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Loudoun County Extension Office 30 Catoctin Circle, SE Suite B, Leesburg, VA 20175-3612 703/777-0373 FAX 703/771-5844
Extension is a joint program of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state and local governments.
Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political
affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
THE 4-H FOCUS April 2017
4-H Families and Friends, Happy Spring! As we gear up for warmer weather activities, please make sure you are working on your project books and completing all of your club and Fair requirements. Read through the upcoming events section to see some of the vari-ous activities offered over the next few months. Slots are filling up quickly for 4-H Camp, so be sure to turn in your applications as soon as possible to secure your spot! First–round infor-mation for 4-H Congress has gone out and registration will go live at the end of next week for those senior 4-H members who are planning to attend. As more information on district and state events becomes available, we will let you know. Though it’s still a few weeks away, let us be the first to wish you a safe and happy Easter!
Kim Monroe
4-H Program Technician
Carly Griffith
Extension Agent, 4-H
NEW: Loudoun County 4-H Google Calendar
Find our new Google Calendar on the Loudoun County 4-H website (loudoun4h.weebly.com)
under the “Upcoming Events” tab. This calendar is maintained by 4-H Extension Staff with the
help and input from 4-H Club Leaders. If you have a 4-H event that you would like added to the
calendar, please email [email protected] or [email protected].
On Saturday, March 11th over 40 members participated in the Loudoun County 4-H Share The Fun Youth Talent Show. It was a wonderful evening full of great acts! Con-gratulations to all of our competitors. Here are the top winners of the night:
Share The Fun
Champion Cloverbud: Avannie Ure, David Shields, Grace Morriberon, Jeannah Mashaal, Jessi Mallina, Niko Peak-Marquez, Sadie Ure, Derek Novatka, Hunter Denberg,
Ronan Peak-Marquez, Josephine Peak-Marquez and Nouh Mashaal - “The Goldfish Song” (Combination)
Champion Junior: Adrianna, Aiden and Dean Evans - “Oh Susannah!” (Instrumental)
Champion Senior: Amanda Thomas, Christian Gurdak, Emily Weber, Katherine Or-lowsky, Elizabeth Manson, Jacob Little and Rebecca Little - “Dairy Cow Classroom” (Drama)
Fashion Revue
Champion Junior: Norah McCormick
A special thank you to our awesome judges - Markley Walsh, Leisha Lucente and Travis Lucente!
Good luck to those who will be competing at the Northern District Contest!
Events - Recap
Loudoun - Fauquier 4-H Camp NOW OPEN!
The Loudoun-Fauquier 4-H Junior Camp is now open and accepting applications for
campers ages 9 - 13 (9 by 9/30/17 or 13 on 1/1/17). Come explore nature’s beauty at the
Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center in Front Royal, VA the week of June 18th- 22nd. This
could very well be the most fun you have all summer!
Campers have the opportunity to pick their roommates if they like, and are then
placed in a room with campers of similar age. Each room is part of a Pack, which serves as
the camper’s “family” during the week of camp. Packs are involved in different contests on
various days and Bear Claws are awarded for spirit and participation!
Each day campers go to three different classes that they choose prior to arriving at
camp. There is free swim and recreation time each day as well as evening programs and a
campfire. Past evening programs included Water Olympics, a carnival and box-car races.
We offer a variety of classes to choose from and they are assigned on first come, first
filled basis. Some of the options are Archery, Adventure, Shooting Education, Low and High
Ropes, Dance, Canoeing, Outdoor Cooking, Performing Arts, Tie Dye and for the first time 4-
H Yoga!
The cost for 4-H Camp is just $285 and includes all lodging, meals and snacks, class
supplies and a Camp t-shirt. You can download the camper application at http://
loudoun4h.weebly.com/4-h-camp-2017.html.
Upcoming Events
Senior Spotlight
Senior Spotlight on...
Ms. Ashley Marques
Graduating Class: Woodgrove High School 2017
College: NOVA then Wilson College
Major: Double Major in Equestrian Studies and Biology
4-H Club Membership: Canterlopes (6 years)
4-H Activities: District and State 4-H Horse Shows
Outside Activities: National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Officer of Modern Music Masters Honor Society
“I wouldn’t be where I am in my riding career if it weren’t for the 4-H program and the amazing leaders that I was blessed with. They have supported my riding from the very beginning and they taught me to push myself in every ride. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of 4-H.”
- Ashley M.
Upcoming Events
Northern District Contest *Fair Qualifier*
When: Saturday, April 1st (9:00AM)
Where: Warren County High School (Front Royal, VA)
4-H members who participated in Loudoun’s 4-H Presentation Day, Share The Fun, Fashion Revue and Table Setting Contest are eligible to compete at the District level. This is a Fair Qual-ifier for both participants and Room Chairs. Registration is now closed.
