Fair Entries

The link for fair entries for the livestock and dairy shows are up and ready to go!  All fair entries are due by June 15 by 5 pm.  Please visit the following links to register yourself and your animals (Just click and it should take you to the website.  If not, I have also provided the actual web address)

Pigs  - www.tinyurl.com/ocf2012pigs
Beef Cattle  - www.tinyurl.com/ocf2012beef
Sheep  -www.tinyurl.com/ocf2012sheep
Goats  - www.tinyurl.com/ocf2012goats
Dairy Cattle  - www.tinyurl.com/ocf2012dairy
Cloverbuds  -www.tinyurl.com/ocf2012cloverbuds

If you need help or have questions, please contact the extension office.

Remember- entries are due June 15!

Fair Schedule is Posted!

The schedule for the 2012 Orange County Fair has been posted!  There have been some changes since we are going from a 4 day fair to a 3 day fair, so pay attention as show times for some species have changed!

Check it out here!

Japanese 4-H Exchange Youth Seeking Homes

Families with children ages 11-16 are being sought to host Japanese 4-H LABO Exchange program youth for one month this summer. See below for the list of boys and girls who are coming to Virginia.  Can you open your home to a child and provide a wonderful exchange experience?  Please contact the Extension Office for more information.

IＤ Code	G	Age	Hobbies/Interest	Wants to …	Swim	Health
CHB-016	F	13	Plays the flute, studying, eating, reading, shopping, listening to Japanese pop songs, playing DS and Wii, Disney, animals	Wants to talk with host in English, play games with host, teach host Syuji	Beginner	Motion sickness when rides in car
CHB-032	F	13	Calligraphy, ride unicycle	Wants to have special experience, make a lot of friends	Beginner
HIJ-010	M	13	Lego's, radio control toys, cycling, TV game, portable game	Share Japanese traditional events	Intermediate
KNG-001	M	14	Likes ping pong, baseball, soccer, making plastic models, animation and comics	Wants to experience American life, know American comics, play sports with host, tell host family about Japanese comics	Beginner	Bringing medication
NGO-035	M	13	Basketball	Try English skills, have a variety of cultural experiences in America	Intermediate
OSA-011	M	12	Basketball, computer game, cartoons	Wants to be a good friend with host, to know about America, show Japanese culture, origami and calligraphy, wants to play basketball with host	Beginner
SHK-016	M	13	Likes outdoor life, reading, painting	Wants to make many friends, challenge self	Beginner
TYO-020	M	14	Soccer club - goal keeper, likes watching baseball, reading mysteries	Make a lot of friends, get in touch with nature	Intermediate	Hay fever - has medication, allergic to cats - no inside cats
OSH-019	M	14	Playing soccer, fishing, playing and watching all sports, singing Japanese pop songs	Wants to communicate and learn culture, enjoy and share with host family	Advanced

Dash for Trash Community Service Project Available June 16

On your mark, get set, Dash! 

Saturday, June 16, will feature the third annual downtown-Orange Dash for Trash clean-up. Clean-Up teams will start promptly at 9:00 a.m. at the Train Station on Short Street where participant teams and individuals can grab garbage bags and gloves and dash into downtown Orange to participate in a litter-collecting scavenger hunt called... the Dash for Trash!  Teams of litter pickers will scour the town for cigarette butts, used batteries, old hub caps and cans to rack up points. Each type of litter has a different value associated with it. The teams that show the most spirit, collect the most recyclables and accumulate the most points will win cash prizes of $150 for First Place, $100 for Second and $50 for Third. 

The Dash for Trash is an event that is co-sponsored by the Orange Downtown Alliance and the Orange County Litter Control Committee. Dash for Trash gives residents, families, clubs, businesses, and organizations the opportunity to help clean up downtown Orange while enjoying some friendly competition with other teams. It is a community spirit builder and is fun for all involved. Dash for Trash is aimed at preventing future littering through increased awareness of Orange County's anti-litter laws and by the good example the participants will set that day. Teams are required to register with ODA if they wish to participate. 

 

Registration will start at the Train Station at 8a. Teams will be released at 9a and have two hours to collect trash and then report back at the Train Station where the points will be counted. The cash prizes will be awarded to the winning teams that evening at the Trashy Ribs and Blues Festival at 6p.

