| Macomb County 4-H News |
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Macomb County 4-H Outdoorama is May 30th
Macomb County 4-H Outdoorama is fun for kids and adults. Come learn what 4-H has to offer in the outdoors! Sessions include orienteering, fire starting, shelter building, shooting sports, plant and track identification, hiking, and more.This event is open to the public.
When: Saturday, May 30 from 10 am - 3 pm
Where: Camp Rotary, 20505 29 Mile Rd., Ray Township
Who: 4-H members (ages 10-19), leaders, volunteers, and parents
Cost: $5 per participant (youth or adult), which includes lunch
The registration deadline has been extended! Register up to and at the event. See flyer and registration form for more details.
Are you the next Top 4-H'er?
Applications are now being accepted for the 2015 Macomb County Top 4-H'er Award! A Top 4-H'er is a self-motivated, enthusiastic leader who promotes 4-H using the skills, knowledge and leadership abilities acquired in 4-H with fellow members, area residents, community leaders, elected officials and non 4-H youth. A Top 4-H'er serves to strengthen the 4-H program through public relations. They are knowledgeable of 4-H, passionate and active in 4-H! Top 4-H'ers become role models for other club and community members as they promote Macomb County 4-H. Registered Macomb County 4-H members are encouraged to apply.
Top 4-H'er applicants must be registered Macomb County 4-H members, ages 13-19, who are willing to increase their knowledge of 4-H programming; learn 4-H history; follow through on commitments; be committed to developing their communication skills; and be enthusiastic and energetic.
Top 4-H'ers will be announced during opening ceremonies at the Armada Fair. Applications are online at http://msue.macombgov.org/?q=MSUE-4H-Resources-Forms, under "Top 4-H'er". Completed applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 31, 2015, to Macomb County MSU Extension, Attn: 4-H, 21885 Dunham Road, Suite 12, Clinton Township, MI 48036. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Duran, 4-H Program Coordinator, at duraneli@anr.msu.edu or 586-469-6090.
Youth PQA Plus Training
Youth Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus is the food safety, antibiotic use, and animal well-being awareness and education program for youth pork producers ages 8-19. A Youth PQA Plus training is being offered on Tuesday, June 2, 2015 from 6-7 p.m. at Grange Hall on the Armada Fairgrounds. Please note that exhibitors showing swine at the Armada Fair may be PQA certified. This certification is not mandatory to show at the fair; it is optional. To register for this free training, call 586-469-6431 or email macomb.4h@macombgov.org by Friday, May 29, 2015.
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| Staff |
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| Richard Wooten District 11 Coordinator
Kea Norrell-Aitch 4-H Extension Educator
Mark Cowan Americorps, 4-H Tech Wizards
4-H Program Coordinator
4-H Extension Educator
Program Coordinator, 4-H Tech Wizards
Extension Educator, 4-H Tech Wizards
4-H Program Coordinator
Computer Maintenance Clerk
(586) 469-6431
macomb.4h@macombgov.org
http://msue.macombgov.org/ |
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| Armada Fair Updates
- 2015 Theme "Oh the Thinks You Can Think When You Think of 4-H"
- Looking for superintendents for Photography, all livestock areas except Swine, all horses except Mini-Horse, and Exhibit Barn
- Fair clean up dates are May 31, 2015 and July 26th, 2015 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Please bring anything you think will help, such as rakes, shovels, gardening tools, brooms, garden gloves, etc.
- Top 4-H'er Award applications are due by July 31, 2015. Top 4-H'er will have only two levels this year, Senior and Intermediate. Applicants, don't miss these dates:
June 30th - Last day to apply for top 4-H'er on the Armada Fair entry form
July 31st - Last day to have application submitted to the Macomb County 4-H office
August 16th - Top 4-H'er interviews
August 18th - Top 4-H'ers announced
- Armada Fair entries accepted June 1-June 30. An important reminder to all leaders is that THEY, the leaders, need to take the entire club's forms to the fair office or mail them to the fair office. No children should be dropping off forms. The Fair Office WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING ANY MAILED ENTRIES FROM INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN.
- 4-H books were done in April; leaders can come get their packets.
- Parent armbands at $25 are still available.
- Tagging dates are:
- Swine, Goat, Lamb and Prospect Beef tagging are June 7th from 10 a.m. to Noon
- Rabbit and Poultry tagging is July 19th from 10 a.m. to Noon.
