SOUTHERN PLAINS 4-H NEWSLETTER

Here is a one stop shop for all the animal shows, clinics, & judging contests that we get information for across the state. Take a look at the opportunities for youth that participate in all animal projects. This includes the Southern Plains Livestock Judging Contest in Nelson & the Big Green 4-H Club's Speed Show in Deshler.

https://www.smore.com/g916f

Don't forget to go to v2.4honline.com and register for the 2023 4-H Season. Plans are already rolling and workshops are beginning. Enrolling makes sure that you are in the know for all activities and projects. The deadline for all things 4-H is JUNE 15! Please don't wait until the last day!

Check out our webpage and review the check lists for each species: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/southernplains/

• 4-H Online Enrollment
• Project Selections Made
• All Livestock ID's, and County Only Horse ID's
• Green sheets (Nuckolls County)
• YQCA Certificates
• Premise ID #
• DNA Envelopes For State Fair
• https://showstockmgr.com/ nominations for State Fair

2023 Fair Books are back from the printer and ready to pick up at the respective offices.

Stop by at your convenience to pick yours up!

Due to a generous donation by Thayer County Farm Bureau, Nate Casey the new T-shirts are here. This year they may wear the Red Shirt from last year or the NEW shirt. Each 4-Her is furnished one free t-shirt!! Please stop by the office and pick yours up today, and be ready for show day at the fair. Ask for yours when you bring in your paperwork!

Our Nuckolls County fair board has worked hard to make improvements to the fairgrounds for the use of 4-H families over the years. There are some areas that could use some freshening up and the fair board has asked for the help from our 4-H families. Please complete the following Doodle Poll by May 15th to let us know which date works best for the majority to tackle these projects before the fair. https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/bWQKK9Xe

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a national multi-species quality assurance program. Youth that show Swine, Beef, Dairy, Sheep, Goats, Rabbits, & Poultry at County or State Fair are required to attend an instructor-led in person training or complete the web-based training.

Regardless of how youth would like to participate in these training they will need to be signed up and the classed paid for through this online platform: https://yqcaprogram.org/login/index.php.

Instructor-led training: $3

web-based training: $12

**These fees are to support the national YQCA program, we can not accept cash or check in the office payment needs to be made on the online platform**

LAST CHANCE!!

Tuesday, June 13th @ 10:30am at the Thayer County Courthouse Club Room

REMINDER: If you have already participated in an instructor led training you have to complete a pre-test survey and a post-test survey on the YQCA website in order for certificates to be generated. Also certificates need to be turned in to your participating office!

Archery is an outdoor sport, and controlled by the weather. Be sure you are signed up with Brian Lukerts, as he will be sending out updates in cause of weather or changes. You may text him your information to 402-768-1790. Rain date if needed, will be July 6.

If you are a Nuckolls County youth and interested in raising money towards your CWF trip we have three different opportunities for you. All will be meal deals offered during various events.

Friday, May 26th Livestock Judging Contest lunch

Monday, July 24th Static Judging Day lunch

Tuesday, July 25th Nuckolls County Horse Show concession stand

Please notify the Nuckolls County Extension office if you would like to participate in any of these opportunities.

We are looking for a clubs/groups that would like to do a Concession Stand for the following:

Static Judging Day, Tuesday, August 8 for Judges 4-H/Open Class, staff, Superintendents and Helpers

Any group interested in doing one or both of these, or have further questions, please call the Extension Office as soon as possible, so we may plan accordingly. Thanks

Yes you read the title correct! Due to popularity of our summer Bonanza Project Day we have decided to switch it up a little bit this year. We will be offering two days, one on Tuesday, June 6th at the Nuckolls County Fairgrounds and one on Thursday, June 8th at the Thayer County Fairgrounds. Please contact either the Nuckolls or Thayer County office to reserve your spot!

Clover Kid Camp this year is scheduled for July 11th from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Lunch is provided as well as fun as activities and home made ice cream! Please call the Extension office at 402-768-7212 to register by June 30th. Cost to attend is $20

Contests to be held August 3 in Deshler @ Fairgrounds

Clothing & Construction Judging, 9 am

Culinary Challenge & Favorite Food Review Contest, 11 am

Public Style Show/Performing Arts Show, 7 pm

Now is the time to be working on your sewing projects, and preparing for foods contests, and preforming arts.

As in the past Favorite Foods can be a great way to give it a try and get your feet wet for Culinary Challenge. The culinary challenge ingredient for 2023 is Sunflowers, if you choose to try that. More details about these contests may be found on Pg 25 & 26 in the fair book.

Entry forms, and additional helpful information may be found HERE.

Entry forms will be due July 21.

The seeds for these projects have arrived! Come pick your's up today!

Special Garden Seed Project is Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil

Special Agronomy Seed Project is Tepary Beans

These are a great way to get your feet dirty, be outside, and learn! Each comes with material

and guides to assist you in completing this project.

Big Green 4-H Club Speed Show

June 25th, 2023

Thayer County Fairgrounds-Deshler, NE

Events: Barrels, Poles, Flying W, Potato Race, Keyhole, and Ride a Buck

Cost: $5 per class or $20 for the day

Contact for questions: Makinna Peterson: 402-200-0459

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 2-16, 2023 at: https://go.unl.edu/online4hhortcontest

Horticulture judging contest consists of three parts. The first is identification of plant material. Participants identify the plants by common name from a plant list. Specimens may be alive or preserved plant parts like stems, twigs, leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots, bulbs, tubers, or plant products.

The second is a knowledge portion, usually in the form of a true/false or multiple choice quiz. Questions will test the contestant's knowledge of cultural practices for horticultural crops, plant science, pesticides, horticultural careers and other topics related to the production, processing and consumption of horticultural crops.

The last portion is judging or placings. This is where four different plants, plates of vegetables, or containers flowers are ranked from best to worst based on a set of criteria. Classes are judged on the basis of condition, quality, uniformity, true-to-type, and size.

More information about the Nebraska State contest along with a list of study materials can be found in the Fair book https://4hfairbook.unl.edu/fairbookview.php/contests/45. Here you can find the written study materials for the knowledge portion, follow links to plant pictures for help with identification, and read how judging of plant material is done.

More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/online-horticulture-judging-contest

June 6th-Bonanza Day-Nelson 9 am-3pm

June 8th-Bonanza Day-Deshler 9am-3pm

June 12-13 Camp Renegade

June 13 - @ 10:30 am-YQCA Training @ Thayer County Extension Office

June 15 4-H Enrollment DEADLINES and all IDs DUE!

June 15-16 Camp Venture

June 28-29 Camp Blast

July 5 - Thayer-Nuckolls Archery Shoot, @ Hebron 6 pm (rain date July 6th)

July 11- Clover Kid Camp @ Thayer County Extension 9:00am-3:30 pm

July 26 - Nuckolls-Thayer Shotgun Shoot, @ Nelson 4 pm

Email: nuckolls-county@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/southernplains/
Location: 825 S Main St, Nelson, NE, USA
Phone: 402-225-2381
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernPlainsExt
Twitter: @SPNE4HExt

Email: thayer-county@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/southernplains/
Location: 225 N 4th St, Hebron, NE, USA
Phone: 402-768-7212
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernPlainsExt/
Twitter: @SPNE4HExt

The 4-H Youth Development program abides with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.