Monday, April 30, 2012

Livestock Judging 101



Who: Youth ages 9-18


What: Educational clinic for youth interested in participating in livestock judging events. For all experience levels from beginners to experts. We will break the kids into groups depending on experience levels.

When: May 19, 2012


Where: NCSU Beef Educational Unit, Raleigh NC


Cost: $15 per kid (Includes lunch and handouts)


Instructors: We will have a variety of instructors who are experts in their fields to help teach this event, including past NC 4-H Livestock Judging Team Members.

Registration begins at 8:00 am with program beginning at 8:30.  


For more information contact:
Brent Jennings
NCSU Youth 4-H Livestock
Campus Box 7621
Raleigh, NC 27695
Phone: 919-515-4467
Fax: 919-515-6884
E-mail: brent_jennings@ncsu.edu

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Horticultural Science Summer Institute

July 8th - 13th 2012
NC State University

All high school-aged youth (rising sophomores, juniors and seniors) are invited to apply to a new week long, residential horticultural experience on the campus of NC State University. Youth will have hands-on opportunities to explore a broad range of horticultural possibilities from breeding better fruits and vegetables, growing a diverse selection of woody ornamentals, lengthening the life of cut flowers, learning sustainable production practices and delving into tools that enhance our understanding of plant production processes. Participants will visit a variety of horticultural businesses. Youth will also be introduced to career possibilities, college-making decisions and leadership development. The inagural Horticultural Science Summer Institute is sponsored by North Carolina State University and North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s 4-H Program with the Department of Horticultural Science.

The cost of the institute will be $500 with a $150 deposit due upon application acceptance. Scholarships may be available. Applications are due Monday, May 21st, 2012. Please fill out the online application at http://go.ncsu. edu/hssi and have a non-family member submit one letter of recommendation to liz_driscoll@ncsu.edu or Liz Driscoll, 218 Kilgore

For more information (including a draft schedule) visit: http://go.ncsu.edu/hssi-2012 or contact: Liz Driscoll at liz_driscoll@ncsu.edu / 919.513.7346 or 919.886.3424

2012 Southeastern Dairy Youth Retreat in Ocala, Florida

Where:  Ocala, Florida
When:  July 8 - 12, 2012
Who:  Youth ages 8 - 18 (must be 8 as of January 1, 2012)
Cost: $175 per person


REGISTRATION FORMS

TENATIVE AGENDA


It is my pleasure to announce that Florida will be hosting the 2012 Southeast Dairy Youth Retreat this year. Our committee has been working hard to plan an event that you will have a wonderful experience at. We have assembled a program with many fun and educational activities that will be centered around the Ocala, FL area. We will have the opportunity to visit a wide variety of farms in Florida, ranging from a grazing dairy to our top production herd in the state, and some very innovative and interesting farms along the way. We will also take a trip to a local water park and get involved with some interactive workshops and tours. We anticipate a good time to be had by all and know that you will enjoy our world class Florida hospitality and fun. We look forward to seeing you at this year’s Southeast Dairy Youth Retreat; it will be a time to remember.
Chris Holcomb, Dairy Extension
In order for you to attend this retreat, you must complete the attached registration forms for both Florida and North Carolina and provide a check as follows by
 Friday June 1:

1. Check for $175 made payable Polk County, Florida 4-H Foundation (this is the registration fee; write SEDYR in the memo field on the check)

2. 2012 Florida Southeastern Dairy Youth Retreat Registration Form

3. Florida 4-H Participation Form for Youth and Adults

Mail the check for $175; the 2012 Florida Southeastern Dairy Youth Retreat Registration Form; and the Florida 4-H Participation Form by Friday June 1 to:

Polk County, Florida Extension Service
C/O Chris Holcomb
P.O. Box 9005
Drawer HS03
Bartow, Florida 33831

You must also send the following items to Dr. Hopkins by Friday June 1:

1. North Carolina 4-H Code of Conduct Form
2. North Carolina 4-H Medical Release Form (must be notarized)
3. Copy of the completed Florida Southeastern Dairy Youth retreat Registration Form

Send these completed forms to:

Dr. Brinton A. Hopkins
Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist
Box 7621
Department of Animal Science
NC State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7621

The cost of this retreat has been set at $175 per participant by the organizers in Florida. Please have your check for $175 made payable to Polk County, Florida 4-H Foundation (this is the registration fee; write SEDYR in the memo field on the check)


NOTE: The North Carolina Dairy Youth Foundation and the North Carolina PDCA are providing financial support to help offset the transportation costs for our North Carolina youth.  If needed, each participant may be required to pay an additional fee for the bus transportation. Participants will be notified of this amount once all North Carolina participants have registered.






