WELCOME
Stop by the Extension Office and help welcome Melinda Ortiz as a new member of the Extension Staff. Melinda started work March 25 as our 4-H Secretary.
NEW HOURS
The Extension Office will now be open over the noon hour. Our new office hours will now be 7:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
WORDS OF WISDOM
“Some people are like fences. They run around a lot without getting anywhere.”
FAIR BOOK
This year’s Otoe County Fair Book will be in your April 14th PENNY PRESS. If you have a Bennet, Cook, or Union address it will not be in your Penny Press, but you can pick one up at The Family Tree in Cook, the Morton-James Public Library in Nebraska City, Heartland Bank in Bennet, or the Extension Office in Syracuse.
S.E.T. CAMP
New this year is a Science, Engineering, and Technology (S.E.T.) Camp!
The S.E.T. camp will be Thursday, May 22 at the Kimmel Education and Research Center, 5985 G Road, Nebraska City. The camp is for boys and girls who just finished grades 3, 4, 5, and 6. Youth will have fun with Robotics; Digital Storytelling; Incredible Edible Science; and with GPS. The cost of the camp is $20. Check out the enclosed flyer for much more information. The registration deadline is Friday, May 16.
COUNTY FAIR THEME
The theme for the 2008 Otoe County Fair is "Rock n Roll in Otoe County”
CLUB PACKETS
Several 4-H CLUBS and INDEPENDENT FAMILIES need to pick up their packets for the new year. We do not mail packets out, so pick them up as soon as possible. MAY 1 is the enrollment deadline.
4-H ENROLLMENTS
All 4-H enrollments are DUE Thursday, May 1. 4-H’ers have until June 15 to add or delete only non-livestock projects. No 4-H projects will be added after that time in accordance with the Nebraska State 4-H Policy. At the Otoe County Fair, 4-H’ers may only enter exhibits in the 4-H projects in which they are enrolled.
POP TABS
Keep saving your pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House in Omaha. This is an easy and great community service project for Otoe County 4-H Clubs. Please drop off the pop tabs at the Extension Office in time for delivery to Omaha the end of April.
CAKE PANS
Wilton cake pans have been donated to the Extension Office for 4-H’ers to use. They can be used for great cake decorating projects or even the Favorite Foods Revue. Pans available for check out are: 1) Darth Vader; 2) Double Heart; 3) Gingerbread Boy; 4) High Flyin’ Witch; 5) Mini-Dinosaurs;
6) Rabbit; 7) Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer; 8) Teddy Bear and 9) Wreath.
MEATS for CONSUMERS JUDGING PRACTICE
The next Meats for Consumers Judging Contest practice is Saturday,
April 19, 2 p.m. at the Extension Office in Syracuse. We will be reviewing beef and pork cuts and learning about food safety.
AK-SAR-BEN SHEEP, SWINE, AND MEAT GOATS
All sheep, swine and meat goats that are going to be exhibited at Ak-Sar-Ben & STATE FAIR have to have DNA Samples taken by June 2. The fee is $6.00/head. Instructions, envelopes and registration papers are available at the Extension Office.
The sheep DNA samples will be taken during the weigh-in May 17th. Each swine exhibitor and meat goat exhibitor will be responsible for taking these samples.
LAMB WEIGH-IN
This year’s Market Lamb Weigh-In will be Saturday, May 17th, at the Kimmel Arena. We will be tagging and weighing all market lambs for this year’s county fair, state fair and Ak-Sar-Ben. The weigh-in will be from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
If you are going to show any Market Sheep at Ak-Sar-Ben or State Fair they have to have DNA Samples taken. This will cost $6.00/head. We will do this the day of weigh-in, May 17th.
ATTEND E-WEEK AT UNL
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Engineering is excited to be hosting the 95th annual E-Week Celebration, April 20-25, 2008. E -Week is dedicated torecognizing and rewarding engineers’ accomplishments. 4-H youth in high school are encouraged to attend the E-Week Open House on Friday, April 25, 2008, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Youth attending E-Week have an opportunity to partake in information sessions and hands-on activities that highlight the benefits of becoming an engineer. There is no registration fee to attend this event, however youth will need to bring money for lunch. They also may like to purchase a souvenir T-shirt. To learn more about this opportunity, visit the Website EWEEK or contact the Extension Office at 269-2301.
