Upcoming Events
Feb. 5 & 6 - Horsin’ Around, Lincoln
Feb. 13- Winter Warm Up Satellite Program, Alma, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Feb.18 - Child Care Providers’ Conference, Holdrege
Feb. 21- Babysitting Clinic, Oxford
Feb. 25 - Toys for Tots LTL, Ag Center
March 6 - Homemaker Scholarship Luncheon, Ag Center, Orleans, 12:30
March 6 - 4-H Family Fun Night, Ag Center, Orleans, 6:00 p.m.
March 11 - Big Red Beef Show, Columbus
March 23 - New Looks for Your Yard, LTL, Alma , 2:00 p.m.
March 27- County Speech Contest, Alma
March 30 - All market beef must be weighed and I.D’ed by this date for all showing purposes.
February -Nebraska 4-H Month
February is Nebraska 4-H month and
to celebrate we would like your family or club to take part in a county committee service project for the Hurricane Katrina victims. Lynette’s brother-in-law, Stewart, has been in Louisiana and said the one thing that all victims need when they move out of the shelter and into a home is bedding. We are asking 4-H families or clubs to make polar fleece blankets for the Hurricane Katrina victims. The polar fleece has been purchased and the blankets are ready to be cut and tied. You can pick up your blanket project at the office or we will get them to you. Stewart will be returning at the end of February and we would like to send some of the blankets back with him at that time. Please help.
Winter Warm-Up
A workshop for volunteer 4-H leaders will be offered via satellite on February 13 from 7- 9 p.m. Leadership Development, Healthy Lifestyles and Meetings in a Bag are some of the topics being covered. The Harlan County Extension Office will be a view site and all 4-H leaders, parents and youth are invited to attend . A complete agenda is enclosed in this letter. Please contact the office if you can come. A sandwich bar will be served.
4-H Family Fun Night
The Harlan County 4-H Family Fun Night will be held on March 6th in Orleans at the Ag Center. New this year, the evening events begin at 6:00 with a pizza buffet. The following is a schedule for the evening:
6:00 Registration – Pizza Party
Play Smoke Free Educational Games
6:30 Community Service Projects — Blankets for Hurricane Victims
6:45 Workshops
Communication-You Can Do It
PSA’s-Writing and Taping Them
How to and What Not
Posters-A Great Way to Tell Your Story
Choose not Smoke
Smoke Free Table Top Learning
7:15 Repeat Workshops
7:45 Continue Work on Blanket
8:00 Smoke Free Quiz Bowl
8:30 Head For Home
All 4-H members, families, and leaders are invited to join the fun. We have applied for a Tobacco Free Grant from the State 4-H Office, so there is no cost for this evening, .
Speech Contest
Four-H speakers, mark March 27 on your calendar. That is the date of the Harlan County 4-H Speech Contest. The contest begins at 7:00 p.m. in the courthouse meeting room in Alma. Rules and guidelines will be in next month’s newsletter or you can contact the office for more information.
4-H Dance
The 4-H council voted to have a 4-H dance again this year. The dance and movie night will be held at the Ag Center in Orleans on April 7 from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Photography Themes for 2006
Are you ready to start your fair exhibits? The 2006 4-H photography themes have been announced. The Unit II theme will be All Things Bright and Beautiful and the Unit III theme will be Wet & Wild.
Fair Dates - 2006
July 25-29 -- Harlan County Jr. Fair
August 26-September 4 -- State Fair
September 26-October 1 – AK-SAR-BEN
Please Check the List:
The 4-H Council has set up the 4-H committees for 2006. Please check if your name appears on the enclosed list. If you are unable to help on that committee, please call the office by February 10. Thank you for your support.
Animal Science News!
Scholarship Offered by Cattlemen
The Harlan County Cattlemen’s Association will offer a $500.00 scholarship for the 2006-2007 academic year for an applicant planning to pursue an education in the field of agriculture. An applicant must be a graduating high school senior or freshman or sophomore in college and a resident of Harlan County, or a son or daughter of a Harlan County Cattlemen’s Association member.
Applications are available from your high school guidance counselor or the Harlan County Extension Office. All applications must be postmarked by February 21, 2006.
Quality Assurance - 2006
All 4-H members taking livestock projects must have quality assurance verification to show livestock. The guidelines are set up by the state and are the same as last year.
Youth ages 8-11 (4-H age) must attend a yearly training session. For youth ages 12 (4-H age) and over; the following options apply: An intermediate level test will be available for youth ages 12-14. If a youth takes this test at age 12 and passes, he/she is done with training until age 15. An advanced level test will be offered for youth ages 15 and over. If he/she takes this and passes, they are done with training. Or, all youth ages 12 and over may choose to attend a training or help present a program. If this option is chosen, it is a yearly requirement. Tests will be given in the Extension office; they are not take-home tests. They can be taken as many times as necessary to pass.
This year 4-H’ers will receive a UNL Animal Science Back Pack if they premise ID their farm. The Premise ID forms will be sent out in the March newsletter and will be collected when the 4-H’ers finish the AQA verification.
Again this year, Lynette will be willing to offer the training to your club members at a club meeting and will be doing the testing at that time. Testing will also be done at the Extension office. County training will be held on May 23 in Alma.
Attention Goat Exhibitors!
Phelps County is hosting a one day 4-H Invitational Meat Goat Show on Wednesday, July 26, 2006. The weigh in will be from 11:00 - 11:30 and the show will begin at 1:00. Exhibitors from surrounding counties are invited to participate.
Meat goats may be exhibited at the state fair and Ak-Sar-Ben in 2006.
Exhibitors must own and identify each animal with an official 4-H tag for each animal. The Meat Goat ID Sheet must be turned in to the Extension Office by June 12. Contact the office for more information.
Home Maker Club News
Scholarship Luncheon
The Scholarship Luncheon is being
held on March 6 at the Ag Center in Orleans. Club Presidents will receive letters with more information.
Scholarship applications for the Homemaker Club Member Scholarship and the Homemaker Senior Student Scholarship are both due on February 24. If you need an application call the office.
Scholarship Changes:
At this time the council is giving two scholarships to seniors whose mothers are members of a Homemaker Club. The Homemaker Club Council is asking Homemaker Club members to discuss the possibility of changing the wording to include grandmothers. The senior would have to live in Harlan County, but would be considered for a Homemaker Club scholarship if their grandmother is a member of a Harlan County Homemaker Club.
Homemade Toys for Tots
The February Leader Training Lesson will be held at the Ag Center in Orleans on February 25 at 9:30 a.m. We will be discussing toy selection and be making simple, fun toys for the little ones in your life. The lesson is open to the public. Please call the office (928-2119) to register.
Change of Date!
The Leader Training Lesson entitled “New Look for Your Yard” for March 30 has been moved to March 23, 2006. The training will be held at the Courthouse meeting room in Alma.
Third Grade Poster Contest
Be a Good Neighbor is the topic for the Harlan County Homemaker Club’s third grade poster contest. The contest is open to all Harlan County third graders and letters have been sent to local schools.
If you know a of a third grader who would like to enter the contest, please contact the office for the guidelines.
“One False Move” – The Book to Read!
Raylene Stephens, County Literacy Chairman, has let the office know that the book to read this year is One False Move The book is a mystery and is written by Omaha author Alex Kava. (Your club gets Honor Club points if you read this book) Check your local library for this book and these other books written by Alex, The Perfect Evil, Split Second, Soul Catch, and At the Stroke of Midnight. Also check your local libraries for other services and events they may be sponsoring.
Sincerely,
Tony Anderson, Extension Educator
Lynette Brown, Extension Assistant
