Morrill County - June 2024

June 1 - Horse ID Papers DUE

June 15 - Final 4-H Enrollment Deadline

June 15 - YQCA Training Certificate Due for ALL 4-H & FFA youth showing Livestock at the fair (Not required for Clover Kids) Go to https://yqcaprogram.org/ to register and take tests.

June 15 - Animal ID Sheets Due

June 15 - State Fair Livestock Nominations Due

July 1-2 - LOG N Camp

July 4 - Independence Day (Office Closed)

July 5 - Pre-Entries for Fair Deadline (must have form in to make changes later)

July 16 - Morrill County Fashion Revue

July 15 - Final Drop/Add Day

July 20-27 - Morrill County Fair

Hello everyone!!

June is going to be a crazy month!! Unfortunately, due to my crazy schedule, we will not have workshops this summer. I am excited to see all of the fun projects you come up with on your own over summer though!

June of course is a big month for paperwork as well!! Paperwork that needs to completed are listed above in the upcoming events. Links to each of the papers can be found at the end of the newsletter. As a reminder, Clover Kids animals do not need 4-H tags BUT we would like paperwork to register them so we know how many to expect. ALL 4-H animals must be ID'd by June 15th. Market beef, market goat and market lambs should have been weighed in and have tags. Most of you filled out and left that paperwork with me at weigh-in so I do not need another copy. Bucket calves and Market Hogs must have 4-H Tags! Please pick up at the office. When submitting paperwork for hogs and bucket calves, you must have a picture of your animal with its new tag in! You do not have to print those - just email them to Sarah at spaisley3@unl.edu. If submitting numerous families at once, please identify which picture goes with what family. Dog, Poultry, Companion Animal, and Rabbit IDs are due June 15th.

~Sarah

Don't forget to enroll your youth on 4HOnline for the 2024 year!

If you registered your child last year, you still need to register on 4HOnline for this year!

For returning families, please do not create a new account; instead, use your log-in credentials for 4HOnline used in previous years. Instructions can be found here: https://4h.unl.edu/enroll/returning-member

Enrollment instructions for new families can be found here: https://4h.unl.edu/enroll/new-member

**NEW FOR THIS YEAR - Project selection is not required when registering! If you are doing SHOOTING SPORTS OR HORSE, however, you need to select those projects so you can sign an additional Parental Consent Form. If those forms are not signed, youth will not be able to practice until signed!

If you have any questions, you can contact Sarah or Ana at the Extension Office at (308) 772-3311 or with the following emails:

Sarah Paisley - spaisley3@unl.edu

Ana Von Ruden - avonruden2@unl.edu

The Communications Contest held on May 22 was a success! Our participants included:

Sloan Van Newkirk with a Clover Kids Speech - "Arts and Crafts." - rainbow ribbon

Tyson Paisley with a Video Presentation - "Pigs Make Me Feel Happy" - Purple

Barrett Van Newkirk with a Prepared Speech - "How 4-H Makes Me Feel" - Blue

Barrett Van Newkirk with a PSA - Purple

Chris Paisley with a Video Presentation - "Top Shot and Shooting Safety" - Purple

Jordan Wagner from Morrill County (not pictured) with a Video Presentation - "Feelings of 4-H" - Purple

Zeke Terrell from Morrill County (not pictured) with a PSA - Purple

Those with purple ribbons are eligible to move on to state. They will compete on June 18th. Good Luck to all that move on!!

The fair book is ready!! Stop by the office for a printed copy for $5. Otherwise, utilize the link below for a digital copy. There were some name changes and some classes that were dropped, so make sure to be aware of those for when you submit your pre-fair entries! Below are some of the biggest changes you will find:

- Home Environment is now "Home Design & Restoration"

- Visual Arts categories have changed. They are no longer Sketchbook Crossroads or Portfolio Pathways, but they are now "Visual Art Themes" and "Visual Art Mediums".

