No Horsing Around Here

  Kicking off our first day of our first week long day camp we were hoping no one got kicked.  For equine day, also known as Monday of Animal Science day camp, our campers were brave, daring, and most importantly safe.

  We started our day by traveling to Raleigh to visit North Carolina State University's (NCSU) Equine Education Unit.  To start with the unit manager Lawson Walston who started our day with a note about safety.  We learned where to stand when we approach a horse, the importance of wearing a helmet when riding, and how to listen to horses by watching their ears.  Our 4-H members also got a chance to meet two NCSU mounted police officers who ride a horse instead of riding in a patrol car.  Our youth had the opportunity to put their money where the horses mouth is.  What we mean is that they learned how to tell a horse's age by feeling their teeth.  This way if they ever have the opportunity to buy a horse they will know how old the horse is.  They also had the chance to pet a foal and learn how to approach them when they are with their mother's.  Most importantly we learned that horses are to be respected and listened to as we do our best to take care of them.

  From the Equine Education Unit we headed to lunch at Fountain Dining Hall on the NCSU campus.  Our 4-H members had a great lunch with plenty of choices.  Even Mrs. Taylor had to admit the food had gotten better since she had graduated.  Our youth, with full stomachs were happy to get on the vans as we took off for our next stop.

  In Castalia, NC is Roma Clydesdale Farm.  We didn't have much time when we got there but our youth got a chance to meet Hillbilly Max, a real life Clydesdale horse with furry ankles and all.  The big difference between Max and the horses we saw this morning was his size.  The Quarter Horses we saw were around 1500 lbs while Max was around 2100 pounds.  We also had the opportunity to see baby goats that were just a few days old and a Zebra that was happy to be out in the heat.  

After saying our goodbyes to our new friends we loaded up and headed home.  Ready for a new, sheepish adventure tomorrow.

An Extravaganza of Local Foods

It might have been an early morning for the Extension staff but it is one of our favorites.  Time for the Robeson County Farmer's Market, Summer Extravaganza.  For the last four or five years we have partnered with our local farmers to offer one heck of a sampling of the local foods they grow.  The farmers donated a great deal of what we "cook up" often with a healthy twist.  This year on the menu our staff included: Dirty Mashed potatoes, veggie pizza, cucumber salad, boiled nuts, egg plant mozzarella, sliders, much more (including blackberry lemonade and mint cucumber water to wash it all down with).
The Master Gardeners were on hand answering questions and helping the Jr. Master Gardeners sell some plants.  The hospital was on hand to make blueberry watermelon smoothies.  Lets not forget all the farmer's who were on hand making sure that everyone could buy everything they had sampled and more.
  We hope the extravaganza heated things up for our local farmers and their incredibly wonderful local foods.

Minding Our Manners

Our first Summer Fun day camp of 2015 is a new one day version of Etiquette Day Camp.  As in past years we focused on things that will allow our youth to be comfortable, and make others comfortable in a variety of settings.  Our day started with a lesson about others.  Our youth had the opportunity to make a character filled with terrible things that people say.  Then they balled up all the terrible things that are said and tossed them away, in an effort to clean the slate and be more considerate of others.
After a brief snack it was time to head to the highlight of the day for our campers... the Carolina Hotel at Pinehurst for our table manners session.
We arrived at this wonderful resort with the opportunity to have lunch in a private dining room while having an incredible meal.  Many of our campers were in awe of the table settings, crystal chandliers, and wonderful service.  One of our rules before we left the office was you may not like something but you may not talk about it.  If it is something you have not had before you must at least try it.  Our youth were amazed to find out they liked salad and the raspberry sorbet served between courses knocked their socks off.  When the main course of chicken, mashed potatoes, and broccoli came out it was familiar yet much more wonderful.  Then the youth knew all the hard work and learning from Mr. Brian was so worth while when they saw the black bottom cake being gently placed in front of them.
After a spectacular lunch our youth got a real treat, meeting Chef Thierry Debailleul.  After speaking to him about careers, food, and even school he allowed them the special treat of a tour of his kitchen.  The youth were impressed with all of it but their favorite part was the area where all the sweet treats were made.  It was really neat to see all the confections and the ins and outs of fine dining.
After a wonderful experience it was time to head back to the office and grab a few more lessons.  Dress to impress, handshakes and conversation starters, as well as social media etiquette were all topics we discussed.  Then it came time to host our own party as our parents came in for a little nosh, our youth showed them how to balance a cup of food and plate of punch while making a proper introduction.  They were etiquette experts and happy to meet and greet to practice their new skills. 

4-H: Come Join The Fun!

