May 2008 Hotline

4-H NEWS

Enrollment Sheets Thanks to all 4-H members and leaders who have completed and turned in their 2008 Enrollment Sheets. If you have not turned in your enrollment sheet for this year, please do so as soon as possible. Please check your 4-H material packets for ID Sheets. All completed ID sheets need to be in the office by June 13.

4-H LEADERS NEWS BRIEFING

New things are happening in the 4-H program in 2008, and we will be holding an informational meeting on May 27 at the courthouse meeting room in Alma. A free sandwich and dessert bar will be served from 7:00 to 9:00 and the new things will be shared at 7:30 p.m. All club leaders and 4-H parents are invited. Please contact the office by May 23 if you can come.

SIGN UP FOR COUNTY 4-H CAMP

County Camp is planned for June 18-20 at the South Central 4-H Center. If you are ages 8-12, you will not want to miss out. This two night and 2 1/2 day camp will only cost $75.00, thanks to a scholarship of $20.00 paid by the Harlan County Farm Bureau Women. The flyer is in this news letter.

ANIMAL SCIENCE YOUTH FIELD DAY

West Central Youth Field Day will be held on Thursday, June 5, at the fairgrounds in Lexington. Call 928-2119 for more information.

THIS 'N THAT DAY

This ‘N That Day will be held on June 17 at the Ag Center in Orleans from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Older 4-H’ers may choose to do more difficult projects and work at their own pace. All 4-H’ers will leave with finished projects that can be exhibited at the fair. The cost of the day is $10.00, which will cover supplies, snacks and a noon lunch. Pre-registration is a must. Please call the office by June 13.

ATTENTION BIKE MEMBERS

The Bike Rodeo will be at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, July 7. The Bicycle Rodeo will be at the Ag Center in Orleans and there will be no Road Race this year. You will be receiving a letter about this event by June 18. We hope you are signed up for this really fun project. If you don’t get a letter, you are not signed up for the bicycle project and you will need to call the office.

TRACTOR SAFETY COURSE TO BE HELD

The Hazardous Occupations Safety Training Course will be Thursday, May 29, from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Friday, May 30, from 9:00 - Noon, at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Franklin. Any youth 14 or 15 years of age who plans to work on a farm other than their parents’ MUST be certified through a Hazardous Occupations course. There is no cost for the course, but pre-registration is required. Course materials, lunch and refreshments will be provided. Sponsored by University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension and south-central NE Chapter of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids.

ID REMINDER

Families having more than one 4-H’er in an individual livestock project, need to list each of the 4-H’ers name on the ID form along with the 4-H’er(s) age. ID forms will not be signed until all 4-H’ers listed have met AQA requirements.

LIVESTOCK NEWS

4-H LIVESTOCK QUIZ BOWL

Harlan County’s 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl will be held at 7:00 p.m. on May 28 at the Ag Center. Four-H Club leaders, please note that the registration deadline is May 21. Any 4-H’er may be a part of the Quiz Bowl. If you are not on a team, the committee will make up a team of individual entries.

ANIMAL QUALITY ASSURANCE TRAINING

All Harlan County livestock Exhibitors (this includes rabbit and poultry exhibitors) need to meet the AQA requirements. Here are the dates of AQA training. Two new dates have been added. May 21 - AQA Training at the Courthouse meeting room in Alma at 7:00 p.m. June 3 - AQA Training at the Courthouse Meeting Room in Alma at 7:00 p.m. * June 7 - AQA training at Lynette’s farm at 9:30 a.m. This one is designed for first year 4-H’ers and children under 8.

