who have completed Hunter Education. The youth get to spend a day participating in some different outdoor activities, hunting pheasants, having a cook out, and spending time in the great outdoors! Participants do not need to have experience, they just need to have taken Hunter Education classes. Pheasants Forever wants youth who are new to the sport and are interested in trying it out, but might not have an adult figure who has experience.
Interested in attending? Visit their website for information. http://nebraskapf.com/youth-mentor-hunts/.
Need Hunter Education classes? Visit their website: https://www.register-ed.com/programs/69
Leader Certification
A Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Certification Workshop is scheduled for January in Lincoln, NE. It will be held January 21-22 at the Nebraska Game & Parks Education Center in Lincoln. The deadline to register for the Lincoln session is January 11th.
Please share this information with other volunteers who are interested in 4-H Shooting Sports. For more workshop information and registration link, go to http://4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports/instructor/calendar . Registration is available only online.
9th Annual Nebraska Cattlemen's Classic Livestock Judging Contest
It is time to start thinking about the Ninth Annual Nebraska Cattlemen's Classic livestock judging contest. The contest will be held on Saturday, February 25th at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, NE. We are in the process of putting together a superior contest with outstanding quality and great teaching opportunities for future contests.
Contact us!
Nebraska 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 Sates Department of Agriculture.
Nebraska Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.
Email: cass-county@unl.edu
Website: www.cass.unl.edu
Location: 8400 144th Street, Weeping Water, NE, United States
Phone: (402) 267-2205
Facebook: facebook.com/UniversityofNebraskaExtensionCassCounty
Twitter: @UNLCassCounty
Calendar of Events
31st - Beef Weigh in Day
Janurary
2nd - Office closed for News Year's Holiday
9th - 4-H Volunteer Training Meeting, 6:45 to 8:45 at the Extension Office
15th - Due date for requesting Sunburst Summer Squash seed for 2017 Special Garden Project
16th - Year End Treasurers' Reports due to the Extension Office
16th - Office closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday
16th - 4-H Council Meeting, 6:45 p.m.
February
1-28 is Nebraska 4-H Month
13th - Extension Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
20th - Office Closed for Presidents' Day Holiday
23rd - Pesticide Training 9:30 and 1:00 sessions
Private Pesticide Training held in Cass County
- Thursday, February 24, 2017 at 9:30 and 1:00 (Come to one session, not both)
- Wednesday, March 22 at 9:30 a.m.
Training sessions will be held in the Cass County Fairgrounds Expo Building. No preregistration is required.
If you received a letter in the mail from NDA containing a bar-code form identifying you, please bring this with you - it makes the application process much simpler and faster than filling in the "bubble" form.
More information on Private Users Pesticide Training can be found at: http://pested.unl.edu/