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Staff News & Notes - Week of March 15, 2010
Hi,
Many of you may not be aware that I still keep a few sheep around. In my elementary years, our family had a herd of registered Angus cattle, but when I reached high school, I needed a separate project for 4-H and another project for what was then called vocational agriculture. I started my flock of registered Montadale Sheep, and I have had them continuously ever since.
However, I am not real sure why I still keep these sheep. I have less than twenty ewes, and a good year is when I break even with cash income and cash expenses. I changed my lambing season from January-February to March-April, so I do not get as cold now, but we know that March can have some nippy weather too. Even though I have had these sheep for decades, every year something happens that I have never seen before, and it is usually bad. My Father always said that a sheep was born with the idea in its mind to die at its earliest opportunity, so almost annually I witness the demise of one of my sheep for apparently unknown reasons.
I like lambing season the best. It reminds me of Christmas, when I was real little, every time I go into the barn. Finding newborn lambs or assisting with delivery is quite satisfying most of the time (see the last sentence in the previous paragraph). It is also fun to watch lambs which are a few weeks old run and play. I like baling hay for these sheep in the summer months which I attribute not so much to longing for my boyhood activities, but rather longing for my boyhood. This past weekend I arranged to have my ewes sheared. The shearer this year was not a wool buyer, so now I have to figure out whether it is really worth it to bag the wool, and transport to a wool buyer (see second sentence in the second paragraph above).
But maybe the reason why I keep these sheep around is the same reason I am in my professional career – I enjoy it. Yes, there are other careers that would have been more lucrative. The climate right now in Extension is not the most enjoyable, but we are figuring out improvements. There are so many things that are beyond our control, many unanticipated and many of them bad.
However, every once in a while, I get that childhood Christmas morning feeling; when I hear of positive ways youth are developing through so many different programs of Ohio 4-H; last weekend when we were honoring four Ohio 4-H volunteers by inducting them into the Ohio 4-H Hall of Fame, I could see the pride and humbleness in the eyes of the inductees. Yes, it is an honorable profession.
Thanks to all the 4-H Professionals,
Tom
Have you begun your County’s Paper Clover Promotion?
National 4-H Council is thrilled to announce that we will be partnering with the nation's leading rural lifestyle retailer Tractor Supply Company (TSC) to implement a national Paper Clover Promotion! The Paper Clover Promotion is a consumer-driven fundraising promotion where a retailer sells paper representations of the 4-H clover to their customers for $1 or more at the register. National 4-H Council has piloted this program with Southern States Cooperative (SSC) and AGWAY stores. Please see samples of the paper clovers and SSC promotional materials by visiting www.4-H.org/brandnetwork and clicking on “4-H Paper Clover.”
From March 26 to April 18, TSC will partner with Council to run our first national scale Paper Clover Promotion. Sixty percent of each paper clover sold/customer donation will go directly to the county 4-H program in which it was raised, 5 percent will go the 1862 state 4-H office/foundation, and 5 percent will go the partner 1890 institutions that have 4-H programs. For states where the partner 1890 institution does not have 4-H programming or there is no 1890 institution in the state, the 1862 institution will receive 10 percent of the funds raised. The remaining 30 percent will go to National 4-H Council to underwrite the cost of the program.
CLICK HERE for TSC Paper Clover FAQ
Publicizing locally is the best way of increasing results! National 4-H Council will be providing 4-H staff and volunteers several resources (template press releases, tip sheets, customizable posters, etc) via the 4-H Brand Network to promote your local TSC Paper Clover Promotion.
2010 Ohio 4-H Scholarship Winners
Scholarship winners have been posted at: www.ohio4h.org/aauck.
The winners will receive a letter in the near future congratulating them on their accomplishments. Feel free to let them know they are a winner or an alternate.
Thanks to all who participated in the 4-H Award and Scholarship process.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday June 2, 2010 for the Ohio 4-H Achievement and Scholarship Banquet.
Ohio 4-H Special Needs Camp
June 11-13, 2010
Special needs camp for children with multiple disabilities ages 8 to 18, is held each year at Elizabeth L. Evans Outdoor Education Center/Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp. Below are the forms necessary for children to attend this camp. Please share with any interested individuals.
CLICK HERE Camp Flyer/Registration
For more information, you may contact Connie Goble goble.6@osu.edu, or call this extension office. A visit to YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww6iV7-d9Es ) will give you a basic idea of what to expect.
Ohio 4-H Dog Exp Pre-registrations Due March 31
Pre-registrations for Dog Expo are due to Lucinda Miller by March 31. Ohio 4-H Dog Expo will be held Saturday, April 17, at the Buckeye Ranch. The purpose of Dog Expo is for 4-H members to learn how to teach their dogs obedience, showmanship, rally, and agility exercises to improve their performance as a team. Expert resource people will be on hand to teach the classes to help youth work with their dogs. Classes will be divided into beginning and experienced and broken down into small groups for optimal teaching opportunities.
Pre-registration saves the youth $5.00 and gives us an idea of how many are coming so we can make sure we have enough resource people; so please encourage pre-registration. Registration the day of the event is also welcomed. In addition to the classes, youth can take the Canine Good Citizen test and experience other dog-related vendors and activities. The registration form is available at:
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~prec/4h/dog/index.htm, or http://4hansci.osu.edu/companion/companionEvents.php.
For more information please contact Lucinda Miller at miller.78@osu.edu.
Ohio 4-H County Camp Directors Training
April 6, 2010
This training is required for all volunteers or employees hired to direct 4-H camp, and all Extension Educators with 5 or less years of experience in serving as a director of a 4-H camp program.
Tentative schedule:
Registration 9:00 to 9:30
Begin program 9:30 -Mandatory standards
10:45 Break
11:00 - OSU, Extension and 4-H policies
12 -12:15 Camp Groups – Emergency procedures and incident reports
12:15 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – Staying on Course Camp Management Philosophy is what keeps on course
A second Camp Director Training date will be established if there is a need.
For more information, contact Niki Nestor McNeely mcneely.1@cfaes.osu.edu
Please Share with Potential Beekeeping 4-H Members
The Ohio Department of Agriculture just contacted the State 4-H Office about sponsoring several “Start-Up Grants” of up to $500 for each 4-H member who is interested in Bees/Honey Production. This would be primarily to cover the costs of purchasing hives and basic equipment. Details have yet to be worked out, but we needed to get this word out, since most enrollment deadlines are relatively soon. Please share this information with your 4-H Advisors and 4-H Members as best as you possibly can. We know this is late notification, but if we can identify interested youth this year, and establish the procedures for application and distribution of the funds, we will be better prepared for next year. Please contact Tom Archer at Archer.3@osu.edu if you think you may have youth interested. The goal is to increase the interest in beekeeping in Ohio.
1st Annual Agriculture Night at the Ballpark
The Toledo Mud Hens invite all 4-H members, alumni, family and friends to attend our 1st Annual Agriculture Night at the Ballpark on Saturday, April 24, 2010 vs. Columbus Clippers. Join us for a night of fun and recognition for the Agricultural community and all of its members. All attendees will receive a discounted $8 ticket. Sign up and be eligible for on-field activities before and during the game! Call Scott Rourke at 419-725-4539 or e-mail srourke@mudhens.com with any questions or to order tickets; order online at www.mudhens.com/AgNight. See you at the ballpark!