- Teen Clerk Sign-Up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4caea82ea3f85-teen2
- Youth Organization Exhibit Barn Sign-Up: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0D4CAEA82EA3F85-youth/7764562
Exploration Days Reminders Exploration Days Orientation and balance information have been emailed to participants. Contact Macomb County MSU Extension if you are registered for this event and haven't received your email. The mandatory 4-H Exploration Days Orientation is at 6:30 p.m. on June 1, 2015 at Macomb County MSU Extension, 21885 Dunham Road, Clinton Township, MI 48036. All participants are required to attend. Please R.S.V.P. to Macomb.4h@macombgov.org or 586-469-6431. Exploration Days Instructor Needed There has been an instructor cancellation for 4-H Exploration Days session #257: Fun with Food, and MSU needs another instructor. This second half session meets on the afternoon of Thursday, June 25th and the morning of Friday, June 26th. Here is the session description: "Create fun, decorative, and edible works of art using fruits, vegetables, nuts, candy, and more! You'll gain food-art ideas for holidays, special events, or just for the fun of it. Age 11 and up." If you or someone you know is interested in teaching this session, please contact Connie Lange at (517) 617-8516 or langec@anr.msu.edu.
Model Rocketry Schedule
Model Rocketry classes will begin with a build class for beginners on Wednesday, June 17th at 6 p.m. at the Armada Senior Center. It is located at 75400 North Avenue in Armada - just north of town.. Bring Skill Level 1 rocket kit and white glue. Parents should plan on staying to supervise those 4-Hers under age 12. Please email Mrs. Davis at
Davis_lighthouse@att.net with the following information at least one week before the class: YOUR NAME, AGE, PHONE NUMBER, EMAIL ADDRESS .
All flights will be held at the Ray Township Park on Wolcott Road just north of 29 Mile Road.
1st Flight Wednesday, July 15th 6:00 p.m.
2nd Flight Wednesday, July 22nd 6:00 p.m.
3rd Flight Wednesday, August 5th 6:00 p.m.
Macomb MSUE 4-H Plant Science Program Well-Received This article appeared in the Make Macomb Your Home Blog on May 22, 2015.
All year, Macomb County MSU Extension 4-H Youth Development offers educational programs designed to bring a sense of adventure and fun while bringing knowledge to local youth ages 5-19. Most recently, MSU Extension hosted the first of a series of fun, educational events at the Thompson Community Center, the organization's new Warren location. The program, entitled Soil Science, was geared toward educating youth about where their food comes from and how it grows. On Saturday, May 2nd, youth in grades K-5 anxiously arrived at the event prepared to get dirty and learn about plant science. The workshop, led by MSU Horticultural Specialist, Dixie Sanborn, was very interactive with the youth, making them participants rather than recipients of the lessons. Dixie began by telling the youth that by the end of the day they would all walk away with at least five things they did not know before they started.
Learn they did! They learned that anything with seeds inside and a flesh was a berry, even foods we thought were vegetables like jalapenos. They learned that a strawberry was not a berry! Gasp! They learned what germination was and how to germinate plants from seed, cuttings and cloning. They made and devoured their own salsa. The kids learned what a limited and vital resource our water and soil are. By far the most exciting lesson was how easy and important it is to build a worm box for composting. "This was a great group and, as the kids shouted out answers and asked many questions, I could tell they were engaged," said Elizabeth Duran, 4-H Program Coordinator. By the end of the day the youth all agreed and could list five new things they had learned. Everyone went home happy, excited and with plants in hand.
Feedback about the program was overwhelmingly positive. Michelle Richards, 4-H parent and leader of City Slickers 4-H Club, wrote, "Regarding last Saturday's gardening program, I can't even begin to tell you how complimentary the kids were as we drove home - seriously! I kept asking what their favorite part was, and they couldn't even name one thing; it was all just amazing to them. The programs you run are outstanding, Lizz."
There are more events planned for Macomb County youth. Coming up on May 30th is the Macomb County 4-H Outdoorama for youth who want to explore some outdoor adventure. Find out more at http://msue.anr.msu.edu/events/macomb_county_4-h_outdoorama. Registrations will be accepted at the MSU Extension's Clinton Township office until 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29th and at Camp Rotary in Ray Township between 9:30 and 10 a.m. on May 30th. Pre-registration is preferred.
In July, there will be two full weeks of 4-H summer day camps. The camps for grades K-5 will be hosted at the Thompson site from July 13 -24. Programming will be centered around Healthy Living, Lego Robotics and Gardening. "This is a wonderful facility with infinite potential" said 4-H Program Coordinator Elizabeth Duran. "We're just getting started."
For more information about these and other events, visit http://msue.macombgov.org/MSUE-4H.
Summer camp registration is now open!
Summer camp at MSU Tollgate is a fun and exciting opportunity to experience the natural world hands-on. For more information visit www.tollgate.msu.edu/camps.
