Golden Plains Area Extension -- 4-H On-Line Newsletter

Golden Plains Area Extension 4-H On-Line Newsletter
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January/February 2012 We suggest that you check out the "General Section" of the Newsletter first before you go to your County Sections. Information in the general section is important for all counties. Don't forget the "Program Flyers" section also as additional information on various specific events are in that section. Click on the links below to go to the section you want. You may also DOWNLOAD a copy (Adobe PDF) of this newsletter to view and print at your leisure.
General Section Calendar Articles	Kit Carson County Section Calendar Articles	Phillips County Section Calendar Articles
Sedgwick County Section Calendar Articles	Washington County Section Calendar Articles	Yuma County Section Calendar Articles
Program Flyers

General Section General Calendar: January 2012 7-22 National Western Stock Show – Denver – 4-H Day is January 17th. For the complete schedule, go to www.nationalwestern.com. Group ticket information will be in the office shortly. 12-15 Western Regional leaders Forum – Cheyenne, WY 14 Dairy Cattle hoof trimming clinic. Contact MCC for more information 970-332-5755 27-30 LDC – More info in this newsletter 30 4-H Day at the Capitol February 10-12 Youth Fest - Ponderosa Retreat Center, Larkspur CO. Flyer and more info in this newsletter 25 Fiber Fun Fest – Larimer County Fairgrounds, Loveland, CO. Flyer in this newsletter. 970-498-6000 March 10 Jr. Swine Field Day – Morgan County Fairgrounds, Brush, CO. Flyer in this newsletter. 970-542-3543 17 Jr. Sheep & Goat Field Day – Adams County Fairgrounds, Brighton, CO. Flyer in this newsletter. 303-637-8100 24 Jr. Beef Field Day – Morgan County Fairgrounds, Brush, CO. Flyer in this newsletter. 970-542-3543 May 5-6 YHEC & 4-H Hunting Skills Challenge – Flagler Lake Wildlife Area, Flagler, CO. Flyer in this newsletter. 719-346-5571 ext. 302 June 15-17 4-H Shooting Sports Family Campout – Victor, CO. Flyer in this newsletter. 303-761-5651 Return to Top of Page General Articles: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE & 4-H Day at the Capitol “Life Without Limits” 2012 Leadership Development Conference (and 4-H Day at the Capitol takes place January 27-30, 2012. The theme this year is Life Without Limits Highlights for this year’s conference include: • Community Service Project off-site with a deserving organization coordinated by the Colorado State 4-H Officer Team • IFYE presentation • Banquet and Awards Presentation – Sunday Evening • Think-Tank Meetings • County night out • Dance • Meet your legislators at the Capitol on Monday Monday, January 30, is 4-H Day at the Capitol where the legislature will issue the Proclamation for Colorado 4-H Day. Tours of the Capitol will be available as well as an information and question and answer session with legislators, aids and interns. YOUTHFEST The State 4-H Senate officer team plans and conducts a camp for 4-H members ages 9-13. Campers register through their local CSU Extension office. The dates for this conference will be Feb. 10-12, 2012. It will take place at The Ponderosa Retreat Center in Larkspur, CO. Registration will close on Feb 1, 2012. The camp is always a lot of fun and is a great opportunity to learn some new life skills and make new friends. CITIZENSHIP WASHINGTON FOCUS Citizenship Washington Focus is a 4-H leadership program for high school youth. Delegations of 15-19 year-olds from across the country attend this six-day program at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center. The program is aimed at enriching young people’s lives by broadening their appreciation and respect for themselves and others in the world. Participants attend workshops, committees, field trips and social events, giving them hands-on opportunities to learn and grow. Participants learn and practice skills that will make them better citizens and more successful individuals. Participants must be 15-19 years of age by December 31st of the enrollment year. At least one year prior leadership responsibility is required. Selection is based on Colorado 4-H membership and leadership, application and 1-3 page resume. Counties interview and select prior to submission to State. 2012 STATE 4-H SHOOTING SPORTS LEADER CERTIFICATIONS If you are interested in becoming a certified 4-H Shooting Sports Leader or Junior Leader, then these workshops are for you! Each training site will offer discipline training in the following areas: rifle, shotgun (basic), archery, air pistol, black powder, range safety officer, outdoor skills. Please note that there needs to be 25 registered leaders at a training site in order for the workshop to be held. If you are interested in theses certifications, please contact your local Extension office FIRST to see what county requirements are in place and what funding opportunities your county 4-H Program may offer. Other questions can be sent to Jim Hamilton, State 4-H Shooting Sports Program Coordinator: jim.hamilton@colostate.edu or (719)846-7403. 