AREA LIVESTOCK JUDGING CLINIC

The Area Livestock Judging Clinic will be held on Monday, June 2, at the fair grounds in Orleans. Ribbons will be awarded and a trophy will be presented to the top junior and senior judge. There will be individual placings only – no team awards. A tentative schedule is as follows:

• 8:00-8:30 a.m. Registration --
• 8:30 a.m. Type Demonstration by Matt Ellicott --
• 9:30 a.m. Judging

• 11:00 a.m. Lunch Break
• Noon Oral Reasons
• 2:00 Discussion of Classes Award Presentations

LAMB TAGGING And ROUGH SHEARING

Furnas County has agreed to allow Harlan County 4-H’ers to take their sheep to the fairgrounds in Beaver City on Thursday, May 29, 2008, beginning at 9:00 a.m. A shearer will be available that day for those wishing to have their sheep sheared. Harlan County market lambs may also be tagged and/or checked that morning. All sheep must arrive before noon that day. Anyone planning to take lambs that morning is asked to call the Harlan County Extension Office (928-2119) by May 27, so an adequate number of tags will be available. We also need to know the number of sheep that you will be shearing. Harlan County’s tagging day will be held in Orleans the morning of Saturday, June 7, 2008, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Please note that there will NOT be a shearer present on that day.

MARKET LAMB TAGGING

Four-H’ers showing market lambs must have their sheep tagged by Extension personnel or the lambs with tags in their ears must be seen by Extension personnel. Please have the ID Sheets filled out with the 4-H’ers information ahead of time. DNA samples will be pulled at this time for the Nebraska State Fair and/or AK-SAR-BEN lambs. Four-H’ers will be charged $6.00 for each DNA sample. USDA SHEEP And GOAT IDENTIFICATION (SCRAPIE TAGS) -- Sheep and goat exhibitors, you are reminded that all sheep and goats being exhibited (this includes Yearlings and Ram Lambs) “except wethers” need to be individually identified with a USDA official ID (Scrapies Tag). In addition, “Under no circumstances may sheep and goats be exhibited which originate from Scrapie-Source flocks or Scrapie-Infected flocks.”

SWINE, MEAT GOAT, And LAMB DNA REMINDER

Four-H’ers who plan to show at the Nebraska State Fair and/or Ak-Sar-Ben are reminded that all market lambs, market swine and meat goats are required to have DNA hair samples pulled and placed in the official DNA envelope. These envelopes, along with $6.00 per sample, need to be in the Extension office no later than June 13. Due to the risk of spreading disease, we are asking 4-H families to pull the hair for their Nebraska State Fair/Ak-Sar-Ben eligible pigs. Stop by and pick up envelopes at your convenience.

** 2008 HARLAN COUNTY FAIR LIVESTOCK CHANGES

Market Swine must weigh at least 220 pounds, but not more than 300 pounds. ★ Divisions for market beef have been added. ★ Divisions for market lambs have been dropped. ★ Harlan County Cattlemen’s free barbecue has been changed to Tuesday evening, July 29.

REMINDER FOR SHEEP EXHIBITORS

Lambs must weigh a minimum of 100 pounds to be eligible to be eligible to receive a purple ribbon. Lambs weighing under 100 pounds will show separately - no purple ribbons will be awarded in this class, and these lambs will not compete for champion. Lambs must weigh at least 110 pounds to actually sell in the 4-H Livestock Sale. Lambs weighing under 110 pounds may sell for the premium; however, these animals will not actually sell and must go back home after the Harlan County fair.

REMINDER FOR SWINE EXHIBITORS

Hogs must weigh at least 220 pounds, but not over 300 pounds. Pigs that are too light or too heavy will show separately. No purple ribbons will be awarded in these classes, and they will not compete for champion. The light pigs may sell for the premium; however, these animals will not actually sell and must go back home after the Harlan County fair.

PREMIER ANIMAL SCIENCE EVENTS

PASE will be held June 30-July 1 and will offer a fun and education, mixed with competition and a chance to excel and be recognized. Competition includes the State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl, and the State 4-H Livestock Skill-A-Thon. Contact the Extension office for more information.

