Webster County 4-H Newsletter

Welcome to the Webster County 4-H Newsletter! This monthly newsletter contains information regarding upcoming 4-H events, reminders, and much more. We hope you enjoy this newsletter!

-Webster 4-H Team

• January 1st: Office Closed for the New Year
• January 12th: Beef Weigh-In
• January 12th: YC Meeting
• January 20th: Office Closed in Observance of MLK Day
  

Interested in animal science? We would love to have you compete at PASE! Please fill out the form by February 3rd if you are interested. https://go.unl.edu/pase25

Attention all 12 to 15 year olds who are interested in learning more about Nebraska agriculture. This is for you! Apply to participate in the Adams/Webster BRAG, class of 2025. You will learn more about modern agriculture production practices, develop communication skills allowing them to confidently advocate for production agriculture, recognize the diversity of Nebraska agriculture, and given the opportunity to tour a wide variety of operations and gain knowledge from producers across the state. To apply, complete and submit the application by Wednesday, January 15, 2025 to the Extension Office. The application may be found at go.unl.edu/brag. Class size will be limited and open to any youth in Adams/Webster counties involved in 4-H, FFA, or interested in agriculture.

Share with your family and friends and get enrolled now! https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in If you have already made an account and forgot your password, PLEASE DO NOT make another account, just reset your password.

Volunteers, please enroll too!

The family of TJ Vance is offering a $500.00 scholarship to two Webster County 4-H members (one male & one female) graduating high school in 2025.

Requirements:

1 page essay on what aspects of 4-H they liked & disliked and why.

Postmarked by March 20th.

TJ Vance Memorial Scholarship

526 Road M

Inavale, NE 68952

Scholarship to be paid to the student's school of choice.

Check out our Facebook pages for weekly updates about Webster County 4-H and more!

The Blue Hill Better Herds 4-H Club is looking for any adult individual(s) interested in taking over the club leadership for 2025 and beyond! Please contact the office for more information.

The Nebraska Women in Agriculture program will award up to 15 scholarships to students to attend the 2025 Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference. Any student attending a four-year college/university, two-year college, a vocational/technical school, or a 4-H or FFA member may apply for a scholarship to attend. Applicants will need to prepare an essay that answers the question: “Why do you want to attend the Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference?” The essay response is limited to 3,000 characters. Applications must be submitted online by February 1, 2025.

More information can be found at: https://wia.unl.edu/conference/

March 29 & 30, 2025: 4-H Horse Stampede held at the UNL Animal Science Complex in Lincoln, NE

• Entries due Friday, February 28, 2025
• Contests include:
• Public Speaking (may compete virtually through zoom)
• Demonstrations (may compete virtually through zoom)
• Horse Bowl
• Art
• Photography
• Horse Judging – new for 2025
• Hippology – new for 2025

July 12-16, 2025: Fonner Park State 4-H Horse Expo held at Fonner Park in Grand Island, NE

• Entries due June 1, 2025
• Advancement levels and Horse IDs need to be completed by June 1

The 2025 Special Garden 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. Check out more information here:

https://4h.unl.edu/special-gardening-project

Please let the office know by February 4th at noon if you are interested in ordering seeds.

Registration continues for the 2025 NE 4-H Farrowed & Owned until February 1, 2025. To participate in the optional educational session about all things farrowing scheduled for Sunday, January 5th at 7:00 pm CT, get registered ASAP to receive the info for Sunday!

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.

**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!

Visit 4h.unl.edu/farrowed-owned to get started.

Through the Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement program, youth can receive recognition as Members of Excellence for engaging in various project-related activities. Members as young as eight will be able to participate. Applications are due June 15, but why wait? Visit https://ow.ly/FjRk50UqVfX to get started.

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.

Be eligible to enter an exhibit at the County and/or State Fair in the agronomy project area.

Enroll for the 2025 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.

The 2025 What’s the Buzz? season of the Nebraska State 4-H Camp will share the importance of pollinators in Nebraska- why they’re important, how they impact agriculture, and what youth can do in their own communities to support the various native pollinators we have in Nebraska. From bees and butterflies to hummingbirds and bats- it’s going to be a week full of learning and fun!