- "SET" has been changed to "STEM"; "Aerospace" has been changed to "Rockets"; and "Physics-Power of Wind" has been changed to "Energy."

- Many quotas have been removed. This means that limitations to how many projects you can enter within a class has changed. Please check with your county office or look in the Rule section of the category you would like to submit a project under to determine how many projects you can bring to the fair for a specific class.

- The Special Entomology Project has been removed.

Preparing for the next Horsemanship Advancement Level? Be sure to check out the Horsemanship Study Courses! The three online, self-paced courses progress from basic horse handling to advanced horsemanship maneuvers. Learn more at 4h.unl.edu/horse-study-courses.

If you are planning to show, your ID papers are due on June 15th. Scroll to the bottom for links to each Affidavit.

If you did not attend the in-person YQCA, a copy of your certificate is due June 15th. Link below to get your class taken!

While the following only says Pigs, it is the same for Bucket Calves as well!!

YQCA is a mandatory training for all youth interested in showing livestock and small animals at the county and state fair. There are two ways to complete. Check out the flyer below for more information.

If you did not make it to the in-person training in Oshkosh, you can search the site for other locations. Or you are going to have to take it online.

Go to https://yqcaprogram.org to sign up. And the How to Video can be found below.

Let us know if you need help!

Attention: Morrill County FFA Students! Planning on showing FFA at the Morrill County Fair this year? Make sure to fill out your FFA enrollment form and drop it off at the extension office. This will be the information that we enter into ShoWorks to keep track of all of your ribbons and premiums. The PDF version of the form is attached below. You may either drop it off at the extension office or email it to Sarah at spaisley3@unl.edu. Contact the office at (308) 262-1022 with any questions!

In order to participate in Shooting Sports, youth must have a signed consent form for the SPECIFIC DISCIPLINE they want to participate in. To do this, you MUST select shooting sports in your project area on 4hOnline. Then a special consent page will pop up. If you want to archery and BB gun, then you will have to sign 2 forms. If these forms are not signed, you are NOT allowed to practice. Get enrolled on 4hOnline today to ensure your child can participate!

Youth MUST be enrolled on 4hOnline by June 15th to participate. The correct discipline consent forms must be signed by June 30th or youth cannot participate in the fair shoot in that area this year.

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 8-10 submits pictures, poster, presentation, and other learning activities to receive the distinction of Junior Member of Excellence, no point value, 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. 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.

For more information or to apply, go to: Livestock Achievement Program | Nebraska 4-H (unl.edu)

Ashley Benes ashley.benes@unl.edu

Brett Kreifels brett.kreifels@unl.edu

Cole Meador cmeador2@unl.edu

Nebraska 4-H has launched a new volunteer orientation. This online training serves as an introduction to the 4-H Youth Development Program in Nebraska and covers a few essential topics for volunteers. While the orientation is required for new volunteers and those going through the re-screening process, any interested individuals, including current and prospective volunteers, are welcome to complete the course. Learn more at http://4h.unl.edu/volunteer-orientation.

Nebraska 4-H offers a variety of resources for 4-H Clubs and leaders. A 4-H Club is an organized group of five or more youth who meet regularly with adult volunteers or 4-H staff for a long-term, progressive series of educational experiences. The purpose of a 4-H club is to provide positive youth development and foster educational opportunities to meet the needs of young people.

For 4-H Club Leader Resources follow this link https://4h.unl.edu/resources/club-leaders

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 7-21, 2024 at: http://go.unl.edu/online4hhortcontest

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) makes loans to youth to establish and operate agricultural income-producing projects in connection with 4-H clubs, FFA and other agricultural groups. Projects must be planned and operated with the help of the organization advisor, produce sufficient income to repay the loan and provide the youth with practical business and educational experience. The maximum loan amount is $5,000.