4-H Leader Certification Workshop registration forms are now available. The link below will take you to the Leader Certification page and you can then take the registration link from there. http://www.co4hshooting.org/article12212005.html. February 17-19, 2012 – Morgan County March 2-4, 2012 – Douglas County March 9-11, 2012 – Fremont County March 16-18, 2012 – Delta County March 16-18, 2012 – Otero County March 23-25, 2012 – Weld County March 30 – April 1, 2012 – La Plata County April 13-15, 2012 – Eagle County May 11-13, 2012 – Lincoln County May 11-13, 2012 – Garfield County (Special Shotgun Games Only) CHECK FOR RIGHT PROJECT MANUAL Leaders or families often have extra 4-H manuals from previous years on hand and give them out to youth, especially to those who want to get a head start on 2012 projects. BE SURE THE MANUAL IS CURRENT!! Various 4-H manuals are updated each year, and if a youth has an outdated version, they might end up doing the wrong requirements and exhibit. Projects with changes this year are Cake Decorating Units 1-4; Foods and Nutrition Units 1-4; Child Development, Home Environment Unit 7; Scrapbooking, Model Rocket Units 1-2; and Leathercraft Units 1-2. If you have unused manuals, please bring to the Extension office to check if still current. Thanks!!! ROAD TRIP TO FIBER FUN FEST February 25, 2012 - The Ranch, Larimer County Fairgrounds Let’s make plans to participate in this most excellent event and learn about several fiber arts like sewing, weaving, lace knitting, embroidery, and crochet – just to name a few. Mark the date on your calendar and register online for the workshops at www.larimer.org/ext. Click on the 4-H/Youth tab and look for the Activities tab for more information. MEAT QUALITY ASSURANCE CERTIFICATION/RECERTIFICATION WORKSHOPS You Must Attend A MQA Workshop 1. First 2 years taking a livestock project 2. Once at 12 years of age 3. Once at 15 years of age Public confidence in our meat products is extremely important to the success of the livestock industry. Youth livestock projects play an important role in building or losing the trust of our consumers. It is important that youth livestock exhibitors exceed the standard in producing quality, defect-free livestock for our consumers. In the past, a very small number if exhibitors have given youth livestock shows a bad name by using unethical and unsafe techniques to “win at all cost.” As a result, we have implemented a strong Meat Quality Assurance program in Colorado. Through the MQA workshops youth learn ethics and good production practices needed to produce a high quality, desirable product for the American Consumer. If you need to attend this year you will be notified by your county Extension office prior to the workshop. You have the option to test out of the workshop at 12 and 15 years of age but it is highly recommended to attend a workshop instead. The workshops allow for hands on learning and experience. For those of you that participated last year, it will be the same layout. There will be different stations pertaining to the 10 Good Production Practices set up at each location and you will have the chance to observe and learn with real supplies and equipment. You will have the opportunity to come any time during the listed period as long as you are able to participate at each station. Allow yourself one hour. The following chart explains when and where the workshops will be. Keep in mind that dates and/or times and locations are subject to change so stay posted and be sure to call your local Extension office if you have any questions. 4-H SCHOLARSHIPS There are several 4-H scholarships available to graduating seniors in Colorado. It’s simple to apply for them as they all have the same application and you only need to fill it out once and you have applied for all scholarships. The application is available online at http://www.co4hfoundation.colostate.edu/scholarships.shtml. 2012 COLORADO NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 1. To entice more graduating seniors to apply for the NWTF scholarship, increase the amount awarded to local chapter winners from $250 to $500 (additional $1000 award to the state winner). 2. All applicants MUST follow the rules and guidelines published by Nationals; no exceptions. A full list of the requirements can be found HERE. a. All local chapters should open and review the applications to ensure completeness and compliance with the rules prior to forwarding to the scholarship chair. b. Incomplete applications will not be considered for local or state awards. 3. All local chapters MUST forward their choice for their local winner, and any others for consideration to the scholarship chair by or before the required date for scholarship consideration. 4. Awards for scholarship applications submitted late will be at the discretion of the scholarship chair and/or the state chapter president. This applies to both local and state scholarship awards. 5. Multiple local winners ($500/ea) may be awarded at the discretion of the scholarship chair and/or the state chapter president. 6. Local chapters are NOT to notify local winners until approved by the scholarship chair and/or the state chapter president. a. If this occurs and the scholarship chair and/or state president determine the applicant was not eligible, the local chapter will be responsible for covering the cost of the award ($500); no state funding will be made available. 7. The State Board will use email and the state website to communicate important dates and other information regarding scholarships. Colorado State Scholarship Chair NWTF: Keith Steflik ksteflik@hotmail.com Colorado State President NWTF Mike Lewellen Kcfanz4@yahoo.com Return to Top of Page
