University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Harlan County

IMPORTANT DATES:

January 21 - January Jubilee, Ag Center, 5:30 p.m.

January 21 - L.T.L. - Cake Decorating, 5:30 p.m., Ag Center, Orleans

January 22 - Farmers & Ranchers Cow/Calf College Beef Seminar, Pre-register by

January 18, USMARC, Clay Center

January 26 - Market Beef Weigh-In, Harlan Feeders Feedlot, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

January 31 - Beef Production Seminar, 9:30 a.m., Minden

January 31 - Babysitting Clinic, 3:30 - 6:00, Courthouse Meeting Room, Alma

February 4 - Craft Workshop, 3:15 - 5:30 p.m., Ag Center in Orleans

February 5 - Craft Workshop, 3:30 - 6:00 p.m., Courthouse Meeting Room, Alma

February 5 - Beef Production Seminar, 9:30 a.m., Elwood

February 21 - L.T.L. - What is in Your Hutch? - The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, 1:30 p.m., Courthouse Meeting Room, Alma

February 22 - Senior’s Scholarship Applications Due by Noon

February 25 - Homemaker Club Member Scholarship Application Due

February 27 - Chemigation Training, 1:00 p.m., Minden

February 28 - Chemigation Training, 1:00 p.m., Kearney

March 3 - Scholarship Luncheon, 12:30 p.m., Ag Center, Orleans

March 3 - Homemaker Council Mtg., 2:00 p.m., Ag Center, Orleans

March 4 - Chemigation Training, 1:00 p.m., Holdrege

ANIMAL SCIENCE NEWS!! --

MARKET BEEF WEIGH-IN for Harlan County 4-H’ers will be held at the Harlan Feeders Feedlot on Saturday, January 26 from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. The animals will be ear tagged, weighed and if desired, DNA sampled and implanted.
DNA SAMPLING -as a reminder, all market beef, lambs, goats and hogs being considered for the Nebraska State Fair or AK-SAR-BEN are all required to be DNA identified. Cost to exhibitors will be $6.00 per head, and must be paid to the county office at DNA collection time.
DEADLINES FOR I.D.’s: March 28 Market Beef DNA Due , and June 12 - Market Lamb/Hogs DNA Due
2008 4-H HORSE STAMPEDE - will include state competitions for the 4-H Horse Bowl, Horse Public Speaking, and Horse Demonstration. This year’s competitions will be held at the Animal Science Building on East Campus. Entry forms for all contests may be found by clicking on 4-H Horse Stampede at http://animalscience.unl.edu/horse/STAMPEDE.htm Entries are due no later than February 1, 2008 for the March 8 event.
HORSE JUDGING CERTIFICATION - all current Nebraska 4-H horse judges MUST re-certify once every three years. There are two options to re-certify– either attend a judge’s seminar in person or by self study. For more information please go to: http://animalscience.unl.edu/horse/judges.htm.
NEBRASKA BEEF AMBASSADOR CONTEST - will be held in the Spring – late March, early April in Kearney, NE . As in the past, there will be a peewee division (8-12) and a junior division (13-16) and the Senior division (17-21 as of Jan. 1, 2008). The peewees and juniors will give speeches, the seniors will do a speech, a written media response (done ahead of time), and a media interview. For more information contact Candice Davis at 308-327-2234 or at CandiceDD@hotmail.com

PLEASE CHECK THE LIST: The 4-H Council has set up the 4-H committees for 2008. Please check if your name appears on the enclosed list. If you are unable to help on that committee, please call the office by January 25. Thank you for your support.
SAVE THE DATE: March 15 is the date for the Harlan County Chili Cook-Off. The Cook-Off, sponsored by the Orleans Lions Club and the Harlan County 4-H Council is being held to raise money to purchase new tables and chairs for the Ag Center in Orleans. New light weight tables and chairs are needed to replace the heavy, worn-out tables and chairs. Local Chili chefs will be competing for the title of “Best Chili in the County”. Awards will also be given for Best Chili by a 4-H Member, by a 4-H Leader, by a Civic Organization and in the Open class Division. Prizes will be given for the Best Display and the Best Apron. Chili chefs are needed and can contact the Harlan County Extension Office for more information. The public is invited to come and sample the best chili in the county on March 15 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
JANUARY JUBILEE: will be held on January 21 at the Ag Center. The agenda is printed below The cost of the evening is $5.00. This covers the cost of the evenings’ workshops and the soup supper. For those attending just the supper, the cost will be $3.00. Please call the office if you are planning to attend.5:30 Workshops (Choose One) Cake Decorating -Basic Training -A Leader Training Lesson on the basics of cake decorating. Flower Pot Art- Turn a clay flower pot into a valentine gift. 6:30 Soup Supper - Soup and Sandwiches and Dessert 7:00 Award Program Announce Honor Club Years of Membership 7:30 January Council Meeting
THE WALKING CONTEST: In an effort to encourage a healthy life-style, the Harlan County Homemaker Clubs will be conducting a Walking Contest for its members in 2008. The contest will begin on February 1, 2008, and will end on December 31, 2008. Prizes will be given to the five members walking the most miles from February to December. The member walking the most miles will receive a special award. The club with the most average miles walked per member will also be recognized.
HOMEMAKER CLUB SCHOLARSHIPS: Again this year the Harlan County Homemaker Club Council will be awarding three $200.00 scholarships to Harlan County high school seniors. The scholarship applications have been sent to the local schools. Please encourage seniors to apply. Applications can also be picked up at the Harlan County Extension Office. Completed applications are due in the office by Noon on February 22. This year Harlan County seniors with grandmothers in Homemaker Clubs will be considered for the special Homemaker Club membership affiliated scholarships. The Homemaker Club Member Scholarship will also be awarded at the Scholarship Luncheon on March 3. This $200.00 scholarship is open to any Homemaker club member wishing to further their education. Please contact the office if you would like an application or if you would like more information. These completed applications are due in the office by Noon on February 25.
ONE BOOK ONE STATE: This year the book that the state is supposed to read is Restoring the Burnt Child by Nebraska’s own state poet, William Kloelkorn. Remember, special points are given on your club’s Honor Score Sheet if you read this book. You will be able to check this book out at your local library.
UPCOMING YOUTH WORKSHOPS: We have a number of youth workshops planned. Please read carefully and contact the office to register.
BABYSITTING CLINIC: Boys and girls ages 10-13 are invited to a Sitter Sense Babysitting Clinic on January 31 at the courthouse meeting room in Alma. The workshop will cover the basic’s of babysitting and will be from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The cost of the clinic is $3.00.
AFTER SCHOOL CRAFT WORKSHOPS: Two after school Valentine craft workshops are being planned. One will be held in Orleans at the Ag Center on February 4 from 3:15 -5:30 and another one will be held on February 5 in the courthouse meeting room in Alma from 3:30 - 6:00 p.m. The workshops are for youth grades 2 through 6. The cost of the workshop will be $ 3.00.
COOKING 101: - an after school beginning cooking school for fifth and sixth grade students, is being planned for February and March The school will consist of three two-hour classes and a final cook off. Cooking 101 will be offered in Oxford on February 12, 19, and 26 at the Methodist Church and in Alma March 4, 11, and18 at the Johnson Center. The cost will be $15.00. Registration will be limited to eight at each site. Please contact the office for agenda and to register.
Sincerely,

Tony Anderson, Extension Educator

Lynette Brown, Extension Assistant

January 2008 Hotline