GC Newsletter October 2024

September 27 - State Fair Exhibits picked up at the office

September 30 - Office Closed (teaching in Chadron)

October 1 - Office Closed (teaching in Chappell)

October 2 - Ag Safety Day with GC 3rd Graders at Paisley's Farm (office closed)

October 6th-12th - National 4-H Week: BEYOND READY

October 14 - Columbus Day (Office Closed)

October 17 - Office Closed (teaching in Bridgeport)

October 25 - Achievement Applications due in Office

November 10 - Garden County Achievement Celebration - see below for more details!

The Extension Office is working to move to a new platform as the primary communication method for 4-H. This new communication app is called sportsYou, and the goal is hopefully have this be more of a user-friendly and efficient way to communicate between families! We will continue to use newsletters, and FaceBook, but we encourage you to use this year to navigate and familiarize yourself with this platform so that we can use it more efficiently! Remind will no longer be used after November 10th.

The app can be downloaded on your mobile device from your App Store (apple) or Google Play Store (android).

Once you have the app downloaded, you will need to Create an Account.

In order to join a team (Garden County 4-H), you will need to put in an access code....this one!

If you need more of a step-by-step, here's a How To Video to help you!

The app will allow you to directly talk to one of the coaches or staff members within the Extension Office, post a question, get notifications about the latest updates, see a shared calendar with due dates and upcoming events, shared photos, and easily access forms that you will need for 4-H projects and the county fair. Of course, if you have any questions, we are always here to help!

Below are pictures from Shooting Sports, Fashion Show, Pumpkin Hall and pictures from Taryn. I hopefully have settings so you can download just please be sure to give credit to Taryn Groves if you share on social media!! Enjoy!!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I1RXDdOkmYLwJd9GbI3LNbOo_rz0FoEP?usp=sharing

The 2024 Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island had its highest recorded attendance since 2017. On the 4-H side of things, 3,813 youth participated from across the state with thousands of projects on display in both the static building and the livestock barns. Garden County 4-H had 14 youth send 31 projects to be judged in the Static Hall. We also had two youth participate in live events with both doing well at the Fashion Show.

Below are the results for the Garden County participants at State Fair.

Brooklyn Ardissono: Visual Arts Medium – Pencil Drawing – Mountain Scene - Blue

Ember Assmann: Entrepreneurship Investigation – Wildflower Wranglers Keychains - Purple

Korryn Beberniss: Shooting Sports – Storage Case – PVC Pipe Holder for Bows – Purple; Shooting Sports – Shooting Aid – Wooden Ammo holder - Red

Jamie Biel: Photography Level 2: Abstract Print – Moss – Purple and Expression Through Color – Cactus Flower – Blue

Baily Corfield: Design Decisions – Furniture Remade – Cowhide lamp – Purple and 4-H Design Decisions Gallery participant

Chanley Loomis: Citizenship – Quilt of Valor – Purple; Boiling Water Canning – Pickled Eggs – White

Tilee Loomis: Modeled Shopping in Style – Purchased Outfit – Purple; Citizenship – Quilt of Valor – Purple; Shooping in Style – Mix, Match, Multiply book – Blue; Visual Arts Medium – Acrylic Painting – Red

Landry McCarthy: Visual Arts Medium – Original Pencil Drawing – Eagle with Flag - Red

Rainee Olson: Citizenship – Community Service Quilt – Purple

Christopher Paisley: Design Decisions – Upcycled Item for Home – Xbox Controler Lamp – Purple and Accessory Textile 3D – Macrame Plant Hanger – Purple; Pressure Canning – Carrots – Purple; Wildlife – Pronghorn and White Tail Deer Tracks – Purple; Floriculture – Terrarium- Purple and Desert Garden - Red

Tyson Paisley: Modeled Beyond the Needle – Embellished Garment – Purple; Boiling Water Canning – Grape Jelly – Blue; Wildlife – Skunk and Raccoon Tracks – Purple and Wildlife Diaroma – Rocky Mt Habitat - Purple

