Iowa State University Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.

VVVVVVVV

251 12TH

STREET SE, LE MARS, IOWA 51031 I 712-546-7835 I 8:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. 12:30 – 4:30 P.M. LEARN MORE AT WWW.EXTENSION.IASTATE.EDU/4H/PLYMOUTH

PLYMOUTH COUNTY EXTENSION

LIVESTOCK NEWS

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

4-H NEWS

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

WHAT’S INSIDE:

Are all of your exhibits coming together? The countdown is on! As you are working on them don’t forget to refer to your fairbook to make sure you include everything. Fair forms can be found on our website! Please make sure you complete a fair entry form if you plan to take any livestock or communications exhibits to the fair. They are due on Friday, July 12 at 4:30 p.m. No late entries accepted. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call or email our office. This newsletter includes lots of information pertaining to the Plymouth County Fair so please read carefully! Don’t forget that Iowa State Fair entries are due by July 1 through 4-H Online! I would also like to announce that this year’s 4-H Hall of Fame inductee from Plymouth County will be Gary Larson. Gary was a long-time, dedicated 4-H volunteer for the Plywood Busters club. He also built the photo display boards for the Champion Photo display that travels to banks. Gary passed away last winter and is greatly missed in the 4-H program. His wife Joy will accept the award at the 2013 Iowa State Fair during a special ceremony held on Sunday, August 18 in the state 4-H Building! Sincerely,

CLOVER CONNECTION – JULY 2013

ANN SCHOENROCK

PLYMOUTH COUNTY EXTENSION

County Youth Coordinator

schoenro@iastate.edu

PHONE: 712-546-7835 FAX: 712-546-7837

4-H & YOUTH COMMITTEE Angie Laughton Chad Peters Brad Collins Jim Jauer Kevin Pratt Nancy Zubrod Yvette Bowen Deb Kraft Andy Bainbridge Brian Lang Kristin Koerselman Jill Feuerhelm

Clovers To…

All of the volunteers, donors, and friends that helped to make the WHO Tractor Event a huge success!

Fantastic group of intermediate 4-H’ers that participated in the trip to Sioux Falls!

Outstanding delegates that attended State 4-H Conference!

Pag

e2

4-H LIVESTOCK NEWS

Fair Livestock Entry Deadline! *All entries are due by Friday, July 12 by 4:30 p.m. at the Extension Office! *Leaders may have an earlier deadline to get the forms back to them! *Absolutely NO late entries accepted!

4-H Dog Project Clinics

All livestock must be entered for the fair on an official entry form that is available from your leader. Forms must be turned in by July 12th or those animals will not be able to exhibit. You also need to make sure all boxes on the form are completed.

WE WOULD LIKE LEADER’S TO TURN IN THE CLUBS’ ENTRY FORMS AS ONE GROUP...WHEN INDIVIDUALS DROP OFF THEIR OWN FORMS IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP ALL THE PAPERWORK IN ORDER!

4-H Horse Clinics are held on Thursdays nights at the LeMars Fairgrounds Arena. They start at 7:00 p.m. and finish around 8:30 p.m. In case of inclement weather, a decision will be made by 6 pm. Contact Jenny 712-490-9211 or Sheila 712-239-6115 with weather related questions. Members should bring their horses to each clinic if possible! No minimum attendance is required. Helmets need to be worn at all times! Also please keep in mind that the fairgrounds arena is not for personal riding use. 4-H insurance only covers you during scheduled 4-H sponsored events, Saddle Club insurance only covers during those sponsored events and the Fairboard insurance is for other scheduled events. None of these organizations are responsible for you on your personal time so they are asking that you not use the arena outside of these scheduled events. On 4-H Horse clinic nights, you cannot come early to ride on your own, you may begin warming up when the approved 4-H volunteers arrive. Clinic Schedule: July 11: English at 6:30 / Trail (Obstacles set up in arena ) July 18: Open night (in case of rain makeup or open just to practice)

Confirming sheep/meat goats

Lost 4-H Tags

If your animal loses their 4-H ear tag, please contact the Extension Office at 546-7835. A 4-H & Youth member will be contacted to go to your farm and replace the tag. When you call to report a lost tag,

please let us know if the animal that lost the tag was verified at weigh-in for the Iowa State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben.

