Lend a Helping Hand

  

 We need your help! Lumber River United Way has moved into a new office. Although these offices are great they don't have the room to put together their annual campaign materials to give out . So that's where our 4-H program can make a difference. We are looking for as many hands as possible to make light work of putting together almost 3,000 packets.

Please register to come in and help put together the packets on July 15, starting at 9:30 am, at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center office, until we are done. It doesn't matter if you can stay the whole time or help us out for a half hour. The more the merrier as we tackle this project like only 4-H members, families, and volunteers can. We are asking that everyone register through eventbrite so we can make sure everyone is recognized for their efforts, and our 4-H members are recognized for a community engagement project.  To register please click on the link:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4-h-community-engagement-project-tickets-673862239097?aff=oddtdtcreator

 We can't wait to see you!!!

Can't Say it Any Better

 

 We do what we do in Extension because we believe in the work and that we can make a difference for he better in our communities.  Taking research from the Universities (NC State and NC A&T) and put it to work right here in Robeson County.  For those of you who don't know there is an Extension office in every county in North Carolina, and on the Eastern Band of Cherokee Reservation.   For some of our agents those impacts are easier to measure than others.  For example our crops agent and measure increased yields and determine and increased profit margin for our farmers.  Our Livestock agent can see where helping with waste management plans not only impacts the environment in a positive way but also increased profit margins for livestock producers.  You get the idea.  In 4-H quantifying what we do into impacts is a little more difficult.  Sure I can measure the impact of camp on a child or increase in knowledge from a program, but what 4-H truly does for a youth doesn't always surface until years later as they grow into adulthood.

  One of our prolific 4-H members, Maggie Underwood, just graduated from High School and is headed off to college.  She is one of those youth who knows what 4-H has done for her now, and how it will help her in the future.  Wanting to give back to the program and thank you took a little brainstorming.  She and her mom got together and contacted Mac Malloy, our County Extension Director, and he turned over our weekly column in the Robesonian to Maggie (and it is on our website at:  https://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/2023/06/the-impact-of-4-h/).  I don't think anyone could say it any better than this.

Thank you Maggie.

The Impact of 4-H

Written by Mac Malloy and Maggie Underwood

  I recently had the privilege of attending our district 4-H activity day in Kinston where nearly one hundred youth showcased their talents and participated in public speaking competitions. It was heartwarming to see youth from 5-18 years of age conquering their fears as they braved the stage or podium in an attempt to deliver their long-awaited performance. As one of the county commissioners said in their welcoming comments, “What a great investment of their time.”  But don’t take my word for it, read this personal testimony on the impact 4-H has had on their life:

4-H Member Maggie Underwood, wearing her cap
and gown (and 4-H cords among others)in front of
the mural she designed and painted at the Church
and Community Home Goods Store 

“My name is Maggie Underwood and I would not be the person I am today if it was not for Shea Ann DeJarnette and the Robeson County 4-H program. I graduated summa cum laude from Lumberton Senior High School just 2 days ago. I credit 4-H with my success in school and life.         I have been a 4-Her since I was five and scared to attend Cloverbud camp. Since then I have won countless ribbons at different fairs, medals for presentations, and attended many meetings. Above all this, I cherish the opportunities I had to learn and grow. 4-H allows you to explore different topics and lets you choose if you like it or not. I found my passion for gaming during a summer camp when we visited the campus of NC State University. Since then, I have been given the chance to present a variety of gaming topics and make video games. I have also learned and competed on other topics that I enjoyed but do not have a lifelong enthusiasm for such as camping outside and poultry production. I knew I could grow inside my comfort zone; but, 4-H taught me you can indeed grow outside your comfort zone.

Most people think of cows when they think about 4-H and the cooperative extension. And it is true. I did learn about farm animals and agricultural. I gained an understanding for what it takes for food to be made and how it gets to my table. I find that most people my age do not grasp this concept so I am proud that I understand. But, 4-H is way more than cows. I have learned about the importance of etiquette and manners, seen robots at work, made catapults, and been encouraged to follow my own path.