Kit Carson County Section Kit Carson County 4-H Calendar Kit Carson County Fair July 23-28 Jan. 10 – Registration deadline for LDC Jan. 28-30– Leadership Development Conference (Denver) Feb 1 – Youth Fest registrations due in Extension Office Feb. 3 – Jr. Supt. Sign-up deadline Feb. 4– Market Beef Weigh-in, 8-11 a.m. (Burlington) Feb. 10-12 – Youth Fest (Monument) Feb. 20 – HOLIDAY (office closed) Livestock Events March 10– Swine Field Day – Brush (Morgan County) March 17– Sheep and Goat Field Day – Henderson (Adams County) March 24-- Beef Field Day – Brush (Morgan County) June 12-14– NJC Livestock Camps – Sterling Watch for more info in the March Newsletter 4-H Camp Opportunities February 10-12 – Youth Fest is a leadership camp for 4-H members between the ages of 9 and 13. The camp is organized by the State 4-H Senate and will be held at Ponderosa Camp near Monument. This camp will be limited to the first 175 paying campers. June ????? – Wild Bug Fish Camp (near Salida, CO) June 15-17 – Shooting Sports Family Camp (Cripple Creek, CO) June 19-22 – State 4-H Conference CSU (Ft. Collins, CO) Return to Top of Page Kit Carson County 4-H Articles: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE & 4-H Day at the Capitol "A Call to Action" LDC and 4-H Day at the Capitol are in the planning phases so please mark your calendars for January 28-30, 2012. Registration deadline is Jan. 10, 2012. The KCC 4-H Council will provide some assistance in the cost of registration and hotels for those registered by Jan 10th. Your cost will be $75.00 Registration after this point will be at the full cost of attendance. (More information in main part of this newsletter) YOUTH FEST Youth Fest will be held at the Ponderosa Camp in Monument, CO on Feb. 10-12, 2012. Youth planning to attend must have registrations to the office by Feb. 1st. The KCC 4-H Council will provide assistance in the cost of registration for those registered by Feb. 1st. Your cost will be $60.00. After Feb. 1st the cost will be $125.00. (More information in main part of this newsletter) LIVESTOCK WEIGH-IN & NOMINATION DATES Market beef weigh-in will be held at Burlington Livestock Exchange, February 4th from 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. You will need the brand inspection paper or official bill of sale at this time to prove ownership. We will close the doors and leave at 11:00 a.m. BE ON TIME. If you do not weigh-in, you are not eligible to show at the county fair. NO EXCEPTIONS! The steers will be brand inspected, weighed, retinal scanned and ear tagged. Pour-on insecticide will be available. Cost per head - $5.00. (PAYMENT DUE AT WEIGH-IN.) Market lamb weigh-in will be Wednesday, May 3rd, 3:30 - 6:00 p.m. at the Fairgrounds. You must weigh in your lambs at this time to be eligible to show and sell at the county fair. NO EXCEPTIONS! Cost per head - $5.00. (PAYMENT DUE AT WEIGH-IN.) Market swine will NOT be weighed in. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to nominate your pigs for the county fair. You will need to pick up nomination forms and ear tags at the Extension Office. Then tag your pigs, take 3 pictures of each pig. Fill out the form and attach a picture of EACH SIDE OF YOUR PIG (that's two pictures) and the third picture which shows the tag in the pig's ear, clearly readable. You will also need to record the pig's ear notches on the nomination form. If your pig is not ear notched you will need to do so before filling out the form. These nomination forms, completely filled out with ear notch information and the three pictures, must be returned to the office by May 3rd, at 4:00 p.m. for eligibility in the county fair show and sale. NO EXCEPTIONS! Cost per head - $3.50. (PAYMENT DUE WHEN TAGS ARE PICKED UP.) For market goats to be eligible to show, you must nominate your goats by picking up nomination forms and ear tags from the office. Tag your goats and take 3 pictures of each goat. Fill out the form and attach a picture of EACH SIDE OF YOUR GOAT (that's two pictures) and the third picture which shows the tag in the goat's ear, clearly readable, and return it to the office by May 3rd at 4:00 p.m. NO EXCEPTIONS! Cost per head - $3.50. (PAYMENT DUE WHEN TAGS ARE PICKED UP.) Refunds will be given for any unused tags returned to the office with your nominations forms. OPEN SLOTS FOR JUNIOR SUPERINTENDENTS Thank you to those who have already committed to volunteer as Junior Superintendents for the 2012 Kit Carson County Fair. However, there are still a few spots that we really need to fill. If you are 12 years or older and can help us out in any of these areas, please call the Extension Office at 346-5571 by February 3rd. We still need the following number of superintendents in these areas: Horse - 3; Poultry - 1; Rabbits - 2; Beef - 1; Swine - 3; Dog - 1; 4-H General Projects - 1; Garden - 1; 4-H Clothing & Fashion Revue - 2; Open Class General Living Arts - 2; Open Class Paintings - 1; Open Class Foods - 1; Small Animals - 1; Open Class Crops - 1; Open Class Garden - 1. 4-H SCHOLARSHIPS There are several 4-H scholarships available to graduating seniors in Colorado. It's simple to apply for them as they all have the same application and you only need to fill it out once and you have applied for all scholarships. The application is available online at http://www.co4hfoundation.colostate.edu/scholarships.shtml 21st CENTURY SCHOLARSHIP 21st Century Equipment, LLC has a tuition scholarship available. They are offering assistance to qualified individuals to attend the John Deere Ag Tech Program at Southeast Community College in Milford, NE or Garden City Community College in Garden City, KS. The application Deadline is Feb. 29, 2012. Contact your extension office for more information. Return to Top of Page
