Nebraska Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United Sates Department of Agriculture.

Nebraska Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

© 2016

Staying in the Loop

I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking, my HEART to greater loyalty, my HANDS to larger service, my HEALTH to better living,

for my club, my community, my country and my world.

Nebraska Extension in Stanton County 302 6th Street ≈ Stanton, NE 68779

Phone 402-439-2231 ≈ Email Stanton-county@unl.edu Website: www.stanton.unl.edu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stanton4H

March 2017

Mark Your Calendar

MARCH Mar 30 – Market Beef ID sheets & DNA due

APRIL April 3 - Last day for changes to enrollment April 17 – Deadline to register for CPR April 19 – Speech & Present. Entry Deadline April 20 – CPR Training April 24 – Speech & Presentation Contest April 29 – Saturday Sewing

MAY May 8 – 4-H Council Meeting May 20 – Saturday Sewing May 24 – Sheep & Goat Tagging May 24 – Rabbit Tattooing May 25 – Regional Speech Contest May 25 – Interview Contest May 26 – Project Camp Registration Due May 31 – Whiskey Barrel planting deadline

JUNE June 1 – Quality Assurance Deadline June 1 – ID sheets due June 7 & 8 – Project Camp June 30 – Horse Level 1 Test Deadline JULY July 17 – Pre-entries Due July 26 – Fashion Show Narratives Due July 28 – Entry Tags Ready

AUGUST Aug 2 – Pre-Fair Judging Aug 2 – Companion Animal & Cat Show Aug 11 – Dog Show Aug 16-20 – Stanton County Fair Saturday, Aug 19 – 2 pm Public Fashion Show, Auction, & Awards

2017 Stanton County Fairbooks are ready to be picked up at the Extension Office.

Monday, April 24, 2017

6 pm Speech & Presentation Contest

Entry Deadline – April 19 Call (402-439-2231) or email (Stanton-County@unl.edu) with your registration: Is it a Speech, PSA or Presentation, Your Name, Title of Speech or Presentation & 4-H age (age before January 1, 2017). Complete information can be found in the 2017 Fairbook or last month’s newsletter.

Reminder: If you need to drop anything off at the

office and we are closed, we have a big black dropbox by the back door on the north side of the office.

Interview Contest May 25

Lifelong Learning Center – Norfolk

This contest provides an opportunity for 4-H’ers to practice the real-life skill of applying for a job.

Develop a resume Write a cover letter Prepare for the interview Fill out a job application Participate in an actual interview.

Complete information in the 2017 Fairbook.

CPR Training

April 20 - 6 pm Community Building

$25 per person This is an educational CPR class and will not provide a CPR card. There will also be a quick review of the AED.

April 17 is the deadline to register.

Youth Horticulture Contest Friday April 28 – 6:15 p.m.

Chuck Pohlman Ag Complex NE Community College Hosted by the Northeast Nebraska Master

Gardeners. Preregistration by April 21 required. Call Nebraska Extension in Madison County at 402-370-4040. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place in each age bracket. Sight ID horticultural plants to the accepted common name. List of plants and study guides available at: http://madison.unl.edu/theplantfair

2017 4-H Summer Camp A flyer with dates of the 2017 4-H camps has been included in this mailing. Brochures with complete

information are available at the office or you can find the info on our website at:

www.stanton.unl.edu. Go to Stanton County 4-H in the red bar near the top

of the page.

Bake & Take Bake and Take is an annual event that encourages organizations and individuals to take a home-baked wheat product to a family member or shut-in.

Stop in the office and pick up a recipe card and stickers if you would like to participate.

Caramel Chocolate Pretzel Bars & Rocky Road Cake in a Cup are the featured recipes this year.

Horticulture Corner 2017 Whiskey Barrel

Challenge There is no theme this year. Each club can come up with

their own idea for their barrel. Clubs will keep

the same barrels they had for 2016. Deadline to plant the barrels will be May 31.

Judging will be held in June. Please include the club name

somewhere on the barrel.

Tractor Safety Training 2017

All youth 14 & 15 & working on a farm other than their own MUST be certified through a Hazardous Occupation Course.

Wayne Fairgrounds – June 19 & 20 - $60 Registration due June 9. -- 402-584-2234

4-H Exhibit Workshop – June 7 & 8

June 7 – Art: personalized cup Tie-Dye t-shirt

Cake Decorating Horticulture Program June 8 – Robotics

Bird Feeder Art: large paper flowers

Tic Tac Toe Garden Game

A registration form was in the February newsletter. It is also available on our website and in the office. Registration deadline – May 26.