FREE Goat Showmanship Clinic Offered
A free goat showmanship clinic is being held at the Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds in Imlay City on Sat., June 20 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The clinic is sponsored by the Lapeer County 4-H Goat Developmental Committee and the Lapeer County 4-H Council. Sign up online at http://events.anr.msu.edu/event.cfm?folder=GoatClinicJune, fill out the registration form, or call the Lapeer County MSU Extension office at 810-667-0343.
Meat rabbits wanted
Caution with Poultry: HPAI outbreak includes northeastern Indiana
The current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza that recently caused the recent cancellation of the Michigan 4-H Poultry Show is a national concern. The disease has impacted 20 states including Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota. This disease is highly contagious and causes high death losses in flocks. Although there are no cases in Michigan, we are on high alert and strongly recommend that poultry owners maintain the highest level of biosecurity on their farm. While the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has not taken regulatory actions to stop the congregation of birds at events such as shows, MDARD supports the decision of shows to take actions they deem necessary.
The available resources are:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdard/2_AvianInfluenza_FairPackets_487868_7.pdf
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/birdbiosecurity/about/downloads.htm#protecting
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwdp/pdf/AvianFluBrochure.pdf
Patches of History Program Collector patches commemorating historical sites around Macomb County are now available to history buffs and fans of Macomb County alike through the Macomb County Heritage Alliance's "Patches of History" program. It is a wonderful way for 4-H'ers and scouts to show their achievement at learning more about local history, and a way for families to show their hometown pride in Macomb County. The program is simple. Just visit any of the locations listed at the bottom of this article and purchase a $2 patch as a token of your visit. Each patch can be purchased during your visit at the corresponding location. A "centerpiece" patch celebrating the Macomb County Heritage Alliance and the completion of the "Patches of History" collection can also be purchased for $3. The Macomb County Heritage Alliance is a coalition of non-profit organizations committed to preserving the history of communities within Macomb County, Michigan. The mission provides a forum for the collaboration, communication and education of its members and the public. Our purpose is to educate and promote the importance of historic preservation and conservation of the history of Macomb County, Michigan. The following organizations are participating in the "Patches of History" program: Chesterfield Historical Society Crocker House Museum & Macomb County Historical Society Lorenzo Cultural Center New Baltimore Historical Society Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society Richmond Area Historical & Genealogical Society Selfridge Military Air MuseumSt. Clair Shores Historical Society Upton House & Sterling Heights Historical Commission Warren Historical & Genealogical Society The 2015 Engineering Exploration Challenge The Engineering Exploration Challenge invites students who are ages 6-18 to design, build, and test solutions to challenges that National Geographic explorers face in the field every day. Participants may develop solutions as individuals or in groups. Choose one or more challenge. This year's challenges include Animal Migrations, Telling the Story, and Extreme Environments. Your solution must collect information and use it to decide on an action to take. The submission deadline is August 1, 2015. For more information, see the Engineering Exploration Challenge web page.
Apply Now: Safety in Agriculture for Youth Project Needs Game Testers 4-H gamers are needed! The Safety in Agriculture for Youth Project is seeking 4-H groups ages 13-17 to test the prototype of a learning simulation game about farm safety. Feedback will help to shape the future of this game development. Each group must be supervised by an adult leader, and have access to newer laptop computers and a high speed Internet connection. We will be selecting four groups to participate. The online group size must be 4-6 youth ages 13-17. Others are welcome to observe offline. The testing takes place in June, and will involve a time commitment of two hours. Participants will try the prototype, and give feedback via a short survey and group discussion. Later in the summer the groups will be invited back to see their suggestions incorporated into the simulations. Applications will be accepted until May 29, 2015. |
| County 4-H Calendar of Events |
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| May 30, 2015 Macomb County 4-H Outdoorama 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Camp Rotary, Ray Township
Armada Fair Cleanup 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Armada Fairgrounds
June 1, 2015
4-H Exploration Days Orientation
6:30 p.m., Macomb County MSU Extension, Clinton Township
June 1-30, 2015
Armada Fair entries accepted from club leaders
Armada Fair Office, Armada
June 2, 2015
PQA Training
6-7 p.m., Armada Fair Grange Hall, Armada
June 7, 2015
Swine, Goat, Lamb & Prospect Beef Tagging
10 a.m.-noon, Armada Fairgrounds, Armada
June 11, 2015
Macomb County 4-H Youth Council Meeting (Admin.)