The Nebraska State 4-H Camp is returning to Chadron and Burwell for summer camp 2025! Youth new to camping can attend a shorter camp session designed to let them experience all the best parts of summer camp in a 3 day/2 night session. Choose from one of two 5 day/4 night sessions for youth 10-14 years old and returning this year is the Leaders in Training camp for high school youth 15-17 years old! Campers will focus on developing leadership skills with an opportunity to put those skills into practice by volunteering at one of our other camp sessions!

Registration is now OPEN! More information on sessions, dates, and the link to register can be found at 4h.unl.edu/camp.

February 8, 2025: Horse Judges School held at the UNL Animal Science Complex in Lincoln, NE

• Youth: Great opportunity for youth planning to compete in the horse judging contest at Stampede to learn more about judging and get in some practice judging
• Adults: Learn what goes into becoming a 4-H Horse Show Judge as well as the opportunity to recertify as a 4-H judge

Here is a unique opportunity coming to Webster County put on by Webster Extension Staff and beyond. We would love for you to be able to attend this great event to help on transitioning plans for your farm/estate. This event will be held locally, in Blue Hill, NE. Register soon! https://wia.unl.edu/succession25

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“Leaving a Lasting Legacy for Midwestern Farm Women: A Succession Planning Series,” will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Central time on Jan. 21, Jan. 28, Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 at sites across Kansas, Nebraska and Indiana. The series is being produced through a collaborative effort by extension programs at Kansas State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Purdue University.

Topics covered will include motivation for succession planning, communicating with family, the financial aspects of estate and transition plans, and the legal aspects of putting a plan in place. A keynote speaker will be simulcast to every workshop location during each meeting, with time for questions and a hands-on activity for participants. A meal will be provided on each date.

“Planning for what happens to your things when you’re gone can be daunting, but it’s so important, especially in agriculture, so that the transition to the next generation goes smoothly,” said Jessica Groskopf, director of the Nebraska Women in Agriculture program. “This series will help women learn best practices and new strategies to help the transition and estate planning processes so they can take that back to their farm or ranch and help lead the way in creating or reevaluating their plans.”

Groskopf said the program’s structure is intended to strengthen networks of women in rural areas, which can provide opportunities for building trust and sharing information. “Connections are so important to rural women,” she said. “We have seen the benefits that come from knowing your peers, having a place to share difficulties, and mitigate the isolation that so many of us in agriculture often feel.”

The registration fee for in-person attendance is $60 before Jan. 13 and increases to $75 on or after Jan. 13. A virtual option is available for $75. Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions. More information and registration is available on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website, https://wia.unl.edu/succession25

Check out what's happening in UNL Extension here: https://secure.smore.com/n/vr2y5

Office Manager

Alexa Pedersen is the Office Manager for the Webster County Extension Office. Alexa provides help in assisting clientele with questions that can be forwarded to a specific educator. She assists educators in programs that are put on in Webster County, such as pesticide training, and beef programs. She also provides knowledge in the 4-H world by helping families with any 4-H questions that come in. She is skillful in 4-H Online, ShoWorks, and helps prepare for 4-H programming, county fair, and state fair. Alexa is also a part of the 4-H Data Dream Team for Nebraska 4-H as well as the State Fair 4-H Beef Team.

Email: alexa.pedersen@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402-746-3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE

4-H Assistant

Katie Bolte is the 4-H Assistant for the Webster County Extension Office. Katie provides programming in school enrichment, after-school programs, and 4-H workshops. She is knowledgeable when answering any 4-H questions that comes in and helps prepare for programs, county fair, and state fair.

Email: katie.bolte@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402-746-3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE

4-H Youth Development Extension Educator in Adams/Webster Counties

Beth Janning is a 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator. She provides programming in school enrichment, after-school, and traditional 4-H Programs. Her topic areas include but not limited to animal science, science, engineering and volunteer development.

Photo and Bio from UNL Extension

Email: elizabeth.janning@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 2975 South Baltimore Avenue, Hastings, NE, USA
Phone: 402-461-7209
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE

Livestock Systems Educator, DVM

Lindsay Waechter-Mead is the Livestock Systems Educator in Webster County and serves surrounding counties in this region. She is excited to bring her interests surrounding cow/calf health and preventative medicine to the Beef Team. Her current work involves looking at environmental effects on neonatal calf immunity and colostral transfer. She is also passionate about rural agriculture and what the veterinary profession can do to positively influence rural communities to ensure that generations can continue to enjoy the life that she loves.

Email: lindsay.waechter-mead@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402-746-3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE/