
4-H Friday News Blast for 1.10.2020
Happy New Year!
Welcome our new employee
Everyone please welcome the newest member to our team, Krystl Knabe!!
Krystl was a former Cass County 4-H member and is currently the Nehawka Swine 4-H Club Leader. She has enjoyed working with the county fair swine show and livestock auction as a 4-H volunteer. Prior to joining the Cass County 4-H Team she was with the Nebraska Department of Education as the State Director of Agricultural Education and Nebraska FFA State Advisor. Krystl looks forward to working with Cass County 4-H families throughout the year and especially during county fair!
If you're around the office, stop in and say hello! We are so excited to have her join the Cass County Extension team as our 4-H Support Staffer 😊🍀
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Special Garden Project 2020
Each year, a new plant is selected as the focus for all members enrolled in the project. Youth receive seeds which they plant and cultivate using project resources provided throughout the experience. Youth then have the opportunity to exhibit cut flowers or harvested vegetables or present their experience through a poster or report.
The project is designed to challenge youth interested in horticulture by introducing them to new and unique growing experiences and foster real-world problem-solving skills through a guided horticultural experience.
This year's project is: The unique Classic Magic Bachelor Button flower. Classic Magic Bachelor Buttons are a unique mix of plum, purple, and bicolor flowers. Not only do the flowers attract beneficial insects, they are edible as well.
The seeds are free (paid for by the Cass County 4-H Council.) But you must contact the Extension Office and let us know if you want the seeds. One packet per 4-Her, including Clover Kids. Deadline to order the seeds is January 29th.
Call: 402-267-2205, or
Email: cass-county@unl.edu
Photo courtesy of Johnny's Select Seeds, Johnnyseeds.com, 1-877-564-6697.
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4-H Leaders ... Year End Reports due
December 31 was the due date for the Year End Reports from each club's leader. Go to: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/cass/year-end-treasurers-report/ to get the blank report form. Leaders, please turn them in to Tracy at the Extension Office as soon as possible!
If you have questions, please contact us at the Extension Office:
(402) 267-2205 or cass-county@unl.edu
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2020 Enrollment is Open!
Enrollment is open for the 2020 program year! Club members, club leaders, independent members, project leaders, and superintendents must re-enroll each year.
To date 155 individuals have enrolled/re-enrolled:
- 143 youth and
- 28 volunteers.
Enrollment instructions are available to help you navigate the 4-H Online system. Be sure to check out the following resources:
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Stock Show Manager website now open ...
Attention 2020 Nebraska State Fair exhibitors: Show Stock Manager is now open and available for those of you who are planning ahead, and preparing to show at the 2020 Nebraska State Fair. This link: State Fair Animal Nomination/ID Requirements provides information about requirements and deadlines for show entries. If necessary, click this link to nominate your livestock https://showstockmgr.com/.
The following link lists step-by-step instructions for using Show Stock Manager: Step-by-Step Instructions
Contact Lauren with any questions you may have either via email at lstohlmann2@unl.edu or give her a call at the office at 402-267-2205.
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YQCA - Youth for the Quality Care of Animals
All 4-H members (excluding Clover Kids) enrolled in beef, dairy cattle, dairy goat, meat goat, poultry, rabbit, sheep, and swine are require to complete Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) training to exhibit livestock. The YQCA training must be completed by June 15th, 2020.
There will be three opportunities to attend an in-person training at the Cass County Extension Office. Please call the Extension office at 402-267-2205 to let us know you are coming, but you will need to pre-register online at YQCA.org
Please see the dates, times, and age levels below:
· February 6th - Juniors 6 – 7 pm. & Intermediate/Senior 7:30 – 8:30 pm.
· April 9th - Juniors 6 – 7 pm. & Intermediate/Senior 7:30 – 8:30 pm.
· June 4th – time TBD
While we encourage you to attend the in-person training, YQCA training may also be completed online. You can register and complete that training on their website at YQCA.org. If you have questions or need help registering, please call the office at 402-267-2205.
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Updated 2020 Pick-Your-Project Resource
The Pick Your Project, available at http://4hcurriculum.unl.edu, has been updated for the 2020 program year.
Using the searchable, web-based 2020 Pick Your Project, users will be able to search for projects by keywords, curriculum areas, knowledge levels, and geographic levels. It is the intent that this feature will assist 4-H youth, volunteers and families with learning about the project opportunities using the Pick Your Project and then locating the same project in 4HOnline.
To assist 4-H members, volunteers, and parents, with locating curriculum to support 4-H projects, two resources are available:
1) A new 4-H Projects page at https://4h.unl.edu/projects
2) A Printable Project Listing at https://4h.unl.edu/documents/NE4H-Project-Listing-2020.docx
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4-H Photography Showcase
The 4-H Photography Showcase offers a project exhibition opportunity beyond traditional print media. It is intended to help youth develop professional and technical skills as photographers while fostering creativity and encouraging self-expression. Through this opportunity, youth are encouraged to practice and apply skills learned in their photography projects throughout the year.
How Does It Work?
Each month, a new photo will be selected from the online submissions. Selections will be made based on creativity, timeliness, technical execution, originality, and appropriateness. The selected photo will be showcased across the Nebraska 4-H social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Youth photographers will be credited wherever and whenever their photo is shared or published.
