JANUARY
09 - Office Closed for Day of Mourning for President Carter
20 - Office Closed for Martin Luther King Jr Day
24 - Deadline to order Special Gardening Project Seeds
24 - Deadline to order Special Agronomy Project Seeds
FEBRUARY - NEBRASKA 4-H MONTH
8- Beef Weigh Day - 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
17 - Office Closed for President's Day
The 2025 Special Gardening Project will focus on the Goldie Husk Cherry. This old-fashioned fruit from the tomato family has sweet berries inside golden husks. The fruits have many uses and can be eaten raw, dried, frozen, canned, or made into tasty treats like pies, desserts, or preserves. (I assure you the husk cherry is different than a groundcherry, which is a weed in Nebraska, that looks very similar, but isn’t edible) The Special Gardening Project offers an affordable opportunity to expand your horticulture skills.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE PART IN THE 2025 SPECIAL GARDENING PROJECT:
1. When enrolling online for 4-H, select Horticulture/Plant Science as one of of your projects.
2. Contact the Polk County Extension Office to order seeds. 402-747-2321
3. Extension Office will contact you when seeds are ready to be picked up. Pay $1 at pickup for seeds.
DEADLINE TO ORDER SEEDS IS JANUARY 24TH
The Nebraska Extension Special Agronomy Project gives 4-H members an opportunity to experience a crop that is grown, was grown or has the potential to be grown in Nebraska. Youth participate by receiving seed and resources to grow the crop, research traits of the crop and determine the viability of that crop in the part of the state they live in. The project allows 4-H members interested in agronomy to grow something fun, new, and different. This year, we will be exploring a crop that can be marketed different ways depending on the variety.
In the fifth year of the special agronomy project, youth will explore sunflowers! There are two types of sunflower production in Nebraska. There are those grown for oil production, and those grown for human food consumption referred to as confectionery seeds. A portion of the oil seed production is used in the bird seed industry. Sunflowers are grown throughout the state of Nebraska with the greatest concentration in western Nebraska. The variety we will be growing is a high oleic hybrid. Its oil profile combined with a nice black seed color ensures multiple market options.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE PART INTHE 2025 SPECIAL AGRONOMY PROJECT:
1. When enrolling online for 4-H, select Agronomy as one of your projects.
2. Contact the Polk County Extension Office to order seeds. 402-747-2321
3. Extension Office will contact you when seeds are ready to be picked up. Pay $1 at pickup for seeds.
DEADLINE TO ORDER SEEDS IS JANUARY 24TH
The Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program 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 two 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 ages 8-10, Intermediates ages 11-13, 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. Youth must apply to participate in the program. At the end of the 4-H year, they report on their completed accomplishments. Additionally, participants must complete their annual 4-H Online enrollment process, YQCA requirements, and project record books in order to receive a Member of Excellence distinction.
Our promise at Nebraska 4-H Camps is to offer unique, hands-on experiences where youth, with the guidance of supportive role models, have the opportunity to develop themselves in programs that encourage positive relationships and healthy living, emphasize community building, shape individual leadership, and build an awareness for the natural world in a fun, safe, and inclusive environment. We accomplish this in cooperation with the mission, vision, and program priorities of Nebraska 4-H.
The Nebraska 4-H Farrowed & Owned Swine Cohort is an opportunity for youth interested in learning more about the swine industry. The program is designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the Nebraska swine industry. The goal is to enhance the educational value of the traditional 4-H swine projects by focusing on swine production, accurate and complete record-keeping, industry knowledge, and engagement by the 4-H member.
Youth participating in the Farrowed & Owned Swine 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 nutrition, feeding, genetics, and more.
- Gain knowledge related to their project and the swine industry as a whole.
- Maintain records related to swine management and basic care.
- **NEW for 2025** Exhibit their Farrowed and Owned project animals at any Nebraska county fair. Exhibiting at the 2025 Nebraska State Fair is optional. All cohort members will participate in an interview at the 2025 Nebraska State Fair. Join the first session in February for more details!
Program Components
- Youth must be 4-H age 8 – 18 as of January 1 of the current year, and enrolled in 4-H in a Nebraska county.
- 4-H youth must complete the Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) requirements annually and have a current Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) number.
- 4-H youth must meet all the State Fair livestock identification, nomination, and entry requirements by the deadline and are responsible for the fees associated with the process.
- 4-H member and/or their immediate family must have farrowed the animals entered in the farrowed and owned cohort.
- 4-H youth must actively participate in real-time in three of the five virtual educational programs focused on swine nutrition, feeding, and genetics hosted by Nebraska Extension Swine Specialist. Each session will be recorded. If a cohort member misses the live meeting, they are required to watch the recording and answer some questions regarding the session. The recording is available until the day of the following meeting to watch the recording in order to meet the participation requirements.
- All virtual sessions begin at 7:00 pm CST via zoom. Details are sent after registering.
- Maintain accurate production records related to raising the animal(s), including farrowing records of the sow. Complete and submit the record book at the Nebraska State Fair to be used during the interview component of the program.
- Exhibit farrowed and owned project animals(s) at either a Nebraska county fair and/or the Nebraska State Fair. All 4-H swine fairbook rules apply to the farrowed and owned animals(s) at the Nebraska State Fair. Farrowed and Owned swine entries count toward the overall quota of swine allotted per exhibitor.
- All cohort members will participate in the interview portion of the cohort.
Awards
Cohort members will be recognized for exhibiting their farrowed and owned project animals at their local Nebraska county fair and/or the Nebraska State Fair. Cohort members will also be recognized for their participation in the interview portion of the cohort, with the top three individuals receiving special recognition
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/