Sunday, April 22, 2012

Happy Earth Day!!!

Today is Earth Day! People in countries around the world will be celebrating our wonderful planet and raising awareness about the environment.

The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. With support from Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson, a Washington, D.C. environmental group organized an event called the Environmental Teach-In to raise environmental awareness. This event became Earth Day. Earth Day spread from being recognized in cities and colleges in the United States to being observed in places all over the world.

Over one billion people from 180 countries around the world celebrate Earth Day every year.

See some pictures from the first EARTH DAY from National Geographic

The Earth

  • The Earth is humongous, having a diameter of 7,926 miles. It orbits around the sun at a speed of 18.5 miles per second or 67,000 miles per hour. Seventy-one percent of the Earth's surface is water; the Pacific Ocean makes up 70 million squared miles of that coverage. The force of gravity is so strong that you would need to travel at a speed of at least seven miles per second to escape it. Approximately two million species of animals, plants and other organisms have been identified and named; it is estimated that approximately 50 million species have yet to be identified.

Incentives to Recycle

  • If everyone in the United States recycled their newspapers, the lives of 41,000 trees would be spared. One single tree can detoxify the air of up to 60 pounds of pollutants.
    To make an aluminum can from recycled materials takes only five percent of the energy normally needed to make a can, an energy savings of 95%. The energy saved by recycling just one aluminum can is enough to power a television set for three hours.
    Recycling glass bottles allows the energy consumption for new glass products to be cut in half.
 

Links:

The Nature Conservancy

EekoWorld - PBS Kids

Enivoronmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Disney Friends for Change



Tuesday, April 17, 2012

4-H Citizenship NC Focus

4-H Citizenship North Carolina Focus will be held June 11-13, 2012, in Raleigh at the Sheraton Downtown.  This is open to two (2) 4-Hers from Alleghany County, ages 14-19.  Participants will participate in hands-on workshops, panel discussions, meet distinguished speakers, and open discussion will help you discover how government impacts your everyday life, and how you can impact government in return.  You will learn about state government, learn about working with public officials, hear from prominent North Carolina officials, and visit legislators. 

Applications must be received in our office by Friday, April 27,  2012!! Cost for the event is $150 (scholarships may be available).  For more information contact the Extension Office at 372-5597.

Don't miss out on this great opportunity.  We would like to be able to take two youth!! Our local legislators enjoy meeting youth from the county!!! 

Monday, April 16, 2012

Plant Information Sheets


All,

I am providing the links to some helpful information sheets for the types of plants we sold this year.  Hope this helps.




                              http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag569.html


                              http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/blackberries.pdf





Michele Hamm

Extension Secretary II

North Carolina Cooperative Extension

Alleghany County Center

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Plant Sale Pick-up Postponed

Plant Sale Pick-Up has been postponed. We have had an unexpected delay in the shipment of the strawberries, horseradish, one grape and one blackberry variety. They are to be shipped over night, but we cannot guarantee an arrival time. If you plan on trying to pick up your order tomorrow (4/13), please send an email to michele_hamm@ncsu or call the office at 372-5597, to be sure that your order is complete. If your order is not complete tomorrow, you may pick up your plants on Monday, April 16th or a day/time that is convenient. We will get your order to you as soon as possible and apololgize for the inconvenience.
Thanks for your patience & understanding.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

WC District Horse Show

REGISTRATION FORM

We are excited about this year's West Central District 4-H Horse Show that will be held May 12, 2012 at Latta Plantation in Huntersville, located in Mecklenburg County.

Attached you will find all the items you need to register for the West Central District Qualifying Show.

There have been some rule changes and you may find that the class  sheet and registration form has a few changes from previous years. The classes are arranged so that it is possible to show in more than one discipline and qualify as long as you place accordingly. It is the responsibility of all 4-H'ers to be aware of any rule changes that may affect them. Please read over the entire packet thoroughly.