For more information, contact Ron Rose at rrose@orangecountyva.gov or Jeff Curtis at director@orangedowntownalliance.org

Experience the Summer of a Lifetime by Hosting a 4-H Exchange Student from Austria or Greece

We were just notified that three young ladies (two from Austria, one from Greece) need host families for three weeks this summer.  Are YOU that special family these folks have been looking for?  Extension Agent Kaci Daniel has personally hosted three delegates in her home and they have been great experiences.

The exchange delegates are college-age students.  Susanne enjoys swimming and sightseeing and previously attended an agriculture school and is now studying economics.  She can drive a tractor and work in the fields; her parents are retired farmers.  Maria grew up on a farm with sheep and horses and she now works as a bank clerk.  She enjoys jogging and spending time with family and friends.  Anastasia is 17 years old and like basketball, books, drawing, music, cycling and shopping.

Timing is of the essence to get these delegates placed, so please call the Extension Office if your family would like to host.

Haley Wilbanks One of Six Teens Honored at Outstanding Virginian Day

Congratulations to Haley Wilbanks who was recently selected as one of six outstanding 4-H youths in northern Virginia.  Her award was presented during a presentation naming former Lieutenant Governor John Hager as the 2012 Outstanding Virginian; the event was held at the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center in Front Royal.  Wilbanks was recognized for her accomplishments in numerous 4-H events as well as her demonstration of the six pillars of character—Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.

 

Wilbanks, who attends boarding school at St. Andrews School in Middletown, Delaware,  has remained active in Orange County 4-H while away at school, including as a 4-H Junior Camp counselor and an Orange delegate to State 4-H Congress. She has been a member of the Livestock Judging team, and is very active in the Orange County Fair where last year she helped raise hundreds of dollars through the Kiss-A-Cow contest.  Additionally, Haley has competed in county and state level 4-H public speaking contests. 

Orange Membership Report from 4-H District Horse Show

A Northern District 4-H Horse Show was held on Saturday, May 12th at Locust Hill Farm in Locust Dale (Madison County).  This event was a qualifying event for participation in the Virginia 4-H State Horse Show to be held in Lexington, VA, in September. 

 

Bryan Ramey, Orange 4-H HoofMates Club member, showed two horses and yielded the following results.  On Fenway Armani, Bryan was 2nd - Sr. Hunter Showmanship; 4th - Sr. Hunter Equitation Over Fences; 1st - Large Pony Hunter Over Fences; 3rd - Large Pony Hunter Over Fences; 1st - Large Pony Hunter Under Saddle and Champion Large Pony Hunter.  On his second horse, Bold Liberty, Bryan was 4th - Sr. Hunter Pleasure Showmanship; 2nd - Sr. Hunter Equitation on the Flat; 2nd - Sr. Hunter Pleasure Horse 1st go; 3rd - Sr. Hunter Pleasure Horse 2nd go; and Reserve Champion Sr. Hunter Pleasure Horse.  Way to go, Bryan, and thanks for representing Orange 4-H so well! 

Virginia Junior Livestock Expo (formerly State Fair shows) Nomination Site Announced

Attention, youth planning to show commercial heifers, commercial does (meat goats), market goats, market lambs, commercial ewes, market beef and/or market hogs!  Nomination site information has been released regarding official weigh-ins for projects to be shown at the Virginia Junior Livestock Expo, the event which will take the place of state livestock shows formerly held at the State Fair of Virginia.  All youth with projects in the previously mentioned categories will need to officially nominate their animals at one of several sites around the state.  Please note that commercial heifers and commercial does (meat goats) have been added to the list this year! 

Orange County is fortunate to host a nomination site again this year.  Please plan to bring your animals on Tuesday, June 26, at 1:00 p.m. to Glenmary Farm in Rapidan.  This is for beef, meat goat and sheep.  Hog nominations will be held Monday, August 13, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the white building next to Orange-Madison Coop on Rt. 15.  Hogs (market hogs and breeding gilts) will have to be transported to nomination sites this year!  Agents will not be making on-farm visits due to changes in the VJLE rules. 

If you have questions, please contact the Extension Office and we will be happy to help you.  Reminder:  VJLE dates are October 11-14, 2012, and the event will be held at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds. 

TACO Summer Camp

Are you interested in doing some volunteer work for a great program this summer?  If so, the 4-H TACO Summer Camp could use you!  The 2012 TACO Camp will be held July 16-20 from 8:30 a.m. -12 noon at Elmwood Farm, right outside of town.  This is an opportunity for students who have special needs to be able to have the 4-H Camp experience by riding horses, participating in arts and crafts, horse education, and having a special entertainment session.  We are looking for volunteers to be side walkers, help with arts and crafts, help with snack, entertainment, and tons of other fun jobs!  If you are interested in helping out, the volunteer applications are on the document library under the TACO folder.  Or, if you know of a student who may be interested in participating as a camper, the applications for campers are also there.