Phillips County Section Phillips County 4-H Calendar UPCOMING DATES JANUARY 5 - Leader's Appreciation Banquet 9 - LDC registration due in Extension Office 17 - 4-H Day at the National Western Stock Show 22 - Council meeting, 4 p.m., Location TBD 23 - Taste of Ag, 4-7 p.m., Phillips County Event Center 28 - 30 - LDC in Denver FEBRUARY 1 - 4-H enrollment due in Extension Office 4 - Market Beef weigh-in, 9 - 10:30 a.m. at the Fairgrounds 10-12 - Youth Fest, Ponderosa Retreat and Conference Center, Larkspur, CO 17 - Tentative due date for CWF applications, contact Kindra for more details 26 - Council meeting, 4 p.m., Ortner Room MARCH 25 - Council meeting, 4 p.m., Ortner Room Return to Top of Page Phillips County 4-H Articles: LIVESTOCK WEIGH - IN INFORMATION Market beef weigh - in will be held at the Phillips County Fairgrounds on Saturday, February 5th from 9 - 10:30 a.m. You will need the brand inspection paper or official bill of sale at this time to prove ownership. Please be on time! If you do not weigh your animal in, you are not eligible to show at county fair. The weight range for county fair will be 1,000-1,500 lbs. Market lamb and goat weigh - in will be held at the Phillips County Fairgrounds and is scheduled for Sunday, May 6th from 3 - 4 p.m. You will need to weigh - in your lambs and goats in order to be eligible to show at county fair. Market lamb weight ranges for county fair will be 100-160 lbs., while the range for market goats will be 60-100 lbs. Market swine will not be weighed in. This year, all swine ID will be entered online. It is your responsibility to tag your pigs and take THREE pictures of each pig. Please pick up the tags, tagger, and instructions for entering your information online at the Extension Office. Tag your pigs and take a picture of the left side, right side, and a picture of the pig's head showing the tag. There will be example pictures attached to your instruction paper. You will also need to record the pig's ear notches on the swine ID form. The tentative due date for the completed swine ID and pictures (online) is May 7. Watch the next newsletter for the definite date. Market swine weight ranges for county fair will be 230-300 lbs. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE (LDC) Attention 4-H members 14 years of age and older! LDC will be held January 28-30, 2012 in Denver If you are interested in attending this amazing opportunity, you will need to have your registration form to the office by January 9, 2012. Watch your mailbox for specific information and the registration form. (More information in main part of this newsletter) CITIZENSHIP WASHINGTON FOCUS 4-H members who are 15 years or older by the first of the year are eligible to attend the Washington Focus trip to Washington D.C. this coming summer. Phillips County would like to send at least one delegate on this trip. If you are interested in applying to go, please call the office for more information. The deadline for this application is tentatively set for February 17. (More info in main part of newsletter) REMEMBER: ENROLLMENTS ARE DUE ON FEBRUARY 1ST! If you haven't already received an enrollment packet, your club leader has one for you plus a project selection list. Please keep in mind that your club may have an earlier deadline in order to get the appropriate signatures and have time to get your completed enrollment forms in to the office by the deadline. All book orders go through your club leader. If you are interested in trying out the new 4-H Online system for enrollment, please contact the Extension Office. April 15 will remain the add/drop deadline for 2012. RECORD BOOK FOLDERS - NEW THIS YEAR! We are strongly encouraging ALL LIVESTOCK AND GENERAL PROJECT members to purchase a record book folder from the Extension Office. We are ordering enough folders for everyone from the 4-H Supply catalog. They are much smaller and easier to transport than the bulky three-ring binders. You can use the same folder year after year. Plus - they only cost $3 per folder! Please stop in the Extension Office to pick yours up! Contact Kindra with any questions. MQA DATES SET! The Meat Quality Assurance (MQA) date for Phillips County will be Monday, April 16, 4-7 p.m. at the Phillips County Event Center. If you are new to a 4-H livestock project, you are required to participate in the training the first two years of your project. You will need to re-certify when you are 12 and again when you are 15. Livestock projects that require MQA training includes: beef, sheep, swine, goats, rabbits, and poultry. Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) is included in the MQA training. If you haven't met this requirement by June 19, 2012, you will not be eligible to show at fair. LIVESTOCK JUDGING Would you like to understand why your animal won a class at fair? Or maybe your animal placed lower in a class and you would like to know why. If you answered yes to these questions, consider participating in livestock judging to learn what to look for when selecting and judging livestock. Livestock judging also offers you the opportunity to improve your decision making, speaking, and critical thinking. You will make a few friends along the way and have the opportunity to travel to several contests. If you are interested in judging, please contact Kindra at the Extension Office. NEXT COUNCIL MEETING Council officers and representatives: our next regularly scheduled council meeting will be Sunday, January 22, 4 p.m. We will not be able to use the Ortner Room for this meeting, so please look at your council meeting reminder postcard when you get it for the location. I will also be emailing you the location when it is decided. THANK YOU!! The Heginbotham Trust is once again paying your state 4-H dues for the 2011-12 4-H year. State dues are $15 per member. Please remember to send them a thank you for supporting Phillips County 4-H! Their mailing address is: The Will Heginbotham Trust, P.O. Box 245, Holyoke, CO 80734. A special thank you goes to Mardi Stewart and Paige Thompson for agreeing to serve as the Leader Advisors for the 2011-12 Phillips County 4-H Council. Thank you! Return to Top of Page
