Ag Day

Natalia explains the sheep industry to third graders

Orange Team Wins State Cattle Working Contest

John Michael Knight, Garret Chambers and Elizabeth Nixon, all members of the Orange 4-H Livestock Club and Stockman's Team won top honors in the 2012 State Youth Cattle Working Contest.  Coached by agriculture Extension agent Steve Hopkins, the team placed first in the regional competition in order to advance to states.  There were 64 teams in the regional contests and ten advanced to the Virginia Beef Expo.  Congratulations!

Orange 4-H Claims Additional Royalty

In addition to the reigning Virginia Dairy Princess (Molly Elgin), Orange County 4-H is also proud of the crowning of Miss Elizabeth Nixon as Virginia Beef Queen.  Elizabeth won the competition at last weekend's Virginia Beef Expo in Harrisonburg.  Her duties include representing the beef industry at various state and regional events and promoting agriculture to the public.  Congratulations, Elizabeth!

The first chick in the Extension office has hatched!

4-H Alumni GW & Ben Plumb Need Our Help

Two of the nicest young men we could ever meet need our help to secure a vehicle to accommodate their two motorized wheelchairs.  GW and Ben Plumb of Somerset, ages 26 and 24, were 4-H members as teens, and they continue to work here in Orange.  They both have Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy and use wheelchairs.  Please vote in a special contest to help the Plumb family win a vehicle that can accommodate their wheelchairs and their two parents.  Click here to read their story and to vote; you can vote up to once per day until May 13. Please share the word with family and friends and on Facebook and Twitter or other social media.  (Votes are tracked by internet IP addresses, so families may have to vote rather than individuals in a household.)

'Like' Orange 4-H on Facebook for Frequent Program Updates

Are you on Facebook?  If so, have you 'liked' Orange 4-H?

It's a great way to get quick, concise info about what's happening in 4-H.  www.facebook.com/orangecounty4h

Schedule of 4-H Events at Orange County Fair

We know families are already making plans for this year's Orange County Fair, so here's a schedule of all 4-H activities at the fair.  The fair is a three-day event this year (Thursday, July 26, through Saturday, July 28) with all hands on deck Sunday for clean-up.  Each department will also feature an educational presentation for the public each day of the fair; 4-H members interested in conducting a demonstration should contact the Extension Office.  


Thursday
7:00 a.m. Market Hog Weigh-in Begins as animals unloaded from trailers
9:00 a.m. Market Steer, Lamb and Goat Weigh-in
9:00 a.m. All animals must be on grounds except lactating dairy cattle
11:00 a.m. Exhibitor Meeting
12:00 p.m. 4-H Animal Obstacle Course (pending volunteer event manager)
12:00 p.m. Skillathon for 4-H Members Opens
5:00 p.m. Skillathon for 4-H Members Closes
5:30 p.m. Pretty Animal Costume Contest
6:00 p.m. Cloverbud Parade
7:00 p.m. Hog Show
7:30 p.m. 4-H Educational Presentation:  Beef Cattle Fitting/Grooming Demonstration (Beef Tent)

Friday
9:00 a.m. Goat Show
1:00 p.m. Cloverbud Parade
2:00 p.m. Lamb Show
5:30 p.m. Beef Show
6:00 p.m. 4-H Educational Presentation:  Butter Making Demonstration (Dairy Tent)
7:00 p.m. Cloverbud Parade
7:30 p.m. 4-H Educational Presentation:  Goat Milking Demonstration (Goat Tent)

Saturday
9:00 a.m. Bottle Babies
10:30 a.m. Pretty Animal Contest
12:00 p.m. Cloverbud Parade
12:00 p.m. Dairy Show
1:00 p.m. 4-H Educational Presentation:  Learn About Lambs (Sheep Tent)
2:00 p.m. 4-H Educational Presentation:  All About Pigs (Hog Tent)
4:00 p.m. Cloverbud Parade
4:00 p.m. Cow Milking Contest
4:30 p.m. 4-H Educational Presentation:  Goat Fiber Demonstration (Goat Tent)
5:45 p.m. 4-H Buyers Dinner - ticket required
6:30 p.m. 4-H Auction
After Auction Non-Sale Animals Released; early departures forfeit premiums and right to show next year

Sunday
7:30 a.m. Load out market animals
9:00 a.m. Clean-up; all exhibitors and parents participate

Two Orange Teams Compete in District Dairy Bowl

Two Orange 4-H teams traveled to Harrisonburg, VA, on Friday, April 13, to compete in the Northern District Dairy Bowl competition.  Juniors Jayden Coleman, Robert Goodwin, Haley Coleman and Elizabeth Goodwin placed second.  Senior members Sierra Coleman, Becca Van Lear, Tristen Goodwin, and Billy Cooper placed third in their division.  Both teams will advance to the state contest in Blacksburg during State 4-H Congress.  

Camp Theme Announced

4-H Camp Counselors selected the 2012 camp theme at their lock-in this past weekend.  

Orange-Madison 4-H:  We Make CAMP Look Good!

