Congratulations Graduates!

Box Butte County 4-H CONGRATULATES all our graduating seniors. We are proud of what you have accomplished and know great things are in store for your future.

Delaney Childers, Jayda Meyring, Catherine Bryner, Hayden McDonald, RJ Riggs, Jett Eggers, Keagan Hitchcock, Avery Davies, Brayden McGowan, Kenna Montes, Mia Reynolds, and Sonny Gonzales

The following High School Seniors were selected to receive scholarships:

• Catherine Bryner, Alliance High School, daughter of Dusty & Sally Bryner is presented a $1,000 4-H Box Butte County 5C’s Scholarship.
• Jayda Meyring, Alliance High School, daughter of Jay & Shauna Meyring is presented a $1,000 4-H Box Butte County 5C’s Scholarship.
• Delaney Childers, Alliance High School, daughter of Jim & Katie Childers is presented a $1,000 4-H Box Butte County 5C’s Scholarship.
• Avery Davies, Hemingford High School, daughter of Adam & Jessica Davies is presented with the $500 4-H Sharon Davis Memorial Scholarship.

4-H Alumni Recipients:

• Wade Sanders, son of Tom & Teresa Sanders, who is attending Texas Tech University
• Shelbee Burke, daughter of Tom & Gail Burke, who is attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Congratulations to all the scholarship recipients and thank you to those that submitted a 4-H Scholarship, we hope you will apply again in the again next year.

Good Luck with all your future endeavors!

Enroll for 2022-2023!

Steps to enroll in 4-H:

1. ENROLL on 4honline - https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in

• Enrollment will look a littler different depending on if you're a new 4-H member or if you're a returning 4-H member. You can find step by step instructions at https://4h.unl.edu/enroll

*Note - Early Registration fees (by June 1) are $10, starting June 6 4-H Enrollment fees increase to $35 ($10 paid online and $25 paid to the Office). Enrollments received after June 15th, youth are unable to exhibit at county or state fair.

Any questions? Call (308) 762-5616 or email Ashley at astevens4@unl.edu

Early Registration for 4-H is June 1st! This will be your normal $10 enrollment fee. After June 1st the enrollment fee will increase ($10 online registration and $25 fee at the office).

Animal Affidavits (Animal ID Sheets) and YQCA Certificates are also due June 1!

The Box Butte County Extension website is slowing getting updated. The 2023 Fairbook and other fair documents should be updated soon!

If you have questions please call the Extension Office or email Ashley astevens4@unl.edu.

Instructor Led Trainings are done for the year, if you didn't attend a YQCA session earlier you will need to complete it online.

ONLINE TESTING:

Web-based annual training is available through the YQCA learning management system. The online YQCA course costs $12 per individual regardless of age. Each session purchased includes three modules - a knowledge builder, a skills lab, and a quiz. To receive certification, 80% must be achieved on the 10-question quiz. These modules, completed in their entirety, will provide 2-3 hours of experience.

Youth enrolled in any of following projects will need to complete YQCA training;

• Beef (bucket calf, feeder calf, breeding beef, market beef)
• Dairy Cattle
• Goat (breeding meat goat, dairy goat, meat goat)
• Poultry
• Rabbit (ALL Species)
• Sheep (breeding sheep, market sheep)
• Swine (breeding swine, market swine)

YQCA Helpful links:

Help Video: Web-Based Training

Help Video: Instructor-Led Training

We are looking for a new Cookie Jar & Auction Cake Superintendent!! Please reach out if you are interested in volunteering and help at the fair!

762-5616 or email Ashley astevens4@unl.edu

Again this year we will be holding mandatory tagging for pigs, sheep and goats with weigh-in being optional at the Box Butte County Fairgrounds. If you are planning to bring a market pig, lamb or meat goat to the 2023 Box Butte County Fair you MUST attend one of the weigh-ins offered:

BOX BUTTE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS

• Thursday, May 18 from 6-7 pm
• Thursday, May 25 from 6-7 pm

Animals can be tagged on the trailer if you choose not to unload your animal(s).

4-H tags for swine are $1 and EID tags are $3

Sheep & Goats should have a USDA Scrapies tag from your flock or from your Breeders flock.

If you have questions please contact the Extension Office or a Superintendent.

You can register for Summer Workshops by returning the paper copy or through this google form link: go.unl.edu/bbsummer23

Clover Kids can participate in Clover Kid Day.

The rest of the workshops are for 4-H members.

Workshops:

• Rocket Workshop: Youth will create a rocket and launch it. Please bring a Lunch.
• Beaded Bracelet: Youth will create a beaded bracelet - Led by Marcia Teten.
• Sewing Workshop: Youth will be upcycling a pair of old jeans into a jean skirt, batiking a pillow and creating a beaded necklace. Please bring a sack lunch and a pair of jeans.
  
• Barn Quilts: will be led by Artistic Innovations NE. Youth 9 and up are welcome and Adults can create a barn quilt as well. Youth cost will be $30 and Adults will be $65. Youth ages 9-12 are asked to be accompanied by an adult. You will need to bring yellow delicate Frog Tape and a Hair Dryer.
• Macramé Dream Catchers: Youth will create a dream catcher and learn different knot tying techniques. Please bring a Lunch.
• Robotics Camp: Melissa and past robotics team members will be teaching youth about how the robot works and coding. Please bring a Lunch.

