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COUNTY ADDRESS, CITY, STATE | XXX-XXX-XXXX | OFFICE HOURS LEARN MORE AT WWW.EXTENSION.IASTATE.EDU/4H/COUNTYNAMEHERE

Jr/Int Fun Night

Spring Fair

Pig Project

County Council

Clover Kids

Verify Beef Weigh-In

Bucket/Bottle Calf Packets

Swine & Sheep Weigh-Ins

Leader’s Corner

State Recognition Opportunities

Junior Duck Stamp Program

Scholarships

4-H Hockey Nights

Pioneer Grant

State Conference

New 4-H Members

Calendar

WHAT’S INSIDE:

New Year Brings New Adventures!

I hope all our 4-H’ers and families had a safe and won-

derful holiday season! Hard to believe that we are wel-

coming the year 2017! It is that time of the year where

we look back on what went well and not so well in the

past year. I am excited for a new year and new adven-

tures in 4-H!

It is that time of year when 4-H’ers start to pick out exhibits and start setting goals! I encour-

age you to also think about ways we could make Howard County 4-H even more exciting!

What is something you would like to learn about or expand your knowledge on? Any new plac-

es you would like to go and see? If you have any new ideas or suggestions, PLEASE share them

with me, your club leader, or even our county council members who will be visiting your clubs

in the next couple months.

Remember it is not too late for new or returning members to enroll for the program year! If

you like help with the re-enrollment process contact the office and we would be happy to

help! If you have a friend who wants to join, refer them to the Extension Office and we will

help them enroll!

A big CONGRATULATIONS to….

Saratoga 4-H club who recruited 11 new members this year and will be receiving a

pizza party for their outstanding effort to recruit members!

As always, make sure to take a few minutes to mark your calendars for the year as we begin

planning for our events and deadlines! Also, do not forget to mark your calendars with RSVP

dates as well and give us a call to signup for opportunities we are offering!

Erica Holliday HOWARD COUNTY EXTENSION

County Youth Coordinator

132 1st Avenue West Cresco, IA 52136

Phone: 563-547-3001 ehollida@iastate.edu

HOWARD COUNTY EXTENSION

Howard County 132 1st Avenue West, Cresco, IA 52136 Ph 563-547-3001 Hours 8-12 Noon 12:30 -4:30 Learn More at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/howard/4h

CLOVER CONNECTION JANUARY 2017

Cheers to the new year,

Erica Holliday

MISSION STATEMENT 4-H EMPOWERS YOUTH TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL WORKING

AND LEARNING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CARING ADULTS

COUNTY NEWS Junior & Intermediate Fun Night is BACK!

4-H’ers in grades 4th—8th grade

come beat the winter blues by join-

ing us on Sunday, February 19th

from 5-9 p.m. at the Cresco Fit-

ness Center! Cost is $10. Invite a friend to join in

on the fun! A 4-H’er is allowed to bring one guest!

The county council is planning a night full of

games, swimming, and fun! A flyer with a sign-up

will be coming soon! Deadline to sign-up is Febru-

ary 14!

Spring Fair Sign-Up

Want to design an outfit by sewing or

purchasing? Showcase a presenta-

tion? Or perform a skit? Then Spring

Fair is the perfect opportunity for

you! Sign up today with your club

leader! Spring Fair will be held Sat-

urday, April 8 at NICC Cresco Cen-

ter. Members will be judged on their share the fun,

working exhibits, educational presentations, fash-

ion revue, clothing selection, and $15 challenge

exhibits and learn their ribbon placings. Deadline

for registration is March 17!

Our next meeting will be Sunday, January 29 at 4

p.m. at the Extension Office. We will be creating

a game plan for Jr/Int Fun Night, club visits, and

discussing State Recognition Opportunities!

To Bring:

Interested in Raising A Pig(s)

Don’t live on a farm or do

live on a farm, but just can-

not have pigs? There is an

opportunity for you to raise

a pig and show at the coun-

ty fair—lease a pig at the

new facility on the fairgrounds!

Cost: $15 per pig (non-refundable)

This fee will cover feed, electric, water, building

costs, tags, and FSQA (YSQA)! Pigs will be chosen

by a lottery system!

Income: Money received from selling ribbon at the

ribbon auction

Requirements:

4-H or FFA member (grades 4th—12th)

Attend 4 of the 6 educational sessions—

including nutrition, genetics, and showing pigs

Work one hour per week working with your pig

*You can work more if you want*

Member 12 years or younger must be accom-

panied by adult—adult does not have to enter

the building they can stand outside and view

from the viewing window

Facility: Biosecurity will be very important. You

will have to shower in and shower out. No cell

phones will be allowed past the shower area. Lock-

ers will be available in shower area to store cloth-

ing. Participants will receive a security codes for

access to the building.

You are going to be telling the story of where our

food comes from and how it is raised to adults and

peers in our community.

Contact the Extension Office if you are interested

in taking part in this wonderful opportunity. The

last day to sign up for pigs and payment is Febru-

ary 1. Also, any other questions contact the Exten-

sion Office!