March Spotlight on 4-H Food Groups Tag: A fun activity for 4-H’ers to learn about food groups. A snack mix/community service project helps Clover Kids learn about food groups. The complete March Spotlight is on our website under 4-H Newsletters. Other topics included in this edition are: Parliamentary Procedure, Interview Contest, Premises IDS & EID Tags, Disaster Kits & Junior Leaders.

Volunteer Opportunity Northeast Nebraska Master Gardeners

could use your help. They need volunteers to help at the

annual Plant Fair & Market. Friday, April 28 -- 5:30 – 9:00 pm

Saturday, April 29 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Call Nebraska Extension in Madison County by April 21 to sign up for a time. 402-370-4040

4-H Plant & Insect ID Contest Thursday, June 22

Agricultural Park Exhibit Hall Fairgrounds Columbus

12:30 pm – Horticulture Judging & ID 1:30 pm Tree ID 2:20 pm – Grass & Weed ID 3:30 pm Entomology (Insect) ID Participate in 1,2,3 or all 4 contests! Registration form on our website or contact the office.

Quality Assurance - All Quality Assurance must be completed by June 1. As of this printing you can still get on the old QA course. You MUST be started on the current QA online course before the new one comes online or it is going to cost you. The current course is $5 which is reimbursed by the 4-H Council. The new course which is scheduled to begin any time will be $12. You will pay the $7 difference.

• Resources for the current course are located on our website at: http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/stanton/livestock-resources/

Certificates must be turned into the office, either hard copies or emailed copies will work.

Market Beef will be ID’ed by Photo ID Expectations: 1. Pick up tags and ID sheets at the Extension office. Hours 7 am—5 pm Mon—Thurs 2. A photo ID must be taken of the calf with the tag visible in the ear and with the 4-H’er. (can be emailed) 3. Photos & ID Sheets are due in the office BY MARCH 30th. NO EXCEPTIONS

STATE FAIR EXHIBITORS—Any market beef going to State Fair will need an EID tag, DNA samples taken & weights. It will be your responsibility to get the DNA pulled, calves weighed and the information in to the office on time. You can have your calves weighed on a scale someplace and bring the ticket into the office or you can come and use the scale at the fairgrounds. You will need to make arrangements ahead of time to use the scale here.

PREMISES ID – Exhibitors of any animal that carries an EID tag is required to obtain a Premises ID from the NE Department of Ag for the location where the livestock are housed. This ID will need to be reported to the Extension Office by March 30 for Market Beef and June 1 for everything else. A flyer has been mailed out and is on our website.

May 24 - 6-7 pm Tagging sheep & goats

Rabbit tattooing

Feeder calves, bucket calves, & breeding heifers Will be ID’ed by Photo ID. Same expectations as above.

Kansas Fires The State of Kansas experienced some devastating fires earlier this month. The hardest hit area was southwest Kansas. Many ranchers and farmers lost structures and livestock. Here is a link to a story about how Kansas 4-H’ers are helping out by taking in orphaned calves and raising them by hand until they are old enough and healthy enough to return to their original owners. http://www.kansas.com/news/state/article138235483.html If you are interested in making a donation to help 4-H youth, contact or send donations to the hardest hit counties – Clark, Comanche & Meade. For more information, contact the Extension Office.

2017 Fair Schedule Changes Please note the changes in the schedule for the Public Fashion Show, Awards Program, 4-H Auction and Release of Livestock and Exhibits.

Saturday, August 19 2:00 p.m. Public Fashion Show Following Fashion Show 4-H Auction Following 4-H Auction Awards Program

Sunday, August 20 5:30 p.m. Release all Indoor Exhibits 5:30 p.m. Check-Out Large & Small Animals

2017 Big Red Summer Academic Camps June 11-16

Open to high school youth. Explore careers in: Animal Science Outdoor Nebraska Culinary Arts Unicameral Youth Legislature Engineering Veterinary Science Entrepreneurship Weather & Climate Science Filmmaking

Contact the office for more information.

2018 Citizenship Washington Focus Trip

If you will be 14 and not older than 18 on or before December 31, 2017, you are eligible to participate in the trip. This trip is a multi-county trip of 4-Hers in the Northeast Extension District. The tentative dates of the trip are Thursday, June 7 through Saturday, June 16, 2018. A Registration/Information Sheet (available on our website & in the office) needs to be completed and returned to the Nebraska Extension Office in Wayne County on or before June 1, 2017 with a check for $350 made payable to University of Nebraska – Lincoln if you are interested in participating. We are estimating the total cost the best we can based on airfare and bus rates.