Mark your Calendars for the Panhandle Progress Show, Saturday, June 24th at the Box Butte County Fairgrounds in Hemingford!

Box Butte County will be holding a Livestock Clinic that will cover good showmanship tips and grooming. Youth are encourage to bring their animals other than swine.

4-H Alumni will be presenting on how to present you and your animal best to a judge.

Box Butte County Fairgrounds

Thursday, June 15 - Sheep & Goat Clinic from 2:00-4:00 PM

Friday, June 16 - Pigs & Beef; Pigs from 10:00 - Noon and Beef from 1:00-3:00 PM

Please Call and RSVP at the Extension Office 762-5616.

Box Butte County will be holding a Small Animal Clinic that is open to all small animals: dog, cat, rabbit, poultry and companion animal. We will have showmanship experts to help youth with showmanship speeches as well as Rabbit Tattooing and mite control information and other biosecurity techniques.

Thursday, June 15 - Box Butte County Extension Office Alliance from 6-8 PM.

Please call and RSVP at the Extension Office 762-5616.

On Sunday, April 16th was the Northern Panhandle Speech Contest. Box Butte, Dawes and Sheridan combine counties and held the speech contest in Chadron. Box Butte County had 4 youth participate: Ayla, Eden, Callin and Mara Foster.

Ayla and Eden competed at the Intermediate level, both received purples; Eden received Champion and Ayla was Reserve. Callin competed at the Junior level and received a purple and Champion. Mara completed at the Clover Kid level. Ayla and Eden both qualified for the Premier Communications Event in prepared speeches at UNL on June 23rd!

Congrats to our speech contestants!

If you are interested in participating in Unified showing at the 2023 Box Butte County Fair as a Mentor please complete the Google Form by June 15th! Only Meat Goats, Dairy Goats and Sheep will be shown in Unified Showing.

Legacy of the Plains - Gering, NE: June 1, 2023 – Tractor Driving Day

Gordon Fairgrounds - Gordon, NE: June 5, 2023 - Tractor Driving Day

Register now! A Nebraska Tractor and Equipment Safety Certification Course is coming up! This course includes a required driving exam and costs $35.

Teens 14 or 15 years old who work on farms, or others who are interested in learning about safe farming practices, are encouraged to register for the certification course. Students must complete a Hands-On Safety Day or online course before they complete their driving certification at the Tractor and Equipment Safety Certification Course.

Click here to learn more and register! go.unl.edu/2023tractorsafety

#FarmSafety #TractorSafety #NebExt

Camping season is almost upon us but there is still time for youth to sign up for a camp with Nebraska State 4-H Camp. Scholarships from different sources can be stacked- For example if a youth receives a camp scholarship from their local 4-H council, they can still apply for a scholarship through the camp scholarship application and use both to help them attend camp. Scholarships do need to be awarded prior to registration. Families can apply at https://4h.unl.edu/camps-discounts

Camps that still have space available:

Chadron, June 5-9

Experience Nebraska via horseback, hiking, and with a trip down the Super Slide! Then see the prehistoric Agate Fossil Beds for a week of exploring Nebraska’s wilderness; both past and present.

Cozad, June 16-20

Challenge yourself with high ropes, zipline, and a rock wall! Work together with your new friends for a canoeing adventure, and round out your day with gaga and 9 square in the air!

Burwell, July 16-20

Explore the flora and fauna with a week on the river front! Explore the North Loup River, go geocaching, tracking, and don’t forget about playing an epic game of capture the flag!

If families have questions more information can be found at https://4h.unl.edu/camp or they can contact Amber Stephens at astephens15@unl.edu or 531-893-2142.

Any 4-H member planning to exhibit livestock at the Nebraska State Fair must complete the appropriate livestock identification and nomination requirements by June 15. This process makes an individual animal eligible for entry at the State Fair. Learn more at 4h.unl.edu/livestock-id.

The Premier Animal Science Event, held June 21-22 in Lincoln, features our state-level Livestock Judging, Meats Judging, Poultry Judging, Livestock Skillathon, and Livestock Quiz Bowl Contests. Registration is open now through June 1 and must be completed through local Extension offices. Learn more at 4h.unl.edu/pase.

The NEW Premier Communication Event, held June 23 in Lincoln, will feature our state-level Prepared Speech, Radio Public Service Announcement, Illustrated Presentation, Impromptu Speech, and Video Communication Contests. Registration is open now through June 1 and must be completed through local Extension offices. Learn more at 4h.unl.edu/pce.

Note: Some events you must have competed at the county level to attend.

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

The Box Butte County Extension Office is accepting applications for an Office Manager. This individual will be responsible for daily office operations under the direct supervision of the County Commissioners and the Extension Unit Leader. Experience and knowledge of the 4-H program is a plus. Starting wage DOE. To apply submit cover letter, resume, and Box Butte County application by mail or in person to: Box Butte County Commissioners, PO Box 678, Alliance, NE 69301 or 515 Box Butte Ave, Ste 203, Alliance, NE 69301. Applications are available at the Box Butte County Clerk’s office, 515 Box Butte Ave, Ste 203, Alliance, NE 69301. Box Butte County is an EOE. This position is open until filled.