Glenwood Livestock Exposition
When: Saturday, April 8th (All Day)
Where: Loudoun County Fairgrounds
The Glenwood Rules and sponsorship information were sent out to the listserv. Please note that the deadline for beef entries has passed and the deadline for sheep entries (with no late fee) has passed. Sheep entries will be accepted up until the day of the show at double the nor-mal fee. Entry forms require an Extension Agent signature, so do not wait until the last minute to complete them. Please email Carly in advance if you are planning to stop by the office for a signature.
State Poultry Judging *Fair Qualifier*
When: Friday, April 21st (All Day)
Where: Rockingham County Fairgrounds (Harrisonburg, VA)
Youth members from all over the state will travel to Harrisonburg to participate and compete
in various poultry-based judging activities. Please visit: http://ext.vt.edu/4h-youth/youth-
livestock/poultry/index.html for more details.
County News
Upcoming Events
Spring Paper Clover Campaign at Tractor Supply Co.
When: April 26th - May 7th
Where: Tractor Supply (Leesburg, VA)
Tractor Supply Company is a National Partner of 4-H and each year, they offer two opportuni-
ties for fundraising. In the Spring and Fall, the Paper Clover Campaign takes place. Shoppers
have the opportunity to purchase a clover for $1.00 and support the state and local 4-H pro-
gram. TSC has designated the funds to help with 4-H Camp and 4-H Leadership scholarships. In
the Fall Campaign, our local store raised $347 with $290.44 being given to the local program
for scholarships. If you visit Tractor Supply, please thank them for their support and let them
know what you’re doing in 4-H!
Northern District Livestock Show
When: Saturday, May 13th (All Day)
Where: Culpeper, VA
The Northern District Livestock Show Rules and sponsorship information were sent out to the listserv today. The deadline for all entries is April 20th. Please email Carly in advance if you plan on stopping by the office for a signature.
Youth Meat Quality Assurance Workshop *Fair Qualifier*
When: Thursday, May 18th (6:00PM)
Where: Loudoun County Fairgrounds
The Youth Meat Quality Assurance Program is a program designed to teach youth the basics of animal husbandry and general management practices in raising a project animal. This program provides a foundation of animal management for youth of all ages. The mission of this youth meat quality assurance program is to maximize consumer confidence and acceptance of the food products produced via youth livestock projects. Quality assurance for livestock producers means making a promise to the consumers, or the people who consume the products that come from livestock. The promise made is that products from livestock will be the highest pos-sible quality and producers will do everything possible to make these products safe to eat. Training is required for all State Fair Exhibitors again this year. Other counties are also offer-ing YMQA trainings if you can not make this one. As the dates are made available, we will let you know.
County News
Fair Updates Submitted By: Arlee Harris, Fair Superintendent
Fair Dedication
Please send names of those you wish to nominate for the Fair Dedication to [email protected]. All nominations must be received no later than 4/16. Nominees will be announced at the April Fair Committee meeting and then voted on via an online survey (survey monkey). Thank you!
Heritage Demonstrators
The Fair is seeking heritage demonstrators for this year's Fair. We are seek-ing: glass blowers, tin smith's, artists, weavers, pottery makers, blacksmith's etc. If you or a friend, family member, etc. is interested in showing off a particular skill set at the Fair to educate the public about your craft, please send an email to [email protected].
County News
Shooting Education
Submitted By: Patricia Gaylord
This year’s annual “Spring Air” VA state air rifle and air pistol competition was held at the Skelton 4-H Center on March 17th - 19th. The Loudoun County (LoCo) 4-H Shooting Education Club was represented by two competitors this year, Patricia Gaylord and Zachary Dantzlerward. This was Patricia’s 3rd year of competing with the club and Zachary’s very first competition. Our top Air Rifle shooter this year was Patricia Gaylord, who placed 6th in the 14 and under age group of the sporter class 3 poison air rifle match. The match is comprised of 60 shots across 3 positions; prone, standing and kneeling. The shooting is done with open metal sights and the targets are placed at 10 meters. This is the same style of competition shot at the summer Olympics. Everyone did a wonderful job this year. Zachary shined for the team in air pistol in his first year. Our competitors shot in the most difficult class (standing free-hand) for the 40 shot match. The pistols are also configured with open iron sights and the targets are placed at 10 meters. We also competed in the silhouette competitions, comprised of 4 different sized metal cut-outs of ani-mals placed at different graduated distances. We competed in both the air rifle and air pistol silhouette competi-tions. This is a team effort with each of the competitors shooting one at a time assisted with the other spotting the shooter’s shots. We would like to announce that the NRA Foundation, funded by the friends of the NRA, gave us a substantial grant for much needed new equipment. This new equipment will allow more of the club members to participate at a time.
Club News
Rabbit Hopping
Submitted By: Adrianna Evans
Rabbit Hopping Club members are still working on their project books, hopping their rabbits and reviewing breeds. Six club members attended the WCRC Rabbit School in Latrobe, Pennsylvania to sharpen handling skills and learn more about rabbit care. Those members were Eleni Kasianides, Anna Kasianides, Grace Kasianides, Maggie Wise, Jessica Tillman and Sam McClintic (not pictured) with his sister Brinn (Canterloper).
