UPCOMING EVENTS:
Febr. 17 & 18 - Horsin’ Around, Lincoln (Registration closes Febr. 9)
Febr. 22 - What’s In Your Hutch? LTL, Courthouse, Alma, 1:30 p.m.
Febr.24 - Child Care Providers’ Conference, Holdrege
March 3 - Goat Production & Marketing Conference, Stockton, KS
March 5 - 4-H Family Fun Night, Ag Center, Orleans, 6:00 p.m.
March 10 - Big Red Beef Show, Columbus
March 12 - Homemaker Scholarship Luncheon, Ag Center, Orleans, 12:30
March 20 - 4-H Rabbit Clinic, Webster Co.
March 23 - 4-H Dance, Ag Center, 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.
March 26- County Speech Contest, Alma
March 29 - A License to Grill, LTL, Ag Center, Orleans, 5:30 p.m.
March 30 - All market beef must be weighed and I.D’ed by this date for all showing purposes.
4-H FAMILY FUN NIGHT:
The Harlan County 4-H Family Fun Night will be held on March 5th in Orleans at the Ag Center. The evening events begin at 6:00 with a pizza buffet and will be over by 8:30. We will be looking at the new 4-H project Visual Arts 1 & 2.
All 4-H members, families and leaders are invited to join the fun.
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 March 23 from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.
SPEECH CONTEST:
Four-H speakers, mark March 26 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 are as follows:
Novice: Ages 11 and under. Recommended under 3 minutes and have never competed in a contest before. The 4-H’er may recite a poem, read or tell a story or do an original 4-H speech. (All Harlan County 4-H’ers under 8 will compete in this division.)
Junior: Ages 8-11. Recommended under 3 minutes. Must be an original speech relating to some aspect of 4-H.
Intermediate: Ages 12 and 13. Recommended 3 to 5 minutes. Must be an original speech relating to some aspect of 4-H.
Senior: Ages 14 and older. Recommended 5-8 minutes. Must be an original speech relating to some aspect of 4-H.
Public Service Announcements: All divisions of PSA will be 60 seconds. PSAs must promote 4-H and be submitted on tape the night of the contest. Please pre-register for the county contest by March 23.
This year the four regional contests will be April 28 at Scottsbluff, April 28 at North Platte; May 30 at Norfolk and May 31 at Lincoln.
PHOTOGRAPHY THEMES FOR 2007:
Are you ready to start your fair exhibits? The 2007 4-H photography themes for 2007 are as follows:
Unit II - “What I want to be when I grow Up: People, Places of Concepts Representing Careers”
Unit III - “To Infinity and Beyond: The Exploration of Science and Technology” or “It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Ag: New Trends in Agriculture”.
FAIR DATES - 2007:
July 24-28 -- Harlan County Jr. Fair
August 25-September 3 -- State Fair
September 25-30 -- AK-SAR-BEN
THE TWO STATEWIDE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR 4-H YOUTH:
Opportunity 1 – Youth Curriculum Committee
The Nebraska 4-H Curriculum program, is seeking young leaders from across the state to serve on the NEW Youth Curriculum Committee. This committee will give youth a voice in 4-H Curriculum decisions. For more information contact Michelle Garwood, at (402) 472-9184 or at mailto:mgarwood2@unl.edu.
Opportunity 2 – Youth Multimedia Team
The Youth Multimedia Team is seeking 4-H’ers who are interested in multimedia (the use of text, audio, still images, animation, video, interactivity), technology, and communication. Youth will gain new skills, serve communities by completing projects and showcase to others the emerging technologies in the area of multimedia communication, all while promoting Nebraska 4-H Program opportunities. Questions may be directed toward Tracy Pracheil, Extension Educator, at (402) 472-9016 or at mailto:tpracheil2@unl.edu.
The State 4-H Web site (4h.unl.edu) will contain a fact sheet, as well as application materials, for both opportunities. Please note that 4-H youth are encouraged to apply for only ONE of the above opportunities. Applications will be accepted through March 1, 2007.
NE AG YOUTH INSTITUTE (NAYI):
NAYI is a five day event that brings together high school juniors and seniors from across the state to help build leadership skills, explore new aspects of agriculture and encourage young people to become more involved with and remain in agriculture. All meals, lodging and activities are sponsored by the NE Dept. of Agriculture. The only expense for the student is transportation to and from the Institute. Applicants are not limited to those who are directly involved in agriculture. All students who wish to explore new opportunities or develop leadership skills are encouraged to apply for NAYI 2007. Applications, due by April 15, can be picked up at the Harlan County Extension Office.
4-H TALENT REVUE:
Four-H’ers are invited to audition via tape to perform at the annual meeting of the National Association of County Ag Agents in Grand Rapids, MI July 14-17. The deadline to audition is February 28. Contact the office for more information.
ANIMAL SCIENCE NEWS!
SCHOLARSHIP OFFERED BY CATTLEMEN:
The Harlan County Cattlemen’s Association will offer a $500.00 scholarship for the 2007-2008 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 a 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 14, 2007.
DEADLINES FOR I.D.'S, NOSEPRINTS, AND DNA SAMPLES
March 30 -Market Beef DNA and Noseprints Due
June 14 - Market Lamb/Hogs DNA Due
QUALITY ASSURANCE - 2007:
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.
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 22 in Alma.
ATTENTION GOAT EXHIBITORS:
Phelps County is hosting a one day 4-H Invitational Meat Goat Show on Tuesday, July 24, 2007. The weigh in will begin at 1:00 p.m. and the show will begin at 3:00. Exhibitors from surrounding counties are invited to participate.
Meat goats may be exhibited at the state fair and Ak-Sar-Ben. 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
WHAT IS IN YOUR HUTCH?
The February Leader Training Lesson will be held at the courthouse meeting room in Alma on February 22 at 1:30 p.m. We will be discussing the types of glassware and giving tips on how to know what you have in your hutch. We will be looking at the value of depression glass and carnival glass. The lesson is open to the public. Please call the office (928-2119) to register.
SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON:
The Scholarship Luncheon is being held on March 12 at the Ag Center in Orleans. Club presidents will receive letters with more information. Scholarship applications for the Homemaker Club Member Scholarship is due on March 2 and the Homemaker Senior Student Scholarship is due on February 26. If you need an application call the office.
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.
Sincerely,
Tony Anderson, Extension Educator
Lynette Brown, Extension Assistant
