Southern Plains 4-H Newsletter
Serving Nuckolls and Thayer Counties - Apr. 1, 2022
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Note From Kylie
We have 1 contest, 4 workshops, our annual enrollment kick off, and our 4 week CWF 2022 class in April. Check out this newsletter for updates on the new YQCA platform, workshop details, and events that include livestock judging camps, showing clinics, and award opportunities.
YQCA New Platform
Greetings from the YQCA Executive Board of Directors. We’re happy to share – yqcaprogram.org is LIVE!
Please bookmark this site as it will be your go-to site to learn about YQCA, access help documents, purchase coupons, and earn your YQCA certification!
On the More Info/Parents & Youth page, you’ll find help documents detailing the steps to getting your YQCA ILT certification, web-based training certification, and test-out certification. You’ll notice a major change to the account structure – the opportunity to create a parent account and add children, essentially creating one family account for all your YQCA needs.
Find step-by-step instructions HERE.
Thank you for your patience as we navigated this change.
District/State Horse Show & Horse Identification Sheets Due, May 6 by 5:00 PM
Additionally, your Horse Identification Sheet is due in the Extension Office by close of business on May 6. No late entries accepted. You can access the ID sheet at: https://4h.unl.edu/documents/Horse/F29777-Horse-ID-Certificate.pdf
How to enroll in 4-H for 2022
Your 2021 4-H Online bookmarks/saved sites WILL NOT WORK. Please visit this link to enroll for 2022:
https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in
We encourage all 4-H youth and volunteers (club leaders, project leaders, 4-H Council members, Extension Board members) to enroll in 4-H on 4-H online as soon as possible so you don't miss any contest entry deadlines, workshop information, or event details. All direct volunteers are required to enroll as volunteers in 4-H Online each year (the DHSS screening is every 5 years) to be compliant with Nebraska 4-H volunteer screening rules.
The Nebraska 4-H statewide enrollment deadline is June 15, 2022, but please enroll at your earliest convenience because you will miss out on events, activities, workshops and 4-H news if you wait until June to enroll.
For step-by-step 4-H Online 2.0 enrollment instructions with photo guides, check out this PDF or visit the Enroll a New Member or Enroll a Returning Member. As always, if you have any questions or technical difficulties, please reach out to your local extension office.
LOCAL EVENTS
Looking for dog project practice interest in Nuckolls and Thayer Counties
If you and your dog are interested in attending regular dog practices, please call your local extension office so we can see if Nuckolls-Thayer youth have enough interest to start this group. Please call by March 15 so we can let these volunteers know if scheduling an organizational meeting is worth their time.
2022 Southern Plains 4-H Public Speaking Contest Apr. 3
The public is invited to attend.
Wild Rag Workshop Apr. 11
When: April 11th @ 4-5:30 p.m.
Where: Nuckolls Co. Extension Office
Cost: $10
Lucky Stradley, Monster Pot Planter Pottery Workshop, Rescheduled
Where: Thayer County Extension Office, Clubroom
Time: 9:00 am to Noon
Cost: $20.00 Fired, $25.00 Fired and Glazed
Register By: April 11, 2022 @ 402-768-7212
Lucky is feeling better now, and ready to make Monster Pot Planters. Come join us for the fun.
First Aid Kit Workshop April 21
Small Animal Showmanship Clinic April 24
Due to Nebraska Department of Agriculture restrictions to control spread of the avian flu, poultry CANNOT attend this workshop. We will work with toy poultry to practice.
Bring your animal with you! If your animal needs proof of vaccination papers to show at the fair, you must bring those with you, too.
Afterschool Workshop - Build a Fairy Garden - May 3
Time: 3:45 to 5:00 pm
Where: Clubroom
Cost: $15.00
Register by: April 25 by calling 768-7212
Come get spring fever with us!! We are bringing together all the supplies! All you need to do is come in your "Best Dressed Gardener" attire, to be eligible for a prize. Guest Gardener Jen McMullen will be teaching us all about Fairy Gardens, and you will build your very own!