COUNTY COUNCIL

Game ideas

Date for club visit(s)

4-H IS BASED ON RESEARCH

CLOVER KIDS

Don’t Miss Out! Clover Kids in Full Swing

DECEMBER Clover Kids last month studied MONEY!

The youth learned the difference between needs and

wants. We identified coins—pennies, nickels, dimes,

and quarters. We learned the values for each coin

and counted money. Also, each member made a pig-

gy bank to start saving. Remember NO meetings in

January! Our next meetings are:

CRESTWOOD

Date: Tuesday, February 2

Location: Crestwood Elementary Lunchroom

Time: 3:30—5:30 p.m.

ELMA

Date: Saturday, February 4

Location: St. Paul’s Maple Leaf Church

Time: 9:15—11:15 a.m.

NOTRE DAME

Date: Tuesday, February 7

Location: Notre Dame Church Basement

Time: 3:15—5:15 p.m.

RICEVILLE

Date: Monday, February 13

Location: Riceville school lunchroom

Time: 3:15—5:15 p.m.

LIVESTOCK INFO

Verify Beef Weigh-In

The 4-H/FFA beef weigh-in was held

on Saturday, December 31 at the

Cresco Sale Barn. There were 47

market animals weighed in. If you

weighed in animals in, the information is available

on 4-H online. Please login in and verify that all of

the information was entered correctly as soon as

possible. If there are any errors, please contact the

Extension Office.

Bucket/Bottle Calf Packets

Bottle calf packets should be arriving in the mail

for those enrolled in the project. Please check to be

sure you receive one and you keep them in a safe

place! ID will be done through 4hOnline this year!

If you have a youth that is not enrolled in the pro-

ject, but still interested in showing, please contact

the office!

Swine Weigh-In

The swine weigh-in will be held

Saturday, March 11 from 9-

11am at the Crestwood FFA

Shop. This is for swine NOT being

housed at the facility. The safety protocols we used

last year will be used again this year. You will have

an appointment to weigh and staging time between

herds just as last year. The swine being housed at

the new facility will have a separate weigh-in. The

cost will be $2 per tag. More information will be

sent to swine project members.

Sheep/Meat Goat Weigh-In

The sheep/meat goat weigh-in is

scheduled for Saturday, April

22 from 9-11am at the fair-

grounds. Information will be

sent to sheep and meat goat project members.

Mark your calendars!

MISSION STATEMENT 4-H EMPOWERS YOUTH TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL WORKING

AND LEARNING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CARING ADULTS

LEADER’S CORNER

State Recognition Opportunities

You deserve to be rec-

ognized for your hard

work, leadership, and

volunteerism; all while

having fun too! There

are many areas of state

awards or to represent

the state of Iowa. Op-

portunities include: National 4-H Conference, Na-

tional 4-H Congress, State 4-H Council, State

Shooting Sports Ambassador, National 4-H Dairy

Conference, and State 4-H Project awards. Learn

more about applying for any of these opportunities

at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/page/

recognition-opportunities. These opportunities are

open to 4-H’ers in grades 9-12. An application

must be complete by February 1, 2017 and youth

will participate in an interview on Saturday, April

2, 2016 at Iowa State University in Ames. If you are

interested in applying or seeking help on your ap-

plication, contact Erica!

Junior Duck Stamp Program

Are you a student in Grades K-

12? Are you looking for a fun

project for the cold winter

months? Prepare an entry for the

2017 Federal Junior Duck Stamp

Contest! Google “Junior Duck Stamp” for contest

rules and entry forms. Do a little research from the

list of eligible species on the website and decide

what species you want to depict. Decide what medi-

um you want to use for your entry. Get started! If

you would like some 9”x12” paper for your entry,

let me know and I will send you some. Iowa entries

must be postmarked by March 15. There are 100

winners from each state. You could be one of those

winners! Good luck! Email

Doreen_vanryswyk@fws.gov or call 515/994-3400

if you would like paper or if you have questions.

Enrollment Fees

Bills have been placed in your club

boxes. If not picked up on training

night, we will be mailing them.

Please make those payments ASAP!

If you have a youth join after the

date of the bill, they will need to pay $30.

Annual Leader Training

Reminder— our annual required leader training

will be held on Monday, January 9 beginning at 6

p.m. at the Farm Bureau meeting room (NOTE: A

change in location). Come learn how youth engage-

ment strengths 4-H! You will be learning about en-

gaging youth in intentional, meaningful ways. By

creating opportunities for youth to make decisions,

take on responsibilities, and contribute to improv-

ing outcomes for themselves and others, and so

much more! You will have homework prior to meet-

ing that you will be receiving next month!

NEEDED ASAP!

The following club leaders have not turned in an

updated program book for 2016-2017 and a 2015-

2016 financial report: Heritage Homesteaders,

Millennium Masters, and Timberland Target-

ing. Please get a copy to the Extension Office by

January 30!

