4-H Enrollment- Important Information!

Enrollment update!  We just received word yesterday that the enrollment date for the upcoming 4-H year has been pushed back.  4-H Online will be down for service October 1-6.  We had originally said that you would be able to reenroll starting October 1, but it's looking like that will be pushed back to October 7.  As soon as you are able to enroll or reenroll we will send out an e-mail with information on how to do that!

Hokie BugFest 2015

Take a peek into the fascinating world of entomology at the fifth annual Hokie BugFest! This unique festival will happen on Saturday, October 17, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Inn at Virginia Tech (Latham Ballroom). The Inn is on the edge of the Virginia Tech campus off Price’s Fork Road, close to the 460 Bypass and near downtown Blacksburg. Free parking is available.

Activities and exhibits include a live Bug Zoo, Roachzilla! (giant cockroaches), luminescent and cave-dwelling bugs, ant colonies, games, and crafts. Arthropod enthusiasts can admire giant “bird-eater” tarantulas, observe bright-blue death-feigning beetles, see a working beehive, and visit departmental research displays. The themes of science and discovery are interwoven into all activities.

This year we are pleased to welcome David George Gordon, a renowned bug chef from Seattle who will prepare insect delicacies several times during the day. Come find out why eating bugs may be good for you.

Also new this year are a pollinators exhibit from Bayer Bee Care Center and a professional face painter. A member of the Virginia Tech Police Department will host a display on forensics and insects in crime solving.

Back again this year are a large apiculture (beekeeping) exhibit and an insect collection contest for individuals or groups. Other attractions include a pumpkin patch (with fresh pumpkins for sale), the Alberti Flea Circus, a spooky Spiders’ Lair, and the well-known Bo-Ty Dawgs. Larry the Label will be on hand to explain why reading pesticide labels is so important.

Don’t miss the Bug Zoo – your chance to view fascinating arthropods from North America, South America, Central America, Africa, and Asia. The zoo’s residents include a variety of tarantulas, beetles, scorpions, cockroaches, centipedes, vinegaroons (forest-dwelling whip scorpions that squirt vinegar from their tail), and many others!

Enter the Luminous Cave and see glow-in-the-dark millipedes and other arthropods. Visit exhibits from the Virginia Museum of Natural History, the Schiele Museum, and other regional museums. See a cast aluminum fire ant nest and a giant robotic spider.

Everyone’s heard of the “bad guys” of the insect world, pests such as bed bugs, gypsy moths, stink bugs, mosquitoes, and termites. But what about insect “heroes”? Those include honey bees, which help make agriculture possible by pollinating crops. Check out the apiculture exhibit and learn how important bees are.

Stop by the Bug Creations room, where kids can make all sorts of “buggy” crafts. Children can also earn a junior entomologist certificate by visiting eight exhibits at the festival. Older kids will enjoy testing their wits at the Bug Jeopardy booth. Kids of all ages can get their faces painted with an insect theme.

For more details and a schedule of events, go to http://www.hokiebugfest.org or check out our Facebook page.

The Hokie BugFest was inspired by William B. Alwood, Virginia’s first entomologist. Alwood, an early pioneer of pest management and fruit culture, was one of Virginia Tech’s greatest scientists. The W.B. Alwood Entomological Society, a graduate student organization, helps host the

BugFest as part of its outreach mission.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Dr. Mike Weaver at (540) 231-6543 or email mweaver[at]vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

4-H Benefit Golf Tournament Scheduled for October 19

The annual Denny Wayland Memorial 4-H Golf Tournament will be held Monday, October 19, to benefit Orange and Madison County 4-H Programs. The Captain's Choice tournament will be held at Greene Hills Club with a 1:00 p.m. shotgun start. Lunch-to-go and dinner are included with the tournament, plus an unlimited soda and snack wagon and a chance to win $5,000 with a hole-in-one on Hole 18. 

Cost is $80 per player or $320 for a team. Hole sponsorships of $100 each are also available. 

The tournament is held in memory of Denny Wayland, a Madison native and longtime Orange 4-H volunteer. Denny was also a field man for Orange-Madison Coop and was greatly admired and appreciated by local farmers and members of the community. He was instrumental in raising funds to support anything for the benefit of children, and that's exactly how proceeds from this tournament will be used. 4-H youth development reaches youth ages 5-18 with projects teaching leadership, citizenship, and life skills. 

For more information, to register, or to be a sponsor, please call the Orange Extension Office at 672-1361. 

Photos Needed for Achievement Night Slideshow

If you have awesome pictures from the 2014-2015 4-H year, please send them to Sarah for consideration for the slideshow at Achievement Night.  This slideshow is always very popular with everyone who is in attendance, and we like to include as many 4-Hers (from ALL clubs) as possible!  Please send any pictures you may have to Sarah (seweaver[at]vt.edu) by September 30.

Virginia Association of Fairs Youth Scholarship Contest

The Virginia Association of Fairs Youth Scholarship Contest will be held Saturday, January 9, 2016, at The Homestead. Seven thousand dollars ($7,000) in scholarships will be awarded that day!  This is a great way for anyone who participates at the Orange County Fair (as an exhibitor OR youth volunteer) to win a great scholarship!