2022 4-H Kick Off
Join us on Mon. April 25 from 3:30-6:00 at the Thayer County Fairgrounds in Deshler for the 2022 Southern Plains 4-H Kick Off.
Try crafting some 4-H projects, meet and greet some animals, and ask questions about enrollment and 4-H opportunities. This event brought to you by your Nuckolls 4-H Ambassadors & Thayer 4-H Youth Council members.
Nuckolls-Thayer Livestock Judging Contest Registration Information May 23, 2022
Please use this form to register for the Nuckolls-Thayer Livestock Judging Contest held at the Nuckolls County Fairgrounds in Nelson on Monday, May 23. Check in is at 8am and the contest starts at 8:30am. Cost is $5/individual. Please pay at the event.
Cash or checks made to the University of Nebraska are acceptable. All 4-H and FFA members are eligible for the contest. Teams will be formed on site. Please register by Friday, May 13, 2022 by visiting this link:
Online Horticulture Contest, June 3-20
Do you know what it takes to pick the best fruit and vegetables out at the grocery store? Or do you know what judges are looking for when they judge your plants at the county fair? Have you ever wondered, what plant is that!?! We are excited to offer the opportunity to learn these and other important horticulture skills through the Online Horticulture Contest. The contest will be available June 3-20, 2022 at: https://go.unl.edu/online4hhortcontest
Horticulture judging contest consists of three parts. The first is identification of plant material. Participants identify the plants by common name from a plant list. Specimens may be alive or preserved plant parts like stems, twigs, leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots, bulbs, tubers, or plant products.
The second is a knowledge portion, usually in the form of a true/false or multiple choice quiz. Questions will test the contestant's knowledge of cultural practices for horticultural crops, plant science, pesticides, horticultural careers and other topics related to the production, processing and consumption of horticultural crops.
The last portion is judging or placings. This is where four different plants, plates of vegetables, or containers flowers are ranked from best to worst based on a set of criteria. Classes are judged on the basis of condition, quality, uniformity, true-to-type, and size.
More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/online-horticulture-judging-contest
4-H VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
2022 Week of the Volunteer
STATEWIDE HORSE, SMALL ANIMAL & LIVESTOCK OPPORTUNITIES
2022 District Horse Show Dates Announced
Nebraska 4-H has finalized the 2022 Horse Districts Locations and Dates for you to add to your 2022 calendars.
2022 Districts Dates and Sites:
June 6- Chadron, NE
June 7- Guide Rock, NE
June 8- Albion, NE
June 9- Raymond, NE
June 10- Kearney, NE
Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program
Nebraska 4-H is excited to announce the second year of the Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program. This additional opportunity for enrolled livestock project youth, is designed to promote all educational aspects of 4-H livestock projects including selection, production, leadership, and exhibition by recognizing youth striving to improve in their livestock project knowledge and leadership.
The program recognizes Members of Excellence across all 4-H livestock project areas, including: beef, sheep, meat goat, swine, dairy cattle, dairy goat, rabbit, and poultry.
The program consists of two levels that require 4-H members to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate and project-related accomplishments. For each level, the Livestock Achievement Program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H members choose their goals. Each accomplishment is worth a specific number of points. Intermediates, ages 10-13, must complete 100 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Intermediate Member of Excellence. Seniors, ages 14-18, must complete 150 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Senior Member of Excellence. The Plan and Reports, linked on the webpage, show examples of the project related accomplishments they can choose, or they can identify their own with approval of their local educator.
Applications/Sign up are due June 15th through the application form link on the website. Plan and Reports, as well as Project Records will be due August 10 via the completion form on the website. Youth completing the achievement program and receiving member of excellence recognition in the various species will be recognized during the Parade of Champions, 4-H weekend at the Nebraska State Fair.
For more information or to apply, go to: Livestock Achievement Program | Nebraska 4-H (unl.edu)
Virtual Horse Judging Practice Opportunity
Check out Nebraska Extension's Practice Horse Judging contest!
