VA Association of Adult 4-H Volunteer Leaders Spring Conference

For all interested adult 4-H volunteers, the Virginia Association of Adult 4-H Volunteer Leaders is having a spring conference April 14-15 in Blackstone, VA.  This is a great opportunity for you to meet with other leaders throughout the state and get advice, ideas, and feedback from them.

If you are interested in going, please contact the extension office for the registration forms.  There is also an opportunity for a scholarship for those interested in going offered through Monsanto.

State Fair Changes Announced

State Fair Exhibitors:  Please be aware of some changes to this year's entry process.  Nominations will now be required for commercial heifers and market hogs.  This is in addition to species that previously had to be nominated:  market beef and commercial ewe and market lambs.  Commercial heifers will be weighed and tagged at normal beef nomination sites.  Hogs will need to be transported to a nomination site (locations to be determined) rather than agents making farm visits.

More details are still being worked out, but please make note of these planned changes.

Virginia Forestry Camp

Like trees and being outdoors?  Then we have a great camp just for you!  The Holiday Lake Forestry Camp will be held June 18-23 at the Holiday Lake 4-H Center in Buckingham County.  This camp is open to youth 13-16 who have an interest in forestry or natural resources are nominated to attend, live in Virginia, and have not been to Forestry Camp before.   This is an overnight camp that has a structured, educational focus.  If you go to camp, you will attend classes such as forest management, wildlife and environmental protection, forest ecology, tree measurements, tree identification, and hear presentations from many professionals in the natural resources field.  You will also be able to attend other classes that you choose, participate in a lumberjack competition, and have free time and swimming every day, and best of all, meet people from throughout the state who have the same interests!  There are also opportunities of field trips to paper mills, urban forestry demonstrations, learn about arson, wilderness survival skills, and skeet shooting.

The cost to attend the camp is $75 for the whole week.  Nominations for the students must be in by April 16^th, so let the extension office know if you would like to go!

If you would like more information, visit http://www.dof.virginia.gov/edu/camp.htm.

4-H Northern District Hippology and Horse Bowl Contests

The Northern District 4-H Hippology and Horse Bowl Contests will be held Saturday March 3, at Ruckersville Elementary School in Greene County for both junior and senior 4-H members to participate in.  This is a great way for all of you horse enthusiasts to get out there and show everyone just all that you know about horses!
The Hippology contest consists of 4 different parts- a written exam, stations that you have to go to to identify and determine various horse related components, classes to judge, and then a team problem for the senior members. The Horse Bowl is a contest for teams to compete in where they ask of horse related questions, but working as a team and in more of a "Jeopardy" type setting.
For more information click here and look under the "Blog Post Follow Up" section. Registration for this event closes on February 24th.

Crazy Pets Plan February Meeting for Feathered Friends

The Crazy Pets 4-H Club members have a fun February meeting planned.  They'll be thinking of our feathered friends, who may be in search of food this time of year, and will put a new spin on an old craft.  Current and new members are invited to join them Tuesday, February 7, at 6:30 p.m. at The Alpaca Garden.

Swine Day Registration Announced

4-H members with an interest in learning about pigs should consider Youth Swine Day at Virginia Tech, February 25, 2012.  The Saturday event will include general swine information, a pig stockman's contest, and PQA (Pork Quality Assurance) certification.  The cost is only $7 per person and lunch is included.  Registrations are due February 15th.  For more information, e-mail meghan13@vt.edu.  For a copy of the brochure, please click HERE and look under 'blog post follow up'.  

Sheep Group Offers Youth Chance to Earn a Free Ewe

Youth ages 9-18 with an interest in preserving rare breeds of sheep have the chance to compete for a free ewe lamb to be given at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in May.  Essay applications are due April 1^st.  Please contact the Extension Office for a conservation program flyer with details. 

Fair Theme Correction Noted

Correction from an earlier post:   The 2012 fair theme is "Have You Herd?  We're on the Moove."  This is a slight wording change from what was previously posted.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Good luck to our 4-H members and clubs as you prepare displays and educational exhibits!

Virginia State University Announces 2012 Ag Discovery Summer Program

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY has announced its Ag Discovery Program to be held June 24–July 8, 2012, in Petersburg.  This program is for middle and high school students looking for a unique summer internship experience and a chance to live on a college campus for two weeks.  Visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/agdiscovery/ for more information about this nationally offered program!

