Brown County 4-H is supported by Brown County United Way
Dates To Remember
March
14 – Brownwood 4-H Club Meeting 6:30p.m. at Extension Office
15 – Bangs 4-H Club Meeting 6:00p.m. at Bangs High School
15 – Photography Workshop 7:30p.m. at Howard Payne University
17 – Duds To Dazzle Practice 4:00p.m. at Extension Office
17 – Horse Quiz Bowl Practice 5:30p.m. at Extension Office
21 – Horse Club Meeting 6:00p.m. at Extension Office
22 – Brookesmith 4-H Club Meeting 6:00p.m. at Brookesmith ISD
25 – Extension Office Closed for Good Friday HolidayBROWN COUNTY 4-H NEWS AND UPDATES
BROWN COUNTY YOUTH FAIR CHECKS
The checks for the Brown County Youth Fair are available for you to pick up at the Brown County Extension Office. A thank you letter should be written to each buyer who contributed towards your project. Make sure that it is stamped and addressed and turned in to the Extension Office! You will not receive your check until we receive your thank you letters. Hand written “thank you” letters are best but, depending on your personality and penmanship a typed letter can also be appropriate. Thank each person individually, don’t try and thank a group of people in one letter. PLEASE NOTE THAT CHECKS ARE ONLY VALID FOR 90 DAYS.
MAJOR STOCK SHOW PASSES
The Austin Stock Show passes have arrived. Participants may pick up their passes at the Extension Office. If you have signed up for any of these shows and are NOT going to be participating or have any other questions please contact Nick Gonzales.
GOAT/LAMB TRUCK CHECKS
If you put your goat or lamb on the truck at the Brown County Youth Fair the truck checks are available for you to pick up at the Extension Office. If you have any questions contact the Extension Office
4-H PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT OPPORTUNITY
Do you have an interest in taking photos? If so we have a contest just for you! The photography project encourages self-expression and teaches proper use of photographic equipment and developing processes. We are very excited for the opportunity to have photographer Megan Hurt join us again this year to share her photography techniques.
Our next workshop will be Tuesday March 15th, 7:30a.m. at Howard Payne University, meet at the Bell Tower. It is important that you bring the camera you are using to take pictures for the contest, digital cameras are preferred. If you have any questions please contact the Extension Office.
NEW Steer Classification Standards for 2017 Major Shows
Starting in 2017 new steer classification standards will take place at major shows. Several breeds were modified and changed to better serve today’s industry. If you are looking to purchase steers for next year’s major shows please review each of the breed guidelines. Especially note the revisions to Red Angus, Hereford, Polled Hereford, Charolais, Limousin, Simmental, and the additions of the following Cross Color Divisions: Red Cross, Black Cross and Other Cross. Please note the Chianina breed is no longer included in the updated classification standards. A complete list of these breeds can be viewed at: http://brown.agrilife.org/links/4h/. If you have any questions please contact Nick Gonzales.
4-H Clothing & Textiles Project Opportunities:
Spring time involves many 4-H projects to include Clothing & Textiles. The fashion show includes construction and buying divisions. There’s also the Fashion Story Board contest and the newest addition Duds to Dazzle. The Duds to Dazzle contest is patterned after the Food Challenge. It is a team event where teams of up to 5 members have 1 hour to turn a “dud” into a “dazzle” with a sewing kit and a furnished supply closet. Design categories are wearable, accessory/jewelry and non-wearable. The team is also responsible for giving a 5 minute presentation to a panel of judges.
Contest dates for fashion show, fashion story board and Duds to Dazzle are as follows:
Duds to Dazzle Contest for all age divisions – April 7 in Coleman
Fashion Show & Fashion Story Board for senior age division – May 7 in San Angelo
Fashion Show & Fashion Story Board for junior & intermediate age division – July 19 in San Angelo
If you are interested in participating in any of the 4-H Clothing & Textiles Project Opportunities, please contact Kim Miles or Nick Gonzales at the Extension Office.
KIDS, KOWS, AND MORE VOLUNTEERS!