Sedgwick County Section Sedgwick County 4-H Calendar UPCOMING DATES JANUARY 6 - 4-H enrollments due in Extension Office 9 - LDC registration due in Extension Office 16 - Council officer training, noon-2 p.m., Extension Office 17 - 4-H Day at the National Western Stock Show 24 - Council meeting, 7 p.m., Extension Office 28-30 - LDC in Denver FEBRUARY 5 - Market Beef weigh-in, 1-3 p.m. at the Fairgrounds 10-12 - Youth Fest, Ponderosa Retreat and Conference Center, Larkspur, CO 17 - Tentative due date for CWF applications, contact Kindra for more details Return to Top of Page Sedgwick County 4-H Articles: 2012 SEDGWICK COUNTY FAIR UPDATE The 2012 Sedgwick County Fair will be August 1-5. There have been discussions about changing the schedule, but nothing has been decided at this point. Please watch your March/April newsletter for the final 4-H schedule for fair. The theme for fair will be "Generations Strong." Put on your thinking caps and start brainstorming some fun ideas for floats, decorations, etc. centered around this theme for fair! New Building Update: Progress is being made on the new animal housing and show ring facility at the fairgrounds! Market beef weigh-in is scheduled to take place in the new scale house. Donations are still being accepted to help defray the cost of the new facility. If you or someone you know is interested in donating, please contact Bev at the Extension Office. MARKET BEEF WEIGH-IN Market beef weigh - in will be held at the Sedgwick County Fairgrounds on Sunday, February 5th from 1-3 p.m. You will need the brand inspection paper or official bill of sale at this time to prove ownership. Please be on time! If you do not weigh - in, you are not eligible to show at county fair. Remember, 4-H members are not required to attend weigh - in if they have prior commitments; however, we will need to know which animal belongs to which child AT THE TIME OF WEIGH - IN in order to accurately complete our paperwork. For safety reasons, we encourage all market beef exhibitors to start halter breaking your steer or heifer before weigh-in. The weight range for county fair will be 1050-1500 lbs. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE (LDC) Attention 4-H members 14 years of age and older! LDC will be held January 28-30, 2012 in Denver. If you are interested in attending this amazing opportunity, you will need to have your registration form to the office by January 9, 2012. Watch your mailbox for specific information and the registration form. (More info in main part of this newsletter) CITIZENSHIP WASHINGTON FOCUS 4-H members who are 15 years or older by the first of the year are eligible to attend the Washington Focus trip to Washington D.C. this coming summer. Sedgwick County would like to send at least one delegate on this trip. If you are interested in applying to go, please call the office for more information. The deadline for this application is tentatively set for February 17. (More info in main part of this newsletter) MQA DATES SET! The Meat Quality Assurance (MQA) date for Sedgwick County will be Sunday, April 15, 1-4 p.m. at the Sedgwick County Fairgrounds. If you are new to a 4-H livestock project, you are required to participate in the training the first two years of your project. You will need to re-certify when you are 12 and again when you are 15. Livestock projects that require MQA training includes: beef, sheep, swine, goats, rabbits, and poultry. Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) is included in the MQA training. If you haven't met this requirement by June 18, 2012, you will NOT be eligible to show at fair. Contact the Extension Office with any questions. LIVESTOCK JUDGING Would you like to understand why your animal won a class at fair? Or maybe your animal placed lower in a class and you would like to know why. If you answered yes to these questions, consider participating in livestock judging to learn what to look for when selecting and judging livestock. Livestock judging also offers you the opportunity to improve your decision making, speaking, and critical thinking. You will make a few friends along the way and have the opportunity to travel to several contests. If you are interested in judging, please contact Kindra at the Extension Office. LITERATURE ORDERS It is important for 4-H members to have the appropriate information to successfully complete their projects in a timely manner. Especially those members enrolled in General Projects. To help members accomplish this we are asking the club leaders to collect the orders for 4-H project manuals from their membership. In an effort to be more efficient and to insure these members have the necessary materials for their projects, these literature orders are due to the Extension office no later than March 15, 2012. When you are confident you have the manual order needs for everyone in your club, submit the order to the Extension Office. The Extension Office will order the literature and bill individual 4-H clubs for all members' purchases. Members will need to reimburse their clubs for this expense. NEXT COUNCIL MEETING Council officers and representatives: don't forget our next regularly scheduled council meeting will be held Tuesday, January 24, 7 p.m. at the Extension Office! COUNCIL OFFICER TRAINING Attention Council Officers! Our officer training is scheduled for Monday, January 16, noon-2 p.m. at the Extension Office. There is no school that day due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Plans are still being finalized, but we'll have lunch, talk about officer responsibilities, leadership, and have some fun along the way! Please contact Kindra if you have any questions. THANK YOU! The Stretesky Foundation is once again paying for state and local 4-H dues, which total $20 per member. This grant also allows some funding to help send 4-Hers to camps and conferences throughout the year. Please remember to send them a thank you for supporting Sedgwick County 4-H! Their mailing address is: The William Stretesky Foundation, 104 W. 1st St., Julesburg, CO 80737. Return to Top of Page