4-H Horse Project Clinics

All dog project members are encouraged to attend the dog project clinics that will help them prepare for the fair. Clinics are on Tuesday nights beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Fairgrounds. If it’s raining in Le Mars there will be no dog class. Listen to KLEM 1410 for weather related announcements. Remember to not feed your dog before coming to class, bring water for both you and your dog, dress appropriately (no flip-flops), and parents are welcome to stay so bring your lawn chair but don’t park under the trees as that’s where the kids and dogs will

work! Be sure to attend the July 9th class as Kate will assist you in completing your dog entry form to make sure you are entered in the correct classes. She has also set up a Facebook page as a place to communicate better, especially for weather announcements. Search for Plymouth County 4-H Dog Project or you can go to this link to find the page: https://m.facebook.com/#!/groups/335244306603003?ref=bookmark&__user=1413851872

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

AND LEARNING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CARING ADULTS

TEMENT

Pag

e3

OUR VISION A WORLD IN WHICH YOUTH AND ADULTS LEARN, GROW, AND WORK TOGETHER AS CATALYSTS FOR POSTIVE CHANGE

4-H LIVESTOCK NEWS CONTINUED…

Herdsmanship 4-H and FFA members are reminded that there are judges that come through the livestock buildings daily. They will be scoring clubs in cleanliness of the animals, how well organized the stalls are, and if there are members present to greet fairgoers.

Please do your part to make sure your animals and stalls are in good shape. If your animals have water buckets in the pens, please make sure they stay filled especially on really hot days.

Clay County or Ak-Sar-Ben Livestock Entry Deadline The entry deadline for the Clay County Fair is Monday, July 29 AT NOON! We will be taking entries at the Extension Office prior to the fair and

then in the Fair Office up till noon that Monday. NO LATE ENTRIES ACCEPTED! The deadline to

sign up for Ak-Sar-Ben is Monday, August 12th. Those entries can be made at the Extension Office at any time after July 1 and then at the Fair Office

during the fair.

Livestock Judging Contests

A list of livestock judging contests in Northwest Iowa has been compiled. If your club or chapter would like take part in these judging contests, please contact Ann for a complete listing.

The livestock judging contest at the Plymouth County

Fair will take place on Wednesday afternoon, July 25. It is open to 4-H/FFA groups or individuals and also a division for adults. Check the fairbook for all the details.

Fairs & Care of Livestock

Exhibitors are reminded that providing adequate care and proper handling for their animals at the upcoming fair is very important. We have discussed this at FSQA training and now is the time to put those practices in place. Exhibitors are reminded to provide adequate feed and water for all animals at all times, fans as needed, clean bedding and proper removal of manure as advised by the Plymouth County Fairboard. Also read the 2013 Health Requirements for Exhibition of Livestock, Poultry and Birds at a County 4-H/FFA Show. Youth exhibitors are advised by the Fairboard and

Extension staff to answer basic questions about their animal project from a fair attendee they do not know, but if they feel the questioning is not normal and they feel threatened by the level of questioning they should find an adult (department superintendent, fairboard member, 4-H leader, or Extension staff) to help provide answers to the individual asking the questions. 4-H & FFA youth are advised to not talk to the media unless an adult is also present. If you have any questions about your animals’ care prior to the fair, please talk to the superintendent, or the Extension staff.

Fair Ribbon Auction

Exhibitors that have market beef, market sheep, market swine, meat goats, market broilers or fryer rabbits may sign up one animal to go through the ribbon auction that is held on

Monday, July 29 beginning at 9:00 a.m. You must sign up at the fair office no later than Saturday, July 27, 6:00 p.m.

Pag

e4

MORE 4-H LIVESTOCK

If you will be in grades 10-12 in the fall please consider joining the County Council. We will be having a fun outing to Karttrax Family Fun Park in Yankton on Sunday, June 30. Transportation will be provided. We will meet in the Extension Office parking lot at 2:00 p.m. After all the fun is had we will enjoy ice cream and have a meeting to explain County Council and

prepare for the fair. It’s a great way to meet 4-H’ers from across the county and be a leader in Plymouth County 4-H! We will need to get a head count so call the Extension Office (712-546-7835) or email Ann at schoenro@iastate.edu. The event is free to all members! I hope to see lots of new faces!

