AREA LIVESTOCK JUDGING CLINIC
The Area Livestock Judging Clinic will be held on Monday, June 5 at the fair grounds in Orleans. Ribbons will be awarded and trophies will be presented to the top junior and top senior overall judge. There will be individual placings only – no team awards. A tentative schedule is:
9:00 - 9:25 Registration
9:30 a.m. Type Demonstration - By Bryan Reiling and/or Aaron Cooper
Judging
Break for Lunch
Oral Reasons
Award Presentations
4-H PROJECT BOOK POLICY
The state is constantly changing projects and 4-H project books and we are often caught with large numbers of outdated material. Again this year, we will be ordering 4-H project books as we need them. This means that we will not be able to fill your 4-H project book order as quickly as in the past. Please allow for this turn around time as you plan your 4-H year.
HARLAN COUNTY 4-H SPEECH CONTEST
On March 27 six 4-H’ers entered the Harlan County Speech Contest. Congratula-tions to each of them for the great job they did. They truly are making the best better!
4-H DANCE
The 4-H Council sponsored the annual 4-H Spring Dance and Movie Night. on April 7 at the Ag Center in Orleans. Around 150 4-H’ers and their guests attended the evening festivities. A small coin purse was found after the dance. If it is yours, please contact the office (308-928-2119).
MAY 1 IS A VERY IMPORTANT DATE
All 4-H enrollment forms are due on May 1. Please have your enrollment sheet in by this date. It is very important that we know who is going to be in what project so we can plan for this year’s fair and pre-fair events.
REMEMBER
We will be limiting the number of exhibits a 4-H’er can enter in each class to three, unless the fair book states differently. We will find a class for any non-livestock 4-H exhibit that is entered in the fair.
NEW AND EXCITING CAMPS OFFERED
Be a part of the new and exciting 4-H Camp program for 2006. The State 4-H Camp brochure that lists all the 4-H camps that are being offered in 2006 is in the office, and the county camp flyer is in this news letter. There is a 4-H CAMP FOR YOU! The Farm Bureau Women are offering a $20.00 scholarship per Harlan County 4-H’er to any of the camps.
4-H SHOOTING SPORTS
Franklin County Shooting Sports leader, Scott Ingram (308-775-3135), has extended an invitation to Harlan County 4-H’ers interested in shooting sports to join the Franklin County Club. If you are interested, please give him a call.
CHILD CARE PROVIDER IN-SERVICE
A three-hour child care provider in-service will be held on May 1 at the Johnson Center in Alma. The evening will begin with a picnic supper at 6:00. Please call the office for reservations.
PHOTOGRAPHY THEMES FOR 2006
Four-H photography themes are:
Unit II - All things Bright and Beautiful,
and
Unit III - Wet & Wild
THANK YOU RECEIVED
The office has received a thank you for one of the polar fleece blankets that was sent to Louisiana. The one page letter was from a college professor of history and here is a quote from the letter “..It actually bought tears to my eyes when I received (my blanket) and I intend to keep it forever as a remembrance, not of Katrina, but as a celebration of the human spirit of sharing…a way to remember your kindness.”
Thank you again to everyone who tied a blanket.
LIVESTOCK CHANGES, REMINDERS, and NOTES FOR 2006 . . . . .
LAMB TAGGING – JUNE 10
The new state policy "says" that you may tag the lambs yourself before our tagging day, BUT, the lambs must be seen by Lynette or Tony - WITH THE TAGS IN THEIR EARS- by June 15.
NEW FOR 2006
The Harlan County Fair Board has made the following changes, effective for the 2006 fair:
Market pigs - weight range of 230-290 pounds.
Market lambs - Minimum weight of 110 pounds.
Please note that lambs and pigs weighing less than their species’ minimum weight will be allowed to be exhibited, and to collect the sale premium. However, these animals must go back home after the fair. (They will not actually sell.) Pigs weighing under 230 pounds or over 290 pounds will not be considered for any championships in the market swine show.
SWINE EAR TAGS
All pigs exhibited at the county fair must be ear tagged. Tags are available at the Extension office. NOTE: Any and all pigs that might be exhibited at the Nebraska State Fair or the AK-SAR-BEN Livestock Exposition, need to be ear NOTCHED, and identified correctly and completely (marked notches AND ear notched numbers reported on the I.D. sheets).