So what happens now that I graduated high school? I am lucky to have a few more months before I age out of 4-H. I plan to attend Congress and Dorm 101 summer camps. In the fall, I plan to compete in Artastic and at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair. Educationally, I will attend High Point University and study Game Design. Game Design, where did I learn about that to start with…? Oh yeah, 4-H! I also intend to be a lifelong volunteer and 4-H promoter.

I stole this week’s article to tell Shea Ann DeJarnette that I appreciate all the time and work she invested in me. She has inspired me, ‘voluntold’ me, literally driven me, and taught me infinite lessons. Please keep in mind; she does this for EVERY 4-Her in the county.

I would also like to thank the entire staff of the NC State Cooperative Extension Center Robeson County past and present, NC State University, Robeson County, and the Lumber River United Way for pouring into our community’s youth by supporting Robeson County 4-H.”

For more information contact Mac Malloy, County Extension Director and Field Crop Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, at (910) 671-3276, by E-mail at Mac_Malloy@ncsu.edu, or visit our website.

Our Just Desserts

   We can't believe it is Friday already!  That means everything we started we must finish.  Everything we haven't gotten to we need to get to.  So hold on because today just might be a wild ride.

  We started the day doing our learns and likes from Thursday.  We sure did have a lot of fun.  Thank you to the businesses that made it happen.

  Next we broke into two groups.  The first went into the kitchen to prep our dinner for lunch menu with Wendy Maynor, Family Consumer Science Agent and Joanna Rogers, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant.  While the other group stayed in the auditorium to work with power tools?  What kind of chefs are these?

  Our group in the kitchen made their own pizzas , garlic knots, and worked on other sides for our dinner/lunch.  They had a ball using a variety of ingredients to make their dream pizzas.  The garlic knots were incredible and all the sides were amazing.  Best part is they did it themselves.

  During our snack, before we switched groups it was time to play chopped again.  This time our youth tried two kinds of Latino Cookies that we purchased the day before and Mentos Fanta Flavor.  The cookies were mixed reviews with the nutella filling winning for the cookie round.  Most of our youth enjoyed the Mentos Fanta orange flavor and were surprised that this is not an offering in America.

  When we switched groups it was time for our chefs to become carpenters and vice versa.  Our youth with the help of Ms. Shea Ann, our 4-H Agent, and Mr. Mack, the Horticulture Agent drilled holes into their charcuterie boards for their handles.  It was a neat project and when the youth got done their board were really cool.  Most of our youth didn't realize power tools do figure into many aspects of cooking and kitchens so as we worked we brainstormed about the opportunities and enjoyed coming up with way different power tools are used in the kitchen and why it is a good idea to learn how to use them.

  We stopped for an incredible lunch.  Which included our own pizzas and incredibly tasty and easy garlic knots.  After we took a little time to solve some culinary mysteries and shot some video thanks you messages it was time to head back into the kitchen for some really cool team cooking challenges so we could design our own charcuterie boards.  

Our day campers worked on punch bowl cake (which we made in cups), brownie dip, cheesecake dip, and cut up all the ingredients we needed to go along with everything.  When it was time to make our charcuterie boards some folks went savory, others sweet.  They all had fun designs and everyone got a certificate for winning the category that their board best represented.   

  When we got done and cleaned up we kicked back to watch a slideshow of our week in review.  We really did have a great time and have made friends for a lifetime.  we also went home with charcuterie boards, a basket to help with organizing in our kitchen and an exclusive Jr. Chef Cookbook.  To see our photos from today please click on this link.

International and Crazy are the Key Ingredients

   

It was a day to hit the road and learn more about food.  Today we took a little different approach and headed south to the Grand Strand to visit a couple of places that we just needed to experience.

  Our first stop was Vitoria International Meat Market.  This is a shop that serves, according to the owner, 90% Latino customers and maybe 10% other nationalities.  The little market had a huge section of meats, some of which our Jr. Chefs recognized, some that they did not.  They also learned how folks prepare, preserve, and cook foods in other cultures is very different from America.  Also the cuts of meats we like versus what folks from other countries are looking for is different.  Not good or bad, just different.  We also had a chance to check out the store that had familiar labels or names but things looked a tad different.  Ms. Joanna took a moment to do a little shopping for her girls and our campers so they could taste test some cultural different items when we got back to the office on Friday.  We have to say the store owner took his time to talk with our youth and was gracious giving us chicken sausage to try and a discount on the items we bought there.  It was a really incredible learning experience for our youth.

