Brown County 4-H is supported by Brown County United Way

DATES TO REMEMBER

June

18 – District 7 4-H Horse Show in Sweetwater

24 – State and County Steer Validation 3:30p.m. at Bob Clark Pens

25-27 – Leadership LAB in Sacramento, New Mexico

July

1 – Records Book Due to Extension Office

4 – Extension Office Closed for Independence Day

8 – 10 – County Camp at Texas 4-H Center

2013 – 2014 STEER VALIDATION

If you are planning on exhibiting a steer at the Brown County Youth Fair or a State Show it is mandatory that the steer is validated.  Steer validation will be on June 24, 2013 3:30p.m. at Bob Clarks pens. If you have any questions contact the Extension Office.

JUNIOR AND INTERMEDIATE FASHION SHOW

If you are interested in participating in the Junior and Intermediate Fashion Show please contact Kim Miles at the Extension Office. We are tentatively setting a date for the County Fashion Show for June 20, 2013 depending on how many entries we have. The District Fashion Show is set for July 16, 2013 at Grape Creek Baptist Church in Grape Creek, Texas. Registration opens on 4-H Connect on June 21^st and closes on July 1^st.  For more information contact Kim Miles.

Did you know adults at or over the age of 51 need 1,200 milligrams of Calcium per day? Here are ten tips to help increase the amount of calcium in your diet.

1.  Purchase and eat foods labeled “high,” “rich in,” “excellent source,” or “good source” of calcium.

2.  Eat or drink 3 servings of reduced-fat milk products daily.

3.  Use reduced fat cheeses as toppings and snacks.

4.  Add reduced-fat milk to your coffee or tea.

5.  Substitute reduced fat yogurt or milk for water in pancakes.

6.  Use reduced-fat yogurt in place of mayonnaise in salad dressings and dips.

What is the difference?

Celiac disease is a condition where the protein gluten damages the lining of the small intestine. The damaged intestine cannot absorb nutrients very well, which can lead to malnutrition. The symptoms of celiac disease include a painful rash, abdominal cramps, appetite loss, bloating, chronic diarrhea, joint pain, muscle cramps, weakness, and weight loss.

Because those with this lifelong disease cannot tolerate gluten, they require a gluten-free eating plan. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten can also be found in oats if they are processed in the same plants that process wheat. Once gluten is gone from meals, the small intestine can heal, which may take months or years. Once the intestine heals, nutrient absorption improves, symptoms disappear, and those with celiac disease can live a long, healthy life.

On the other hand, a wheat food allergy generates an allergy-causing antibody, immunoglobulin E, to proteins found in wheat. A food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakes a specific protein in a food as harmful and triggers a response. Ingestion of the offending food may trigger the sudden release of chemicals, including histamine, resulting in symptoms of an allergic reaction. The symptoms may be mild (rashes, hives, itching, swelling, etc.) or severe (trouble breathing, wheezing, loss of consciousness, etc.). A food allergy can be potentially fatal.

Brown County 4-H is supported by Brown County United Way

DATES TO REMEMBER

June

10 – 13 – State 4-H Roundup

18 – District 7 4-H Horse Show in Sweetwater

24 – State and County Steer Validation 3:30p.m. at Bob Clark Pens

JUNIOR AND INTERMEDIATE FASHION SHOW

If you are interested in participating in the Junior and Intermediate Fashion Show please contact Kim Miles at the Extension Office. We are tentatively setting a date for the County Fashion Show for June 20, 2013 depending on how many entries we have. The District Fashion Show is set for July 16, 2013 at Grape Creek Baptist Church in Grape Creek, Texas. Registration opens on 4-H Connect on June 21^st and closes on July 1^st.  For more information contact Kim Miles.

RECORD BOOKS

It is that time to start putting your record book together. If you are planning on putting a record book together here is the website to find the forms and other information you may need for your record book http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/youth_recordbooks. Record Books will be due to the Extension Office for judging on July 1^st.  If you need assistance with your record book or have any questions contact Nick Gonzales at the Extension Office.