Our annual Kids, Kows, & More 3rd grade agriculture education days are coming up on May 19th and 20th. We are looking for 4-H member’s ages 12-18 that would like to volunteer to help with the event. Duties will consist of being group leaders, helping move youth from each session, helping guest speakers with their sessions, Help Recruit New 4-H Members, etc.. The event will be during the week, 8:00A.M. – 3:00P.M. each day, so we will write excuses to your school if you want to participate. If you are interested in helping please contact the Extension Office at 325-646-0386.
4-H HORSE VALIDATION – MARCH 1st TO MAY 1st
Validation is required for showing at district or state horse shows, and its purpose is to certify that ownership requirements have been met. The horse MUST be owned solely by the 4-H member, his/her parents (biological or stepparents), brother, sister, grandparents, or legal guardian. Horses under lease to, but not owned by any of the named persons, do NOT qualify. Horses owned in partnership or jointly with any person other than those previously listed do NOT meet ownership requirements. The horse validation process will be completed electronically using the 4-H Connect online management system.
All 4-H members who wish to show at the District Show or the State 4-H Horse Show will be REQUIRED to validate their horse(s) on the 4-H Connect system. Horse validation is completed for EACH HORSE and will cover all 4-H youth members in that family profile. When validating your horse(s) on 4-H Connect, you will select ONLY ONE 4-H youth member to conduct the validation under. Once a horse is validated, validation paid, and you begin registering for the District Horse Show, the validated horse(s) can be moved to the appropriate 4-H member(s) that will be exhibiting the horse in the show.
Validation will be open from March 1st to MAY 1st. Any horse validated before or after this date will NOT be accepted. An illustrated step-by-step instruction guide for families is available for download and reference on both the Texas 4-H website (http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/) and the Texas A&M University Department of Animal Science – Equine Science website (http://animalscience.tamu.edu/academics/equine/state-4h-show/). Validation cost for each horse is $10.00 from March 1st – April 15th. From April 16th – May 1st validation cost for each horse is $20.00. Credit Card will be the only acceptable form of payment. If you have any questions please contact Nick Gonzales at the Extension Office.
The 2016 district horse show will be held in Llano on June 13-14.
K-State Livestock Judging Camps
A three day, intense judging camp designed for 4-H and FFA members ages 14-18 who are seriously interested in enhancing their livestock judging and oral communication skills. Prior livestock judging experience is necessary for this camp. Workouts will be conducted similar to those at a collegiate level. Chris Mullinix, coach of over 30 national championship teams and KSU livestock judging coach, will conduct the training for each camp. The camp will focus primarily on the proper format, terminology, and presentation of oral reasons. Camp participants will also be exposed to livestock evaluation skills and incorporating performance records in the decision making process. If you are interested please look at the June 17-19 camp. As a team we will travel to this camp. The cost for the camp is $250 per camper. The registration deadline is May 23.
The following dates are set for the 2016 camps.
June 6-8
June 10-12
June 17-19
4-H ENROLLMENT IS OPEN ON 4-H CONNECT!
The enrollment process for the 2015-2016 4-H year will begin August 15, 2015. All 4-H families, new and returning, are encouraged to log in and enroll in order to become an official 4-H member.
As you begin your enrollment for the year, here are some tips in using 4-H CONNECT:
- If you already have a profile DO NOT create another one!
- If you lost your email and password call the county office so we can reset it for you.
- An active membership will not be granted until the $20.00 participation fee is paid on 4-H Connect!
- You cannot register or participate in an event until your profile is ACTIVE.
- When you are doing your re-enrollment for the 2015-2016 4-H Year please make sure you update your address, phone number, and e-mail address.
- You can use your Fundraiser Voucher to pay your membership dues. To do this you will have to come into the extension office to enroll.
- We are updating our e-mail database on November 1st so if you are not enrolled by then you will no longer receive newsletters updates via e-mail. Unless you notify the Extension Office prior to November 1st deadline.
Don’t wait until the last minute to enroll because after October 31st the cost increases to $25!!
Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