Stay tuned for photos from the fun event.  

Orange Cattle Working Teams Sweep Regional Competition

Congratulations to the two Orange County 4-H Cattle Working Teams, which placed first and second in the regional contest held April 11 in Radiant (Madison County).  Team A - Elizabeth Nixon, Garret Chambers, John Michael Knight - handily won the contest with a score of 99 out of 100 possible points.  Team B - Robert Nixon, Zach Swope, Blake Hopkins, alternate Kelly Shifflett - placed second with a score of 94.  Both teams will advance to the state competition being held this coming weekend in Harrisonburg, VA, as part of the Virginia Beef Expo.

The regional contest featured 14 teams from Madison, Orange, Culpeper, Fauquier and Appomattox Counties.  Teams of three youth had to process three head of cattle in a safe, correct and efficient manner.  Processing includes necessary vaccinations, ear tags for identification and fly control, and treatment for parasites.  Safety of the animals and youth is paramount and judges evaluate all parts of the contest, from use of equipment to sanitation and teamwork.

 Team A

Team B

CSWCD Scholarship Deadline Extended

High school seniors should be aware that the deadline to apply for the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District scholarship has been extended to Friday, April 20th.  We advertised this several weeks ago.  For more information, please visit www.culpeperswcd.org.

Help Requested to Prepare New Fairgrounds

4-H members and parents' help is requested on Sunday, April 15, to pick up rocks and sticks at the new fairgrounds.  Time is from 2-5 p.m. at the site past Ridgid on Old Gordonsville Road.  All help is greatly appreciated.

4-H Intermediate Congress

Are you 11-13 years old, and sad that you can't go to 4-H Congress at Virginia Tech?  We have a solution for that!  4-H Intermediate Congress just for 4-Hers 11-13 will be held July 9-11 at Virginia State University in Petersburg.  The theme for this year's intermediate congress is "Building a Blueprint for the Future."  They have workshops planned for those interested in making things out of duct tape, how to make solar ovens, making movies, audio engineering, and a workshop devoted to social media.  They will also be doing an exercise with the financial program Reality Store, as well as a scavenger hunt, going swimming, and going for a tour and having a picnic at Randolph Farm.
More information will be posted on the document library.  Registration will need to be in to the extension office by June 10th.  Contact the office if you have any questions!

Glenwood Park Show Reminders

All participants in the Glenwood Park Livestock Show on April 14 should have received an e-mail with show reminders today.  Check-in is Friday, April 13, from 4-7 pm, and Saturday, April 14, from 6:30-8 am.  Stall deposit fees are $10; exact change is required.  Participants need to bring their own bedding and clean the stall before leaving, putting all bedding in the roll-off dumpster.

Horse Project Declarations Due Online and To Extension Office by May 1

All 4-H members with horse projects are advised that Horse Project Declaration forms are due online and in the Extension Office by 5:00 p.m. May 1.  There are no exceptions to this rule, so please plan ahead.  Failure to declare your project horse will result in not being allowed to show at the State 4-H Horse Show.  Please contact your leader or call Kaci with any questions or concerns.  Thanks!

4-H Congress: Mission- I'm Possible!

4-H Congress information is now available!  4-H Congress will be held June 25-28th.  This is a great opportunity for senior 4-Hers (ages 14-19) to go to Blacksburg, spend 4 days on the Virginia Tech campus, and meet lots of other 4-H members from across the state!  There is everything from the state Share the Fun contest to workshops during the day to learn things such as robotics, animal science, communications and expressive arts, environmental education, and other fun topics.  There will also be a carnival to go to, two dances to attend, a midnight pizza party, a college and career fair, 4-H All-Star Tapping, Ice Cream Social, and the Great Summer Showcase.
The information packet is up on the Orange 4-H Document webpage, https://sites.google.com/site/ocva4h/home/document-library. The cost to attend 4-H Congress is $190.  Once the initial registrations and paperwork is in, then participants will be able to select which workshops they are interested in attending.  
If you have any questions, please call the office!  All registrations MUST be in to the extension office by April 20.

O'Donnell Racks Up Big Wins Again!!!

Bit N' Bridle member Delaney O'Donnell has done it again!  And we are so proud of her.  Delaney qualified for four events at Southern Regionals this summer:  horse judging, horse bowl, hippology, and horse presentation.  She can only compete in two, so she has some tough decisions to make, but we are celebrating with her for the moment!  The qualifying event was the state EquiSmartz weekend in Lexington, held March 30-31.

Horsewoman Alumna Excels in Competition

We love to hear how our 4-H alumni are doing.  Check out this update for Ashleigh Ramey!

Ashleigh Ramey, an alumni of Orange 4-H, claimed victories in the intermediate equitiation over fences and novice equitation on the flat for her team - Virginia Intermont College - as they hosted the 2012 IHSA Zone 5 Finals in Bristol, VA.  This helped VI to secure a 13th consecutive trip to the IHSA Nationals to be held in Raleigh, NC, May 3-6.