SHERIDAN COUNTY NEWSLETTER

Jan 4: Sew Fun - Extension Office 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Jan 10: Clover Buds - Gordon Elementary 3:45 - 5:00 pm

Jan 13: Sew Fun - Hay Springs 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Jan 14: Robotics Showcase - Extension Office

Jan 16: Office Closed - Martin Luther King Day

Jan 16: Shooting Sports Practice - Rushville Legion 3:00 - 7:00 pm

Jan 19: Clover Buds - Hay Springs 4:15 - 5:15 pm

Jan 23: 4-H Council Meeting - Extension Office - 6:30 pm

Jan 27: Beaded Hatband Workshop - Extension Office - 4:30 - 6:00 pm

Jan 30: 4-H Foundation Meeting - Extension Office

Feb 5: Market Beef Weigh-In - Sheridan County Livestock Auction - 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Feb 5: Sheridan County Panhandle Best Match - Rushville American Legion - Entries 8-11 am

Did you know the 4-H fiscal year is October 1 - September 30? October 1 is the start of a NEW 2022-2023 4-H Year!

- If you are new to 4-H please create a profile.

- If you are a returning 4-Her, please register for this coming year!

Age 5-7 are free, Age 8-18 are only $5!

- Gordon Clover Bud meeting will be held on January 10th at Gordon Elementary at 3:45 pm.

- Hay Springs Clover Bud meeting will be held on January 19th at Hay Springs Cafeteria at 4:15 pm.

Clover Bud members are youth between the ages of 5 and 7 as of January 1st, 2023. Upon participating in these workshops, youth will have Clover Bud projects to display at the 2023 Sheridan County Fair. To register your child for these FREE events please contact the Nebraska Extension Sheridan County office at (308) 327-2312.

All volunteers (teens and adults) and staff who work directly with youth are required to complete the volunteer screening. Volunteers are screened in order to ensure a safe, positive, and nurturing environment for all youth involved with Nebraska 4-H programs and provide protection for the child, volunteer, educator, 4-H Council, Extension Board, and Nebraska Extension. Initial screening of volunteers will occur when they sign up to volunteer. Re-screening for volunteers will be done every five years by the district regardless of when the original screening was completed. Currently, the cost of the screening is $5.00. Sheridan County is up this year!

Repeat Screening Rotation

2023 – Panhandle District: Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Cherry, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Hooker, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux, Thomas

WHEN enrolling as a VOLUNTEER for the 2022-23 year, please select "Program Volunteer - Selected for Required Screening". All new volunteers in these specified counties must also select this volunteer type

If you have any questions or would like to start the process, email sheridan-county@unl.edu.

The Special Garden Project is a way to offer Nebraska youth the chance to grow unusual and fun projects in their gardens.

The time has come to unveil the 2023 Special Garden Project plant (drumroll please….). The 2023 Special Garden Project will focus on Mrs. Burns’ Lemon Basil. This herb can be used multiple ways. Lemon basil has a unique lemon flavor can be added to any recipe or used as a cut flower in arrangements to add scent and interest.

4-H members enrolled in the Special Garden Project will:

• Receive a ‘packet’ of Mrs. Burns’ Lemon Basil (one packet per youth) in March/April
• Receive a newsletter
• Be able to exhibit this unique herb at County and State Fair

Please let Marie know by January 12th if you want to order seeds! For more information: https://4h.unl.edu/special-garden-project

Sheridan County 4-H will hold their Market Beef Weigh-In on Sunday, February 5th, 1:00 - 3:00 pm, at Rushville Livestock Market. All youth planning to exhibit a market beef animal at the Sheridan County Fair must bring it to the weigh-in to be tagged and identified. Youth planning to show at the Nebraska State Fair and Aksarben should let the office know as there are other requirements for showing (EID tag and DNA).

Members who cannot make the weigh-in date may attend the Box Butte or Dawes County Market Beef weigh-ins if necessary. If attending the alternative weigh-in, members must notify the beef superintendents and the office. Members will not be eligible to compete in the Rate of Gain contest if weighing in at a different location.

Alternative Beef Weigh- Ins

Box Butte

Sunday, January 15th from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Box Butte County Fairgrounds, Hemingford

Dawes

February 18th from 9:00 am - Noon

NEW THIS YEAR for the Nebraska State Fair/ AKSARBEN: 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 on June 15, 2023.

Any DNA nomination submitted through Show Stock Manager will also be eligible for exhibition at the Aksarben Stock Show. DNA nominations will remain at $7.00 per animal. With this update, animals will automatically be eligible for both breeding and market. Families who often paid to be eligible for both had been paying $9.00 ($7.00-Market and $2.00-Breeding) would no longer need to do that. All would pay $7.00.

February 5th, 2023. Entries 8:00 am - 11:00 am. Located at the Rushville American Legion, 206 Sprague St. Rushville NE. $10.00 per Competitor/event. Make Checks payable to Sheridan County 4-H Shooting Sports Club. See more information below!