NEBRASKA STATE 4-H CAMP NEAR HALSEY
The Otoe County Extension Office will provide transportation dollars to any licenced adult providing transportation to ANY camp at the Nebraska State 4-H Camp near Halsey. Adults who take at least three Otoe County youth will be paid $50 each way.
Camps will be filled on a first come, first served basis, so be sure to get your registration mailed as soon as possible.
Youth do not need to belong to 4-H to attend this camp. Invite your friends and sign up now! If you need another registration form, please contact the Extension Office.
QUALITY ASSURANCE TRAINING & CERTIFICATION
Quality Assurance Training is required for all 4-H’ers who exhibit beef, swine, sheep, poultry, dairy cattle or dairy goats. This certification must be done if you want to exhibit at county fair, state fair or Ak-Sar-Ben. This is a yearly training and focuses on a different subject matter every year.
There are several ways that you can become certified: (1) attend the training session June 7th taught by Steve Zimmers, Extension Educator; (2) have a leader do the training at your club meeting or (3) if you are over 12, you can take the test and if you pass you are certified until you are 15; (4) if you are 15 or older, you can take the test and if you pass you are certified for the rest of your 4-H career.
The training session is approximately one hour long and certain guide lines must be followed. Any leader that wants to conduct this training at their club meeting must stop into the Extension Office for a briefing on how to do training. The kits this year make use of a DVD not a VCR tape so make sure you have a DVD player lined up for your meeting. We have a limited number of kits available for leaders to check out so you will need to call and reserve them. These kits are available at the Extension Office.
Everyone must complete this certification by June 15. Contact Steve at the Extension Office if you have questions or comments.
LIVESTOCK IDENTIFICATION
Remember all livestock must be identified by June 2nd with an ear tag. These tags must be in place and all ID forms must be filled out entirely. No ear tags will be given out after the May 30th deadline. Some species of animals may be identified by tattoo’s, or ear notched. These also must be done by June 2nd.
HORSE JUDGING CONTEST AND CLINIC
The Otoe County Horse Judging Contest along with a clinic will be held Sunday, April 27. The event will start at 1:00 p.m. and will be held in the Horse Arena on the fairgrounds. If the weather does not cooperate we will move indoors to the Kimmel Arena.
RETIREMENT PARTY
Come help us celebrate with Jan Mueller on Friday, April 4, from
2:00 - 4:30 p.m. at the Extension Office. Jan retired March 31 and we want to celebrate her 16 years of service to Otoe County Extension.
EASTERN NEBRASKA 4-H CENTER ELEMENTARY AGE CAMP
The Otoe County 4-H Council will provide transportation to the “Aerospace Bound” Camp, June 4 - 6 at the Eastern Nebraska 4-H Center. This camp is for youth 8 - 11 years of age. The camp fee is $176. Save 10% by registering by April 1 for a fee of $160. The camp fee is payable to the Eastern Nebraska
4-H Center.
New this year, a lock-in at the Strategic Air and Space Museum. How much do you know about the history of flight and the U.S. Air Force? Find out during the museum’s unique scavenger hunt. A Flight-astic experience!
Youth attending this camp from Otoe County will be transported to and from the camp for a $5.00 fee. The transportation fee is payable to the Otoe County 4-H Council and should be given or mailed to the Extension Office. We will meet at the Extension Office parking lot at 1:00 p.m. on June 4 and will return about 4 p.m. on June 6.
Camps will be filled on a first come, first served basis, so be sure to get your registration mailed as soon as possible. Youth do not need to belong to 4-H to attend this camp. Invite your friends and sign up now! If you need another registration form, please contact the Extension Office.
Contributors:
- Steve Zimmers
- Sarah Purcell
- Melinda Ortiz