Brynlee Ross: Design Designs – Accessory Textile 2D – Cross-stitch Table Runner – Purple and Accessory 3D – Deer Antler Macrame Leaves – Purple; Photography Level 2 – Creative Lighting – Water Bottle Sunset – Purple and Selected to be displayed at the Visitors Center on UNL East Campus and Candid photo – Sunflower Sunset – Red

Maxwell Sumrall: Cooking 401 – Candy – Fudge – Purple; Visual Arts Themes – Oceanscape w/poem - Red

Hailee Thelander: Beyond the Needle – Embellished Garment – Highlander Cow Sun-dyed – Blue; Photography Level 2 – Creative Composition – Branding – Blue and selected to be displayed at the Animal Science building on UNL East Campus.

The annual exhibition, “4-H Design Gallery” was displayed for the full duration of the 2024 Nebraska State Fair. This fifth annual iteration of this exhibit featured projects from 30 youth from around the state who have competed in the areas of Clothing, Home Design & Restoration, Quilt Quest, and Fashion Show. 4-H Judges from across the state served as jurors for these categories during exhibit judging in Grand Island selecting the highest quality, original, and creative forms of artistic displays. With hundreds of projects eligible, being selected a huge honor.

Baily Corfield, daughter of Casper and Shannon Corfield of Oshkosh, NE, redesigned a lamp that was selected for the 2024 4-H Design Gallery. After selecting a lamp that lived a good life previously, Baily painted the lamp and then cut stipes of tooled leather to attach to the lamp shade. Her finishing touches made the judges extremely impressed with final project that she submitted in the Design Decisions category at the state fair. Baily is an active member of the Zippee Stitchers 4-H Club and also participates in various other projects within 4-H including showing beef and goats and also completed various other static projects this year.

Garden County 4-H members were among 306 4-H members who participated in the 4-H Fashion Show at Grand Island on Saturday, August 24. Youth ages 8-18 showcased garments that they made, decorated, or purchased through 4-H projects during one of the three shows hosted within the Raising Nebraska exhibit in the Nebraska Building at the State Fairgrounds. 4-H members modeled for a panel of judges and for a crowd estimated at 430 per show during the Nebraska State Fair.

The Best of Show constructed Fashion Show Award winners were Josie Williams of Nance County, Kyper Vaughn of Phelps County, Audrey Dieckman of Gage County, and Madison Enstrom of Burt County. Greta Rickertson of Dawson County also received the 2024 Nebraska Make It With Wool 4-H Fashion Show plaque in memory of Alice Doane, past State Director for the Nebraska Make It With Wool. The Best of Show purchased garment Fashion Show Award winners included Alaina Challburg of Cheyenne County, and Cecily Remmenga of Phelps County.

Tyson Paisley, son of Tim and Sarah Paisley of Lewellen, NE received a purple ribbon in the State Fair 4-H Fashion Show. Tyson designed a t-shirt with his orginal vinyl design he created. The front says, “Balin’ that Hay” with the back reading “Feedin’ those Cows. Tyson has been a Garden County 4-H member for four years and is a member of the SHARPS 4-H Club.

Tilee Loomis, daughter of Chris and Nicole Loomis of Oshkosh, NE received a purple ribbon in the State Fair 4-H Fashion Show showcasing her consumer skills with a purchased garment. Tilee’s outfit consisted of a new yellow shirt, jeans shorts and accessories. Tilee Loomis has been a Garden County 4-H member for three years and is part of the Zippee Stitchers 4-H Club.

Please come to the courthouse by Friday, Sept 27th to pick up your State Fair Projects. We need to get the hallway cleared out so don't forget!!

The theme of 4-H for the next 5 years is BEYOND READY! Our programs work to prepare youth to be ready for an ever-changing world. Watch for more information about this new theme and some ways to get more involved!

Want a great way to summarize your year, get in some great practice for scholarship writing in the future, and an opportunity to get some statewide awards?

THEN COMPLETE THE ACHIEVEMENT APPLICATION!!!