Do you coach, or participate in, competitive Horse Judging or Hippology? Are you looking for classes to practice? Check out this opportunity. Register for this course and you will have access to 6 classes to judge, along with the official placings, and an official critique, to learn why the classes were placed the way they were. The course becomes available January 15, and closes on July 15. You can access as many times as you want in that time period, and can join anytime. This is completely self-directed, so go at your own pace, whenever you wish. Go to: https://catalog.extension.org/product?catalog=HorseJudgingContest
2022 Beef Ambassador Contest - June 9
Both age division contestants will compete in two different areas. Age Divisions: (on January 1, 2022) Senior 14-18 years old Collegiate 19-24 years old.
If you have any questions please contact the NE Cattlemen’s office (ncw@necattlemen.org)
SCHOLARSHIP AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Environment and Leadership Youth Camp Scholarship (4-H, FFA and Others)
The Little Blue Natural Resources District will award up to ten $100 environmental and leadership youth camp scholarships to 4-H, FFA or other youth organizational members who reside within the District.
The scholarships are intended to provide some financial assistance to youth who otherwise may not have the resources or ability to experience one of our outstanding youth camps. Let your local extension office know, and they can give you the scholarship application to fill out and return to the Little Blue NRD office by April 5, 2022 along with a copy of your camp registration. The payments will be made directly to the youth for the event.
2022 NE Ag Youth Institute (NAYI) Applications Now Available
4-H CAMPS
Program Highlights:
- Nebraska 4-H Camps has several exciting youth programs available for summer 2022!
- Beautiful camp location in the Nebraska National Forest in Halsey, Nebraska!
- 4 and 5 day residential camp sessions available for ages 8-18.
- New and Improved Teen Leadership session in partnership with The Bay – Lincoln.
- Transportation option available select weeks from Lincoln or Grand Island.
- Scholarships available and refer a NEW camper discount until Jan. 31 – https://4h.unl.edu/camps-centers/summer-camp/scholarship
- View full descriptions and register online here: https://4h.unl.edu/camps-centers/summer-camp/schedule
Camp Renegade and Camp Venture
CALENDAR AT A GLANCE
APRIL
April 3 - Southern Plains Public Speaking Contest @ Deshler 2 p.m.
April 11 - Wild Rag Workshop @ Nelson 4-5:30 p.m.
April 21 - First Aid Kit Workshop @ Hebron 4-5:30 p.m.
April 24 - YQCA @ Nelson 1-2 p.m. - last chance for in person training in Nuckolls/Thayer
April 24 - Small Animal Showmanship Clinic @ Nelson Fairgrounds - 2-5 p.m.
April 25 - 4-H Kick Off Event @ Deshler Fairgrounds - 3:30-6:30 p.m.
MAY
May 3 - Fairy Garden Planter Workshop @ Hebron 4 p.m.
May 6 - District / State Horse Show Entry & Horse ID Sheets Due
May 17 - Thayer County Sheep/Goat Beginning Weigh In 6-8 p.m. @ Deshler Fairgrounds
May 18 - Nuckolls County Sheep/Goat Beginning Weigh In 6-8 p.m. @ Nelson Fairgrounds
May 23 - Nuckolls-Thayer Livestock Judging Contest Great Plains Circuit @ Nelson
May 25 - Horse Judging Contest @ Pitzer Ranch
JUNE
June 3 - PASE Registration Due
June 3-17 - 2022 CWF Trip
June 15 - Livestock IDs due
June 22-23 - Premiere Animal Science Events @ UNL East Campus
June 24 - State 4-H Public Speaking Contest @ UNL East Campus
JULY
July 9-13 - Nuckolls County Fair
AUGUST
August 10-13 - Thayer County Fair
Next Meeting
Next Meeting
Next Meeting
Nuckolls County Extension Office
Email: nuckolls-county@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/southernplains/
Location: 825 S Main St, Nelson, NE, USA
Phone: 402-225-2381
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernPlainsExt/
Thayer County Extension Office
Email: thayer-county@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/southernplains/
Location: 225 N 4th St, Hebron, NE, USA
Phone: 402-768-7212
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernPlainsExt/