Have you Peeped in on this One Yet?

Spring is here which means we are celebrating in only a way 4-H can celebrate, by joining with 30 second and third grade classrooms for Embryology. Embryology is the study of the embryo, in this case chicken embryos. We train teachers on the hands-on Embryology curriculum and send them back to their classrooms with incubators, thermometers, and eggs. That is when the fun begins.

Three times a day the students help turn the eggs, just like mother hens. Three days before the scheduled hatch (which takes place 21 days after the eggs are placed in the incubator) the students stop turning the eggs and patiently wait. On hatch day students hear peeping, and pecking and suddenly chicks are born.

This is our first round of Embryology in the classroom this year. More than 35 classrooms were involved in the first round including classrooms from; Rowland Normant, Janie C. Hargrave, Flora McDonald, Rex Rennert, Long Branch, Rosenwald, Pembroke Elementary, and East Robeson.

So far reports have hatch rates as high as 85% on average this year. That's a whole lot of chicks that are finding homes with nice families who have established backyard flocks who are prepared to take really good care of our special friends. Our chicks from the 4-H office made their way to their new home on Sunday and their new family was very happy to welcome them.

Our next round of Embryology will take place in May. We have another 17 classrooms registered for second round so stay tuned for some egg breaking news coming to our 4-H blog soon.

Summer is Around the Corner...Let's Get Ready to Go.

I admit it was a gloomy, rainy, cold Saturday however if you were at Biggs Park Mall you would have had a different outlook. There we were celebrating summer as part of Summer Camp Expo which was sponsored by the Biggs Park Mall and the Robesonian. There you could find all sorts of summer opportunities for kids of all ages and much more.

While we set up and talked about all things fun in summer or in 4-H as we call it summer fun, there was also other stuff going on at the mall. The top three winners from 4-H Entertains made it to center court to preform their show stopping acts. When the Michael Jackson song hit the speakers shoppers came out of the stores to see what was going on. From there it was history as our youth entertained the crowds for the first half hour. After that other local groups took to the stage as we continued to talk about 4-H.

More than 50 people walked away with Summer Fun brochures that you can download right now. Registration is currently open to all 4-H members and will open to the public in April 22. For more information about the series of 4-H camps please contact Shea Ann DeJarnette at (910) 671-3276 or Shea_Ann_DeJarnette@ncsu.edu.

North Carolina Cooperative Extension Needs Your Help!

As you are well aware we are facing a budget crisis in this state. Up until today Extension was looking at a possible 10-15% budget cut statewide which would effect programs, positions, and ultimately the future of Extension as we know it. Today, Joe Zublena, Director of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, has said that the cuts being discussed today are between 25-30%. That means the loss of almost 400 positions across the state and programming cuts across the board. Linked is a letter outlining the cuts and what it could mean for Extension.

We need your help to make some personal phone calls to elected officials. Below are the names and numbers of the people we elected to serve us and ultimately the people who are making decisions about our budget. The Cooperative Extension budget is in the Higher Education Line item, specifically the agriculture section of Higher Education. Please place a call to our lawmakers and ask them not to cut this line item. Let them know how important Extension is to you, your youth, our community. Share with them that we worked together to improve the lives of more than 6,000 youth in our county and Extension touched the lives of over 33,000 people in Robeson County, in 2010 alone. Let them know that Extension includes helping traditional agriculture such as farmers, livestock producers, and poultry producers but also let them know we help families and youth. Extension is the only organization that can adapt to the needs of a county and offer solutions with research-based materials that improve the health/well being of our citizens, protects our food chain, and increases the profitability of our agricultural economy.

Mike McIntyre: Lumberton: (910) 735-0610 (phone) Marie Thompson is the Chief of Staff Washington, D.C.: (202) 225-2731 (Phone) Kaitlin Helms is the Executive Assistant to the Congressman

Charles Graham Lumberton: (910) 739-3969
Raleigh: (919) 715-0875

Garland Pierce Wagram (910) 369-2844
Raleigh: (919) 733-5803

G. L. Pridgen Lumberton: (910) 608-3277
Raleigh: (919) 733-5821

Michael Walters Proctorville: (910) 628-7075
Raleigh: (919) 733-5651

It is important that you call now because the higher education line item is to be discussed this weekend. Please know that your phone call, can make a difference. We appreciate your help and advocacy on behalf of North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

Award Winning Club and Members

You know that feeling you get when you open the mail, no not an e-mail but actual mail. Not a bill, not junk mail but something hand addressed to you and you know it will be pleasant but you have no clue what is inside? I love that kind of mail. Usually it is special because you rarely see it. In this instance it was a wonderful invitation to the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Clubs award celebration. Each year club leaders Libby and Holly Burney take a moment to celebrate their club members achievements and give them awards and gifts that will last a lifetime.