Come Check out the County Council Sneak Peek

Please remember that all 4-H’ers must attend a minimum of four business meetings between September 1, 2012 – July 12, 2013 to be eligible to exhibit at the 2013 Plymouth County Fair. Please be

checking with your club secretary on your attendance if you are unsure. Leaders please be checking and notifying those members so they know what meetings are left for them to attend.

Clay County Fair Camping Information If your family would like to camp while exhibiting at the Clay County Fair, a camping request form is available on their website. Reservations are taken on a first come, first serve basis. The lots on the fairgrounds fill up quickly and then you have to camp

in the lot north of the fairgrounds. The website is www.extension.iastate.edu/clay/page/clay-county-fair-4-h-and-ffa-information

Pullorum Testing All poultry at the Plymouth County Fair must be

Pullorum tested prior to the fair. Families with last names beginning with A-M should come on Tuesday, July 16 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Families with last names beginning with N-Z should come on Thursday, July 18 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Testing will be done in the Poultry building at the fairgrounds. If your assigned date

doesn’t work you can come to the alternate date. If you have your birds tested elsewhere, you will need to bring the paperwork with you at check-in time at the fair or turn it into the Extension Office prior to that. The cost per bird will be $.50 with a maximum of $10.00 charged per family.

4-H NEWS

4 Meeting Rule to Be Eligible to Exhibit at the Fair

Fair Passes

All 4-H and FFA families will be eligible to purchase a fair pass package. Families will be able to purchase one pass at full price and receive a second pass at reduced price. These passes can be purchased at the Fair Office on Monday, July 22

from 9:00.-11:00 a.m and 2:00-6:00 p.m. or Tuesday, July 23 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. No packages will be sold after this time. All passes must be in place when you enter the fairgrounds beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24.

Pag

e5

4-H NEWS

4-H Pride of Iowa Contest

4-H Clothing Event

Fair King & Queen Contest Congratulations to all the new royalty candidates.

Please save the following dates: July 16: Queen judging evening July 24: Crowning

Candidates received a letter in the mail with details on these events. Please contact the Extension Office if you did not!

Those of you that turned in Clothing Event forms will be getting a letter in mail that includes all the details for judging day! Don’t forget that judging day is Tuesday, July 9 at the Extension Office. You will then need to take part in the style show at the fair on Wednesday, July 24 at 12:00 p.m.

We can help make arrangements for those rabbit exhibitors to go out of order or we can get you your ribbon later after the show if you can’t make it to the style show.

It is so good to see so many Pride of Iowa entries turned in. Don’t forget that we get those recipes reviewed by our ISU Food Specialist and then we will send those comments back you. Pride of Iowa will be

held after Bill Riley Show this year so we will be able to be better organized and have more room to spread out this year. A scheduled will be mailed to you when we get your recipes back from the Food Specialist!

Pre-Fair Event

Are you a beginning 4-H family? Do you have some unanswered questions about what to expect at the fair? Are you getting anxious about the fair approaching? Don’t worry…we can help! Come to our Pre-Fair Event and feel confident going into your first fair! This is a very informal event. We’ll meet in front of the 4-H Building at the fairgrounds on Thursday, July

11 at 7:00 p.m. and take a tour of the fairgrounds explaining where different events take place and where check in points are for activities you may be participating in. We’ll also review the forms that you will need to complete for your exhibits, demonstrate what conference judging will look like, and have time to answer lots of your questions!

Fairgrounds Clean Up and Mud Volleyball! Each year our 4-H’ers help prepare the grounds for the fair or help tear down after the fair. Half of the clubs are assigned to clean up before the fair on Monday, July 22 beginning at 9:00 a.m. The other half will come on Wednesday, July 31 beginning at 5:30 p.m. to clean up. Members are asked to sign in on the sheet at the water fountain. Ice cream treats are served up when all the work is done. Club leaders have your assigned time. It would be a good idea to

bring brooms, gloves, buckets, rags, etc. to help get the job done!

New this year we will be playing mud volleyball at the after fair clean up. One stipulation is that if you want to play you have to help with clean up! We’ll even serve up some treats while you are playing! If you don’t want to play I am sure it will be just as much fun watching!

