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

DATES TO REMEMBER

March

23 – Early 4-H Club Meeting 6:30p.m. at Early First Baptist Church

24 – Duds To Dazzle Practice 5:30p.m. at Extension Office

26 – Adult Leaders/Club Managers/County Council Meeting 6:00p.m. at Extension Office

26 – Photography Workshop 7:15p.m. at The Depot

29 – Shooting Sports Practice 2:00p.m. at Woodman of the World

April

3 – Extension Office Closed for Good Friday

6 – Deadline To Order State Fair Lamb & Goats Tags

13 – Deadline To Order State Steer Tags

14 – Brownwood 4-H Club Meeting 6:30p.m. at Extension Office

14 – Bangs 4-H Club Meeting 6:30p.m. at Bangs FCS Classroom

BROWN COUNTY 4-H NEWS AND UPDATES

ADULT LEADER/CLUB MANAGER/COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING

There is going to be an Adult Leader/Club Manager/County Council meeting on Thursday, March 26, 2015, 6:00p.m. at the Extension Office. Topics of discussion are going to be the 2015 4-H Budget. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting. For more information contact Nick Gonzales.

STATE FAIR LAMB & GOAT TAGS

If you are in 4-H and planning on participating at the State Fair in Dallas with a lamb or goat you will need to purchase a tag. The deadline to order tags is April 6th. Contact the Extension Office to purchase a tag for the State Fair.

STATE STEER TAGS

It is hard to believe that it is already that time again to purchase state steer tags. If you are planning on showing a steer in any 2015-2016 major stock shows you must purchase a state tag. The cost is $12 per tag and the deadline to purchase a tag is April 13th. Please come by the Extension Office to purchase your steer tag.

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.

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

MAJOR STOCK SHOW CHECKS

We have received sale, placing, and truck checks from Fort Worth Stock Show If you participated in this major stock show and placed in your class or made the sale please come by the office to pick up your check. If you have any questions please contact Nick Gonzales

Photography Workshop Series

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 this year to share her photography techniques. There will be a workshop on Thursday, March 26th 7:15pm at The Depot. Please bring your camera, digital cameras are preferred. If you have any questions please contact the Extension office.

KIDS, KOWS, AND MORE VOLUNTEERS!

Our annual Kids, Kows, & More 3rd grade agriculture education days are coming up on May 18th and 19th.    We are looking for 4-H members 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.

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. It is not too late to sign up for Duds Dazzle, we still need team members for all age divisions. If you are interested please contact Kim Miles.

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 2 in San Angelo

Fashion Show & Fashion Story Board for junior & intermediate age division – July 21 in San Angelo

If you are interested in participating in any of the 4-H Clothing & Textiles Project Opportunities, please contact Kim Miles at the Brown County Extension Office.

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 their 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.

YOUTH HORSEMANSHIP CLINICS

There will be a youth horsemanship clinic held at the Earl Q Wilson Arena, April 4th in Brownwood. Mrs. Laramie Terry will be the instructor. The clinic will focus on proper riding positions, proper use of equipment and safety. The clinic will cost $60 with discounts available.

The clinic will be from 8a.m.-5p.m. For more information contact Anna Hernandez at 325-217-2018.

DISTRICT 7 4-H ROUND UP

District 7 4-H Roundup is on Saturday May 2nd at the West Texas Training Center in San Angelo. It will consist of many events that Brown County 4-Hers can compete in; such as public speaking, fashion show, Share – the – Fun, and educational presentations. All age divisions are eligible to participate in the District 7 4-H Round Up. If you would like more information please contact Nick Gonzales.

SENIOR FASHION SHOW

The Senior Fashion Show is set for Saturday May 2nd. It will be during the District 7 4-H Round Up. You must be 14-18 years of age to compete in the Fashion Show. If you are interested in competing contact Kim Miles at the Extension Office for entry forms, rules, or for more information.

4-H National Anthem Competition

Texas 4-H Roundup will showcase three 4-H members or groups of 4-H members each day for the singing of the National Anthem during the General Assemblies. Information for the applicant is below.

How to Enter:

• Submissions must be uploaded to http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/anthem/

• All submissions MUST BE POSTED TO YouTube (All links made public).

• Entries may be submitted on an individual basis or as a group.

• Groups cannot be made up of more than four (4) members. Three individuals/teams will be selected to perform one at each assembly held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

• Individuals/teams will be announced May 8, 2015.

• Open to all 4-H members regardless of age (9-19).

• 4-H member does not have to be a contest participant of Texas 4-H Roundup.

• YouTube Video must be of the individual or group (up to four 4-H members) singing the          National Anthem.

• Singing must be in a capella style (no music).

• If selected to sing during Texas 4-H Roundup, performance will be done a capella.

• Videos will be evaluated by a panel of judges with music experience.

• If selected to sing participants must be registered on 4-H Connect.

• Roundup staff will be selecting the nights that the individuals/groups will be performing.

Deadline for submission is May 1, 2015. Please contact Nick Gonzales for more information.

HOWARD COLLEGE GOAT AND LAMB CAMP

The 2015 Howard College Goat Showmanship Camp is set for June 14, 15, & 16, 2015 and the Lamb Showmanship Camp is set for June 7, 8, & 9, 2015. The charge for the camp is $85.00 per person which includes four meals and a camp tee shirt or cap. Add $50 per goat or lamb provided by Howard College. If possible bring your own goat or lamb for demonstration purposes. Participants must be at least 9 years old or entering the 3rd grade. If you want more information on these camps please contact the Extension Office

4-H ENROLLMENT IS OPEN ON 4-H CONNECT!

The enrollment process for the 2014-2015 4-H year will begin August 15, 2014. 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 2014-2015 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.