Washington County Section Washington County 4-H Calendar Jan. 10 - LDC Registrations Due to County Office Jan. 23 - 4-H County Council Meeting - 5:30 p.m. - Ext Office, Akron Jan. 28-30 - Leadership Development Conference (LDC) - Denver Jan. 30 - Shooting Sports Safety Meeting - Ext Office, Akron Feb. 4 - Beef Weigh In - BeefCo, Akron Mar. 19 - 4-H County Council Meeting - 7:00 p.m. - Ext Office, Akron Mar. 23 - Raffle Tickets Due to Extension Office Mar. 30 - Carnival - Akron Apr. 13 - Meat Quality Assurance Training (MQA) - Akron Return to Top of Page Washington County 4-H Articles: 4-H COUNCIL MEETING January 23rd, 2012 5:30 p.m., Courthouse Annex Agenda Items: Leadership Development Conference, Spring Carnival and Raffle, Upcoming Spring Events, Leaders Council Meeting 4-H SHOOTING SPORTS Shooting Sports Safety and Orientation Meeting January 30, 2012 6:30-8:00 p.m., Courthouse Annex 4-H Shooting Sports Leader, Randy Schoenecker, will be discussing all dates and rules for county practices and shoots, as well as state fair participation. All families enrolled in shooting sports projects are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting! LIVESTOCK PROJECT MEETINGS We will be hosting a series of livestock project meetings this year instead of major workshops. These will be one hour sessions where we will focus on a highlighted topic for 30 minutes and then answer questions about any livestock project in the remaining half hour. All meetings will be free and open to anyone interested - no meals will be served. A tentative schedule is as follows: Feb 1st Beef Nutrition and Care 5:30-6:30 p.m. Extension Office Feb 27th Animal Selection 5:30-6:30 p.m. Extension Office Mar 19th Market Swine Care 5:30-6:30 p.m. Extension Office Apr 16th Sheep/Goat Care 5:30-6:30 p.m. Extension Office May NO Meeting - feel free to come in during office hours for questions June 12-14 NE Colorado Livestock Camps - Sterling - more info coming soon! Jun 27th Weights and Gain 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Fairgrounds Bring your animal to check weights! July 16th Record books, County Fair Preview 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Extension Office LIVESTOCK JUDGING Have you ever wondered why your animal placed a certain way at the fair? Maybe you'd just like to know more about how to select a perfect animal? Consider joining the Washington County 4-H Livestock Judging Team. Young judgers will have a chance to learn about the selection of beef, sheep, and swine. They will practice their skills on livestock throughout the county and will also have a chance to compete against other teams at area contests. This is a great chance to meet other 4-H members, practice your decision making skills, and learn more about your livestock project. The team will start meeting sometime in February so please contact Jamie Axtell today to ask questions or sign up to be on the team. LIVESTOCK WEIGH-IN & NOMINATION DATES Market beef weigh-in will be held at BeefCo Feedlot on Saturday, February 4th from 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. All market steers and market heifers MUST be weighed in on this date to be eligible to show at county fair - NO EXCEPTIONS. Be sure to bring your brand inspection paper or an official bill of sale to prove ownership of your animal, the brand inspector will be onsite collecting that information. Retinal scanning may not be available on this date so please contact the Extension office as soon as possible if you are planning to show a steer at the state fair. Breeding heifers do not need to be weighed in. Market lamb and goat weigh-in will be held at the fairgrounds on Monday, May 7th from 3:30 - 6:00 p.m. at the Fairgrounds. All market lambs/goats MUST be weighed in on this date to be eligible to show at the county fair - NO EXCEPTIONS! Market swine will NOT be weighed in. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to nominate your pigs for the county fair. This process has changed a bit this year so be sure to follow all guidelines. To nominate your hog, start by picking up nomination forms and ear tags at the Extension Office. Tag your pigs and take three photos of each - one of each side of the pig plus one of the pig's head which shows the tag in the pig's ear, clearly readable. Complete the form by filling out the tag number and description of each pig. You will also need to record the pig's ear notches on the nomination form. These nomination forms, completely filled out with ear notch information and the three pictures, must be returned to the office by May 1st, at 4:30 p.m. for eligibility in the county fair show. NO EXCEPTIONS! A county tagging date may be offered for those families that will need assistance with this nomination process. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE (LDC) Attention 4-H members 14 years of age and older! LDC will be held January 28 - 30, 2012 in Denver. Refer to the main newsletter section for more details. If you are interested in attending this amazing opportunity, you will need to have your registration form to the office by January 10. ANNUAL CARNIVAL AND RAFFLE Each year, the county 4-H council and clubs host a carnival in March for area youth to enjoy. As part of the event, all clubs will be required to participate by hosting a booth. Most clubs already have a traditional booth that they sponsor but new ideas are always welcome. The carnival serves as a fundraiser for clubs and the county as they share proceeds from the ticket sales. A raffle drawing is held during the carnival so clubs are also asked to sell raffle tickets leading up to the event. Tickets will go to press in December and be ready for distribution at our January council meeting date. Each member is asked to sell at least three books of tickets. Proceeds from the raffle are split between the clubs and county. Watch for more information in the next newsletter or at your next club meeting. The date for the event has been set for March 30, 2012 at the Events Center in Akron. ROBOTICS Washington County is planning a 4-H Robotics series during the winter. Tentative plans are to meet on Sunday afternoons for six weeks beginning February 5th from 2-4:30 p.m. at Roger & Diane Schenk's home. They live at 26237 Hwy 63 (Elba) about 15 miles south of Akron or 15 miles north of Anton. Space may be limited, so call the Extension Office (970) 345-2287 to reserve a spot. This group will be working with the Lego NXT Mindstorm robot kits. 4-H members will learn what a robot is, how to build one, and how to program the robot to use sensors to interact with its environment. Working collaboratively, 4-H team members make decisions and organize information to complete the activities. Robotics is an ideal way to introduce science, math, engineering and technology while teaching life skills to youth ages 10 through 18. Robotics teaches 4-Hers programming concepts using the ROBOLAB language. Robotics also teaches youth more advanced topics in both programming and mechanics. Youth advance their science knowledge, develop creative thinking, decision making and leadership skills; and have FUN! ROAD TRIP TO FIBER FUN FEST February 25, 2012 The Ranch, Larimer County Fairgrounds Gisele is willing to drive and can take 3 or 4 youth; and we can get other adults to carpool as well. Call or email Gisele to let her know you want to go and need a ride (970) 345-2287 or Gisele.jefferson@colostate.edu. (More information in the main part of this newsletter and a flyer is included.) GENERAL, AND FAMILY & CONSUMER PROJECT UPDATE We will provide several project workshops and trainings in 2012. Still working on details, but here is what is in the planning. During the week of March 19 - 23 we are making plans to offer project workshops in Photography, Cake Decorating, Sewing or Quilting, and Foods. Please let Gisele know what you are most interested in having that week. What we don't get done in March, we can plan for June. So, speak up and tell me what projects need some extra attention this year. Call Gisele Jefferson at 970-345-2287 or email Gisele.jefferson@colostate.edu. Return to Top of Page
Yuma County Section Yuma County 4-H Calendar JANUARY 3 - Yuma County 4-H Leaders' Banquet - 4th & Main, Wray CO. 7-22 - National Western Stock Show 10-20 - NWSS Jr. Livestock processing, showmanship, market show, Livestock Sale 14,15,16 - NWSS Catch-a-Calf 17 - NWSS 4-H and FFA Day 17,18 - NWSS Open Horse Shows 14 - Dairy Cattle Hoof Trimming Clinic 27-30 - Leadership Development Conference (registrations due January 10) FEBRUARY 1 - Project Registration Deadline 10-12 - YouthFest in larkspur (registrations due February 1) 14 - Yuma County 4-H Council-Idalia @ 7:00 13 - Applications for Citizenship Washington Focus Due in Extension office 25 - Beef Weigh in (Yuma County Fairgrounds, Ranchland Livestock Sale Barn, Idler Residence). APRIL 3 - MQA Class in Yuma County. Watch for time and place 23-27 - Ag Fest MAY 10 - MQA Class in Yuma County. Watch for time and place JUNE 12-14 - NJC Livestock Camp. 18-22 - State 4-H Conference Return to Top of Page Yuma County 4-H Articles: IT IS TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT THE NEW 4-H YEAR ~The enrollment deadline is February 1, if you would like to take advantage of the generous 5.00 per member offer from the Yuma County Commissioners. ~Look at the project list. Is there something that you would like to learn about, but don't know how to get started? Enroll in the project to see if it is right for you. ~You need to think of the time you have during the next 7 months and can you commit to all of the projects you have signed up for? ~Before you purchase your livestock, you should have the goal section of your record book completed. ~For all the adults reading this, do you have a talent that you could share with our youth? If you have knowledge of a general project or a livestock project, please call the extension office at 332-4151 so we can pair you up with a youth wanting to learn your skill. CLOVERBUDS The purpose of the cloverbud project is to give our younger members an opportunity to get a feel for the projects available to them when they turn 8. In the Extension office, we have kits available for you to check out if you have Cloverbuds enrolled in your club. Please call the Extension office if you would like to check out the following kits... Gardening, Farm