Adrianna Evans, 8, (with her brothers Aiden, 9, and Dean,7) represented the Club in a talent show at the Share the Fun Event on March 11th. They took first prize in the instrumental category as well as the Grand Prize and were invited to compete at the District Contest on April 1st in Front Royal. Club members enjoyed many activities despite their meeting being cancelled in March due to snow and unsafe conditions. Looking forward to more fun in April!
Club News
Club News
Forage Club
Submitted by: Natalie Bailey
On Sunday, March 12th, the Forage Club met at the Philomont Firehouse. The meeting was focused on hay production and usage and we were fortunate enough to have guest speakers. Jim Hilleary and Dr. Mike Gast spoke about hay quality and determining which hay is right for which animal. They also spoke about the different times of the year certain grasses grow best in and managing soil quality. We then split into groups to judge the top three hays to feed a given ani-mal from a panel of 11 different hays. Finally, we reviewed the results of several alfalfa and grass hay tests. Categories included crude protein percentage, percentage TDN (total digestible nutri-ents), net energy gain and ash content.
Canterlopes
Submitted By: Caitlin Baltazar
This month, we had our annual horse bowl competition. The horse bowl is an event that our club has every year to help test our members on their equine knowledge. Along with helping quiz us, it also helps us learn more information about all the parts, equipment, and health facts about the horse. Our members are currently in the process of selecting their project horse for this year. Later on in the month, we will be handing out flyers at Oatlands as one of our yearly club fundraisers.
Club News
Eastern Loudoun Club
Submitted By: Noah Hallan
At Share the Fun we had several entries. First our Cloverbuds danced to “The Goldfish Song” by The Laurie Beckner Band. “Discombobulated” was done by Anna Shields, Carter Ault, Andrew Poerksen, Evoli Hallan, Emily Ault, Krish Mallina and Aiden Cuccurullo. With the set as a wizard meeting, they are arguing about democracy and then everyone leaves. Noah Esper played the saxo-phone to the tune of “The Entertainer,” by Scott Joplin. And finally “Dalton Finds the Edge of the World,” was done by Katie Shields, John Shields, Jennie Shields, Noah Esper, Adam Esper, Sofia Vivas and Isabella Vivas. The set is an exploration vessel that is tasked to find the edge of the world, when they end up stumbling upon an island where a woman showed them that the world was actually round.
Club News
Leaps & Squeaks
Submitted By: Madi Abbe The Leaps & Squeaks Rabbit and Cavy Club made rabbit toys for our March meeting. The toys were for play and rabbit health. Each toy had a block of wood hanging down for the rabbits to chew on. Rabbits' teeth never stop growing, so it's important for them to have something to chew on. Also during the meeting, we set up for our yard sale fundraiser. Members brought un-needed items that were in good condition for the yard sale. The yard sale lasted through Saturday and Sunday. Members helped run the sale and also offered home-baked treats at a bake stand. Earlier this month, our club held a club bonding night. We watched "The Secret Life of Pets" while eating pizza and popcorn. It was fun to get to know the new club members better and spend time with friends.
Sheep Club
Submitted By: Amelia Huddleston
This month we had guest speakers from Tuscarora Mill, Thomas Harvey and Travis. They talked about cooking shoulder of lamb. He showed us how he cut and seasoned the meat. Members were even given a chance to try different samples, including pizza with lamb toppings. Thank you to everyone that ordered mulch. It will be availa-ble for pick up or delivery April 1st. The Sheep Club will be holding lamb camp May 19th - 20th. If members would like to they can sleep at the fair grounds on the 19th. In order for the meeting to count you must be there the 20th and please bring a sheep. We will have a mock show. May 13th the Sheep Club will be having a flower sale at the Extension Office.
Overlook Horse Club Submitted By: Julia Fugate The Overlook 4-H Club met on Tuesday, March 21st. We discussed our upcoming fundrais-ers and checked on our Toy Drive for the animal shelter, our first community service project. We spent the rest of our meeting going over our record books and learning about the expenses of owning a horse. The Club is ready for spring!
Club News
Goat Club
Submitted By: Bea Furlow
At the Goat Club's March meeting, we began to work on our project books. We worked on the first few pages that include personal information and goals for this year. We played a relay game about goat anatomy. Goat anatomy is the study of a goat's body parts. Finally, we talked about the Yankee Candle fundraiser. If you want to buy candles to sup-port the Goat Club, see a club member before April 3rd. I hope you take the warm weather as an opportunity to get outside and play with your animals!
Dairy Club Submitted By: Sarah El-Gafy
This month, Dairy Club did not hold any meetings. However, many members of the club
participated in Share The Fun with a “Dairy Cow Classroom” skit on March 11th. The next day, the
club volunteered at Boulder Crest Retreat in Bluemont. The next Dairy Club meeting will be held
on April 4th at the Loudoun Valley Community Center.
Virginia Cooperative Extension Loudoun County
30 Catoctin Circle SE
Suite B
Leesburg, VA 20175
(703)777-0373
http://loudoun4h.weebly.com
