2022 Volunteer of the Year

    

    The Robeson County 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame was created in 2009 thanks to the vision of Dr. Eddie and Mrs. Brenda Locklear who created an endowment to support the Volunteer Hall of Fame.  The Locklear's recognize and celebrate those people who have made a significant impact on Robeson County 4-H and its members.  

    Our 4-H Volunteers who have received this award include:

Katherine Bethea

Bobby Rogers

Marilyn Merriett

Libby Burney

Kenneth Bethea

Emma Hill

Larry Russ

Aggie Rogers

Tanya Underwood

Jane Hurst

Charles Russ

    One current 4-H Volunteer will be chosen per year to receive this prestigious award.  Volunteers may only win the award once in their career.  If a nominee has been nominated but not selected in previous years, their form may be resubmitted.  The 4-H staff members are not eligible for the award and may not make nominations.  Nominations forms for the 2022 Robeson County 4-H Volunteer Hall of Fame must be received by November 4.  To make a nomination please click this link and fill out the nomination form.

New Resource for Teachers

 

The NC Soybean Producers Association has made it a goal to prioritize consumer-facing outreach to promote awareness about North Carolina agriculture and introduce consumers to their local farmer. As such, we seek to provide teachers with resources to assist them in the classroom. Attached you will find a Google request form that will sign you up to have a staff person from the association visit your classroom or FFA chapter and give a presentation about North Carolina agriculture and soybean production. If a presentation such as this fits into your curriculum for the upcoming semester, or even for next semester, please fill out the form and someone will be in contact with you to organize a visit. We will also bring materials to leave with the students. As always, let me know if there is any other way the association can assist your school or classroom. I wish you all luck with the upcoming school year.

 

https://forms.gle/5L5a6jzodwfszFkN8

 

It's a Pig Deal!

 

 This article was written by Shea Ann DeJarnette, 4-H Extension Agent, for the Robesonian.  It can also be found on our website.

    It’s a Pig Deal! That’s the theme for this year’s Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair. Nothing could be closer to the truth. It’s been two years since we were able to have a fair, and everyone from the fair board members to the entertainers, vendors, and especially our patrons are looking forward to it. 

    This is probably the single largest event in our area celebrating agriculture. If you think about it, agriculture is important to our community for a variety of reasons, and we should all be celebrating it. First, agriculture is the largest economic impact to our community with more than 600,000 acres of land set up for farming. Second, Robeson County ranks in the top three crop receipts for corn, soybean, and wheat. Third, our livestock and poultry industries are growing across the county. Fourth, let’s be honest, without agriculture, we would all be hungry and naked. 

    The fair is about celebrating agriculture. After all, it is in its name – Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair. We celebrate agriculture throughout our geographic region through our home exhibits, educational exhibits, animal exhibits and shows, and much more. Many folks come to the fair to eat (look, agriculture again). It doesn’t matter if you are craving chicken on a stick, ribs, funnel cakes, or candy apples, the fair is the one place you can find all these delectable edible treats. 

    Let’s also not forget this event is all about family fun. There are games, rides, and the best entertainment you can find all in one place, at one time. Admission is eight dollars, and that lets you see and do just about everything. If you are about the rides no worries, there are lots of rides. Unlimited ride bands are $25 during the week and $30 on Saturdays. There will also be lots of opportunities to get in free or for a reduced price. Just check the fair website for all the information. 

    The fair will open at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 30 and will run thru Saturday, October 8. Prior to that you will have the opportunity to drop off home exhibit items Sunday, September 25, from 1-6 p.m., and Monday-Wednesday, September 26-28, from 4-8 p.m. This year, items that have been made over the last three years will be accepted. Please note, preserved canned items need to be in date (canned in the last year) and baked items should be fresh, and we recommend dropping off on the last day of item take-in so it will be the freshest for judging. Don’t forget the stellar plants, vegetables, and eggs that you have grown (or collected). We have a category for just about everything, and you have the chance to win a ribbon and cash. So bring your items out to the fair and help us make it the best it can be. For more information on home exhibits, you can download the fair book with categories from the Robeson County Fair Website, or come by the Extension office and pick up a copy while supplies last. We hope to see you at the fair; it’s a pig deal!