Pag

e6

Entering 4-H Exhibits at the Fair On Monday, July 22, all 4-H exhibits MUST be entered in the 4-H building from 2:00-6:00 p.m. Please bring your paperwork and tags already completed. The doors will be locked at 6:00 p.m. so you need to have them entered by then. Horticulture and Baked goods may be brought in on Tuesday, but the entry card and write ups must be turned in on Monday. The entry committee will be set up in the north end of the 4-H Building.

*Please note that Photography exhibits are displayed in a separate display area. Leave your photos in your club

booth on Monday. Then after you have them judged leave them with your club leader. There will be a basket in each club booth that photos are collected in for the committee to put up in the display.

*Please do not tack, tape or staple anything to the walls in the 4-H Building!

*If a member has a large exhibit they need to contact Ann at the Extension Office prior to the fair. No large exhibits will be unloaded in the 4-H Building without a staff member present so that it gets displayed in the correct area.

Judging 4-H Exhibits

Judging day for 4-H exhibits will take place on Tuesday, July 23 beginning at 8:00 a.m. Club leaders have your assigned judging time. If you have several exhibits, please start judging first thing in the morning. Judges will not wait for someone once their area is completed. Parents may help carry exhibits to Century Hall but cannot go in. County Council members will be available to help carry exhibits. Just find a committee member and they will assist you. Also bring several exhibits to Century Hall with you...we have a holding area. It will

save time going back and forth. Parents and leaders may stay in the 4-H Building during conference judging. They are not allowed in Century Hall at all! When the judges come over to the 4-H Building to begin making their State Fair selections, ALL PARENTS AND LEADERS NOT ON THE COMMITTEE MUST LEAVE THE BUILDING. IT WILL BE LOCKED UP! YOU MAY FINISH ORGANIZING YOUR BOOTH ON WEDNESDAY.

Bucket of Flowers

Clubs are encouraged to enter a bucket of flowers for competition at the 2013 Plymouth County Fair. You must use a 5 gallon bucket. A complete set of rules are listed in the fairbook. Entries should be brought to the 4-H Building on Monday from 2-6 p.m. or on Tuesday during judging by noon. A horticulture judge will choose the top three. These three clubs will

receive a premium. All buckets will be distributed throughout the fairgrounds for the duration of the fair. We ask that someone from your club be responsible for WATERING YOUR DISPLAY AND PICKING UP your bucket on Monday, July 29.

Consumer Judging How smart of a shopper are you? Can you make

wise shopping decisions? 4-H Consumer Judging Contests will be held during 4-H Exhibit Building judging at our County Fair on Tuesday, July 23. 4-H Consumer Judging teaches 4-H'ers to make decisions by comparing items and deciding which is better and why based on product standards. The goal of the contest is to teach 4-H'ers to make

wise consumer choices. Check out the 4-H Consumer Judging website, http://www.extension.iastate.edu/woodbury/info/consumerjudging.htm, to learn more about 4-H Consumer Judging and to prepare for the fair. Top scoring individuals in each category will advance on to the Clay County Fair!

Pag

e7

Blair House

Don’t forget that the Stanton Lucky Clovers and America Bells will be the featured clubs in the Blair House this year. You will need to put together a small display about your club. Maybe you have a

community service project you would like to display. You may set this up anytime Monday or Tuesday of fair week. Just let Ann know so the doors can be unlocked.

Foodstand Information

Your leader has your club’s assigned time to work in the food stand. If you cannot work your club’s time please let your leader know as there are other clubs that could use your help. We will have three managers and the stand will stay open until 11:00 p.m. each night unless there’s no one left on the grounds! Your leader will have more details for you. Pies must be at least 8 inches

and no cream pies! You will not be able to hold whole pies back to purchase at the end of your shift. Remember our entire 4-H program is run on funds made in the Food Stand. Scholarships for trips and the $30 fee/member is paid for in part by the 4-H Food Stand, Extension Council, and Fairboard.

Crop Project

Members that are enrolled in the Crop Project for the Plymouth County Fair will need to raise two or more acres of soybeans, corn, or other grain. Joel DeJong will then meet with you in your field in July to do a conference judging. The main emphasis will be to learn what is involved in preparing a seed bed,

planting, growing, and harvesting a crop. Members need not do all the work, but are expected to have an active role. There is a worksheet you will need to complete for the judging. Please contact the Plymouth County Extension Office at 712-546-7835 to schedule a time to meet with Joel.