AK-SAR-BEN LIVESTOCK CHANGES

★ No Livestock will be allowed north of the Qwest Center. This includes the grass just north of the building and the parking lots. ★ New breeding gilt show. Special I.D. sheets will be used. Breeding gilts will be identified with ear notches and a reg. number, if they are purebred,by June 13. Individuals may exhibit a maximum of three breeding gilts at the show. Contact the office for more information. ★ No clipping, fitting or blocking stands will be allowed at the show inside or outside the building. No clipping of lambs or goats or shearing of lambs will be allowed for health and safety reasons. ★ Light weight lambs will not be released or shown but will be retained for sale to the packer. (under 115 pounds). ★ All meat goats must be born after January 1. They will be mouthed at the show. ★ The carcass contest ultrasound will be done on Thursday at check-in.

STATE FAIR BOOK ON THE WEB

The Nebraska State Fair Book is on the web at www.4h.unl.edu/programs/statefair See what you can exhibit in each of your projects.

SUMMER 4-H WORKSHOPS IN HARLAN COUNTY

(Pre-registration deadline for all workshops is the Friday before the workshop.) Craft Workshop Wood pallets will become patriotic yard flags at the craft workshop planned for June 6 at the Fair grounds in Orleans. The workshop being offered to older 4-H’ers and adults will begin at 9:00 a.m. and finish around Noon. Four-H’ers younger than 11 are welcome to come but will need to bring an adult to help them finish the project. You must pre-register by May 30 and the cost of the workshop is $5.00 The finished projects can be entered at the fair.

SMALL ANIMAL WORKSHOP

A how-to fit and show workshop for rabbits, chickens and bucket calves will be held on June 23 at the Ag Center in Orleans. This hour long workshop will be held at 4:30 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m. If this is your first year in these projects or if you want some tips to improve your skills, please plan to attend.

TOPS And BOTTOMS WORKSHOPS

The beginning sewing workshops this year will be Bottoms and Tops. The Bottoms workshops will be held on June 24 in Orleans from 9:00 a.m until noon, and at Alma from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. This workshop will allow 4-H’ers to make Bermuda shorts or a simple skirt; both will have elastic waists . A Tops workshop will be June 26 at Alma from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. .This workshop will allow a 4-H’er to make a simple top. The simple bottom or the simple top will be suitable for Clothing Level I or if teamed together, suitable for a the Clothing Level 2 project. The cost of each workshop is $7.00, which covers the pattern, fabric and notions. Each class is limited to 8 participants. Please call the Extension office to pre-register.

INTERMEDIATE SEWING WORKSHOP

A dress workshop will be held on July 1 and July 2 at the Ag Center in Orleans The workshop will start at 9:00 a.m. and we will sew until 4:00 on July 1 and finish the dresses on July 2 if we need to. Lunch will be furnished on July 1. The cost of the workshop will be $ 5.00 which covers the pattern, the zipper and lunch. You will be purchasing your own fabric. Contact the Extension office to register and get fabric requirements. This workshop is limited to 8.

INTER-GENERATIONAL SEWING WORKSHOP

A sleep pants workshop will be presented on July 3. This inter-generational sewing class will be held at the AG Center in Orleans from 5:30 to 9:00. The cost of the workshop is $15.00, which includes patterns, fabric, and notions for two pair of pants, plus the evening meal. If you are interested, contact the office for more information and a registration form.

FOODS WORKSHOPS PLANNED

Two July foods workshops are being planned. Four-H ‘ers taking beginning foods projects, are you interested in learning the magic of making cookies and muffins. If so, attend the three hour baking learnshop which is scheduled for July17 at 9:00 a.m. at the Johnson Center in Alma. Four-H’ers taking advanced food projects, a bread and pie making workshop will be offered on July 24 at the AG Center in Orleans starting at 9:30 a.m. Parents are invited to attend. Four-H’ers will leave with possible fair exhibits. Please contact the office for more information. There is a $5.00 registration fee. Watch upcoming news letters for more information.

HOMEMAKER CLUB NEWS

CRAFT WORKSHOP

Homemaker club members, check out the craft workshop news article in this newsletter! It is open to adults and you could enter the finished project in Open Class at this year’s fair.

COUNCIL MEETING

The summer Homemaker Club Council Meeting will be held on June 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the courthouse meeting room. A reminder will be sent out to all council members.

