Robeson County 4-H

It is almost time for a new year.  As we get ready to ring out the old, let's not forget what makes 4-H so special.  It is our youth, our volunteers, and the drive we all have to make things better.  Thank you for a wonderful 2015, and we are looking forward to 2016. Please click this link for a wonderful 4-H message.

This article was written and published in the winter edition of Robeson Living Magazine. As a child, I was to be seen, not heard. I was to speak when spoken to, and when I spoke it was to be brief and respectful. Holiday traditions were to be handed down, not improved upon and certainly not questioned or changed. As a child up through my college years, my job during Thanksgiving and Christmas was to set the table and observe so one day I could go through all the stress of roasting a turkey, making sure everyone had their favorite dish, and ensure everything was perfect. Very rarely was everything perfect. Someone always had a story of a debacle from the year before, whether it was forgetting the cranberry jelly and going on a search Thanksgiving Day for that important item (that I don’t think anyone ever touched), the turkey being dried out, or Daddy or Gramps telling that story that should never be told at the dining room table (possibly about the problems of previous years); perf...

This article was written and published in the Robesonian How much quality family time do you spend with your family? With today’s busy lifestyles, it’s sometimes difficult to arrange everyone’s schedule for family time. However, spending quality time together is important. Spending time together helps to build family bonds, trust, and memories that will last a lifetime. It doesn’t have to be big, huge trips to create quality time; often it is the simple things that can bring us together. I remember as a child my family ate dinner every weeknight together. We would sit around the table as a family and talk about the day’s events or whatever was on our minds. I didn’t realize how special that quality family time was until I was older. That is one of the traditions I carried on when my children were younger. Whenever we ate dinner at home, it was around the dinner table and all electronics were turned off. Having a meal with your family is a great way to open the lines of communica...

We are embracing social media and always expanding its boundaries.  This latest venture has us hungry to see how far it will go. If you have ever visited our office you have seen three glass display cases.  The first one hosts photos of our Extension Staff in Robeson County.  The second changes periodically.  The last is embracing the history of our Extension Office.  Our Family and Consumer Science, 4-H Youth Development just updated the center display case and we want your help.  We are talking about local foods, nutrition, and gardening all in one location.  Now you don't have to be an expert in any of these areas to offer a creative hand.  What we are looking for are your drawings, photos, claymation, sculptures, well you name it, take a picture of it, and tag it and we will use it.  We are looking for your hamburger plant tagged on our North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center facebook page.  We will print your...

We virtually had a 4-H poultry show at the fair this year .   Virtually because well, we couldn’t have chickens physically there due to NCDA’s suspension of poultry shows across the state (trying to make sure the bird flu didn’t spread).   We had a chickens show complete with competitors, judges, ribbons, cameras, premiums, and a great big screen in the middle of the show ring.   Sounds a little odd doesn’t it? Our 4-H members who raised laying hens this year got their birds before the suspension.   Thinking it would be a shame for them not to see the project thru to the end, which is showing them at the fair, our 4-H Agent hatched a plan.   We would have the first ever virtual poultry show in the state.   The concept was easy, each participant would shoot a video of them picking up and carrying their chicken, depending the on the age of the participant, they had to name different parts and the senior showmen had to state the best features of their b...

Below is an article written and published in the Robesonian and Robeson Journal by our own, Shea Ann DeJarnette. I admit it.   I’m a great big kid at heart.   I still love all the things I loved as a child.   One of those things is the fair.   I remember my mom would take me to the county fair for one afternoon (three to four hours if I was really good while she dragged me through the exhibits) and would let me ride the rides.   I thought it was the greatest treat ever.   It’s an excitement that really hasn’t subsided.             In an effort at full disclosure I must admit, I am a little more involved in our county fair than the average 4-H Agent because I am also on the fair board.   That just adds to my excitement level.   In my paid position I am organizing livestock shows, poultry judging, and helping out in the livestock building.   In my volunteer position, well, that list ...

It was an exciting election as members of the 4-H County Council and Volunteer Leaders’ Association met at Mr. P’s Skateworld to exercise their voting rights and bodies.   The group met and introduced the candidates for office.   This year, both groups had a full slate of nominees.   Running for County Council were: Jeshaiah Moore, Young Leaders 4-H Club, for President; Amaria Rogers and Gia Williams, both with Titans 4-H Club, for President-Elect; Michiko Hill, Inspirational Youth Leaders 4-H Club, for Secretary/Treasurer; Katee Hiller, St. Paul’s 4-H Pony Club, and Reece Rogers, Titans 4-H Club, for Reporter; and Alex Evans and Christian Graham, both with Dirty Dozen 4-H Shooting Sports Club, for Sergeant-at-Arms.   After the ballots were counted, the 2016 4-H County Council officers will be:   Jeshaiah Moore - President, Amaria Rogers - President-Elect, Michiko Hill - Secretary/Treasurer, Katee Hiller - Reporter, and Christian Graham - Sergeant-at-Arms. ...

You can keep up with what is going on in the 4-H Horse program around the state by checking out their newsletter right here .  This edition has 4-H Horse Show results and much more.

A big thank you to Amaria Rogers, Titans 4-H Club member and Secretary/Treasurer of our 4-H County Council, for attending the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners' Youth Summit (NCACCYS) this weekend and representing 4-H.  Amaria attended a County Commissioners meeting in August and had to write a report on the meeting of less than 500 words.  She traveled to Greenville to attend this 6th annual event.   In her report Amaria detailed issues that our County Commissioners are facing and interviewed both Raymond Pennington and Tom Taylor.  In her report she said, "After interviewing these members of the board of commissioners I could see that they truly enjoyed what they do.  I noticed how light the room was instead of it being full of bad energy and stuffiness.  I saw that each of the members of the board had the best interest of the community at heart.  During the meeting they were engaged in issues at hand and handled the meeting with ...

Below is an article written by our own Shea Ann DeJarnette for the Robesonian and Robeson Journal. Did you ever watch Green Acres ?  For those of you who were not fortunate to watch it the first time around, or in reruns over the years, it’s a sitcom that focuses on a New York lawyer and his rather sophisticated, socialite wife who move to Hooterville to run a farm they bought, site unseen.  Whenever there was a question about the farm, they’d turn to the local county agent, Hank Kimball.  Mr. Kimball frequently lamented that one day computers (or technology) would replace him.  That day may be here. We are trying something new at the fair and, in all honesty, it’s not to replace our Extension Agents but to enhance the experience 4-H youth have at the fair.  You may have heard about avian influenza, which is a disease that has wiped out poultry in other states and the reason behind the jump in egg and poultry prices around the country.  In an effort...