Sioux County 4-H Newsletter

February is 4-H Month!!

Feb. 1 - Spirit Day

Feb. 1 - Melissa in the office

Feb. 1 - Sioux County Extension Board Meeting at 6 pm

Feb. 4 - Panhandle Best Shoot in Kimball

Feb. 8 - 4-H Volunteer Appreciation Day

Feb. 8 - Melissa in the office in the morning

Feb. 11 - Panhandle Best in Hyannis

Feb. 15 - 4-H Supporter Appreciation Day

Feb. 18 - Panhandle Best Shoot in Mitchell

Feb. 19 - President's Day - OFFICE CLOSED

Feb. 22 - Give Back Day

Feb. 22 - Melissa in the office

Feb. 22 - Brownie Baking Workshop

Feb. 22 - 4-H Council Meeting

Feb. 25 - Panhandle Best Shoot in Alliance

Feb. 29 - Leap into 4-H Day

Deadlines:

Feb. 1 - Special Garden Seed registration

Feb. 15 - Registration for Baking Workshop

Office hours will tend to be Tuesdays-Thursdays 1 to 4 pm unless otherwise stated in the newsletter. Remind messages along with Facebook posts will be sent if the office is closed on a regularly scheduled day. If you have questions or need items please feel free to call Melissa at (402) 322-0655 or email at mmracek2@unl.edu.

Office Closed:

• Jan. 31
• Feb. 7
• Feb. 14
• Feb. 20

Make sure to wear your favorite 4-H shirt or even just green to promote 4-H.

Write a thank you note or personally thank a business who supports Sioux County 4-H. Without donors we would not be able to have all the programs that we offer to Sioux County youth.

4-H Month is a great time to give back to others in the community. One group that sometimes gets forgotten about are residents of nursing homes. Feelings of loneliness can be decreased after receiving mail. So this year for 4-H month we are encouraging 4-H members to send cards to residents in the nursing home. Attached are card templates that can be used or draw one of your own. We would like to have cards dropped off at the nursing homes for Valentines Day so please plan to deliver them to the Extension Office by February 12, but cards can be dropped off anytime through the month of February. We also have templates you can pick up at the Extension Office. When sending a card to someone in the nursing home you may not have a personal connection with that person and may not know what their preferences are so for your message it can be an uplifting quote or wishes such as:

“Sending you warm wishes and letting you know someone out there is caring about you.” Here are some other things to consider:

• Do not include your personal information like last name, address, email address
• Keep messages generic and nonreligious
• Avoid suggestion that their situation needs to be improved such as “Feel Better”
• Add fun drawings

Here are some suggestions of what to put in your card:

• Wishing you a wonderful day!
• Thinking about you!
• For someone who’s special and wonderful…
• Just a friendly little hello form me to you!
• Just felt like sharing a smile with you today!
• Sending happy thoughts your way!
• Hoping you know how special you are…
• This greeting is sent with warmest wishes to brighten your day!
• Wishing you a wonderful day to a wonderful person!
• You are loved!
• Sending sunshine

This is a great time to enroll in 4-H. To enroll in 4-H visit 4honline.com. You can submit payment online or bring it by the office.

With Nebraska 4-H Month fast approaching, we would like to showcase the talent of our 4-H youth through a Nebraska 4-H Month Photography Challenge. Each week, two new themes will be introduced on Mondays throughout February. Any Nebraska 4-H youth can participate by taking pictures inspired by the theme and submit. Each week, there will be a selected winner from each category who will win some 4-H swag.

Here is some information you may want to know:

• You can take pictures on whatever device you are comfortable with.
• Youth may submit one picture per category per week.
• You will need to save your picture as “First Initial Last Name - Theme”. Example: J Doe – 4-H Spark
• Photos are to be submitted on Sundays by 11:59 pm (Central Time) at the link listed below.
• An Extension Team will select one winner per category; winners will be announced that week, along with a posting of each submission.
• 4-H Swag will be distributed in March through local 4-H offices to the winners.
• Your pictures may be used in future Nebraska 4-H campaigns or on social media!

Photography Challenge Themes & Release/Submission timeline:

4-H Spark:

• Release on Thursday, February 1st

• Submission 11:59 pm CT on Sunday, February 11th

Personality & Mystery Object:

• Release on Monday, February 5th

• Submission by 11:59pm CT on Sunday, February 11th

Nature/Weather & Black and White:

• Release on Monday, February 12th

• Submission by 11:59pm CT on Sunday, February 18th.

Action Picture & My Community or Hometown:

• Release on Monday, February 19th

• Submission by 11:59pm CT on Sunday, February 25th.

Selfie! & Reflection:

• Release on Monday, February 26th

• Submission by 11:59pm CT on Sunday, March 3rd.

Go to: https://4h.unl.edu/photography-showcase to learn more!

To submit photos go to: https://4h.unl.edu/photography-showcase-submission-form

For the February workshop we will bake different types of brownies on Thursday, February 22nd afterschool at the Security First Bank basement. The fee for this workshop is $5. Please register by February 15th by contacting Melissa at mmracek2@unl.edu.

We have one adult and one to two youth Council member positions open for the new year. Members attend monthly Council meetings, provide input and advice to the Sioux County 4-H program, and help advise the Council budget. Youth need to be ages 12 and above. Youth serve a one year team and adult serve a three year term. Please reach out to Melissa Mracek at mmracek2@unl.edu if interested in serving.

The Nebraska Extension Special Agronomy Project gives 4-H members an opportunity to experience a crop that is grown, was grown or has the potential to be grown in Nebraska. Youth participate by receiving seed and resources to grow the crop, research traits of the crop and determine the viability of that crop in the part of the state they live. The project allows 4-H members interested in agronomy to grow something fun, new, and different. This year, we honor a crop grown in the panhandle!

