Thurston County 4-H News
September 2015
Nebraska Extension - Thurston County
Keith J. Jarvi, Extension Educator, keith.jarvi@unl.edu
Stacey Keys, 4-H Assistant, stacey.keys@unl.edu
Email: thurston-county@unl.edu
Website: thurston.unl.edu
Location: 415 Main Street, Pender, NE, United States
Phone: 402-385-6041
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLExtensionThurston
Twitter: @UNLThurstonCty
Upcoming Dates
Sept 7 - Office Closed - Labor Day
Sept 9 - State Fair Static Exhibits available for pick up at Extension Office
Sept 14 - Joint 4-H Council Meeting in Dakota City, 7:00 pm
Sept 23 - Office Closed - Jennifer & Stacey at meetings
Sept 24 – 27 - Ak-Sar-Ben in Omaha
Oct 1 - Career Portfolios DUE
Oct 4-10 - National 4-H Week
Oct 12 - Office Closed—Columbus Day
Oct 25 - Achievement Banquet
Dakota-Thurston County 2016 Fair Dates Survey
Here is a survey about changing the dates of the 2016 Dakota-Thurston County Fair. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7J52QS3. The proposed dates are August 3-7, 2016 opposed to the original dates of July 20-24, 2016.
With some of the restructuring that the Nebraska Extension is doing Keith will no longer be covering Dakota and Thurston counties. In addition to Dakota County, Angela will be covering Dixon County whose fair is July 30-August 3, 2016. In addition to Thurston County, Jennifer will be covering Burt County whose fair is August 5-9, 2016. Please take these dates into consideration when voting on Dakota-Thurston County fair dates! The deadline for you input is September 8th, as Fair Board meets on September 9th!
Career Portfolios
Section 1: Project Accomplishments
Section 2: 4-H Leadership, Community Service, Volunteer, etc.
Section 3: Non 4-H Experiences
Section 4: 4-H Curriculum Story
Section 5: Support Materials
The career portfolio can be a valuable tool for 4-H’ers as they prepare to graduate, apply for scholarships and enter the working world. Please call the extension office if you need assistance; Jennifer and Nikki are available to help you with your Career Portfolio questions. We encourage everyone to complete their 4-H Career Portfolio. Go to https://4h.unl.edu/careerportfolio for any additional information and forms needed.
Deadline: Thursday, October 1st due to the Extension Office.
Achievement Night
It is hard to believe that fall is right around the corner, which means we need to prepare for the achievement banquet. The banquet will be held Sunday, October 25th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Rosalie Town Hall.
Join 4-H families for an evening of fellowship, food, recognition, and FUN! The Thurston County 4-H Council will be supplying meat for the meal. Families will need to bring two side dishes. Hope to see you for an evening of FUN and RECOGNITION!
NOTE: This was bumped up a week to avoid Halloween weekend!
Sunday, Oct 25, 2015, 06:00 PM
Rosalie, NE, United States
Diamond Clover Program
Designed to encourage 4-H youth to engage in a variety of projects and activities that will enable members to acquire the life skills necessary to lead successful lives as competent, caring and contributing citizens. The program consists of six levels that require a 4-H member to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate accomplishments. The program is designed to enable every 4-H member willing to exert the effort an opportunity to be recognized, regardless of how they are involved in 4-H. For more information and forms, please contact the office or visit the website at 4h.unl.edu/diamondclover
Sample accomplishments include the following:
* Learn the 4-H Pledge, Motto, and Colors
* Attend at least 60% of club/project meetings
* Attend local 4-H activities or events (contest, county fair, camp, educational
program, state fair, etc.)
* Help with 4-H promotion
* Help with a club or community service-learning project
* Complete at least one 4-H project
* Complete your 4-H Career Portfolio
* Bring a friend to a 4-H meeting or activity
* Recruit a new 4-H member
* Serve as a 4-H officer, committee chair, or on 4-H Council
The forms are due the same time as the 4-H Career Portfolio. Forms are available online. We encourage everyone to fill one out. We are sure that everyone can get started on this recognition opportunity.
Husker Harvest Days
The 38th annual Husker Harvest Days show will be held September 15, 16, and 17 at its permanent location west of Grand Island, NE. The show is recognized as the world's largest totally irrigated working farm show and features the most extensive state-of-the-art information and technology available for today's agricultural producers. Its field demonstrations and crop technology exhibits are geared to Nebraska and Western Corn Belt agriculture. This year's show offers nearly 600 exhibitors. For advanced tickets go to: https://circulation.farmprogress.com/ShowProduct.aspx?ProductCode=HHDTIX15.
Missouri River Outdoor Expo
National 4-H Week
National 4-H Week will be October 4-10, 2015. Start brainstorming some ideas to increase our enrollment. The theme this year is "4-H Grows Here." Show the world how you are growing in 4-H, right here in Thurston County.
Also consider adding a science experiment (Motion Commotion) to your October meeting to celebrate National 4-H Science Day on October 7th.
Here are few ideas to try this year to promote 4-H.
· Ask local businesses to put a message about 4-H on their sign.
· Designate a “4-H Day” during 4-H Week and ask all 4-H members to wear their 4-H t-shirts to school.
· Furnish cookies for 4-H Open House at a local business or in conjunction with a community activity. Make sure your 4-H club has a sign there so you get the publicity.
· Make 4-H bookmarks and distribute them to school and public libraries during 4-H Week.
· Plan an anniversary party for your club. Invite former members and leaders.
· Put a “Happy” ad in local papers during 4-H Week.
· Fly a 4-H flag in the town square.
· The ideas are endless.
Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports - Leader Certification Workshop
Thurston County Drop Box
Prudential Spirt of Community Awards
1. Visit nassp.org/tabid/2539/default.aspx
2. Once you have completed your online application, go to the “Certification” page to either email certification instructions to your certifier, or to print them out and hand-deliver them. These instructions will enable your certifier to review your application online. This must be done by November 5th. Your certifier can be your local Extension Educator, Jennifer.
3. Before submitting your application, you and your parent or guardian must complete the student/parent agreement page, which can be found on the last tab of the application.
Animal Science News
Norfolk Beef Expo
The Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness will be hosting the 64th Annual Norfolk Beef Expo on Sunday, September 13, 2015. Pre-registrations are due Tuesday, September 8th. Each exhibitor (8 to 19 years of age on January 1, 2015) may enter two market (fed) calves. A non-refundable entry of $25 must accompany the entry for each calf entered. Calves will only be received on Saturday, September 6th from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information about this opportunity, please contact the office as soon as possible.
Animal Science Open House - October 26, 2015
The Animal Science Open House will be held this fall on October 26th from 6 – 8 pm at the Animal Science Complex at UNL. This will be a great opportunity for youth, parents, and staff to come and learn more about the opportunities at UNL. There will also be educational stations and representatives from the student organizations. Please mark this date on your calendars. More details will follow including a promotion flyer. This event was formerly called the Companion Animal and Equine Open house but will be expanded to include other department programs.
Healthy Lifestyles Education News
Start Food Preservation Exhibits Now
Gardens are producing great bounties of vegetables and the fruit trees are loaded with great produce. Now is a great time to start your food preservation projects for 2015. Any canning that is processed after August 10, 2014 is eligible for exhibit at the 2015 County Fair. Make sure that you are using up-to-date USDA approved recipes for your canning. Members need to purchase a new canning book every 3 to 5 years. A great resource of approved recipes is the “Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving”. These can be purchased at local hardware and grocery stores in the canning supply area or online for about $8.95. Another resource with a wealth of approved recipes is “So Easy to Preserve” from University of Georgia Extension. You can order by calling 706-542-8999.