Background Info:

The primary purpose of Achievement Applications at that state level is to select youth participants to serve as National 4-H Conference Representatives and National 4-H Congress Members as well as earn college scholarships. Free trips and money to college - can't go wrong! If you are 15 years or older and are interested in either of the above opportunities, please reach out.

In order to prepare youth for future needs, like scholarship and college applications, we use these applications at the county level to acknowledge the efforts of 4-H members. Garden County gives Chamber Bucks to top winners in each age category - Junior, Intermediate, and Senior. Juniors (8-10 years old) and Intermediates (11-13 years old) fill out the Junior Application and ALL Seniors (14-18 years old) fill out the Senior one. (I know the website says 14 fills out the Junior but it makes it easier to grade if all seniors do the senior one! Thanks for understanding!)

Garden County Achievement Applications are due on October 25th. To find the applications and more information, go to https://4h.unl.edu/achievement-application. If you wish to go on the next level, we will review and submit those to the state in January. Please submit to our office directly - either hard copy or digital copy to avonruden2@unl.edu or spaisley3@unl.edu by Friday, October 25th.

We cannot make this program work without volunteers. Whether you are an adult or a youth, there is a place for you!! Join the team and make difference.

4-H Council - meets every other month and works to get awards, make decisions around 4-H programs and the fair, and helps and advises the Extension Office throughout the year. Call the office if interested.

4-H and FFA Livestock Committee - youth and adults are welcome to participate. They make decisions around fairground maintenance and improvements while also running the livestock shows. They meet every other month or as needed. Call the office if interested.

4-H Youth Council - any jr high or high school youth that wishes to make a difference in Garden County has the opportunity to participate. We meet about 4-5 times a year. See information below to apply.

Council and Livestock will be meeting after Achievement Celebration to begin discussing next year. Please join us to see what these groups do!

Calling all volunteers to join us either virtually or in-person for the annual Volunteer Road Show!

This is a great opportunity to gather fresh ideas! Check out the flyer below for more information including how to register. Make sure you register before November 12th!

Interested in helping out with the Shooting Sports program? You will need to become a certified instructor. Visit with Allan Beberniss or Ross Rote if you are interested. The next training in Western NE is being offered in Trenton, NE on November 2nd. You must register by October 23rd. SHARPS will provide reimbursement for those that become certified and assist with the program.

More information about the training:

A Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Certification Workshop is scheduled for early November in Trenton, NE. It will be held November 2-3 in Trenton. The early bird deadline to register for the workshop is October 23rd.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to become certified as an adult (21 years and older) or apprentice (14-20 years old) leader. Five project areas will be offered at the Trenton Workshop – rifle, pistol, shotgun, muzzleloading, and archery.

There is a minimum number of participants required to offer these disciplines at the workshop. Workshop participants will learn under expert instruction from members of the Nebraska State
4-H Shooting Sports Training Team.

More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports

4-H Online will be down from September 30th to October 15th while our State Extension team works on doing their annual clean up of the site and getting it ready for our 2025 4-H Year. It will be up and running again around October 15th in which you will then be able to register your youth for the next year of 4-H. Please wait for further instructions before you try to sign your child up for the next 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...

Enrollment instructions for new families can be found here...

Project Selection is NOT required when registering, but it does help us get a good idea of what projects you are interested in! However, if you are doing SHOOTING SPORTS or HORSE, 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 they are signed!

It is important that you put your youth's t-shirt size when enrolling them! Please remember to do this during the registering process.

After submitting your youth's enrollment, it would be good to periodically check your email to see if it was approved or sent back. Sometimes there is something missing in the registration and we need extra information before approving it, and once we send the enrollment back, we can't see it. If you are ever in question of whether your youth's enrollment got approved or sent back, feel free to call the office.

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.

Ready to branch out and try a new project area??

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.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Garden 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.

Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture.

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

Email: spaisley3@unl.edu
Website: go.unl.edu/garden4h
Location: PO Box 350, 611 Main St., Oshkosh, NE 69154
Phone: 308-772-3311
Facebook: facebook.com/gardenco4h