  Our next stop was lunch, because looking at meat and food got everyone hungry.  So we stopped at Golden Corral and had a great lunch.  We appreciate everyone who took care of us there.  I also have to give a shout out to our campers.  When we go out to eat we have rules.  Most of our youth look forward to desert, which we understand.  However after have a talk before we left about where we were going and making sure they didn't let their eyes get bigger than their stomachs, they made some really great choices.  Not one of them indulged in desert at the restaurant.  They all ate real food and did not overindulge on that, knowing that they wanted to save room for the last stop of the day.  We were very proud of them for thinking ahead and making smart choices.

  Our last stop of the day was the Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar.  These folks have the most incredible, outlandish, creative milkshake choices ever seen.  The owners were kind enough to let us come in early and the assistant manager did a great job giving our youth a tour.  He and the manager answered several questions about the business and our campers were mesmerized by all the options available to them.  We were excited that we even had a birthday to celebrate with a special mason jar.  Our youth were thoughtful in their choices and ecstatic about the opportunity to sample some of the extensive menu of shakes.  It truly left a lasting impression and smiles on their faces.

  We headed home and pulled in right at 5 pm for waiting parents to hear all about our adventure as youth headed home.  To see all the enjoyment from our day please click this link.

Time for Lunch

   Each day in the office our 4-H Jr. Chef Day Campers are learning to prepare a different meal.  Today was lunch.  Joanna Rogers, our Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Assistant (EFNEP) led today's cooking challenge and boy did they have some edible fun.

  We started our day however reviewing the past two days of what we learned and what we liked.  Two very different and important aspects of what we do in 4-H.  Our youth said they learned how to use a knife, cut and chop items, read a recipe, and learned about the different things that go into the foods they love to eat.  They were also brave and tried new things because they had fixed them and thought they might like them (and they were right).   Our youth also learned about the hard work it takes to follow a dream and open your own business.  However they said they weren't scared of hard work if it meant they could follow their passion. 

We split into our teams today and one headed to the kitchen to start working on sliders and the other headed outside to work on their own hand made charcuterie boards.  While in the kitchen they worked on hamburger sliders, and sides that included fries, a fruit cup, and one group even worked on chicken sliders in case we had some folks who weren't keen on hamburgers.  Our groups also experimented with desert.  One group made s'mores bites while the other group made an Oreo bite.  During lunch we had to get our official taste tester, Kareis "Ramsey" Britt, to come in and give a professional opinion.  She said both were wonderful and she would not turn down other one, but the s'mores bite had just a little more umph to it.

  After cleaning up our cooking and eating mess from lunch we let our food digest over some Chopped-Jr. Chef.  Then it was time to recreate Chopped the pie version with the pies we brought back from our field trip from the Slice of Pie Company in Raleigh.  We had three pies; Chocolate Chess, Keylime, and Lemon with a Raspberry topping.  Each child got a sample slice and we did a thumbs up if they liked it, sideways if it was ok, and down if it wasn't their favorite.  The chocolate pie was their absolute favorite.  Although the Keylime and Lemon pies had some who felt they were the best...the group overall went with chocolate and really enjoyed the pie crust on all of the pies.

  To work off the calories we went to the Robeson County Farmer's Market in Downtown Lumberton for a quick scavenger Hunt.  Our youth had the opportunity to talk with the Market Manager, Marie Amsdill and learn what a CSA is.  They spoke with farmers, craft vendors, and others to learn more about what they do at the market and gained some great insight into what the Farmer's Market provides.  They also made a new friend in Mr Crochet who talked with them about his crocheting work.  ll the youth said they could have stayed and talked with the vendors all day long.  We reminded them that their parents can come back and shop there every Saturday from 7:30 am-noon, and on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm-6 pm.  It's a great place to find farm fresh produce and locally hand made or grown gifts while supporting our local farmers.