Students will gain hands-on experience in the disciplines of veterinary science and food safety under the “farm-to-table” theme.  Participants will also observe small ruminants and on-farm processing techniques. Students reside on campus in a dormitory and learn field and laboratory research techniques
from university professors.   Field trips and guest speakers provide enhanced exposure to agricultural production and research. This program is facilitated by the Virginia State University (VSU) School of Agriculture, with collaboration from USDA partners and industry representatives.

Contact:  Antonio McLaren, (804) 524-6872, amclaren@vsu.edu; Paula McCapes, (804) 524-5839, pmccapes@vsu.edu www.vsu.edu

Molly Elgin Accepted as 2012 IFYE Delegate to Australia

Congratulations to Molly Elgin, who was recently accepted as a 2012 IFYE (International Four-H Youth Exchange) outbound delegate to Australia!!!  Molly has been active in Orange 4-H Dairy and Livestock Clubs; as a Junior Camp, Fair Day Camp and Cloverbud Camp counselor; and volunteered for 4-H programs such as summer workshops, Ag Day and Farm Tour.  She and her family have hosted two IFYE delegates from Austria and Germany, and Molly is also active as a sports team manager at the high school.  Good luck, Molly, as you raise funds for this special trip, and have a great time learning about the Australian culture, continent and people!

Fishing and Aquatic Education Training Offered for Adults

4-H volunteers with an interest in fishing and aquatic education are invited to a weekend seminar by the VDGIF in Richmond on February 18 and 19.  This "train the trainer" seminar will equip you to work with youth and other adults.  Anyone interested in attending the training is encouraged to contact the Extension Office for a copy of the flyer.

Orange County Fair Association Announces 2012 Fair Theme

Have you Herd?  We're on the Moove!

This will be the 2012 Orange County Fair theme in recognition of the excitement surrounding a future move to new fairgrounds.  However, the 2012 fair will definitely be at the same location as last year, on property owned by Montpelier behind the old visitors' center.

Exhibitors should use this theme when planning their summer exhibits.  Let's have a whole "herd" of great displays!!!

Welcome to Orange 4-H, Sarah Weaver!

We are thrilled to have Sarah Weaver on board as our 4-H Program Educator!  Please make time to stop by the office and welcome Sarah, find her at an upcoming 4-H event or introduce yourself when she visits each club during a meeting.

Sarah is a longtime 4-H member who showed hogs, judged livestock and competed on the cattle working team.  She attended Virginia Tech, where she coordinated the Youth Swine Day for Virginia 4-H & FFA, participated on the collegiate judging team, and served as an Extension Summer Intern in the Madison County Extension Office.  Sarah operates a pick-your-own pumpkin patch on the family farm each fall and has previously served as a 4-H volunteer.

She's off to a great start, having already made Valentine's with the True Blue Cloverbuds for their service project, hosted a stockman's practice, planned our participation in 4-H Day at the State Capitol and met with key TACO (Therapeutic Adventure Camp of Orange) volunteers.  Sarah's e-mail will be seweaver [@] vt.edu.  Welcome, Sarah!

4-H Day at the State Capitol

Orange 4-H will be sponsoring a trip to the Virginia State Capitol for 4-H Day at the Capitol on February 7^th.  We will be visiting our State Delegate, Ed Scott, as well as our newly elected state Senator, Bryce Reeves.  We will also be taking a tour through the state capitol that afternoon.

This is a great opportunity for you to be able to meet and interact with our state legislators, understand more about how our legislative system works, and an excellent opportunity for you to be able to explain to them how 4-H has been a benefit to you.  This is a day when 4-Hers from across the state all come to Richmond to meet with their legislators to learn more about the governmental process, and to talk about 4-H.  

We will not be taking a bus again this year, so there are a limited number of people who will be able to go on the trip (20 max for both Orange and Madison together.)  We won’t be charging anything for you to go, but you will need to bring money to pay for lunch.  You will need to dress up, and be on your best behavior while we are on the trip!  Remember, if you go, you are representing all of Orange County, and we want to make a good impression!  We will be leaving around 7:30 that morning, and returning before 6 that evening.  We will have more specific details as the day gets closer.  If you are interested in going, please let the extension office know so that we can get you signed up!  

Glenwood Livestock Show

The 2012 Rules and Information for the Glenwood Livestock Show have been posted on www.tinyurl.com/ocva.  This is a livestock show held on April 14th for those individuals who show either sheep or beef animals.  The entries are due to the extension office by February 3rd for beef entries, and by March 2 for sheep entries.
If you have any questions, or need any information let us know.

4-H Camp Counselors Needed!