Do you like photography, scrapbooking, sewing, quilting or jewelry making?  If so, then make plans to enter your items and attend the Hobby & Craft Fair on June 5, 2013 at The Depot, 600 East Depot Street in Brownwood.  This event is sponsored by the Brown County Texas Extension Education Association. The mission of the Texas Extension Education Association (TEEA), Inc. is to work with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to strengthen and enrich families through education programs, leadership development, and community service.

The hobby & craft fair will include judging of entries in 24 different divisions.  People of all ages can enter their items for judging.  In addition to the judging there will also be various craft demonstrations and programs to include “Unique Crafts” from Julie Mize, “Re-dress for Success” by Martha Baker and “History of Texas Extension Education Association in Brown County” by Margaret Boyd.  There will also be a FREE luncheon and door prizes.  Awards and the presentation of 4-H Scholarships will take place during lunch.

Registration and acceptance of entries will start at 9:30 a.m. with the judging and program beginning at 10:30 a.m.  Lunch will be served at noon and all entries can be picked up at 1:30 p.m.  Categories of entry include:

Brown County 4-H is supported by the Brown County United Way.

DATES TO REMEMBER

JUNE

4 – Mandatory Roundup Meeting 5:30p.m. at Extension Office
6 – State Qualifying Consumer Decision Making Practice 4:00 p.m. at Extension Office

7 – Brown County 4-H Spaghetti Luncheon Fundraiser

10 – 13 – State 4-H Roundup

18 – District 7 4-H Horse Show in Sweetwater

24 – State and County Steer Validation 3:30p.m. at Bob Clark Pens

BROWN COUNTY 4-H NEWS AND UPDATES

STATE 4-H ROUND UP MEETING

If you are participating in State Round Up Contest there is a MANDATORY MEETING on Tuesday June 4^th at 5:30p.m. There needs to be a parent present with the 4-Her who is going to be participating at Roundup.  All money will need to be paid at this time. If you have any questions please contact Nick Gonzales.

Brown County 4-H is supported by Brown County United Way

DATES TO REMEMBER

May

27 – Extension Office Closed for Memorial Day

30 – Livestock Judging Practice 5:30p.m. at Extension Office

31 – Deadline to Enter District and State Horse Show

June

7 – Brown County 4-H Spaghetti Luncheon Fundraiser

10 – 13 – State 4-H Roundup

18 – District 7 4-H Horse Show in Sweetwater

24 – State and County Steer Validation 3:30p.m. at Bob Clark Pens

SPAGHETTI LUNCHEON FUNDRAISER

It is that time again to start making Spaghetti! The Annual Spaghetti Luncheon is on June 7^th.  Sales will begin May 20^th and we need volunteers to sell, make spaghetti, bake cookies, work prep day (June 6^th) and day of the sale, and Adult Volunteers to drive on the day of delivery. The last day to turn in orders is May 31^st.

- Plates will be $8.00

- 4-Hers will receive a $1.00 voucher for every plate they sale (Name of 4-Her must be on the form they turn in. If only the family name is on the form the voucher will be to the family not for each family member)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up beginning May 20 and ending on June 14. The restart of sign-up for continuous CRP, including the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative, the Highly Erodible Land Initiative, the Grassland Restoration Initiative, the Pollinator Habitat Initiative and other related initiatives. Sign-up for continuous CRP began on May 13 and will continue through Sept. 30, 2013.

As always, the competition to enroll acres into CRP is strong, and they urge interested producers to maximize their environmental benefits and to make cost-effective offers. CRP is an important program for protecting environmentally sensitive lands from erosion and sedimentation, and for ensuring the sustainability of our groundwater, lakes, rivers, ponds and streams. Through the voluntary participation of our farmers and ranchers, CRP helps us to protect our natural resources, preserve wildlife habitat and bring good paying jobs to rural America related to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation.

Brown County 4-H is supported by Brown County United Way

DATES TO REMEMBER

May

19 – 4-H Shooting Sports Practice 2:00p.m. at 4-H Center

20 – Livestock Judging Practice 5:30p.m. at Extension Office

21 – State Qualifying Consumer Decision Making Practice 5:00p.m. at Extension Office

27 – Extension Office Closed for Memorial Day

31 – Deadline to Enter District Horse Show

4-H PAPER CLOVER FUNDRAISER AT TRACTOR SUPPLY: MAY 8^th-19^th!!