 

When we came back to the office we talked about the rest of our week and our learns and likes for the day.  We also said goodbye to our beloved teen volunteer Kennedi Lyons.  Today was her last day with us as she was headed to college orientation at NC A&T Thursday and Friday and will have a busy Summer as she finishes her term as a State 4-H officer.  Over all we had a great time cooking up fun in the kitchen.  If you would like to see all of our photos from today, please click this link.

Out and About, Trying New Things

 Jr. Chef Day Camp definitely had an excitement around it today as we travelled to Raleigh for some exciting edible experiences.   

  Our first stop was at a Slice of Pie Company.  Our youth met the Pie Lady, Kristen Mullins and heard her story of starting this delightfully tasteful company.  Going from a family recipe and winning blue ribbons at the NC State Fair for her apple pie, she has combined that into a successful pie business that ships pies nationwide.  It has also given her the opportunity to meet and bake for celebrities and hone her own skills.  She says looking back ten years to what she used to bake to the custom pies she can create now, her skill set has grown.  Just proving we are never too old to learn.  Our youth later said they learned that hard work is worth it, because you could create a job for your passion.  They said they also learned that you don't fail unless you give up.  They were inspired by the Pie Lady and her story.

  Our next stop was at North Carolina State University (NCSU).  We went straight to Fountain Dining Hall for lunch with the college students.  A few of our campers were skeptical, but after walking in they saw the difference between their school cafeteria and how the college students eat.  They were excited about the huge salad bar, pizza options, and lets not forget the soft serve ice cream machine complete with toppings.  It was an experience that they were all excited about.

  Our next stop of the day, was Videri Chocolate Factory.  There we went on a self guided tour to learn how chocolate is made from the cocoa beans collected near the equator from pods grown on trees, all the way to our stomachs.  They spoke with the head chocolate maker at Veredi and watched as cocoa beans were roasted.  Some of the brave soles even tried a bean out of the roaster, however I think all of them agreed that was not their favorite.  However the aftermath of the chocolate with sugar added was more to their liking.

     We made a quick Stop at Slice of Pie to purchase some pies and bring back to try during the week.  The campers were excited about that and the chocolate bars they would get to take home.  All in all it was a sweet day.  To see all our photos from today please click this link. 

Cooking Up a Storm

   Welcome to the first week of 4-H Summer Fun!  This is our 4-H Summer camping program that includes neat opportunities for youth of all ages.  This week we are working with out 9-13 year olds as part of Jr. Chef Day Camp.  Our 12 campers met for the first time today and had an absolute blast.

We started the day by figuring out our rules and what we could all live by.  So far so good, everyone has agreed to be cautious in the kitchen and respectful of each other and those around us all the time.  We split into two groups and one went into the kitchen to learn how to make some breakfast items while the other group worked on a signature project.  

  Our group in the kitchen worked on chopping up items for our egg muffins (they had bacon, sausage, onions, green peppers, and spinach to choose from) and pancakes.  YUM!  The group learned knife skills, kitchen safety, and proper measuring.  After a little more than an hour working on these items it was time to take a break and have snack together,  After we switched and our project folks went to the kitchen while our other group worked on their project.

    Our project this week is charcuterie boards.  We are making our very own and they are going to be fabulous.  We started by sanding our boards and then creating our own designs.  We used scorch markers and a heat gun to make it look like the designs were wood burned into our boards.  That's just the beginning...we will be working on these during the week to make them fabulous!

  We took a break for brunch and enjoyed all the delectable things we made in the kitchen.  We even prepped strawberries and blueberries for the pancakes and other toppings.  Believe it or not we devoured every last morsel of the items we made and had nothing left to share with the staff.

  After a little digestion time we split back up and one group headed to the kitchen to work on chocolate chip muffins while the other group worked on their boards and then had some fun building team building skills with games.  After a brief break (and snack) we switched groups again and one worked on blueberry muffins while the other group worked on their boards and team building games.

  At the end of the day we all brought home muffins, and new skills, that we hope to share with our families soon.  Tomorrow we are looking forward to our sweet field trip. 

To see all of our fun from today check out all of our photos.