The Apple of our Eye

 Below is the report filed by club reporter Kierin Hatcher.  It is an update of the Dirty Rascals Junior Master Gardener 4-H club's last meeting.

Going All the Way to the State Fair

There were rides, cotton candy, games and families everywhere. It definitely had all the signs of the North Carolina State Fair. For some lucky 4-H members it, was much more, it was the pinnacle of animal science competitions.

Benjamin Herndon travelled to the state fair with his parents, lambs, goats, and turkey. This is not Benjamin's first time at the state fair but it is his first time showing turkey's. According to the state rules the turkey's much weigh at least 20 pounds to compete (not an easy task when you get your turkey in August). Wellington, Benjamin's turkey, weighed in at 44 pounds. Not exactly light when you think about it. Especially when you have to get your bird out of a cage, carry it upside down to the waiting area, wait with it (mind you Wellington waited quite patiently with his feet on the ground and did not waddle anywhere) then carry it in and keep it from flapping away while you sit on a hay bale. Benjamin was in heat 5 of the competition and out of 15 other competitors came in third in his heat. That is an incredible accomplishment especially for someone who has not raised turkey's before.

While the turkey show was going on, so was the goat show. Unfortunately Benjamin was in heat 8 of the goat show which happened at the same time he was showing his turkey. Thanks to Angela Shaver, the Cumberland County 4-H Agent, Benjamin's goat still made it in the ring. Sarah Maske was kind enough to show Benjamin's goat for him. Although his goat didn't place as high as his turkey, Benjamin was reminded what a wonderful group of 4-H members there are showing. In other organizations people would not step up and help out, but 4-H is different. Our youth step up and help each other everyday, that is one of the things that makes this organization stand out from the others.

Also competing in the goat show was Santiago Acuna-Robinson. He placed second and fourth with two of his goats. That qualified him to compete in the champion drive. Although he did not take home grand or reserve this year, watch out because he is one of the most improved showers this year and may come home with the state honors sooner rather than later.
Congratulations to all our 4-H members who competed on the state level. Job well Done!

Stregthening Families, The Introduction

 

 Strengthening Families is a program developed by Cooperative Extension in Iowa.  The seven week program allows families with children between the ages of 9-14 to work together to strengthen communication, give them tools to talk about tough subjects, and bring the families together in those sensitive tween years.  

  Tonight we started our series with three families which have five children.  Traditionally on the first night we have dinner, break into two groups (adult and youth), and start breaking the ice and learning about the program.  After the breakout session the families come together to practice using the tools they received during the breakout sessions.  As part of that we played human knot and other team building games to make sure everyone had a chance to start working together.

  Thanks to United Way funding we are able to offer this program annually for free to families.  If you would like more information about this program please contact Christy Strickland, Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent at (910) 671-3276.   

An Apple a Day...

  We just started back to school and already the Dirty Rascals Junior Master Gardener 4-H Club is talking about grades.  This time it isn't school grades, it's grading something you might give to your teacher...apples.  Kerrie Roach, the Horticulture Extension Agent joined the group for their October meeting with a whole bushel (or at least bunch) of apples.  September and October are known as the months for apples.  What you may not know is that the prettiest apples may not be the best apples.

  So to learn how to grade apples and learn what makes a good apple it is necessary to touch them, look at them, squeeze them, and of course eat them.  Although going in there were those who knew that a Granny Smith or Red Delicious would be their favorite just because that is always what they eat, learned something new today.  The youth had to write down their top apple picks based on looks, touch or squeeze and then taste.  There were a lot of ewwhhh yucks when it came time to taste some of the apples, just because the taste was not what they expected.  So based on that when they looked back at their judging sheets, what fruit they thought might get the best grades, didn't.

  After the lesson, there were an awful lot of apples left, so out came the fruit dips and the apples were consumed.  While they were consumed the club members learned how to grow an apple tree from the seeds in the apple.  the club also caught up on 4-H news and got ready for their upcoming field trip.

Introducing the All Around All Stars!

It is exciting to make the announcement about a new club and I think it is fair to say this new club is more colorful than all of our others. The organizational meeting for the All Around All Stars 4-H Arts and Crafts club took place tonight. Club Leader Jessica Drake has tons of volunteer help for this club, and just wanted to pull our youth together for a little creative fun. "I am really excited about this club and the opportunities for our youth to explore arts and crafts that they have not done before and give them an opportunity to express their creative side," said Drake.
The beginning of the club meeting was filled with the usual, filling out forms, setting a schedule and picking out a club name. Several names were solicited from the group including; "The Snack and Juice Club", "The Mighty Superheros", "The Imaginators", "The Crafty Crafters", and even "The Cut-Ups". In the end the members voted for. "The All Around All Stars 4-H Club" and that is how they will be referred to forever more.
After taking care of the paperwork and club name it was time to get down to business. Bookmarks and water bottles were waiting to be decorated. With each youth getting down to business with glue sticks and really neat cutouts creative bookmarks were conceived. They were so neat, and adorned with 4-H, ribbons and squiggles it just makes you want to sit down with a bottle of water and read a book so you can use it all.
The club adjourned their first and very successful meeting until next time. They have decided that they will meet the first Thursday of each month at the 4-H office. The meetings will begin at 5:30 pm and will last an hour to an hour and a half. If you are interested in being a part of this club please contact the 4-H office at (910) 671-3276.

Let's Be Fair About It....