This year the meeting started with a special meal complete with hot dogs, chips and a homemade cake. After everyone ate the group received their awards. Some got trophies, others medallions (based on their various achievements) and everyone got pins to add to their collections. Then they got a special gift, an encyclopedia of horse equipment. Then, after the group photos, it was time for the real fun....running out the door and getting to the horses.

Each one grabbed a brush and lead the horses toward the ring. They began the ritual of brushing them and of course giving them lots of attention before getting on their safety gear and getting into the ring.

Although everyone was thrilled to go riding this was a very special day for them. The awards and gifts we small thank you and reminders of their hard work and a job well done. It also marks the start of a new year for them as they set goals for the upcoming year and plan on how they might achieve them. Good luck to all the members of this grand 4-H club.

Warming Up

Eggs-cellent! They have arrived and been laid in the nest. In case you have not cracked under all these puns (or caught on yet) the embryology eggs have arrived. The eggs which were recently laid at the N.C. State Hatchery by many many chickens were carefully packaged up and picked up by our 4-H staff. The fertile eggs were distributed to 30 classrooms and will be turned three times a day until March 24th. Then they will rest until they hatch. We hope that on the week of April 25th we will have little chicks pecking through their shells and peeping their way into our hearts.

Stay tuned to the 4-H blog for updates on our county wide hatch.

Dirty Rascals Take on Presentations

The Dirty Rascals Junior Master Gardeners met for the March monthly meeting at the 4-H office and did a little strategic planning and learning. Under the leadership of Tyson Alford, the club Vice President, the meeting was called to order. The group went over presentations and public speaking guidelines and did a little planning on who was going to do what. Now, as of the time of this e-mail we are not at liberty to say exactly what presentations will be done, or what members might be getting up to represent the club but we can tell you they will be creative, might just get down and dirty with the information, and competitors will feel a little buggy after it is all over with.

The club also wrote letters for members of the military. Each member wrote one card as a thank you to them for their service and another card for their child who is here in the states waiting for them to return. The card campaign is part of the Operation Military Kids Program.

In other business the club checked on their AeroGarden project and found their herbs growing strong. After consensus of the club leaders the herbs were taken for transplantation and will be hardened off. After transplantation the bowls will be returned and replanted to grow vegetables for our Family and Consumer Science Agents for educational opportunities that they offer the community.

It Comes Down to the Vote

Monday night it was time for an update, sharing of learning, and setting of agendas. In other words it was time for our quarterly 4-H County Council and Volunteer Leaders' Association. The night kicked off with a rousing game of Bingo. As the officers took care of the games and awarding prizes, they got the crowd warmed up for the meeting ahead.

Kenneth Bethea, President of the Volunteer Leaders' Association called the meeting to order and asked James Nixon of the Voices in Praise 4-H Club and Christian Tice of the St. Pauls 4-H Pony Club lead the group of about 50 in the pledges. Aljaquan Nixon, the President of the County Council then recognized new members, new clubs and visitors to the meeting. Korina Pittman, the County Council Secretary, Treasurer conducted roll call. After counting the members Voices in Praise 4-H Club won the roll call award for having the highest percentage of members present at the meeting.

Veronica Powell, our current South Central District Secretary reported on district and state activities and offered clubs the opportunity to take part in a letter writing campaign to soldiers and their families. The Operation Military Kids campaign allows youth to write to a solider serving overseas and then a letter to that soldiers child who is at home waiting for them, This is one of several ways that 4-H members can help support our troops and their families.

Missy McLean-Wright and Katherine Bethea talked about the state 4-H Volunteer Leaders Conference. Missy spoke about the various workshops that the volunteers had to choose from while Katherine focused on one of the workshops she attending. "Are You Ready for the Leadership Challenge" was a workshop taught by Angela Shaver, the Cumberland County 4-H Agent and our own Shea Ann DeJarnette passed on the book The Leadership Challenge. Katherine and Laura Bethea were part of a group that were given the task of creating their own leadership song or jingle. With the help of the other volunteers in attendance, Katherine lead the group in their own rendition of a 4-H Leadership song.

