Mailing Address: PO Box 148 - Thedford, NE 69166

Email: mandersen16@unl.edu or s.albertus@unl.edu

Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/centralsandhills/
Location: 503 Main Street, Thedford, NE, USA
Phone: (308)645-2267
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centralsandhillsarea/

In this edition:

• Summer Workshop Schedule
• Fairbook link
• Important Dates
• CEA Contest Results
• Workshop Flyers
• 2023 Horse Rule Book
• 2023 Nebraska State Fair 4-H/FFA Livestock Nominations Are Open
  
• State and Regional 4-H Events

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Nebraska Extension in the Central Sandhills

Don't forget to visit our Extension website at:

Nebraska Extension in the Sandhills

PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR NEWS so it can be included in our newsletters! Forward any 4-H news, events, or activities to Marcy at mandersen16@unl.edu

The opening date for statewide 4-H enrollment was October 17th. You can click on the link to enroll in the new system https://v2.4honline.com. The enrollment process should be the same as what we did this last year. Enrollment stays open through June 15, and you can add and drop projects during that time. Don't forget that you must pay your $10 enrollment fee for the process to be complete.

All leaders and volunteers also need to be enrolled on 4honline. There is no fee for adults to enroll. VOLUNTEERS - PLEASE NOTE THAT IN 2023, OUR 4 COUNTIES ARE DUE IN THE 5 YEAR ROTATION FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS TO DO A NEW BACKGROUND CHECK THROUGH DHHSS. Call the office if you need more information.

· DUE June 15th, 2023

o 4-H Membership Enrollment on 4-H ONLINE

o Last day for Project Enrollment on 4-H ONLINE

o YQCA certification

· DUE JULY 1st, 2023

o County Fair Entries

o Livestock and Horse ID’s

Show Stock Manager is open for 2023!

Show Stock Manager Information (NOW Open for 2022!)

• https://showstockmgr.com/

The 2023 Step-by-Step Nomination Instructions can be found on the public page: https://4h.unl.edu/livestock-id.

If you need step by step instructions please contact the office and we can help you out.

New for 2023! All livestock in contention to exhibit at the 2023 Nebraska State Fair and/or the Aksarben Stock Show will be required to submit a DNA nomination. All 4-H/FFA BREEDING livestock, market livestock and FEEDER CALVES will now be required to submit a DNA sample/envelope to be eligible to exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair. DNA nominations for the Nebraska State Fair are due to the Extension Office on June 15, 2023 by 4 p.m.

May 24 NCTA Livestock Judging, Curtis, NE, doug.smith@unl.edu

May 24 4-H Horse Judging Contest, Pitzer Ranch Arena, Steve Niemeyer 308-346-4200

May 25 Animal Science Discovery Days, NCTA, Curtis NE

May 25 Colfax County Livestock Judging, Leigh, NE, colfax-county@unl.edu 402-352-3821

May 26 Thayer-Nuckolls County Livestock Judging Nelson, NE, amy.brockman@unl.edu

June 1 South Central Judging Contest, Bladen, NE, elizabeth.janning@unl.edu 402-746-3417

June 2 Butler County 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, David City NE, aliesha.meusch@unl.edu or 402-367-7410

June 2 Dawes County Livestock Judging, Chadron, NE, tessa.reece@unl.edu, Melissa 402-322-0655

June 2 Come Learn with Carla Clinic, Central City NE, Merrick County Fairgrounds

June 3 Come Learn with Carla Clinic, Lincoln NE, Lancaster Event Center

June 4 Come Learn with Carla Clinic, Albion NE, Boone County Fairgrounds

June 8-10 4-H Horse Camp - Crawford, Dawes CO Extension, tessa.reece@unl.edu or 308-432-3373

June 9 Wheeler County Livestock Judging, Bartlett NE, sniemeyer1@unl.edu

June 11- Boots N' Spurs 4-H Open Horse Show, Lexington NE, rockin5oranch@yahoo.com

June 15 Box Butte Western Livestock Challenge, Hemingford, NE, astevens4@unl.edu

June 16 Nebraska Livestock Judging Classic, Kearney, NE, kerry.elsen@unl.edu

June 17 Dawes County 4-H Progress Show, Chadron, NE, tessa.reece@unl.edu, 308-432-3373

June 19-21 State 4-H Youth Leadership Conference

June 21-22 PASE (Premier Animal Science Event), Lincoln NE

June 22 Premier Animal Science Event (PASE), Lincoln, NE, bfrench6@unl.edu

June 23 State Presentation & Speech Contest, Lincoln NE

June 24 Sliver Spurs 4-H Horse Show, Imperial NE, Tracy Heathers 308-883-3925

July 15-19 Fonner Park State 4-H Horse Expo, Grand Island NE

If you have any questions or need more information you can also contact the Central Sandhills Area Extension Office.

Do you know what it takes to pick the best fruit and vegetables out at the grocery store? Or do you know what judges are looking for when they judge your plants at the county fair? Have you ever wondered, what plant is that!?! We are excited to offer the opportunity to learn these and other important horticulture skills through the Online Horticulture Contest. The contest will be available June 2-16, 2023 at: https://go.unl.edu/online4hhortcontest

Horticulture judging contest consists of three parts. The first is identification of plant material. Participants identify the plants by common name from a plant list. Specimens may be alive or preserved plant parts like stems, twigs, leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots, bulbs, tubers, or plant products.

The second is a knowledge portion, usually in the form of a true/false or multiple choice quiz. Questions will test the contestant's knowledge of cultural practices for horticultural crops, plant science, pesticides, horticultural careers and other topics related to the production, processing and consumption of horticultural crops.

The last portion is judging or placings. This is where four different plants, plates of vegetables, or containers flowers are ranked from best to worst based on a set of criteria. Classes are judged on the basis of condition, quality, uniformity, true-to-type, and size.

More information about the Nebraska State contest along with a list of study materials can be found in the Fair book https://4hfairbook.unl.edu/fairbookview.php/contests/45. Here you can find the written study materials for the knowledge portion, follow links to plant pictures for help with identification, and read how judging of plant material is done.

More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/online-horticulture-judging-contest