Thurston County 4-H News
February 2017
Nebraska Extension - Thurston County
Stacey Keys, 4-H Assistant, stacey.keys@unl.edu
Email: thurston-county@unl.edu
Website: thurston.unl.edu
Location: 415 Main Street, P.O. Box 665, Pender, NE 68787
Phone: 402-385-6041
Facebook: facebook.com/UNLExtensionThurston/
Twitter: @UNLThurstonCty
Upcoming Dates
Feb 4 - Snow Date for Dakota-Thurston County Beef Weigh-In
Feb 12 - Thurston County 4-H Kick-Off @ Pender Lanes (1-4 p.m.)
Feb 13 - Joint 4-H Council Meeting @ Dakota City (7:00 p.m.)
Feb 15 - 4-H Enrollment & Volunteer Screening DUE in ne.4honline.com
Feb 15 - Joint Fair Board Meeting @ Pender Fire Hall (7:00 p.m.)
Feb 20 - Office Closed - Presidents' Day
Feb 20 - Butter Braid Sales begin
Mar 3 - General 4-H Scholarship Applications DUE
Mar 9 - Speech/Music Contest Registration DUE
Mar 10 - Horse Stampede Entries DUE
Mar 13 - Thurston County 4-H Council Meeting
Mar 14 - Speech/Music Contest @ Dakota City (7:00 p.m.)
Mar 24-25 - Siouxland Garden Show @ Sioux City
Mar 27 - Butter Braid Sales Orders DUE @ Extension Office
April 1 - Horse Stampede @ UNL-East Campus
April 6 - Butter Braid pick up @ Extension Office (5:00 p.m.)
April 10 - Joint 4-H Council Meeting @ Dakota City (7:00 p.m.)
April 15 - Ak-Sar-Ben Market Beef DNA Nominations DUE
April 15 - Nebraska 4-H Camp Early Bird Registration DUE
April 23-29 - National Volunteer Week
April 27 - Favorite Foods & Presentation Contest Registration DUE
April 28 - Office Closed - Arbor Day
Need to Know
Want to know more about First LEGO League Jr. (6-10)
Do you want to learn more about FIRST LEGO League Jr.? Nebraska 4-H will be hosting a FIRST LEGO League Jr. Showcase on March 4, 2017 at the UNL East Campus Union where you and other parents or 4-H volunteers can learn and see more about what youth are engaging in!
What is FLL Jr.? Guided by two or more adult Coaches, teams (up to 6 members, grades K-4) explore a real-world scientific problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, animals, etc. Then they create a Show Me poster that illustrates their journey of discovery and introduces their team. They also construct a motorized model of what they learned using LEGO elements. In the process, teams learn about teamwork, the wonders of science and technology, and the FIRST LEGO League Jr. Core Values, which include respect, sharing, and critical thinking. At the close of each season, teams come together on a regional basis to strut their stuff, share ideas, celebrate, and have fun! (http://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/flljr)
Dakota-Thurston County Fair Dates 2017
Member Information
4-H Online Enrollment and Re-Enrollment
NOTHING'S CHANGED!!! But since it's a new year we need you to re-enroll. There are step by step sheets at http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/thurston/4-h-enrollment. For both new families and families that already have profiles. If you already have a profile make sure you DO NOT make a new profile.
If you are a volunteer for our program we also need to you to re-enroll in our online database. Again step by step information can be found athttp://extension.unl.edu/statewide/thurston/4-h-enrollment.
If anyone of you has questions please call the office and we'll do our best to work through any issues.
Thurston County 4-H Kick Off Party
2017 Nebraska 4-H Month (February) - Share Your Story!
February is Nebraska 4-H Month, and we want 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 show us your 4-H experience. Videos or photos may be shared through social media using the #NE4H and #TrueLeaders hashtags.
Video shared as a 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!
Butter Braid Sales
What is a Butter Braid? A Butter Braid is a frozen pastry dough that you thaw, let rise, bake and frost. It is a mouth watering, delicious, homemade pastry.
Butter Braids are available in a variety of flavors. Thurston County 4-Her will be taking order from February 20 - March 27. orders will be delivered to the 4-Hers on April 6th at 5 p.m. at the Thurston County Extension Office. Proceeds from this fundraiser help fund 4-H activities throughout the year.
Sales Incentive
If you family chooses not to sell Butter Braids, which is the only fundraiser we have for our 4-H program, we ask that you donate $50 per child. They will not be eligible for the gift card drawing. Remember this is just an incentive to encourage our 4-Hers to sell more Butter Braids. Selling any number of Butter Braids will benefit the Thurston County 4-H program.