In the fourth year of the special agronomy project, youth will explore sugar beets! Sugar beets are a major contributor to the U.S. sweetener industry and occur in a vast range of different food products. Be eligible to enter an exhibit at both the County and/or State Fair in the agronomy project area.

Enroll for the 2024 Special Agronomy Project through 4-H Online by enrolling in the Agronomy project and contacting your local Nebraska Extension Office to order packets of seeds. The local Extension Office will order and distribute the seeds to members.

Corn Yield Challenge for 4-H and FFA Members

We are delighted to announce the Corn Yield Challenge, a prestigious contest open to 4-H members (aged 8 and older as of January 1st) and FFA members (in-school members). This competition is designed to guide participants through a comprehensive exploration of all facets of corn production, including aspects related to agricultural careers associated with corn production.

Key Features:

• Team Participation: Teams comprising two or more youth participants will collaboratively embark on the challenge.
• Innovative Practices: Youth will be tasked with implementing a production practice differing from the norm, with the goal of assessing its impact on increasing corn yield.
• Data Collection: The Corn Yield Challenge management summary will systematically gather crucial information, including yields, cropping history, and production details.
• Recognition and Rewards: Outstanding achievements will be duly rewarded with cash prizes and plaques for the top three teams:
• First Place: $1,000
• Second Place: $500
• Third Place: $250
• Special Awards: In addition to the top rankings, commendable efforts will be acknowledged through the "Extra Mile" and "Ag Literacy" Awards, each carrying a value of $200.

This competition not only fosters a spirit of innovation in corn production but also serves as a platform for recognizing dedication and excellence within the 4-H and FFA communities. We encourage all eligible participants to embrace this opportunity to showcase their skills and contribute to the advancement of agricultural practices.

For detailed guidelines and participation information, please refer to the https://cropwatch.unl.edu/youth/cornchallenge webpage or contact Brandy VanDeWalle at brandy.vandewalle@unl.edu.

We are excited to announce the fourth year of the Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program. This additional opportunity for enrolled livestock project youth, is designed to promote all educational aspects of 4-H livestock projects including selection, production, leadership, and exhibition by recognizing youth striving to improve in their livestock project knowledge and leadership.

The program recognizes Members of Excellence across all 4-H livestock project areas, including: beef, sheep, meat goat, swine, dairy cattle, dairy goat, rabbit, and poultry.

The program consists of three levels that require 4-H members to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate and project-related accomplishments. For each level, the Livestock Achievement Program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H members choose their goals. Each accomplishment is worth a specific number of points. Junior 8-9 submits pictures, poster, presentation, and other learning activities to receive the distinction of Junior Member of Excellence, no point value, Intermediates, ages 10-13, must complete 100 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Intermediate Member of Excellence. Seniors, ages 14-18, must complete 150 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Senior Member of Excellence. The Plan and Reports, linked on the webpage, show examples of the project related accomplishments they can choose, or they can identify their own with approval of their local educator.

Applications/Sign up are due June 15th through the application form link on the website. Plan and Reports, as well as Project Records will be due August 1 via the completion form on the website.

Youth completing the achievement program and receiving member of excellence recognition in the various species will be recognized during the Parade of Champions, 4-H weekend at the Nebraska State Fair.

For more information or to apply, go to: Livestock Achievement Program | Nebraska 4-H (unl.edu)

The Special Garden Project is a way to offer Nebraska youth the chance to grow unusual and fun projects in their gardens.

The time has come to unveil the 2024 Special Garden Project plant! The 2024 Special Garden Project will focus on Princess of India Nasturtium. This Victorian-era heirloom flower can be grown in a variety of ways including containers. It provides a splash of color from its scarlet flowers and much of the plant can be eaten

4-H members enrolled in the Special Garden Project will:

• Receive a ‘packet’ of Princess of India Nasturtium (one packet per youth) in March/April
• Receive a newsletter about planting & growing nasturtium
• Be able to exhibit this unique herb at County and State Fair

If interested, please let Melissa mmracek2@unl.edu know by February 10th.

For more information: https://4h.unl.edu/special-garden-project

What you do makes a difference! We are excited to share that our state will be participating in the 4-H Volunteer Impact Study of volunteers in the North Central Region.

This survey is being conducted as a part of 12 state effort to document the impact of volunteering.

It will focus on three areas:

· the personal benefits of your volunteer experience;

· the impact you have on the organization by volunteering; and

· how your volunteer efforts contribute to your community in which you live and work.

A random sample of volunteers of 1000 volunteers from each state will be surveyed. This study will be conducted through an electronic survey. If you are selected you will receive an email to let you know you have been selected to participate.

You may be picked!!! If you are, please respond. We want to hear from you and learn from your volunteer experiences.

Your comments will be used to quantify the personal, organizational and public impacts of volunteers involved with 4-H Youth Development Programs in our twelve-state region.

Your impact is great and we want to hear from you!!!

We are excited to have youth join us across the state again, with opportunities to experience camp with a more tailored age cohort.

Have a first time or younger camper? This year we are introducing a new camp session for our youngest camper. They'll get a taste of camp with 3 days jam packed full of learning and fun at 4-H camp!

Our older campers will have our traditional 5 day camp with more time to explore what it means to be clover green! We'll focus on how we can use our head, heart, hands, and health to make the world we live in a better place.

Families can find dates, session summaries, and registration information by visiting https://4h.unl.edu/camps-register.

Email: mmracek2@unl.edu
Website: go.unl.edu/siouxcofair
Location: PO Box 277 Harrison, NE 69346
Phone: (308) 668-2428
Facebook: facebook.com/UNLSiouxCounty