Youth must be age 14-19 as of 1/1/16 and be a participant or volunteer (or both!) at a VAF-member fair (Orange County Fair is a member of VAF). Entries must be received by 5:00 p.m. the firstFriday in December - hard copies only, original signatures, no exceptions. 

Contest componenets include: Prepared Public Speaking; Extemporaneous Public Speaking; Application, Resume, and Essay; Digital Symposium; and Interview.

For more information, list of rules, and packet, please see the document library in the "Blog Post Follow-Up Information" folder and it will be "VAF Application and Info 2016".

National 4-H Week- We need your help!

For National 4-H Week October 4-10, we want to get Orange 4-H into the community.  Many people ask what clubs are in the county, what the clubs do, what is 4-H, why should they join, how to join, AND MORE!  We want to educate them!  We are asking each club to put together a 30 second- 1 minute clip of what the club does.  It could be club members explaining, a part of a meeting, pictures, a play, feel free to be creative- whatever helps explain your club to people who have no idea!  We will upload these to Facebook and the Blog during National 4-H week and will use these videos in the future as people ask about the clubs.

For the next part- we need YOUR help!!  We are asking you to share your "4-H Story"- why you joined 4-H, what has been your favorite part, things that you have learned, why you would encourage others to join, etc.  These could be written or on video that we could share during National 4-H Week as well.  We would love to have 4-H Story representation (at least one member!) from each club to share during the week! Your submissions could go on both Facebook and the blog!

Please let me know if you would like to participate in this- please send all submissions to Sarah (seweaver[at]vt.edu) by September 30 so that we can ensure that the information is ready to be on the blog and e-mail!

Natural Horse Addicts 4-H Club Visits State Horse Show

Members of the Orange 4-H Natural Horse Addicts horse club traveled to Lexington, VA this past weekend to explore possibilities for competing at the state level in the future. Throughout the weekend, the gymkhana, drill teams and gaited classes seemed to capture the most attention. Members explored the barns for stall and tack decoration ideas as well. All were impressed with the beautiful, well-groomed animals and the camaraderie and spirit of the 4-H members in attendance. The art and photography shows had impressive entries and the upper level of the Colosseum was packed with a wide variety of vendors selling all sorts of horse and horse-folk accessories.

 

As attendees came from all over the state of Virginia and many had far to travel, show activities ended early on Sunday.  NHA members headed home in heavy discussions about horses, training, showing and scheming for the year ahead. We did not take the direct route home, though. Much of the ensuing discussions took place as we meandered the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. A picnic lunch at a beautiful overlook, conversation and photos with an awesome group of bikers and some light hiking rounded out a perfect weekend! 

 

 

 

Checking the show schedule while we wait for the ring cleanup and pole bending setup.

 

An early morning hotel swim before heading to the show!

 

Getting ready to head home from the show.

 

One of many awesome overlooks and beautiful scenes of the Blue Ridge Parkway!

 

Enjoying a picnic lunch in the mountains.

 

Cool people with cool bikes - of course they attracted the attention of some of our members!

 

Short hike on an old logging railroad...

VT Maker Festival- September 26 in Falls Church

The VT Maker Festival is back for another year!  The event will be September 26 from 10 am- 4 pm at the Virginia Tech Campus in Falls Church.  If you would like more information, the website for the event is http://www.cpe.vt.edu/vtmaker/index.html

Congratulations to Archery Club District Contest Participants

Congratulations to Mary Julia Thomas, Momin Ali, and Salaar Ali for placing first as a team in the Archery-Jr No Let Off-Barebow division.  As individuals in that division, Mary Julia Thomas placed 1st, Momin Ali placed 2nd, and Salaar Ali placed 3rd.
In the senior division, Andrew Miller placed second in the Archery- Sr No Let Off-Barebow division and Zach Douthit placed 3rd.
Congratulations, and good luck at the State Contest tomorrow!

Equine Photography Contest- Open to ALL 4-H Youth!

A Youth Equine Photography contest will be held during the State 4-H Horse Show at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, and all enrolled 4-H members are invited to enter. Photographs must be submitted to the horse show office by 6:00 PM on Thursday, September 10, 2015.  Members do not have to be enrolled in the horse program, nor do they have to attend the show in person. This year’s winning photographs will be displayed at the MARE center in Middleburg.

Contest rules can be found at the following link:

http://www.ext.vt.edu/topics/4h-youth/horse/events/state-horse-show/rulebook/15-rulebook/photograhpy.pdf

Email kmayo[at]vt.edu with any questions or concerns  you may have. 

Re-enrollment Information

We've heard the 4-H Clubs are getting off to a great start after a busy summer. We know some folks are trying to be early and re-enroll for the 2016 4-H year. We really appreciate your excitement, but the new 4-H year doesn't officially start until October 1. The online enrollment system will not accept any new info until October 1, so please wait for an email from the Extension Office with instructions on how to re-enroll. 

We will get you those instructions on Thursday, October 1st, and then you'll be all set for the new year. Thanks for your patience!!! 

Also, if you have new friends wanting to join 4-H this fall, please let them know that October 1 will be their start date, too.