Read more at: https://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/09/its-a-pig-deal/

Dirty Rascals JMG Meeting

 

Folks our Jr. Master Gardener 4-H club will be meeting to talk fair and crafts on Tuesday, September 13 at 5:30 pm.  The meeting will take place at the Extension office at 455 Caton Road in Lumberton.  To register for this meeting please click on this link  or go to the app and click on programs.  This should be the second opportunity as you scroll down the page.  Please note to attend youth must be registered in 4-H Online to attend this meeting.

JMG News

BIWEEKLY UPDATE | SEPT 2022 NJHA 22 SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE EXTENDED MAKE YOUR OWN APPLE TATTOOS Register NOW for the National Junior Horticulture Association Convention! National Junior Horticulture Association Convention Oct. 7-10, 2022 Sheraton Baltimore North Towson, Maryland  Registration extended to Sept. 14, 2022 Check here for Convention Details! Exciting competitions, interesting workshops, fun tours, and more.   Register now! Enjoy networking and group activities where you can catch up with peers, competitions and social events.  Reserve Your Room! The special convention rate is valid through September 14, 2022, so book your room today!  Enter a Contest! Social Media Challenge EXTENDED Social Media Challenge EXTENDED!! #GrowingKidsBookAward winners for your class library! Here's how to WIN:  Post shots of your class working in your school garden Include these hashtags and tag us! #backtoschool #schoolgarden #beforeafterchallenge @jmgkids 2022 BOOK AWARD HIGHLIGHTS  FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR MORE INFO!  MAKE YOUR OWN APPLE TATTOOS!!    Choose an apple that is still yellow on one side (the lighter side wasn't facing the sun when it was growing) Place your stickers on the apple any way you would like (scrapbooking stickers work the best) Set it out in the sun or facing a window and wait for it to turn red Peel your stickers and reveal your adorable fall fruits!! Watch the full video tutorial here! VISIT OUR WEBSITE Junior Master Gardener Program | juniormastergardener@gmail.com CONNECT WITH US:

Pickin' In the Pines Invitation

 

You're invited to the 2022 fundraiser and celebration Pickin in the Pines at Millstone 4-H Camp on October 15 from 5 to 10 pm!  For three years, Millstone 4-H Camp has held Pickin' in the Pines to raise money to help send deserving youth to camp. We are proud to say that, with your help, we have raised funding to send 60+ youth in need to camp since this fundraiser started in 2018! We want to keep this momentum going into this year's event.  Join us for a magical evening of food, music, drinks, dance, and friendly gathering in the Pines!  Headlining the event is the LONESOME RIVER BAND. We will also have local entertainment from THE AXE HANDLERS. Your $50 event ticket includes a BBQ meal, beer/wine for the evening and entertainment from these two first-class Bluegrass acts. You'll find many unique pieces donated by craftsmen and foundations all across North Carolina on sale at our silent auction. Don't miss out on all the fun, food and Bluegrass!  Can't make the event? You can still support Millstone with a donation or by becoming a sponsor here.  Buy Your Tickets Get all the Details

4-H Top Four, Labor Day Edition

   Hoping everyone had the opportunity to enjoy a long weekend and celebrate Labor Day.  We are excited about the opportunities coming up.  For the fast breaking information please make sure to download the 4-H App.  You will find it in your app store under 4-H Now!  When you open it Robeson County 4-H should pop up or you can search for it and click on it.  In our app we have breaking news, our blog, social media, survey's, and more.  It makes 4-H communication easy and handy.

-4-H Volunteer Conference of Southern States will take place October 6-9 at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton Georgia.  There will be both in person and virtual opportunities making this a truly hybrid conference.  For those volunteers who have attended in the past they have told me it was a remarkable training opportunity.  Other than that all they will say is, 'what happens at Rock Eagle stays at Rock Eagle."  If you are interested in learning more about this conference please check out their website at:  http://www.4hvcoss.com/  Registration is available on the app and on their website.