BEYOND THE COUNTY

WANT TO KNOW MORE? FIND US AT: EXTENSION.IASTATE.EDU/4H/YOUR COUNTY NAME HERE

5

BEYOND THE COUNTY Scholarship Opportunity

More than 90 scholarships totaling

nearly $100,000 will be awarded to 4

-H’ers attending a university, private

college, or community college in Io-

wa with scholarships of $500-

$3,200. Scholarship applications are due to the

State 4- H Office by February 1. To review the

list of scholarships and the respective crite-

ria, visit this website: https://

www.iowa4hfoundation.org/index.cfm?

nodeID=31466&audienceID=1. Also, you will

find the application process on this site.

Christina Hixson Scholarship

The Hixson Opportunity Award is at minimum

$10,000 scholarship (distributed $2,500 per

year) offered annually to one student from each

of Iowa’s 99 counties that are admissible to Iowa

State University. Selection is based on eligibility

and potential as seen by the application, letter of

recommendation and financial analysis. Students

can major in any area of study and must main-

tain a 2.0 GPA while at Iowa State. For more in-

formation and application visit: http://

www.hixson.dso.iastate.edu/. Application is due

February 1.

4-H Hockey Nights in Waterloo

The Waterloo Blackhawks are

again planning 4-H nights at two

different hockey games this

spring. Discount tickets are

available for $7 (regular price

$12-$14)! Offer is good for indi-

vidual 4-H families or whole

clubs. Ask Erica for more details on the two

available games—Saturday, March 25 or Friday,

April 7.

Pioneer Grants Available

Have a community project planned

and looking for some funds? Pioneer

Hi-Bred International is offering Pio-

neer Community Improvement

Grants through the Iowa 4-H Foun-

dation again this year! Information

and application are available

at: www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/

pioneergrants. Grants can be awarded from $50

to $500, but will typically not exceed half the cost

of the total project as groups are encouraged to

work at obtaining local support as a match. Suc-

cessful projects are those that enlist partnerships

with other community entities, demonstrate en-

gagement by the full 4-H club, and make a posi-

tive impact on the community. Applications and

support letters for 2016/2017 grants are due by

January 17 to the Howard County Extension

Office!

State 4-H Youth Conference

Start Your Future Here - at the Iowa 4-H Youth

Conference!

June 27—June 29

Every June, over 1,000 teenagers gather on the

campus of Iowa State University for 3 full days of

speakers, workshops, community service, and a

banquet. If you have completed 8th grade, you’re

eligible to attend! You don’t have to be in 4-H, so

bring a friend. You will get to experience campus

life all while meeting new people from across the

state! You will have fun while learning by doing,

dancing the nights away, and giving back to the

community! You will gain new knowledge and in

the process learn something about yourself! Mark

your calendars for this exciting 3-day adventure!

Want to Find Out More?!? Visit us at: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/howard/4h

Like us on Facebook: Howard County 4-H Follow us on Twitter: @HowardCounty4H

WANT TO KNOW MORE? FIND US AT: EXTENSION.IASTATE.EDU/4H/YOUR COUNTY NAME HERE

6

For cancellation announcements due to bad weather listen to KCZQ 102.3 FM

FUTURE DATES TO KEEP IN

MIND

FEBR UARY 2017

Jan 17—Pioneer Grants

Jan 30—Club Program

Books & Financial Reports

Feb 1—Pig Project Dead-

line

Feb 1—State Awards Ap-

plications & Scholarships

Feb 14— Jr/Int Fun Night

Sign-Up

March 17—Spring Fair

Sign-Up

DEADLINES

Feb 2—Crestwood Clover

Kids 3:30-5:30pm

Feb 4—Elma Clover Kids

9:15-11:00am

Feb 7—Notre Dame Clover

Kids 3:15-5:15pm

Feb 13—Riceville Clover

Kids 3:15-5:15pm

Feb 17—Swine Education

Session 1pm

Feb 19—Junior/Int Fun

Night 5-9pm Cresco Fitness

Center

JANUAR Y 2017

March 11—Swine Weigh-In

April 8—Spring Fair

April 22—Sheep/Meat Goat

Weigh-In

Calendar

Welcome New 4-H Members Please help me welcome these new members to the Howard

County 4-H Family!

Afton Aces— August Kinneman, Bradley Pickar, Mackenzie

Thiele

Cresco Merrymakers— Nathan Ahern, Alyssa Halverson, Lilly-

Ann Pagel,

Flying Hoofs— Amanda Johnson

Heritage Homesteaders— Dakota Lipa

Howard Center Stars— Kinsey Reicks, Paige Schmitt,

Saratoga 4-H— Josi Andera, Brooklyn Burke, Chloe Burke,

Kylie Dvorak, Lily Fair, Will Felper, Carver Hale, Colton Heit,

Olivia Johnson, Will Ludwig, Andrew Pridgen

Space Age Farmers— Aiden Brannon

Timberland Targeting— Cody Kerian, MiaKiah Pierce, Will

Schrage, Brock Voyna

Jan 9—Leader Meeting

6:30pm Farm Bureau

Meeting Room

Jan 10— Youth Committee

6:30pm

Jan 29—County Council

4pm Extension Office