Speech & Music Contest
National 4-H Day of Service
We are excited to announce that April, 2017 will be a month to celebrate community service and service learning throughout 4-H. This month of celebration will culminate with a National 4-H Day of Service on Saturday, April 29, 2017.
4-H National Headquarters, National 4-H Council, and State 4-H partners, through the 4-H Citizenship Leadership team, are preparing this opportunity.
Some highlights will include:
· National marketing and communication highlighting 4-H Service
· Opportunity to plan a 4-H service project around the national theme of “Food Security”
· Opportunity to identify and plan a 4-H service project around a local need
· Opportunity to sign up these local projects to be a part of the National 4-H Day of Service
Additional support information and opportunity details will be coming in the next few weeks. For now, save the date and encourage creative thinking around this endeavor.Club of the Month
Ideas for 4-H Workshops
Consumer & Family Sciences
2017 Culinary Challenge Contest
Continuing Education
Next Chapter Program
Nebraska 8th graders currently enrolled in 4-H (and those enrolled as 7th graders last year) will have received a letter pre-admitting them to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln by now. With this, they will have the opportunity to participate in Next Chapter, a unique partnership between Nebraska 4-H and University Admissions that connects students statewide with the resources of the University! This also means that students that meet academic requirements will be admitted after high school. Next Chapter also grants students access to personnel and resources like never before. Highlights will include:
- Insightful conversations with 4-H alumni regarding campus life
- Discussions with UNL professors about opportunities and expectations in college
- Access to admissions and financial aid office personnel
- Step-by-step lessons to prepare students for college throughout their high school career
- Real-world connections between content and 4-H projects
All 8th graders that were enrolled in 4-H last year will be admitted to the Next Chapter program. Any new 8th grade student that enrolls in a traditional 4-H program will have the option to join Next Chapter at no additional charge. For those enrolling in Next Chapter only, standard 4-H fees will apply. Students will need to re-enroll annually, and successfully complete the current year’s program to advance to the next level. In order to do this, the student must be present for at least five lessons (out of a possible eight) per academic year, and complete the annual 4-H project designated by the educator. This programming will begin during the student’s 9th grade year.
As 8th graders, we will continue to provide information as the year moves on, but there are a few dates to look forward to now:
- Now through February 15, 2017: enroll in 4-H Next Chapter program
- March 2017: live online question and answer sessions with University students and professors will begin; tentatively scheduled to hold one per month
- Early April 2017: Local 4-H district celebration for all new Next Chapter students and families
- April 25, 2017: Statewide celebration for all Next Chapter students and their families in Lincoln
The University of Nebraska is excited to help students and their families make this exciting time of change easier by providing this unprecedented access to high school students. If you have any questions regarding this program, feel free to contact me for more information.
Nebraska 4-H Foundation Scholarships 2017
All scholarship applications must be submitted to pjeffries1@unl.edu.
2017 Scholarships Available:
- Donna Wampler Endowed Scholarship (due March 3)
- Orscheln Industries Foundation Scholarship (due March 3)
- Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply (due March 3)
- The 4-H Legacy Scholarship (due March 3)
- Rose and Guy Richard McDonald Scholarship (due March 3)
- Horse Scholarship — Grand Island Saddle Club (due March 3)
- Horse Scholarship — R.B. Warren 4-H Horse Educational Scholarship (due March 3)
- Ron and Rita Horst Citizenship Scholarship (due March 3)
- Kimberly Family Scholarship Fund (due March 3)
- Renee Felt Schulte Scholarship (due March 3)
- Tom Holman Scholarship (due September 23)
For guidelines and more information, please visit our scholarship guidelines and application form.
More information can be found at http://ne4hfoundation.org/recognition/.
NACEB Scholarship 2017-18
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION...
The Nebraska Association of County Extension Boards (NACEB) Scholarship Program includes the following:
- One $1000 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 $1000 scholarship for a current student (sophomore or higher) enrolled in CASNR or CEHS.
Note: NACEB may suspend this scholarship program at any time.
REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS…
It is expected that each scholarship recipient make at least one presentation to a community, high school, or 4-H group discussing the importance of continuing one’s education at the post-secondary level, the positive experiences and benefits of studying in CASNR/CEHS and encouraging others to study in CASNR/CEHS.
Each recipient of this scholarship will be invited to attend the NACEB Annual Meeting and to speak to the members , briefly outlining her/his academic progress, career plans, and observations of her/his experiences in CASNR/CEHS.