COUNTY FAIR EXHIBITS

This year’s Homemaker Club members are encouraged to enter exhibits in needlecraft, cake decorating, genealogy.

GLENNA LOWE MEMORIAL AWARD

The Baste ‘N Taste Homemaker Club and Char’s Fabric will present a gift certificate to Char’s Fabric in Holdrege to the exhibitor of the best quilted item in Open Class. This award is given in memory of Glenna Lowe.

Sincerely,

Tony Anderson

Extension Educator

Lynette Brown

Harlan County Extension Assistant

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR MAY And JUNE 2008 (Please contact the office for more information)

May 24 - Beef-A-Rama & Swine-A-Rama, Fairgrounds, Albion, Check in 7:00 - 9:30 a.m.

May 25 - Goat-A-Rama & Sheep-A-Rama, Fairgrounds, Albion, Check in 8:30-10:30 a.m.

May 26 - Courthouse Closed for Memorial Day Holiday

May 28 - Quiz Bowl, Ag Center, Orleans, 7:00 p.m., Please pre-register.

May 29 - Tagging/Shearing Day, Furnas County Fairgrounds, Beaver City (Must Call Ahead)

May 29 - Hazardous Occupations Safety Training, Franklin Co. Fairgrounds, Franklin, 9:00 - 4:00

May 30 - Hazardous Occupations Safety Training, Franklin Co. Fairgrounds, Franklin, 9:00 - Noon

May 31 - Phelps/Gosper Beef & Sheep Progress Show, Fairgrounds, Holdrege, 8:30 a.m. Weigh-in

May 31 - Rabbit/Small Animal/Cat/Poultry Workshop & Show, Fairgrounds, Holdrege, 8:30 a.m.

June 2 - Area Livestock Judging Clinic and Contest, Harlan County Fairgrounds, Orleans, Registration at 8:00 a.m.

June 3 - AQA Training, Courthouse, Alma, 7:00 p.m. June 4-7 - College Bound Equestrian Camp

June 5 - Animal Science Youth Field Day, Lexington

June 6 - Craft Workshop, Fairgrounds, Orleans, 9:00 a.m., Please Pre-register.

June 7 - AQA Training for first year 4-H’ers and those under 8 years, Brown Farm, 9:30 a.m.

June 7 - Eastern Nebraska Lamb & Goat Show, Wahoo, Weigh in 12:30 - 3:00 p.m.

June 7 - Sheep Tag Day, Fairgrounds, Orleans, 10:00 a.m.

June 11-14 - University of NE Livestock Judging Camp, UNL

June 12 - Homemaker Clubs’ Summer Council Meeting, Courthouse, Alma, 10:00 a.m.

June 13 - All ID Sheets are due for Stocker/Feeder Calves, Dairy, Sheep, Swine, Goats, and Breeding Heifers

June 14 - Gosper Co. 4-H Meat Goat Clinic & Progress Show, Civic Center, Elwood

June 14 - Hall County Sheep & Beef Preview Show, Fonner Park, Grand Island

June 14 - Nebraska Livestock Judging Classic, Buffalo Co. Fairgrounds, Kearney

June 17 - This ‘N That Day, Ag Center, Orleans, 10:00 a.m., Please Pre-register

June 18-20 - County 4-H Camp, South Central 4-H Center near Republican City. Please Pre-register.

June 23 - Small Animal Workshop, Ag Center, Orleans, 4:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

June 24 - Sewing Bottoms Workshop, Ag Center, Orleans, 9:00 a.m., Please Pre-register.

June 24 - Sewing Bottoms Workshop, Alma, 1:30 p.m. Please pre-register

June 26 - Sewing Tops Workshop, Alma, 1:30 p.m. Please pre-register

June 28 - Wheeler Co. Progress Show (Beef), Bartlett, Weigh in 7:00 - 8:30

June 30 - State 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl Contest & Life Challenges Contest, Lincoln

July 1 - State Livestock Judging Contest & Life Challenges Contest, Lincoln