PRODUCTION PIG CLASS AT STATE FAIR
There will again be a Production Pig Class at the Nebraska State Fair Swine Show.
Please contact the Extension office by April 27 for more information if you plan to be a part of this class at state fair. The three closest (and final) weigh sites to Harlan County are May 13 - Holdrege; May 11 - North Platte (call ahead for an appointment); and May 13 – Hastings.
ANIMAL SCIENCE YOUTH FIELD DAYS
The field days are designed to present a variety of fun and educational activities about different aspects of livestock production and are held at numerous locations across the state. The closest Animal Science Field Day is in Kearney on May 31. If you are interested in going, or just want more information, contact the office. This is a great way to practice for the State Quiz Bowl.
DISTRICT & STATE HORSE SHOWS
Level II certification is required for district 4-H Horse events. Events held only at the state 4-H Horse Show, such as Trail Class, require Level III certification. Four-H’ers who need to pass Level II for districts (or Level III and IV for certain state events), must pass these tests before May 9.
QUALITY ASSURANCE TRAIINING:
Remember that all members taking livestock projects must have Animal Quality Assurance verification. A county-wide training will be held on May 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the courthouse meeting room. Testing for those 4-H’ers 12 years and older can either be done by appointment or on May23. Four-H’ers are being asked to fill out a premise Id worksheet and it is important that you know the legal description of your premise. All 4-H’ers filling out a worksheet will receive a UNL Animal Science back pack.
ATTENTION HORSE EXHIBITORS
The new 4-H Horse Show and Judging Guide is in the office and will be used for the 2006 shows. Please discard your old 4-H Horse Show and Judging Guide. Please check for any new information. Dress code requirements are on page 18.
COUNTY LIVESTOCK QUIZ BOWL
The county quiz bowl contest will be held at the Ag Center on May 24. Please pre-register by May 17.
Questions from previous years can be accessed at http://pase.unl.edu/booklet/resources.html
More information is available at http://pase.unl.edu/booklet/quizbowl.html/
PREMIER ANIMAL SCIENCE EVENTS
PASE will be held June 25-27 and will offer a fun and educational environment, mixed with competition and a chance to excel and be recognized. Competition will include the State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, 4-H Livestock
Quiz Bowl and other contests.
Sincerely,
Tony Anderson
Extension Educator
Lynette Brown
Extension Assistant
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR APRIL & MAY:
(For more information about any of the events listed below, please contact the Extension office at 928-2119.)
April 11 - UNL Livestock Judging Workshop, Lexington, $10.00 Reg. Fee
April 15 – Blue Valley Beef Revue, Jefferson Co. Fairgrounds, Fairbury
April 28 - Arbor Day Holiday - Courthouse Closed
April 29 – 4-H Regional Speech Contest, West Central Region
April 29 - Area 4-H Meat Goat Clinic, Gosper County Fairgrounds, Elwood
April 29 – 4-H Working Ranch Horse & Trail Clinic, Washington County Fairgrounds, Arlington
April 30 – Saline county Beef Classic, Saline County Fairgrounds, Crete
May 1 – 4-H Enrollment Deadline, Enrollment forms are due.
May 1 - Child Care Provider In-service, Johnson Center, Alma , 6:00 - 9:00
May 4 - UNL Livestock Judging Workshop, McCook, 6:00 – 9:00, Reg. Fee
May 8 – All Horse I.D. sheets are due
May 8 – All Dist & State Horse Show entries are due
May 13 - Production pig Weigh-in site, Phelps County Fairgrounds, Holdrege,
10:00-Noon (Other sites are available upon request)
May 20 – Beef & Lamb Classic, Gage Co. Fairgrounds, Beatrice
May 23 – Animal Quality Assurance Training, Courthouse, Alma, 7:00 p.m.
May 24 – Quiz Bowl, Ag Center, 7:00 p.m.
May 27 – Beef-A-Rama, Boone Co. Fairgrounds, Albion
May 28 – Goat-A-Rama & Sheep-A-Rama, Boone Co. Fairgrounds, Albion
May 30 - Pre-registration due for “Take A Leap. . . Discover 4-H”
Workshops in Lexington
May 31 - Animal Science Field Day, Buffalo County Fairgrounds, Kearney