Each 4-H member must hold an eligibility card, which has been signed by your County Extension Agent. Along with the eligibility card for each horse you are showing, you must show the original copy of your horse's negative Coggins test and lease papers upon registration at the district show. All 4-H'ers who will be leasing a horse must have proper documentation. All horses purchased or leased must be in the child’s possession at least 30 days prior to the district show. A lease agreement is required for all leased horses.

Coggins, Lease and Eligibility cards will be checked upon arrival. Please have these forms handy as you arrive at Latta Plantation. All ponies must be measured before registering with the show office.
Please remember, NO hardship requests (for State qualifications) are allowed this year. It is the responsibility of each 4-H'er and each leader to be aware of any rule changes. The updated Rule Book is now available on-line at:

Any youth staying on the grounds overnight must have an adult chaperone. All classes except Cloverbud classes have a $8 entry fee. Please mail the enclosed, completed registration form and all fees: class entry, stall and shaving fees.
To: Becki Jonas
2521 Hickory Grove Rd.
Gastonia, NC 28056

 Make checks payable to: West Central District 4-H Horse Council
A one-time fee of $50.00 per horse/rider pair will be added for any late entries. IMPORTANT: ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED BY APRIL 14, 2012! Entries not postmarked by the April 14st deadline should be registered on-site. Each horse and child MUST be registered in AT LEAST one class. You will have the opportunity to add classes on site.

The show grounds gate will open at 2:00pm on Friday, May 11, 2012 and remain open until 10:00pm for hauling in horses. It will reopen at 6:00am on Saturday, May 12, 2012. The show office will open on Friday from 3:00pm-8:00pm for early check in. It will reopen at 7:00am Saturday morning.
Ponies will be measured from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm on Friday, 7:00 am – 8:00 am on Saturday. They will be measured at the wash pits at the end of barn B.

Poultry Science Summer Institute













Summer Institute
July 29- August 2, 2012(Always the first full week of August)

Download the application form
(annually due May 2nd)

What is the Poultry Science Summer Institute?
The summer institute is a four-day, four-night conference designed to broaden the high school student’s understanding of the educational disciplines, scholarship opportunities, careers and industries related to poultry science.


Who can attend & how much is it?

Any high school student (rising 11th and 12th graders) with an interest in the biological sciences or a career in the poultry industry may apply to attend. You must list as a reference a high school science teacher, counselor, County Extension agent, 4H leader or vocational agriculture instructor. We also request a brief personal statement of why you would like to attend. There will be space for two adults to attend the conference as well. Interested Teachers and Agents should contact the coordinator for more details.

Cost for the conference is only $50.00, which includes your lodging on campus, all meals, field trips, workshop materials, great goody bags and entertainment.

How do I apply?
Once you’ve decided to join us, just follow the simple steps below. There’s nothing to lose!
  • Fill out the registration form before the May 2nd deadline.
  • Complete a brief personal statement indicating why you are interested in the experience (this is very helpful when we are selecting who will be chosen to attend!).
  • Mail or fax your form to Debbie Ort at the address on the bottom by May 2nd.
  • We will notify you of your acceptance by the second week of May.
  • Space is limited to 15 - 20 and this program is very popular. If you are not accepted the first time, please consider applying again next year.
What's in it for me?

You will get to see what campus life is really like at North Carolina State University when you come to the summer iInstitute. You will be staying in University Towers, a private residence hall (with a pool), going to local fun spots, doing hands-on-experimentation in a classroom setting, and doing all sorts of things that college students do. In other words, you'll get to "try us on for size". Students participating in the program will get to interact informally with numerous NC State Univ. faculty, staff and current poultry science students. Attendees will learn about the vast field that is Poultry Science as well as specific information on our Poultry Science Degree Program and areas such as:

  • Career Fields & Areas of Opportunity
  • Scholarship Requirements and Availability
  • Internships while Attending College
  • Employment Connections upon Graduation
  • How to Apply to College and When
  • and about anything else you would like to know about POULTRY!

AND most important of all, you'll make lots of new friends from all over the State of North Carolina. Still want more information? E-mail: debbie_ort@ncsu.edu or call (919) 515-5403..