This opportunity is open to all enrolled 4-H members. Photo recommendations, file specifications, rules, and guidelines for participation are available online at https://4h.unl.edu/photography-showcase.
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2020 Online Horticulture Judging Contest
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 5-22, 2020 at: https://go.unl.edu/hortcontest.
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 Fairbook http://4h.unl.edu/fairbook/plant-science/horticulture-id. 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
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Nebraska 4-H Camp 101 Sessions
Join live at: https://unl.zoom.us/j/7874401325
Questions: contact Sean Gunderson at the camp
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Big Red Summer Camp Sessions Announced
Big Red Summer Camps are residential, career exploration camps held at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. This year's sessions will be held June 7-12, 2020.
Session Topics:
· Animation
· Digital Media
· Teaching
· Engineering
· Agriculture & Natural Resources
· Filmmaking
· Veterinary Science
· Talent in Startups
Unicameral Youth LegislatureFor more information go to: https://go.unl.edu/jutb
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State 4-H Indoor Archery Tournament Registration Open
- FRIDAY JANUARY 24th - Registration: 5:15 pm. Shooting starts promptly at 6:00 pm
- SATURDAY JANUARY 25th - Registration: 7:00 am. Shooting starts promptly at 8:00 am
- Registration: 10:00 am. Shooting starts promptly at 11:00 am
Cost: $15 per shooter. Pay at the event site.
NFAA 300 Round (12 ends of 5 arrows)
Contact Info: Mark Eggers: (402)750-0005 or Becky Carmin: (308)380-0763
Registration information found at: https://forms.gle/FCF4w8wDpCTW33gq6
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2020 District Horse Show Locations and Dates
June 15- Scottsbluff
June 16- Burwell
June 17- Columbus
June 18- Lincoln
June 19- McCook
Districts Webpage- https://4h.unl.edu/horse/district-shows
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4-H Calendar
Looking ahead ...
- Summer Camps announced for 2020
- Nebraska Equine Webinar series ... 2nd Monday of every month (please remember to register for these webinars in advance)
- Horsemen's Update ... January 15, 2020. A full day of presentations on important topics for horse owners
Shooting Sports Leadership Workshop, Lincoln – January 18-19
State Archery Indoor Championships, Columbus – January 24-25
- Nebraska Cattlemen's Classic Judging Contest - Saturday, 2.15.2020 in Kearney
- Come Ride with Me ... February 15, 2019 A Horsemanship clinic for youth and adults
- Chick Days at UNL ... March 14, 2020 in Lincoln.
- 2020 Horse Judging School - March 7, 2020
- 2020 Adult/Leader Equine Advancement Level Workshop - March 8, 2020
- 2020 Equine 4-H Youth 3 & 4 Advancement Level Workshop - March 8, 2020
- 4-H Horse Stampede - March 28, 2020 at UNL
- 4-H Companion Animal Challenge - March 28, 2020
- Horse Stampede 2020 4-H Horses .. March 29, 2020
- Otoe County Livestock Judging Clinic ... April 25, 2020
- Big Red Camps in Lincoln - June 7-12
- District Horse Show information - June 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
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Ag Information & Other Opportunities:
- Hort Update (new Dec 17 + past issues)
- Gardening articles by Sarah Browning (New articles posted almost every week)
- Recorded Webinar and info on "Hunting Leases" with vital information for landowners
- Nebraska Extension Publications ... online Library
- Extension Crop Production Clinics set for January ... six sites (Mead is the closest)
- Improving the Bottom-line of Breeding: Three State Beef Conference ... January 16 in Syracuse, NE 5:30 Flyer available here.
Become a Master Gardener ... for 2020 program, register by January 17, 2020
Nebraska Crop Management Conference ... January 22-23 in Kearney
Private Pesticide Training in Cass County (see below) ... February 20, 2020
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Pesticide Training Date Announced for 2020
More information can be found at: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/nemaha/2020-private-pesticide-applicator-training-schedule/ .
For other locations and times visit: https://pested.unl.edu/pesticide-safety-recertification
For questions about registration, training, and/or study materials, call the Pesticide Safety Education Program Office at 800-627-7216 (toll-free) or 402-472-1632 and visit the website:
For questions about the status of your license, reciprocity, test results, and/or tests requirements, call the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at 402-471-2341.
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Nebraska Extension Cass County
Lauren Stohlmann, Extension Educator and Unit Leader, lauren.stohlmann@unl.edu
Katie Kreuser, Extension Educator, katie.kreuser@unl.edu
Tracy Ensor, Extension Assistant, tracy.ensor@unl.edu
Krystl Knabe, 4-H Support Staff, krystl.knabe@unl.edu
Sondra Buell, Office Manager, sondra.buell@unl.edu
General Mailbox, cass-county@unl.edu
Email: cass-county@unl.edu
Website: www.cass.unl.edu
Location: 8400 144th Street, Weeping Water, NE, 68463
Phone: 402-267-2205
Facebook: facebook.com/UniversityofNebraskaLincolnExtensionCassCounty
Twitter: @UNLCassCounty