 The Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair is a great place for 4-H and North Carolina Cooperative Extension to showcase our agricultural roots as well as the impact of research of the land grant universities on the present and future generations.  With agriculture being the number one economic indicator in the county and Extension working with people across our county to improve the health and well being, local food system, and future of our citizens here, what a better place to highlight those accomplishments than at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair.  The fair is the largest event in the county drawing people from across the state.  

  This year there were a variety of areas where you could see extension, including some newly made posters to highlight the history of the organization.  Through the bee keepers association display, Master Gardener association display, and the 4-H clover, activities, and members all over the fairgrounds, you can see the strong partnership between the fair and Cooperative Extension.

  In the 4-H fair booths this year competition was stiff.  We had 13 booths set up in our area and a ton of competition between the clubs.  With the theme of "4-H is..." our clubs had the opportunity to highlight what they are doing and educate others.  Just for setting up the booth our clubs received money that will go be used to support their club activities.  This year Spiritual Generations, Voices in Praise, Young Leaders, Inspirational Youth Leaders, United We Stand, Dirty Dozen, Dirty Rascals, Horsin' Around, and the St. Paul's 4-H Pony club from Robeson County set up their fair booths.  Although there was a lot of hard work on behalf of the members and volunteers on each of their booths and a little trash talk between the volunteers, overall everyone pitched in to help each other and set out a great display of the diversity of 4-H projects going on in our community.  When it was said and done the Dirty Rascal Junior Master Gardener Club ended up with second place while the Dirty Dozen Shooting Sports ended up with First place and best in show.  The area with the fair booths also highlighted the impacts of 4-H over the years and showed the focuses of 4-H now.

  Also highlighted this year were youth in our 4-H animal science shows that took place the week of the fair.  Our 4-H members also entered a variety of items in the home exhibit section from artwork and photos to crops, canning, and crafts.  We had several members who participated in the youth events including the Fair Pageant, step show, three point shoot out, cheer leading contest, talent show, chicken bog cooking contest and steak cook off.  Although the fair for 2011 has wound down consider entering the fair next year.  the dates for the 2012 Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair are September 28-October 6.  For more information about the fair please check the website at www.robesoncountyfair.com.  

 

   

There is No Bull About This...

The last 4-H Animal Competition each year at the Robeson County Fair is a mooving experience.  That's because it is time for our heifer and steer show, probably the largest animals we have at the fair and the one's you don't want to get underfoot with.  This year was one of the largest shows we have had in our history and we were excited to have so many participants.

As will the other shows this one is broken down into showmanship and then a market heifer show, and a market steer show.  Since we do not have scales at our fairgrounds large enough to weigh the animals we separate them into divisions based on the age of the animal.

We had one cloverbud showing this year, Noah Beeson who took home a trophy and a five dollars.  In the Junior I division which is made up of 9-10 year olds McKenzie Beeson took home the white ribbon while Mary Vorder-Breugge took red, and Hannah Horne went home with the blue ribbon.  In the Junior Division 2 which is made up of 11-13 year olds the competition was just as stiff.  Madison Adams walked away with third place, Eugenie Vorder-Brugge took home second, while Wyatt Kendall took home the blue ribbon.  The judge had a difficult time with the senior division.  With eight competitors vying for the first place ribbon our showmen were doing their best to get and keep the judge's attention.  When it was all said and done Sable Scott went home with first place, followed by Austin Cameron in second, and Elizabeth Mintz took third.  The division was rounded out by; Kacie Beeson, Brittany Needham, Anthony Bullard, Kana Hayashi, and David McInnis.

When it came time for the market show we were able to split the heifers into three divisions.  Below is how the divisions broke out.

Born 3/1/2011-4/28/2011
Beeson, McKenzie with Ernie		5
Hayashi, Kara with Angie		4
Needham, Brittany with BlueQ Forever Lady		2
McInnis, David with BlueQRita 1312		3
Mintz, Elizabeth with Pistol (8540)		1
Beeson,  Kacie with Dumbo		6
Born 12/5/2010-05/30/2010
Vorder Brugge, Mary with Zia		3
McInnis, David with Moonlite Grace		4
Beeson, Kacie with Mrs. Caloway		6
Beeson, McKenzie with Jessie		8
Horne, Hannah with Ruby		5
Kendall, Wyatt with 012X Caramel		2
Vorder Brugge, Mary with Tori		1
Scott, Sable with Annies Calf		7
Born 3/1/2010-11/2/09
Vorder-Bruggee, Eugenie with Queenie		2
Mintz, Elizabeth with Tori (T24)		1
Kendall, Wyatt with 27 Brownie		5
Cameron, Austin with Double C9/18		3
Adams, Madison with CC 9/24		4

When it came time for the grand champion drive the top winners from each division were invited into the ring.  Elizabeth Mintz with Pistol, Mary Vorder-Brugge with Tori, and Elizabeth Mintz with Tori were vying for the top spot.  After a great deal of comparing and looking Elizabeth Mintz with Tori took grand champion which meant Eugenie Vorder-Brugge with Queenie was in the ring to vie for reserve Champion.  However it was Tori with Mary Vorder-Brugge who took reserve.

After the Heifer show it is time for the Steer Competition.  Steer are male cattle that have been castrated.  this year there were four compeititors that compeated in one division.  The break down looked something like this:

Bullard, Anthony with Buster		4
Vorder Brugge, Mary with Gawain		1
Hayashi, Kana with Bo		2
Beeson, Kacie with Bullseye		3

When it was over with since there was only one division Mary Vorder Brugge with Gawain took grand champion while Kana Hayashi with Bo took reserve champion.

Congratulations to all our competitors on a job well done.