Polk County 4-H
January 2023
IN THIS SMORE....
1. Calendar of Events
2. Online Enrollment Open - SEE LINK
3. Special Gardening Project
4. Special Agronomy Project
5. Important Livestock Changes
6. Horse Project Changes
7. Mark Your Calendars - Important Upcoming Events
8. Weigh Day
9. Happy Birthday to our 4-H'ers born in January
January 2023
23 - DEADLINE for 2023 Special Gardening Project
28 - Extension Board Meeting
February 2023 - NEBRASKA 4-H MONTH
March 2023
4 - Beef Weigh Day
9 - Cricut Creations WorkshopVolunteers Need to Enroll Too!
4-H Volunteers need to re-enroll in 4HOnline every year. Please make sure your club organizational leaders and project leaders are enrolled as soon as possible. New volunteers are required to pass DHHS background check.
CLICK HERE to sign up by JANUARY 17TH! You can pay the fee when you pick up the seeds.
For more information visit https://4h.unl.edu/special-garden-project.
2023 Special Agronomy Project - Tepary Beans
Youth who want to take part, should enroll for the Special Agronomy Project through 4-H Online. Once enrolled, youth are then to call the Polk County Extension office at 402-747-2321 to let them know they are enrolled for the project. Cost for project seeds is $1. You will receive notification when the seeds are ready to pick up.
Tepary Beans are among the most drought-tolerant legume crops in the world, but at one time, they were almost an endangered species in the United States. Tepary beans (pronounced tep-uh-ree) are an ancient crop native to the northern part of Mexico and the southwestern part of the U.S. Beans can be multiple sizes and colors, like pinto or black beans, but they offer drought tolerance other legumes don’t (Texas A&M). Wild tepary beans are viny and can grow 10-feet long but cultivated varieties are bush-types up to 12 inches in height and 20 inches in diameter. Leaves are trifoliate with narrow, pointed leaflets. Flowers are white or light colored. Fruit are small pods, 1.25 to 3 inches long, containing 2 to 7 seeds.
For project specifications and details, be sure to go to the Nebraska State Fair book at:
https://4hfairbook.unl.edu/fairbookview.php/exhibits/13
2. 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.
3. DNA nominations for the Nebraska State Fair are due on June 15th, 2023.
4. Any DNA nomination submitted through Show Stock Manager will also be eligible for exhibition at the Aksarben Stock Show.
5. DNA nominations will remain at $7 per animal.
6. With this update, animals will automatically be eligible for both breeding and market.
Requiring DNA on breeding stock will allow for flexibility or substitutions, allow exhibitors to have a better record of the animals they are nominating, sustain the integrity of exhibitors and ensure ownership of the livestock. As for the administrative side, this will help streamline the record keeping and validation process to assist our families as they are nominating their animal projects.
2. DEADLINE - all State 4-H horse contest Entries are due June 1st
3. DEADLINE - Horse ID sheets for State Horse Show are due June 1st
4. DEADLINE - Horse Judging/Hippology entries are due June 1st
All previous rules for classes, advanced horsemanship levels required, and online entry will be the same.
Horsemanship Clinic
Youth Leadership Conference
Farrowed & Owned Swine Cohort
Youth participating in the Farrowed and Owned 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. - Exhibit their Farrowed and Owned project animals at the 2023 Nebraska State Fair with the opportunity for special recognition as a result of participating in the cohort.
Register by February 1st to participate! **Register by January 8th to participate in a special virtual educational session on farrowing.** After the registration deadline, youth will receive more detailed information via email.
ONCE ENROLLED IN THE 22-23 PROGRAM YEAR, CLICK BELOW FOR EVENT SIGN UP HELP
CLICK HERE to get step-by-step instructions for registering for an event (workshop) through 4-H ONLINE. REMEMBER your spot is not reserved until the Extension Office receives your payment
Polk County Extension
Email: polk-county@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/polk/
Location: 400 Hawkeye Street, Osceola, NE, USA
Phone: 402-910-1640
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PolkCountyNebraska4H