If unable to attend, a written report is an alternative. An effort will be made by NACEB to assist each recipient with travel to the meeting. This support could be in the form of offered transportation with other attendees or reimbursement of mileage at the discretion of NACEB.
SELECTION OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS…
The entire application, review, and award process of the NACEB Scholarship Program will be overseen by the Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) and the Dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Tiffany Heng-Moss, Associate Dean
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
PO Box 830702, UNL East Campus
Lincoln, NE 68583-0702
Applications may be found at: https://sites.google.com/site/nebraskassocntyextbds/home/organization/awards-and-scholarships
Application materials must be received by March 17, 2017.
If you have any questions, please contact our office at 402-472-2201.
Plant Science
Sixth Annual Innovative Youth Corn Challenge
Do you enjoy being outside? Learning new things about crops? Considering a career involving crops, insects, diseases, soils, water or more? Do you want to help figure out how to feed our world’s growing population in a sustainable way?
Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Corn Board are offering the sixth Innovative Youth Corn Challenge contest. This contest, open to 4-H members (age 10 & older as of Jan. 1st) or FFA members (in-school members), guides participants through all aspects of corn production, as well as agricultural careers related to corn production.
As a team (2 or more participants), youth will be challenged to implement a production practice different than normal to determine if they increased their yield. Economics and sustainability of the practice will also be considered. Yields, cropping history, and production information will be collected in the Corn Yield Challenge management summary.
Cash prizes and plaques will be given to the first, second, and third place teams. First place will receive $1,000, second place will receive $500, and third place will receive $250. Sustainability, crop scouting and “extra mile” awards will also be given, each worth $150.
To participate in 2017, youth must complete and return an entry form by March 15th to the Fillmore County Extension Office in Geneva, NE. Forms can be downloaded after January 1st at cropwatch.unl.edu/youth/activities. For more information, contact Brandy VanDeWalle at brandy.vandewalle@unl.edu, Aaron Nygren at anygren2@unl.edu or Amy Timmerman at atimmerman2@unl.edu.
Animal Science
Come Ride With Me Clinic
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.
Paws On Dog Workshop
Spring Rabbit Show - Lancaster Event Center
Burt County Beef Preview
Nebraska Youth Pork Conference
The Nebraska Youth Pork Conference, “Makin’ Bacon … and a WHOLE Lot More!” has been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 31 through Friday, June 2. Attached, you’ll find a flyer that you can be used to promote the event. We conducted a pilot of this program in December of 2015, and the youth who participated were extremely complimentary and excited about the program. I hope you will be willing to advertise this conference through your various newsletters and encourage your youth to apply, particularly those who have an interest in the swine industry, food or meat science, and/or culinology. Intermixed throughout the conference, youth will be engaged in interactive activities to enhance life skills including leadership and communication. There is no cost for any youth participants, as the conference is 100% funded by the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, the Nebraska Corn Board, and the Nebraska Soybean Board in addition to Animal Science and UNL Extension! As a result, we do ask that all potential youth participants apply online at http://www.nepork.org, then under the “youth” tab, select “Makin’ Bacon ..” Applications are due April 1, and we will notify those individuals selected to participate no later than April 15.
Horse Judging School
Transition Plan from Livestock Quality Assurance (LQA) to Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA)
We are excited to announce that Nebraska is part of a national team introducing a new QA Curriculum called Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA). The YQCA course will be available online 24X7 and we anticipate that the new course will be available on or about March 1st. For additional information on the YQCA program you can go to the Animal Care Wednesday Zoom session at: http://animalscience.unl.edu/Extension/AnimalCareRes/PPT2016/2016.Dec.07-ACWW-Kuber-YQCA.mp4
- From now through March 1, you can continue to use the current LQA online course. As in the past, youth completing the LQA online course will need to complete three new modules with an 80% or better. Youth must print and deliver module certificates to their local Extension office. The cost of the LQA course will remain at $5.00 as in the past.
- Note: For youth already in progress toward attaining the 2017 LQA module prior to March 1, youth will be able to continue their work and complete the required three modules.
- At the point when the new YQCA course comes online (March 1), the old LQA course will not accept new 2017 participants. Instead, youth will enroll in the new YQCA. The cost of the new YQCA course will be $12.00 for the online course and will be accessed through 4-H online.
More information will be provided as the March 1 date for the beginning of the YQCA course becomes available.
Youth Livestock Projects and the VFD Regulation
Effective January 1, 2017, all livestock producers that use antibiotic medicated feeds to prevent, treat or control animal health issues will be required to get a written order or directive from a Veterinarian to purchase and feed these feeds. The regulation will only affect antibiotics administered in feed or water for livestock.
Antibiotics are important to both human medicine and animal health, to reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance in both areas; producer must follow the FDA Approved Labels. These labels determine what animal health issues can be treated with that specific antibiotic, dosage and proper administration.
The first step youth producers should take is to develop a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship by visiting with their veterinarian. Within this discussion, producers need to review their herd/flock health plan and evaluate vaccinations and treatment plans for the animals they care for. If you determine that medicated feeds should be used, plan on how to acquire a VFD Order from the veterinarian.
Copies of the VFD must go to you and your feed supplier/dealer before you can purchase or feed these feeds. Youth Livestock Participants may visit with their feed supplier/dealer to plan a nutrition/feed program prior to getting their project animals to discuss if medicated feeds should be used and if a VFD is required.
For more information visit the Nebraska BQA VFD Webpage at: http://bqa.unl.edu/veterinary-feed-directive Or Contact Rob Eirich, Extension Educator/Director of Beef Quality Assurance via email at: reirich2@unl.edu
Premise ID
All State Fair exhibitors will be required to obtain a Premise ID for 2017. This will not be required for county-only exhibitor unless the county chooses to do so. Further education, in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture will be coming out by January 10th for counties to use in print form via email blasts and newsletters. These resources will explain the reasoning behind both EID and Premise ID while also giving families a step-by-step process for obtaining the Premise ID.
While that is being developed, what follows is a brief explanation on why Premise ID will be required in 2017. Also attached to this email is a rough document going through the process of obtaining a Premise ID. This document is for your reference only and a more complete resource will come out by January 10th that can be easily disseminated to youth.
- In 2016, through our partnership with NDA, we were able to obtain an exemption from USDA that did not require each exhibitor to obtain a Premise ID. Thus why each county extension office or fairgrounds has a Premise ID number.
- That exemption will not be renewable for 2017, thus requiring this step. The Premise ID Application process can be completed online. That URL will be available in the coming resources.
- Swine exhibitors, through completion of PQA, already have a Premise ID so they have already completed this step. They can continue to use the Premise ID generated through that program for other species as well.
- Cattle, Sheep, and Goat exhibitors who do not have a Premise ID will need to obtain one. In some cases, a farm or ranch may already have a Premise ID in the parents (or other relative’s name). As long as the livestock are being housed and cared for at that location, the existing Premise ID should be used.
We are well aware that there may be some not willing to comply with the Premise ID step; however, this process is vital in our youth understanding the shape of the agriculture landscape and the world economy as it is changing. Source verification programs are becoming critical, and as the world population becomes more interested in where their food is grown, Premise ID will play a major role in our youth’s future in agriculture.
While acquiring Premise ID is the choice of a family/exhibitor, those who choose not to get the Premise ID will not be able to show at State Fair or AKSARBEN. Exhibitors can contact me (bbennett8@unl.edu) and I can help to answer their questions.
2017 State Fair Livestock Fees
On December 9, the Nebraska State Fairboard voted to add a bedding fee onto the entry fee for all livestock exhibitors; the fee will be $15 for beef and dairy and $5 for sheep, goats, and swine. The Fairbaord also voted to add a $3 per head fee for 4-H & FFA market animals to help defray the costs of drug testing. These costs are in addition to the existing entry fees that will stay the same for 2017.
The Nebraska State Fair continues to be supportive of FFA and 4-H and values all that youth and families bring the Fair; however, escalating costs for bedding, bedding removal, etc. have forced them to reassess their fees. They are also aware that there are other costs for families including DNA sampling and EID tags. While this does add a financial burden; hopefully, by knowing early, families can make appropriate decisions about nominating animals and their plans for exhibiting.
2017 Nebraska District 4-H Horse Shows
Reminder: All Entries for the State Horse Show must be mailed by May 12, 2017. These include Showmanship, Halter, All Cattle Classes, Hunter Hack, Dressage, Advanced Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation, Western Pleasure and Horsemanship. Trail, 2 year old and 3 year old Western Pleasure and Working Ranch.
2017 4-H Horse Show Dates and Sites
- June 12th - Lexington
- June 13th - Taylor
- June 14th - Wayne
- June 19th - Hemingford
- June 20th - Lincoln
- July 16-20 - 2017 State 4-H Horse Show - Fonner Park