This article was written and published in the Robesonian and the Robeson Journal.

Remember when you were a child? You always wanted to be a part of something – a group of friends, a school club, or maybe a social club. Robeson County 4-H offers youth a chance to be a part of clubs and something much larger. The 4-H Youth Development Program is a dynamic nonformal educational program. This program is about having fun, learning, exploring, and discovering. Robeson County 4-H members make new friends, develop new skills, become leaders, and prepare to be successful members of the community.

The 4-H clubs are groups of youth members and adult volunteers who meet monthly. Club leadership is a joint venture between the youth and the adults. Youth are expected to run the business aspect of the meeting using parliamentary procedure. Adult volunteers are there to coach the youth through the decision-making process and assist with hands-on activities. Learning and having fun are two essential components to a successful club.

There are two types of 4-H clubs offered: community clubs and specialty clubs. These clubs are made up of boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 18. The community club meetings are held in specific communities, and they study a variety of things. The specialty clubs focus on one subject matter. Some of the specialty clubs are Horse, Junior Master Gardener, Arts and Crafts, Shooting Sports, and Animal Science. Both types of clubs do volunteer work, complete community service activities, and enjoy hands-on learning projects.

In addition to 4-H clubs, we offer summer programs. There are a variety of summer camps being offered this year, such as Etiquette, Animal Science, Junior Chef, Millstone, Biotech, Cloverbud, and Betsy-Jeff Penn Overnight Camp. One of the benefits of being a 4-H member is the opportunity to sign up first for programs. For details on summer camps, visit our website at //robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/.

While many activities focus on the local 4-H clubs, members may also participate in events such as the fair; camping; teen leader trainings; county, regional, and state learning opportunities; and achievement programs. Emphasis is placed on the importance of young people being engaged and well informed.

The Robeson County 4-H Program relies on parent and adult volunteer participation to help youth reach their potential. Adults of all ages who want to share their knowledge and talents with young people through a nonformal, quality youth development program are welcome.

The 4-H Program is not just for youth living on farms; it is for all youth, wherever they live – on farms, in suburbs, or in cities.Robeson County 4-H is where there’s fun in learning and learning in fun! If 4-H sounds like a group you and your child would enjoy being a part of, then come join the revolution of responsibility in 4-H.

For more information, please contact Wendy Maynor, Extension 4-H Program Assistant with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, at 671-3276, by E-mail at wendy_maynor@ncsu.edu, or visit our website at//robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

Which Came First. The Chicken or the Egg?

This article was written and published in the Robesonian and Robeson Journal

Pretty heady question for your morning isn’t it? Believe it or not, I’m not trying to spark a philosophical, theoretical, or religious debate by asking this question. I’m merely announcing that for the next few months, the answer for more than 60 second and third grade classrooms in Robeson County will be the egg. That’s because we are getting ready to hatch into 4-H Embryology, one of our favorite spring learning activities.

What is Embryology? So glad you asked. It is literally the study of the embryo. In this case, we are studying chicken embryos as part of the life cycle section of the standard course of study in North Carolina second grade classrooms. You see, for many folks, they remember having 4-H Clubs in their schools. However, for decades, we have worked with clubs in the community and supported our teachers with research-based, hands-on curriculum, which they can offer in their classrooms to enhance student learning. Embryology is one of the largest models we have statewide to do this. One of the great things about this is, thanks to our United Way funds, teachers and students get this experience for no monetary cost to them.

How does it work? We loan the teachers incubators, thermometers, shavings, chicken food, and give them the curriculum and eggs. We provide each teacher with training and let him or her take it into the classroom. What we have noticed is the more hands-on the students are, the more they take away from the experience. They can help with turning the eggs, checking the temperature, and making sure there is enough water in the incubator. We also have hands-on activities where they can candle (kind of like an x-ray) the egg and make sure the embryo is growing. They can also learn about the parts of an egg, the parts of a chicken, and how to take care of living things, as they get to see the eggs hatch. It is a project that will stay with them for a lifetime.

One of the other activities we implement at the teacher’s discretion is Glo-germ. That is a fun way to learn about germs and how to properly wash their hands. Youth actually have the opportunity to see the germs they can pick up just walking around a classroom and how to correctly wash them away.

I know you have one last question – what happens to the chickens that are hatched? Do not fret. They go to folks who have approved backyard flocks and get to live happy lives. Some of our folks even send notes and pictures back to the classroom to let the students know what a great job they did playing momma hens and hatching the eggs, which definitely came first in this case.