We are planning to hold monthly workshops November - May. Then summer workshops will start! The January workshop will take place on Friday, January 27, 2023 from 4:30 - 6:00 pm at the Extension Office in Rushville. We will be creating a beaded hat band. Please call 308-327-2312 to RSVP by January 18th! The workshop costs $20, payable to UNL Extension.

We’re so excited to announce Adventure Together, the new Nebraska 4-H Camp series for 2023! Registration information will be coming soon. In the meantime, mark your calendars:

Chadron – June 5-9

Cozad – June 16-20

Ashland – June 26-29

Burwell – July 16-20

Louisville – July 27-30

Just FYI - the camp in Chadron will overlap with Fort Robinson 4-H Horse Camp.

February will be here before you know it, and you know what that means, right? Time to celebrate Nebraska 4-H Month! Don’t forget to mark your calendars and make plans to celebrate with Nebraska 4-H. The February newsletter will have more information on 4-H Month.

December Maker Day was a hit! We had 58 youth sign up. Each youth was able to sign up for 4 stations. Youth-made Snow Globes, Oh So Cool Slime, Soap Bars, Wooden Decorations, Infinity Scarves, Dipped Mugs, Soft Snowman, Stocking, Cookie in a Jar, Wood Slice Ornaments, and Melt in Your Mouth Gifts.

Volunteers helping with the event were Lindsey Simonson, Emily Nelson, Larry Nelson, Kim Campbell, Erika Gaswick, Megan Janssen, Melissa Mracek, Cliff Rininger, Sara Davis, Wendy Andersen, Nancy Strong, Amanda Diers, Stacie Palmer, and Ashton Hughes!

The robotics team Building Bros is working on a project idea to help provide power to countries in Africa. As a part of their project they would also like to send some items to Africa. The group is planning to send supplies via Blessing Africa. Some suggested items are backpacks, pencil pouches, rulers, crayons, markers, large erasers, toothpaste, toothbrushes, chewable vitamins, bar soap, wash cloths, durable toys like jump ropes, toy cars, t-shirts, socks, jewelry, hair clips, watches LED flashlights. If you are interested in helping their cause please bring items to the Sheridan County Extension Office by February 18th.

The robotics team A League of Their Own is saving plastic lids off of pop or Gatorade bottles, laundry detergent, you name it to recycle these items to make a plastic bench for the community. They are working on this project as a part of their idea to create wind turbine blades out of lids like these. If you could save these lids for the team and deliver them to the Sheridan County Extension Office they would greatly appreciate it. The group needs 400 pounds to create one bench.

How do you want to make a difference in the world? Pitch us your idea in a 2-minute video. If your idea is selected you could earn a CASNR scholarship and have the chance to work directly with mentors on tackling your big idea. Submission deadline February 1st. Check out more details and submit here: https://casnr.unl.edu/casnr-change-maker-competition

• We are now accepting registrations for the 2023 Farrowed & Owned Swine Cohort! This opportunity is designed to enhance the educational value of the traditional 4-H swine project by focusing on swine production, accurate record keeping, and industry knowledge and engagement by the 4-H member. Registration closes Wednesday, February 1. To learn more and register, visit 4h.unl.edu/farrowed-owned.

Spark your imagination and passion! Ignite by 4-H is an inclusive teen event held in Washington, D.C., for four days of inspiring and engaging panels, respected speakers, workshop sessions, entertainment, and creating amazing connections. Explore the best 4-H has to offer in STEM, Agriscience, Healthy Living, and Emotional Well-Being. Discover exciting career paths and create an actionable plan to help create real change in your community. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss! Visit 4-h.org/parents/ignite-by-4-h to learn more.

These people are YOUR voice! Please contact any of them if you have an idea for a new or existing event or activity, have concerns with the program, or just want to have input in the decision-making process.

4-H Foundation:

David Russell, Wendy Andersen, Michelle Heck, Nicole Janssen, Jake Scott, Kami Scott, Marie Nelson, Melissa Mracek

4-H Council:
President - Ryan Paul

Vice President - Jake Elwood

Secretary - Jackie Simonson

Treasurer -
Members at large: Candace Nelson, EJ Frink, Megan Grossman, Zach Kearns, Clint Vincent, Jace Stumpff, Brad Beguin
Youth Members: Austin Child, Colton Archibald, Wyatt Fedderson, Kyler Vincent

Extension Board:
President - Cole Vejraska
Vice President - Matt Albrecht
Secretary/Treasurer - Jacob Tejral
Members at large: Caleb Peters, Trevor Ginkens

Email: mnelson82@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/northernpanhandle/educational-programs/northern-panhandle-4-h/
Location: 800 S Loofborrow Street, PO Box 329 Rushville, NE 69360
Phone: 308-327-2312
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLSheridanCounty
Twitter: @SheridanCounty