T'asha Shelby then filled everyone in on what happened at Winter Enrichment and Aggie Rogers gave out the project record awards. This year our winners and participants are as follows:

-In the noncompetitive Cloverbud division Jaheim Purdie of the Inspirational Youth Leaders submitted a book on Gardening, Chrsitian Trice and Paiton Twigg of the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club submitted animal science books, Elijah Leach of the Voices in Praise 4-H Club submitted a book on communication, Patrick McBride of the United We Stand 4-H Club submitted a book on Healthy Lifestyles, while Darius Brown of the Young Leaders 4-H club also submitted a book on healthy lifestyles, and Tierra Locklear a member at large submitted an animal science project record.

-In the 9-10 year old junior division Brianna Cryer, Chasity McClay, Megan Butler, and Taylor Holden of the St. Pauls 4-H Pony Club each submitted one if not two books on animal science: Jasmine McBride of the United We Stand 4-H Club and Amaria Rogers of Young Leaders each submitted a project record on Community Service; Jasmine McBride submitted a second book on Healthy Lifestyles which competed against Chenilin Hill, of the Inspirational Youth Leaders 4-H club book; and Michicko Hill of the Inspirational Youth Leaders 4-H Club submitted a communication arts book. In the end the judges determined Michicko Hill's communication arts book which placed first, Jasmine McBride's First place and Chenilin Hill's second place Healthy Lifestyles books, Amaria Rogers and Jasmine McBrides first and second place Community Service Books, as well as Brianna Cryer's and Brionna Locklear's first and second place animal science books would go on to district level competition.

-In the 11-12 year old junior age division Maurice Rogers of the Young Leaders 4-H Club placed first with his citizenship book while club mate T'Asha Shelby placed second in the same division. Daniel Bourhenne and Caylee Holden, both of the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club placed first and second respectively in the animal science division. Maurice Rogers and Camry Ocean, of the Voices in Praise 4-H club went head to head in the communication arts category and placed first and second respectively. In the final category Jivinity Graham of the United We Stand 4-H Club and Jaylyn McNair of the Inspirational Youth Leaders 4-H Club went head to head in the Healthy Lifestyles category and place first and second respectively. We are very proud to say all of the project records in this division will go forth to district level competition.

-In the 13-15 year old age division we had five competitors completing seven books. Santiago Robinson of the Dirty Dozen 4-H Shooting Sports club completed two books one on personal development and one on animal science for which he placed first in both categories. Zarie Baker of the Voices in Praise 4-H Club also completed two books, one on consumer science and the other in Healthy Lifestyles. She placed first in both categories. Alexus Jones of the Inspirational youth leaders placed first in Communication Arts. Shawndora McNair of the Inspirational Youth Leaders 4-h Club received third in Healthy Lifestyles while Azaya Graham of the United We stand 4-H Club took home second place. In this age division Alexus Jones, Azaya Graham, and Zarie Baker were all chosen to go on to district competition.

-In the 16-18 year old division Aljaquan Nixon of the Voices in Praise 4-H Club submitted a project record on Community Service for which he received a blue ribbon. Korina Pittman of titan's 4-H Club also received a blue ribbon for her cumulative record on electricity. A cumulative record is similar to a project record but lists information for at least three years of project completion. Both Korina and Aljaquan's records will be going on to district competition.

Kenneth Bethea then introduced our new County Extension Director, Dr. Cathy Graham. Dr. Graham gave a few words to the group and thanked them for their participation in the learning activities that we offer. Christopher Bullard, the County Council Reporter filled everyone in on the county scrapbook. Christoper and Libby Burney, the volunteer leaders association reporter handed pages out to the clubs so they could create their own pages for the book. Christopher also announced a scrapbooking workshop for April 25th and 26th, at the 4-H office starting at noon each day. He is asking as many youth as possible to come out and help put the pages together.

After all of this excitement it was time for the big topic of the night, Cloverbud Retreat. The County Council Officers would like to host an overnight retreat for the youngest members our 5-8 year olds. The officers called a vote to see if they should offer a lock in overnight event, an event that would last until midnight, or a day time event for the youth. When the votes were tallied it was decided that the Cloverbud retreat will be an overnight lock-in event. When a date and time is set more information will follow.

After the vote we went over upcoming dates that can also be found at the bottom of this blog. Then we closed the meeting with refreshments that were provided by the Dirty Rascals Junior Master Gardener 4-H Club. Our next County Council and Volunteer Leaders Association meeting will take place on May 2nd.