-Artastic is our Robeson County 4-H Visual Arts Competition.  If you have someone who is crafty, artistic, can sew, etc., this is their competition.  Entries can be registered online between now and September 12.  All items must be dropped off for judging by the close of business on Monday, September 12.  To register you can go to programs on the app or click on this link:  https://forms.gle/qBRTfBmfnF8zaWKH8  For more information about this program please contact Wendy Maynor, 4-H Program Associate at wrmaynor@ncsu.edu

-Fair-The Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair is right around the corner, September 30-October 8.  Booth set up will take place the Wednesday and Thursday prior to the fair opening.  This year we will be doing one big county wide 4-H booth and we need your help.  Our theme this year is, "You Belong in 4-H".  We would like to set up cutout photos of your child with a QR next to it.  The QR codes will go to a video of your child explaining what their favorite "H" (head, heart, hands, or health) is and why.  We hope that they will share a favorite 4-H story, maybe what 4-H has done for them, maybe their most valuable something learned...the sky is the limit.  All we need you to do is shoot the video of your child telling us about their 4-H experience (landscape works best), and send a photo.  You can email them to Shea Ann DeJarnette at sadejarn@ncsu.edu, and we will take it from there.  If you would like to help set up the booth we will send that information out next week with times and dates that we plan to be there and you and your children can come on by and help out.  Deadline to get your videos and photos to us will be Friday September 23, by 5 pm.

-Family 4-H Clubs-We have been listening to our SPIN Club parents and we would like to get everyone's opinion.  We are looking at starting three 4-H Family SPIN Clubs.  These are clubs that would meet for a total of at least 6 hours (either three two-hour sessions, or two three-hour sessions).  The first three clubs would be a Seed Club, Christmas Craft Club, and a Cooking Club.  Parents and youth would learn together and then we would spilt into adjoining rooms for our activities.  We are looking at timing all three clubs to center on big events happening at the Robeson County Farmer's Market (Seed club/Seed Swap, Christmas Crafts/Very Local Holiday Festival, Cooking Club/Summer Extravaganza).  We are looking for your thoughts, and your thoughts about participating.  At this time there would be no cost for any of these club experiences.  We would appreciate it if you could please take a moment and give us your feedback via an anonymous google form that can be found here: https://forms.gle/r8JtxX9J9RSzMG4A9  There is also a similar survey on our app under the survey button in the lower left corner.

That is all for this week.  Also stay tuned for information concerning a scavenger hunt at the fair via our 4-H App!  It should be all sorts of fun.

Wendy, Dominque, Christy, and Shea Ann

4-H Volunteer Conference of Southern States

 

Registration

We are excited to offer a terrific line-up of a workshops, speakers, and fun at this year’s 4-H Volunteer Conference. We are offering both a virtual and onsite at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton Georgia options. Check out the workshop selection, our amazing keynote speaker, Michelle Cummings, learn more about our location and register soon for this years event at the conference website. We love meeting new people and hope you’ll also share this information with others in your state and network. See you October 6-9!

Eggcellent Egg Contest

   

The Egg-cellent Egg Contest is $15 and is open to youth who have a flock of laying hens currently laying. However for Robeson County youth, thanks to our United Way Funds, we will only charge $10 per participant.  All youth will be required to be enroll with 4-H Online if not already enrolled. Youth will be able to register for the contest using the link below (or on the app under programs) and can pay via Eventbrite. Participants who complete the project will receive a t-shirt. Cloverbuds will receive medals and older age categories will receive ribbons and award money if they get 1st-3rd place in one of the color/size categories. 

The whole contest is virtual and there is a Google site that houses all of the information you will need. A link to the Google site will be sent to participants once registration is over. There are two mandatory trainings the participants must attend.  You can join the live zoom or view the recording. If you view the recording, you will have to let your 4-H and/or livestock agent know when you have watched so you can get checked off. 

Youth can submit up to 2 dozen eggs as long as they are in two different categories. There are three color categories (white, brown, blue/green) and multiple size categories. You will be given a date to drop your eggs off at the Extension office and we will get them to Raleigh for you.

 Below are important dates:  

• Registration and payment by Sept 9

• Initial zoom - Sept 13 at 5:30

• In-depth zoom - Sept 27

• 5:30pm-6:15 pm cb/jr

• 6:30-7:30 int/sr

• Egg submission/supplemental portion due Nov 3

To register please go to:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/egg-cellent-egg-contest-tickets-412923293687  For more information please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette, 4-H Agent at sadejarn@ncsu.edu or Taylor Chavis, Livestock Agent at tbhunt@ncsu.edu