For more information, please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette, Extension 4-H Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, at 671-3276, by E-mail at shea_ann_dejarnette@ncsu.edu, or visit our website at //robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

Saying Thank You: It's Not a Sign of Weakness

This article appeared in the Robesonian on January 11, 2015.

As a child, it was imparted that I had to say thank you. No matter how big or small (expensive or inexpensive) someone’s contribution to my life was, I should always say thank you. The only spanking I can clearly remember receiving as a child was because I did not say thank you when prompted by my mother. She quickly taught me it does not matter if I like the contribution the person made, I still needed to acknowledge the act with a thank you because they tried.

As an adult, I say thank you all the time. I say it to the waiter who brings me a soda. I say it to perfect strangers who hold the door open as I am walking into a building.   I say it to my coworkers each day, because I truly appreciate the effort they make each day at work which enables me to get my job done. I admit, I say it a lot but I mean it every time.

I will never forget having lunch with a friend who informed me, after ordering, I was one of the weakest people he had met. A little hurt and stunned by the statement, I asked why he said that. He informed me every third word out of my mouth was thank you. I said, “So I am weak because I am polite? Am I weak because I want to show gratitude and treat others as I want to be treated?” A little stunned at my line of questioning, he had to agree that it was not the case. I asked, “Have you ever heard me say thank you in a matter-of-fact way, as if I was not genuinely thankful for the person’s contribution?” Once again, he had to admit no.   So I was compelled to ask, “why is saying thank you a weakness?” He stated, I say it for every thing they do, and surely, I should not thank people for doing their job. I smiled, thinking of the lesson I learned as a child, and said, “Truly, I should thank them. They could have brought me the wrong drink, or spilled it, making this a miserable experience but didn’t. Because they have been professional and polite, I want them to know I appreciate them.” Our conversation went on to other topics and when our lunches were brought to us, I noticed he said thank you to our server.

As a child, I was taught basic manners. As an adult, I find myself impressed with the youth I work with who practice etiquette (the use of basic manners) and try to impart that same wisdom with those who have not been so fortunate to learn these skills. Robeson County 4-H will once again hold its Youth Etiquette Class this summer and try to impart that kind words, graciousness, and gratefulness are not a sign of weakness but a code of behavior and sign of respect to our fellow humans. If you are still thinking about your New Year’s resolutions, maybe one should be saying thank you a few more times to those around you. You never know the impact those two words can have.

For more information, please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette, Extension 4-H Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, at 671-3276, by E-mail at shea_ann_dejarnette@ncsu.edu, or visit our website at http://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

Christmas Wishes

This article was published in the Robesonian December 31, 2014.

Ever sit on Santa’s lap and ask for the latest toy? Or maybe you were more philosophical and asked for world peace? One of the great things about this time of year is things that don’t seem possible during the rest of the year are magically possible now. I have a friend who was a helper in Santa’s mailroom and answered letters from the children on behalf of Santa. The letters would pour in asking for toys, technology, and general stuff. Then there would be a letter asking for a coat, a job for a parent, or some other simple necessity we often take for granted. It would make you want to run out and be Santa just to make someone’s life a little better, a little easier.

That’s not just an “adult” reaction, and our 4-H members proved that again this year. At the annual 4-H Youth Achievement Night, more than 160 folks attended and, if they could, brought individual food items for the Backpack Buddies Program. These food items were donated to Communities in Schools and will be used as part of their program to feed school-age children who would otherwise go hungry. You see, children who do not have adequate food at home go to school unable to focus and unable to learn over the grumbling in their stomach. The Backpack Buddies Program ensures that youth who are going without food over the weekend at home have six meals to eat when they leave school on Friday. Imagine the child’s excitement when they pick up their backpack filled with a weekend’s worth of food just for them. It means more than having a better chance of growing up healthy, strong, and smart. For many of these youth, the backpacks are a sign that someone (or a whole lot of someones) cares about them. From the people who donate the food, to those who organize the program, and those who fill the backpacks, it is a team and community effort.

One of the great things about this program for our 4-H members is it allows our youth to give back to other youth right here in our own community. They are setting an example for all to follow. Our members are already taking care of each other and their community. By donating this food they are ensuring a better future for every child who lives here, not just a few. Can you imagine what they will accomplish when they get older?

I guess if Santa asked me what I was wishing for this year, it would be for us to follow the example of our 4-H members and start taking care of each other. Let’s support each other ,for you never know when a small gesture may change the world for someone and our community. Here’s to hoping all your holiday wishes come true.

For more information, please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette, Extension 4-H Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, at 910-671-3276, by E-mail at shea_ann_dejarnette@ncsu.edu, or visit our website at http://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.