June 20, 2015
4-H Goat Showmanship Clinic
10 a.m.-4 p.m., Eastern Michigan Fairgrounds, Imlay City
June 22, 2015
Macomb County 4-H Horse Program Committee Meeting
June 23, 2015
Summer Camp begins at Tollgate Farm
Novi
June 30, 2015
Last day to add Top 4-H'er to the Armada Fair entry form
July 1, 2015
Top 4-H'er applications due
Rabbit & Poultry Tagging
10 a.m.-noon, Armada Fairgrounds, Armada
July 31, 2015
Top 4-H'er applications due to Macomb County MSU Extension
Clinton Township
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Statewide 4-H News
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| 2015 National 4-H Congress: Excite, Spark Ignite! National 4-H Congress is the flagship event of the 4-H program. It is a five-day educational gathering that brings together outstanding 4-H members from across the nation to share ideas and experiences. For more than 90 years, youth from the United States and its territories have participated in this youth leadership-development conference. Congress provides youth with high-quality educational, leadership, community-service and cultural opportunities such as:
- Workshops with topics that include leadership development, character education, agriculture, cultural awareness and diversity education, workforce preparation, environmental stewardship, science and technology, literacy- and communication-skills development.
- Assemblies, seminars, and discussion groups about issues facing our country today and a town hall meeting they moderate where they share the results of those discussions.
- Hands-on projects during a community-service day, at which they learn to work with others to assist individuals and community organizations to improve themselves.
- Networking skills to help them in their after-conference work to address youth needs in their community and state.
In short, Congress is designed to address youth needs and issues, while helping to develop capable, competent and caring citizens. Who:Congress is designed for youth aged 15 to 19. When: November 27 - December 1, 2015 Where: Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, Georgia How In Michigan, counties identify their delegates and the State 4-H Office provides coordination for the trip. Therefore, interested Michigan 4-H members should contact 4-H staff in their local MSU Extension office. While there is no limit to the number of participants counties can send, young people are strongly encouraged to attend only once since each year's program is similar. Cost The 2015 cost (that includes airfare, registration fee, lodging, snacks, most meals, two shirts and a photograph) is approximately $1,300 per young person. More Information Ways to find out more about National 4-H Congress include:
How Does Your Garden Grow? Gardens can be a great way for youth and adults to connect with nature and enjoy some quality time together. A garden can be in a pot, on a patio, in a square foot or a good-sized plot. You can grow herbs, vegetables, flowers or a mixture of it all. There is no one way to grow a garden, but a variety of plants to enjoy and methods can lead to fun, colorful results that taste great. Have questions? Contact the MSU Extension Lawn and Garden Hotline at 888-MSUE-4MI (888-678-3464). The phone line is answered weekdays between 9 am and noon and 1 to 4 pm. Calls during other times will be directed to the Ask an Expert feature . Learn by Doing In 4-H, we learn by doing. We help young people gain skills through hands-on experiences that allow them to perform an activity; then we follow that up with important and purposeful questions. This is called experiential learning. Participants:
- Experience the activity
- Share the results
- Process by discussing
- Generalize to understand how it connects to the real world
- Apply what they learned to other situations.
When 4-H volunteers use this model, everyone benefits from the exchange of ideas, and everyone grows in knowledge and the ability to apply what was learned in other settings.
State 4-H Horse Shows to be held in August The State 4-H Horse Show will be held August 7-9, 2015 and the State 4-H Miniature Horse Show will be held August 22, 2015. County offices must send entries to MSU by July 10th. Registration information is online at http://www.ans.msu.edu/extension/youth_events . For 2015, all teen and adult volunteers at the State 4-H Horse Show will be required to complete an authorization for a background check with Michigan State University. The required form/background check is separate from any that have been completed for county programs. 4-H Youth Dairy Days and Michigan Dairy Expo - July 20-24 The 2015 4-H Youth Dairy Days and Michigan Dairy Expo is July 20-24 at the MSU Pavilion in East Lansing. Entries are due on June 22. Dairy Days events include Dairy Cattle Judging, Quiz Bowl, Dairy Management Contest and the Youth Show. All individual entry forms with the exception of the 4H Youth Cattle show are available in the Dairy Days packet. Cattle show entry information is available in the MI Dairy Expo Show booklet. Individual entry forms and county summary and team sheets will be forwarded to MSU from the County office. Find event information at http://www.ans.msu.edu/extension/youth_events .
Instructors needed for 4-H Visual Arts, Crafts, Sewing & Textiles Workshop Are you interested in being an adult instructor for the 4-H Visual Arts, Crafts, Sewing & Textiles Workshop at Kettunen Center from Oct. 17-18, 2015? If so, MSU Extension is looking for session proposals.Complete the proposal form and return it to Connie Lange at Langec@anr.msu.edu or fax to 517-278-5064 by June 15, 2015. Call 517-279-4311 or 517-617-8516 with questions. |
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Statewide 4-H Calendar of Events
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4-H Workshops
June 12-14
4-H S.M.O.R.E.S. Conference Camp Tuhsmeheta, Greenville
June 13-14
Wilderness First Aid, 4-H Outdoor Adventure Challenge Class (Contact Nick Baumgart)
Camp Tuhsmeheta, Greenville
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