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January 2024
Polk County 4-H Smore Newsletter
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LOCAL LOWDOWN
- Calendar of Events
- Enrollment - Members and Volunteers
- Beef Weigh Day
- January Birthdays
STATE SCOOP
- Special Gardening & Agronomy Projects
- Livestock Achievement Program
- 4-H Summer Camps
- Farrowed and Owned Swine Cohort
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JANUARY
15 - Office Closed for Martin Luther King Jr Day
FEBRUARY - NEBRASKA 4-H MONTH
1 - DEADLINE - Registration for Special Gardening Project
3 - Beef Weigh Day
19 - Office Closed for President's Day
23-24 ENROLLMENT
All 4-H Volunteers Need to Enroll for 4-H Too!
BEEF WEIGH DAY
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
2024 SPECIAL GARDENING PROJECT
2024 SPECIAL AGRONOMY PROJECT
The 2024 Special Agronomy Project is Sugar Beets.
Youth who want to take part, should enroll in 4-H through 4-H Online. Once enrolled, youth are then to call the Polk County Extension office at 402-747-2321 to let them know they want to take part in the Special Agronomy Project. You will receive notification when the seeds are ready to pick up.
LIVESTOCK ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM
We are excited to announce the fourth year of the Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program. This additional opportunity for enrolled livestock project youth, is designed to promote all educational aspects of 4-H livestock projects including selection, production, leadership, and exhibition by recognizing youth striving to improve in their livestock project knowledge and leadership.
The program recognizes Members of Excellence across all 4-H livestock project areas, including: beef, sheep, meat goat, swine, dairy cattle, dairy goat, rabbit, and poultry.
The program consists of three levels that require 4-H members to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate and project-related accomplishments. For each level, the Livestock Achievement Program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H members choose their goals. Each accomplishment is worth a specific number of points. Junior 8-9 submits pictures, poster, presentation, and other learning activities to receive the distinction of Junior Member of Excellence, no point value, Intermediates, ages 10-13, must complete 100 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Intermediate Member of Excellence. Seniors, ages 14-18, must complete 150 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Senior Member of Excellence. The Plan and Reports, linked on the webpage, show examples of the project related accomplishments they can choose, or they can identify their own with approval of their local educator.
Applications/Sign up are due June 15th through the application form link on the website. Plan and Reports, as well as Project Records will be due August 1 via the completion form on the website.
Youth completing the achievement program and receiving member of excellence recognition in the various species will be recognized during the Parade of Champions, 4-H weekend at the Nebraska State Fair.
CLICK BELOW TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER CAMP
FARROWED AND OWNED SWINE COHORT
A Farrowed and Owned Breeding and Market Swine division for youth interested in learning more about the swine industry is available again at the Nebraska State Fair in 2024! The Nebraska 4-H Farrowed and Owned Swine Cohort is designed to enhance the traditional 4-H swine project and cultivate the next generation of leaders in the swine industry by providing opportunities focusing on swine production as a goal of the 4-H member's project, along with accurate and complete record-keeping, industry knowledge, and engagement by the 4-H member. In order to participate, youth must be 4-H age 10-18 as of January 1, 2024, complete YQCA, farrowed their project animal(s) and participate in monthly virtual educational meetings.
Youth participating in the Farrowed and Owned Cohort will:
- Network with 4-H members across the state who are also participating in the cohort experience.
- Participate in learning opportunities hosted by Extension Swine Specialist Benny Mote about biosecurity, meat science, economics of raising swine and more.
- The cohort will meet virtually the first Sunday of the month at 7:00 p.m. CT, the months of February, March, April, May and June.
- Gain knowledge related to their project and the swine industry as a whole.
- Maintain records related to swine management and basic care.
- Exhibit their Farrowed and Owned project animals at the 2024 Nebraska State Fair with the opportunity for special recognition as a result of participating in the cohort.
Register here by February 1, 2024! **Optional special virtual education session on farrowing will be held on January 7th, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. Register by January 5th to participate!** After the registration deadline, youth will receive more detailed information via email. For questions, contact Nebraska Extension Swine Specialist Benny Mote at bmote8@unl.edu or 402-310-9878
CLICK THE BOTTONS BELOW TO BE TAKEN TO A WORLD OF LEARNING!
NEBRASKA EXTENSION-POLK COUNTY
Tanya Crawford - 4-H Extension Educator York & Polk County
Colleen Pallas - 4-H Extension Assistant
Steph Sunday - Office Manager
Email: polk-county@unl.edu
Website: polk.unl.edu
Location: Polk County Courthouse
Phone: 402-747-2321
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Polk-County-4-H-639333189542938/