Youth Loan Eligibility Requirements:
1) Be a citizen of the United States (which includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) or a legal resident alien
2) Be 10 years to 20 years of age
3) Comply with FSA’s general eligibility requirements
4) Conduct a modest income-producing project in a supervised program of work as outlined above
5) Demonstrate capability of planning, managing and operating the project under guidance and assistance from a project advisor. The project supervisor must recommend the youth loan applicant, along with providing adequate supervision.

For more information or help to complete forms, visit: Youth Loans (usda.gov)

As you begin making plans for 2024, be sure to check out the Special Garden Project. It offers a unique introduction to plant science. Members are given seeds and guided through planting, growing, and harvesting seasons. Members can exhibit a cut flower or harvested vegetable at the fair if all goes well. Otherwise, youth can share their experience through a poster, story, or video exhibit. Next year, members will work with the PRINCESS INDIA NASTURTIUM. Visit 4h.unl.edu/spg to learn more!

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 honor a crop grown in the panhandle! In the fourth year of the special agronomy project, youth will explore sugar beets! Sugar beets are a major contributor to the U.S. sweetener industry and occur in a vast range of different food products. Be eligible to enter an exhibit at the County and/or State Fair in the agronomy project area.

Enroll for the 2024 Special Agronomy Project through 4-H Online by enrolling in the Agronomy project and contacting your local Nebraska Extension Office to order packets of seeds. The local Extension Office will order and distribute the seeds to members. Please have your order placed prior to March 1st.

For project specifications and details, be sure to go to the Nebraska State Fairbook at https://4hfairbook.unl.edu/fairbookview.php/rules.

We mentioned at Achievement Night about the opportunity to attend CWF. This is a fantastic trip! Sarah will be taking a group from the Panhandle in June 2025. If you are interested, you need to reach out to Sarah. The anticipated cost for 10-11 days is $3,000 so we need to start doing some fundraising sooner than later! If you have questions or are interested, reach to Sarah at spaisley3@unl.edu or 308-750-8513.

Projects provide the basis of the 4-H program by offering various educational experiences. Carrying out a project will help the member "learn by doing" as well as learn "why" things happen the way they do.

There are over 200 project areas that youth can enter a project under for the fair. From showing an animal to growing produce in a garden, the opportunities are almost limitless! For more information and some ideas for future projects, click on the button below.

We all know about the 4-H livestock, cooking and sewing projects. But with nearly 200 projects to choose from, there are likely some you aren't familiar with. These five often-overlooked projects offer real-world skills and unique experiences: go.unl.edu/2nd8

Or for more information, go to the following link -> https://4h.unl.edu/news/nebraska-4-h-5-underrated-practical-projects

Extension has created multiple backpack kits that kids can take home and perform with their family. These kits include a variety of different experiments, books, and craft projects that teach youth about everyday things that happen around them! From learning about the lives of insects and plants to cataclysmic natural events, youth can be fascinated with their own DIY creations with the materials provided in these STEMpacks. This is a fun activity to do with your children for some quality family time and to educate them about the different wonders of our world.

These STEMpacks can be found and checked out at both the Bridgeport and Bayard Public Library during their open hours. Please be mindful of the list of items that are included in the pack and return the materials that were not used during experimentation or are specifically required to be returned. This helps us know how to restock the STEMpack properly so that others can enjoy the kit as well!

These packs will be available all throughout the summer! So make sure to stop by and grab an experiment to take home while they are available!

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Morrill County Staff are here to serve you!

Use our website below as a valuable resource for information on Beef Systems, Community Environment Community Vitality, Crop and water systems, Food Nutrition and health, and The Learning Child.

Email: spaisley3@unl.edu

Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/morrill/

Location: 514 Main Street, Bridgeport, NE 69336

Phone: 308-262-1022

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorrillCounty4H

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based upon any protected status. Please see go.unl.edu/nondiscrimination. © 2024

4-H Educator - Morrill/Garden Counties

Email: spaisley3@unl.edu
Phone: (308) 772-3311