Communications Entries

Are you working on your 4-H Projects for the Plymouth County Fair? The Plymouth County Fair Facebook page is looking for great pictures of 4-H’ers working on 4-H projects. If you have great photos that you would like to share visit the Plymouth County Fair Facebook page and upload them on the page. Also

make sure you write a quick description of what your project is and add #4H at the end of the description so it can be put in the 4-H projects album. The link for the correct Plymouth County Fair Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/#!/plymouthcountyfair?fref=ts

Plymouth County Fair Facebook Page

Any 4-H members interested in participating in Working Exhibits, Educational Presentations, Share-the-Fun, or Extemporaneous Speaking at the Plymouth County Fair need to complete an entry form and turn it in to the Extension Office by Friday, July 12 at 4:30 p.m. After entries are processed a letter will

be mailed to participants regarding details of when to check in at the event at the fair and a full schedule! We have lots of resources to help you prepare! We get to send participants on to the Iowa State Fair and Clay County Fair to represent our county!

Farm Olympics

New this year will be Farm Olympics held on Thursday, July 25

th at the fair in the show arena.

It starts at 6:30 p.m. Check out the insert in this newsletter for more details!

Pag

e8

Calendar of 4-H Events

JULY 2013

AUGUST 2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

Dog Class

3 4 Office Closed

5 6

7

8 9 Clothing Event

Judging Dog Class

10 11 Horse Clinic

12 Fair entry

forms due

13

14

15

16 Queen Judging

Dog Class

17 18

19

20

21

22 Fair Set up

Exhibits entry Horse Timed

23 Static Exhibit

judging

24

25

26 27

28 Fair Ends

29 Clay Co.

deadline @

noon

30 31

Fair clean up

Mud Volleyball

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 3

4

5 6 7 8

Iowa State

Fair Begins

9 10

11

12

Ak-sar-ben due

13 14 15

16

17

18 Iowa State

Fair Ends

19 20 21 22

23 24

25

26 27 28 29 30 31

PLYMOUTH COUNTY EXTENSION STAFF

CAROL SCHNEIDER COUNTY EXTENSION PROGRAM COORDINATOR caroljo@iastate.edu ANN SCHOENROCK COUNTY YOUTH COORDINATOR schoenro@iastate.edu JANELLE JOHNSON OFFICE ASSISTANT janelle@iastate.edu JODI FISHER PROGRAM ASSISTANT jlfisher@iastate.edu JOEL DEJONG CROP FIELD AGRONOMIST jldejong@iastate.edu BRENDA WELCH REGION 5 YOUTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST bwelch@iastate.edu

JULY 2013 (Dog class on Tuesdays and Horse clinic on Thursdays)

4: Office Closed

9: Clothing Event Judging

12: Fair entry forms due

16: Fair Queen Judging

22: Fair Set up

Exhibit entry

Horse Timed Events

23: Static Exhibit judging

24-28: Plymouth County

Fair

29: Clay County Fair

livestock entry

deadline

31: Fair Clean up and mud

volleyball to follow

PLYMOUTH COUNTY FAIR JULY 24-28

AUGUST 2013

8-18: Iowa State Fair

12: Ak-Sar-Ben Entries

Due

Farm Olympics Thursday, July 25 2013 – 6:30 p.m.

Check – In Announcers Stand 6:15 p.m

Show ring at the Plymouth County Fair Sign up at the Plymouth County Extension Office prior to fair or at the Plymouth County Fair Office window by July 25th at 5:00 p.m.

Teams consist of

1. 5 people with ages totaling between 60 – 100 years

2. teams consist of 4-H Members, FFA members, Club Leaders

and Advisors, Fairboard Members, 4-H/Extension Committee

3. male and female represented on each team

4. team members must be at least in 4th grade

5. team name submitted (name creativity points might be a tie

breaker)

Come prepared to have fun. Teams will be timed as they participate

in five chores. The chores will be described to the teams five

minutes before they compete so they can assign appropriate jobs to

team members. As one team member gets done with their chore,

they will hi-five the next team member indicating to them that they

may begin their chore.

Prizes are awarded to winning teams.