Calling all students ages 14 and up as of January 1 of this year!  Orange-Madison 4-H Camp will be held June 17-21 at the Northern Virginia 4-H Center in Front Royal, and we are currently accepting applications for youth that are interested in being a counselor.  To be a camp counselor, you must be willing to assist with classes, be responsible for a room with five campers ages 9-13, and lead various group meetings and games.
Camp is a great opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, and work on your leadership skills. College may be a way off for most of you, but many college and scholarship applications look very favorably, and ask about leadership skills.

To be a camp counselor you must:

• Be a friendly person!
• Set a good example for the campers and be a good role model
• Encourage the campers to participate in activities and make them feel welcome and at home
• Be willing to carry out instructions or directions
• Serve as a class assistant, helper, or teach a class
• Help with recreation, evening programs, and campfire activities

If that sounds like something you would be interested in, there are some things that you need to do!  You need to pick up an application either at the high school office or at the extension office.  You will need to have that application filled out and returned to the extension office by JANUARY 27.  You will also need to sign up for an interview time.  Interviews will be held Monday, February 6 and Wednesday, February 8, and are a way for us to get to know you better.  You also need to find three people to be references for you, and they will need to complete the form that is in the application and return it by January 27.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the extension office!

Valentine's Day Card Making by the True Blue Cloverbuds

I went to the True Blue Cloverbud's meeting on Tuesday night to help out with the preparations for their Valentine's Day community service project at Dogwood Village.  These kids did an AWESOME job decorating and making valentines to hand out to all of the residents.  There were all sorts of stickers used, and lots of bookmarks and ladybugs that were also made.  

I know that all of the residents will be so glad to see everyone on Valentine's Day!  If you are interested in coming and helping pass out Valentine's with the Cloverbuds, or joining them for a punch and cookie social afterwards, they will be meeting at 4 pm on Valentine's Day at Dogwood Village.

Dairy Club Wins Farm Credit Challenge for Most Toys Donated to Children's Toy Box

Congratulations to members of the Orange 4-H Dairy Club!  These youth won Farm Credit's challenge of donating the most toys to the Children's Toy Box of Orange for the Christmas holiday, helping children of families with limited resources.  Dairy Club members will receive a pizza party reward at their February meeting. Members of the Goat Club and Livestock Club also participated in the toy drive.  Thank you, 4-H members, for thinking of others!

Megan and Marty Harris and Kaitlyn Gill win combined $4,500 in scholarships

Honey Bee Preservation Group Announces Essay Contest with Cash Prizes

Active 4-H club members are encouraged to submit an essay on the topic “The Results of Honey Bee Pollination in My Community” for a chance to win cash prizes and advance to the national level for judging.  Entries are due February 3^rd and should be 750-1000 words in length.  For a complete list of criteria and rules, please contact the Extension Office.

Lakewood Animal Hospital Hosts Crazy Pets 4-H Club

Dr. Amy Olson and her staff at the Lakewood Animal Hospital in Locust Grove, Virginia, generously donated their valuable time after a full day of working to give an educational presentation and tour of their facility to the 4-H Crazy Pets Club of Unionville, Virginia. Most of the kids in our club had never taken a pet to the vet before so this was a new experience for many of them.

Dr. Olson spoke about heartworm prevention in dogs, and showed the kids what happens to a dog’s heart when it becomes infected with heartworms. Then she moved onto explaining the benefits of proper nutrition and diet in our pets and how obesity affects their joints just like ours. The kids were captivated by the joint demonstration, but nothing excited them more than to see a very special stuffed patient awaiting surgery. Hooked-up like any real pet, the kids experienced all the reality of pet surgery (without an actual live patient) - to the relief of the parents who also attended.

If you think it can’t get better it does! Dr. Olson and her Vet Assistant Britney took our kids into the x-ray room and showed them some really cool animal x-rays. They also demonstrated the safety precautions necessary for them while taking the x-rays. The kids were so fascinated the questions kept pouring out of them. I don’t think Dr. Olson stood a chance against these 4-H kids! Dental hygiene and blood tests were also discussed as part of the general overall health and wellness of pet care.

The tour ended with a very surprising and special homemade cookie offering by Dr. Olson’s staff. Then all the kids were each given a dog leash, pen, and magnet to take home. What a generous donation of time, effort, and educational enrichment we all received! Orange County is lucky to have such a contributing, and generous business member of this community. The 4-H Crazy Pets Club cannot thank them enough for such a wonderful and educational experience!