Safety, Worms, Butterflies, Rocketry, Leathercraft, Moose Muffins, Eggs. MARKET BEEF WEIGH-IN WHO: All 4-H and FFA members planning to exhibit in the 2012 Yuma County Fair or Colorado State Fair. WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, Feb 25 from 9:00 to noon. This year you can choose to weigh in at the Yuma County Fairgrounds (Yuma), Ranchland Livestock Sale Barn (Wray) and the Idler residence (Kirk). If you will exhibit at the Colorado State Fair, please plan on coming to the Yuma location to get a retinal scan. WHAT: ~ Members may weigh in 4 beef animals for the Yuma County Fair. ~ Brand Inspection will be done at each location. You must bring each animal's Bill of Sale and Brand Inspection paper. ~ Cydectin will be available at all weigh in locations. ~ When selecting your market beef animals, please remember that they will need to weigh a minimum of 1050 pounds and a maximum of 1500 pounds on August 5, 2012 AND they must also gain a minimum of 2 pounds per day during the 162 day feeding period. 2012 YUMA COUNTY FAIR PARADE THEME Here is a competition for all of the Yuma County 4-H clubs. It is time to start thinking about the 2012 Yuma County Fair Parade theme. This year, the Parade Committee is asking each club to think of a theme and submit their ideas to the Extension office. The parade committee will choose the winning theme and the club with the winning theme will receive a prize. Entries must be received by January 31, 2012. SHOOTING SPORTS SCHEDULE February 12 Shotgun Mandatory Safety Meeting - 1:00 - Yuma Gun Club 19 Archery Mandatory Safety Meeting - 1:00 - Fairgrounds Muzzle Mandatory Safety Meeting - 3:00 - Fairgrounds Pistol Mandatory Safety Meeting - 4:00 - Fairgrounds 26 .22 Mandatory Safety Meeting - 3:00 - Fairgrounds March 11 Shotgun - 3:00 - Yuma Trap Club 18 Archery - 1:00 - Marr Residence Muzzle - 3:00 - Marr Residence Pistol - 4:00 - Marr Residence 31 .22 - 3:00 - George Residence April 1 Shotgun - 3:00 - Yuma Trap Club 15 Archery - 1:00 - Marr Residence Muzzle - 3:00 - Marr Residence Pistol - 4:00 - Marr Residence 22 .22 - 4:00 - George Residence May 5-6 YHEC - Flagler - Bus on the 6th 13 Shotgun - 3:00 - Yuma Trap Club 19 .22 - 4:00 - George Residence 20 Archery - 1:00 - Marr Residence Muzzle - 3:00 - Marr Residence Pistol - 4:00 - Marr Residence June 3 .22 - 4:00 - George Residence 10 Shotgun - 3:00 - Yuma Trap Club 15-17 Family Camp - Victor 24 Archery - 1:00 - Marr Residence Muzzle - 3:00 - Marr Residence Pistol - 4:00 - Marr Residence July 8 Shotgun - 3:00 - Yuma Trap Club 15 Archery - 1:00 - Marr Residence Muzzle - 3:00 - Marr Residence Pistol - 4:00 - Marr Residence 22 .22 - 4:00 - George Residence August 18 .22 State Shoot - Pueblo 19 Archery State Shoot - Pueblo Muzzle State Shoot - Pueblo September 1 5-stand/skeet State Shoot - Colorado Springs 2 5-stand/skeet State Shoot - Colorado Springs 3 Trap State Shoot - Colorado Springs 4-H PROJECT LOANS We are very fortunate in Yuma County to have access to loans that benefit not only your livestock project, but general projects as well. Please call the Extension office if you would like an application for the Kerst Loan or JP True Memorial Loan. COUNCIL MEETINGS Feb 14- Idalia April 10- Eckley June 5- Liberty September 4- Yuma Oct/Achievement Night Call to order Pledge of allegiance 4-H pledge Roll call Reading of minutes Treasurer's report Senator report Committee reports Unfinished business New business: Finalize any fairbook revisions, CWF Screening Committee Announcements MENTORING The first year of 4-H can be a stressful time. There are so many things to think about like finishing your projects, attending all of the required meetings, doing community service and remembering to go to clinics, weigh-ins and all of the other activities that 4-H requires. If you don't have an older sibling to help you out, it can get a bit overwhelming. When my son was old enough to join 4-H, I thought that since I had been in 4-H for 8 years, it would be like riding a bicycle and would all come back to me. Funny thing, it really did not happen at all like that. It seemed like I was calling the Extension office at least once a month, "how do I do this?", "when am I supposed to do this?", "I forgot to do this, is it too late?" To ease new families into the next generation of 4-H, I would like to call on all veteran members, parents and/or leaders. It would be my wish that we could pair up a new family or member with someone familiar with the projects they are enrolled in. The veteran would be asked to remind the new member of important dates and goals, and to be an accessible person to get them through all of the firsts and get the new member to fair! Sr. members, this would also be a great item to add to your record book, resume, or scholarship application in the future! It will all depend on how many new members we have and what projects they are enrolled in, but if you would be interested in making the learning curve during the 1st year of 4-H a little easier, your help would be much appreciated! Please call me and I can answer any specific questions you may have. Return to Top of Page
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Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Golden Plains Area Extension counties cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. Where trade names are used, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Colorado State University Extension is implied.
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Created and Maintained by: Perry D. Brewer, Area Extension Agent (Technology Education/Youth) 1/3/2012