If you have any questions, please call the extension office at 672-1361.

Livestock Club Scholarship

The 4-H Livestock Club Scholarship has been posted on the Document Library , under the Livestock Club Scholarship Folder.

The Orange County 4-H Livestock Club Scholarship is a way to reward students and members who have been very active in 4-H and demonstrated the four basic components of 4-H: head, heart, hands, and health, throughout their 4-H career. 

High school seniors who have applied to a college or university and have been a member of the Livestock Club for at least two years in good standing can apply for the Livestock Club Scholarship.  The scholarship will be applied to the applicant’s second semester tuition and will not be awarded if the student’s first semester GPA falls below 2.0.  An official transcript from the college is required to be sent to the Orange County Virginia Cooperative Extension Office for scholarship to be awarded. 

The deadline for the application submission is July 15, 2012.  Applicants will be notified as to the time and date of their interview.  Interviews will be held at the Orange County Virginia Cooperative Extension Office.  The winning applicant will be named by September 1, 2012 and will be announced at Achievement Night in November. 

Applications should be brought to the Orange County Virginia Cooperative Extension Office at 146 Madison Road, Suite 102.  For more information, call (540)672-1361 or Missy Chambers at (540)854-7286.

Summer Workshops!

We have had many requests and questions about summer workshop offerings for this summer!  Well, we are happy to announce that the summer workshops are finalized, and the brochure is ready to go!  We are offering workshops in many different locations throughout the county, as well as a huge variety of workshop choices to choose from.  We have workshops for Cloverbuds all the way up through workshops geared especially for older teens and high schoolers.  Check out the brochure on the document library - Under the folder "Summer 2012".
Summer Workshops: (More details in the brochure)
Mad Science and Engineering (3 different offerings of this one workshop)
Wee Tea
Cupcake Wars
Flower Arranging
Manners Matter
Before the Fair
Orange You Glad You Live In Orange VA?
Speak, Monkey, Speak!
Focus on the Family
Cloverbud Day Camp
Crocheting
Ropes Challenge Course
Teens: Putting Your Best Foot Forward with Resumes and Interviews

SHEW!  It's going to be a busy summer!

Get in your registrations soon- workshops fill up FAST!

Orange 4-H'ers on the Move Showing Project Animals

We know a lot of our members have the showing "bug" and we're proud to see so many youth exhibiting animals at bigger shows.  Congratulations to Julia Weaber, who had the Grand Champion Belted Galloway heifer at the Big East Youth Jackpot Show in Massachusetts recently.

Early Plans Announced for State Youth Dairy Show to Replace State Fair of Virginia Activities

Just announced!  Extension Dairy Specialist Dave Winston announced today that the first annual state 4-H/FFA  youth dairy show will be held August 2-4 at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds in conjunction with the state Holstein show.  The youth dairy show classes will take the place of dairy activities at the former State Fair of Virginia.  Entry forms and additional show information will be forthcoming.  See below for a save-the-date graphic.

Goat Club Exhibits Animals and Sells Homemade Soap at Montpelier Wine Festival

We heard through the grapevine that Orange 4-H Goat Club members did a great job exhibiting at this past weekend's Montpelier Wine Festival.  Club members are shown below with their pack goats and some baby goats.  They were there to sell soap that their club hand makes and sells to support club activities.  4-H Goat Club soap is available through several retail vendors around the county or in the Extension office.  Enjoy the photos!

Watch 4-H Embryology Program's Live Hatch

Our 4-H friends in Madison are onto something big!  Their incubator for hatching chicken eggs has a webcam, and they are broadcasting live on the internet.  Visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/madison-4h to see the hatching.  If for some reason you get a message that they're offline, try again.  It's pretty cool!

High School Juniors and Seniors Offered Great Opportunity to Learn about Careers in Public Health

Teens:  check out this amazing opportunity to attend a conference at Virginia Tech this summer and learn about public health and public health careers.  The event will be held August 2-4, 2012.  High school juniors and seniors will stay on the Virginia Tech campus, and all activities, lodging and meals are included for only $75!  Applications are due May 25 and only 50 students will be selected.  Visit http://www.vayouth.mph.vetmed.vt.edu/?page_id=307 for details and necessary paperwork.  We would love to see some Orange 4-H members attend!