Customers at our local Tractor Supply can support Brown County 4-H by purchasing paper clovers at checkout. All funds raised will be donated to 4-H, and over 70% will remain in Brown County. There are some new items this year during the fundraiser: $1 & $5 paper clovers will be offered and each clover will have a bounce back coupon at the bottom as a “thank you” for your donation. $5 clovers will have a larger discount than $1 clovers, made possible by Purina Animal Nutrition.

Our local Tractor Supply Co. has been one of the top money raisers in this region since the Paper Clover fundraiser started; so lets help them become number one in the state, while supporting Brown County 4-H at the same time during this fundraiser.

4-H members, if you would like to volunteer to help advertise this at our local TSC store, we will have a booth set up on Saturday, May 18^th from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. If you’re interested please sign up with the extension office.

Global agriculture’s challenge to feed two billion more people by 2050 on Planet Earth would have made a sensational episode of some 1960s-1970s hit drama television series. Agricultural technology innovations could have been the ultimate mission. Agriculture faces a daunting task to feed and clothe a world population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050. The current population is about 7.1 billion people. Over the last decade, the global population increased by 12 percent.

To fill 2 billion more mouths, worldwide agricultural productivity must increase by 70 percent to 100 percent, according to the United Nations. Making the challenge even more…challenging…. is that agriculture will have to produce more food with less land and water.

Feeding and clothing 9 billion people will require major technological breakthroughs and the collaboration of people and organizations worldwide.

The growing demand for food can only be met by unprecedented technical and agronomic knowledge sharing across the globe.

Collaborative sharing

Collaborative sharing will involve growers, agricultural support companies, academia, policy makers, government agencies, and many others. Innovation will deliver the tools to help growers succeed at the local level.

People choose to “go green” for a number of different reasons. There are also a number of different actions people take to help preserve the environment. Being green is not an “all or nothing” type of action. With this in mind, here are a few suggestions that you can follow to start living green.

• Cook more meals at home.

By planning meals and snacks in advance, you can save money and eat healthier. When eating at home, there is less food waste and more family engagement. Today’s dinner could be tomorrow’s lunch. Don’t know what to cook? Check out: www.dinnertonight.tamu.edu

• Support local farmers.

By shopping for food locally, your produce may be fresher and more nutritious. Also, your money goes directly to the grower! Brown County Farmers Market is open for the season.  They are open Saturdays 9am to 12pm and are set up adjacent to the courthouse on the corner of Fisk and Pecan.  For a list of certified farmers markets throughout Texas check out www.gotexan.org

• Plate up healthier meals.

Eating a variety of foods and watching portion sizes can greatly benefit your health. Meat is often an expensive part of the food budget so filling your plate up with 1/4 of meat and 3/4 of fruits, veggies, and, whole grains will greatly benefit your wallet as well!

Spring and summer brings warm temperatures, fresh vegetables from the garden and lots of seasonal fruits.  It’s important to remember to wash your fruits and vegetables rather they come from your garden or from the store. Even if you don’t eat the skin, you can transfer harmful germs from the outside with your hands or by making repeated cuts with the same knife.

Federal health officials estimate that nearly 48 million people are sickened by food contaminated with harmful germs each year, and some of the causes might surprise you.

Although most people know animal products must be handled carefully to prevent foodborne illness, many don’t realize that produce can also be the culprit. In recent years, the United States has had several large outbreaks of illness caused by contaminated fruits and vegetables—including spinach, tomatoes, lettuce and most recently cucumbers.

The Food and Drug Administration says fresh produce can become contaminated in many ways. During the growing phase, fruits and veggies may be contaminated by animals, harmful substances in the soil or water, and poor hygiene among workers. After produce is harvested, it passes through many hands, increasing the contamination risk. Contamination can even occur after the produce has been purchased, during food preparation, or through inadequate storage.