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The News Spreader April 2012

LEADERSHIP FOR TOMORROW THROUGH LEARNING TODAY

Lachute 4-H’ers enjoy the January snow by going

sliding, for more club news visit pages 4, 5, and 6.

Junior Campers keep warm by playing Streets and

Alleys at the Ecomuseum, the story is on pages 12-13.

43 4-H’ers from 10 different clubs attended the 2012 Innovative Ag Tour, hosted by the

Ormstown 4-H Club on March 9-11. See pages 10-11 for more photos and the IAT story.

The News Spreader QUEBEC 4-H

21,111 Lakeshore Road Macdonald College

Harrison House 3-04 Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC

H9X 3V9 Phone: 514-398-8738 Fax: 514-398-8652 www.quebec4-h.com

PRESIDENT

Mathieu Rouleau [email protected]

VICE-PRESIDENT

Tiffany Nelson [email protected]

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lorelei Muller [email protected]

AGRICULTURAL LIAISON

Caitlin MacDougall [email protected]

In this Issue

Page 3 Congratulations (Awards, trips, competitions)

Page 4-6 Club News (Huntingdon, Lachute, MAC JAC,

Ormstown, and Valley Adventure)

Page 7 Volunteers (Atlantic 4-H Leaders’ Conference)

Page 8-9 Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Page 10-11 Provincial Activities (Innovative Ag Tour)

Page 12-13 Provincial Activities (Junior Winter Camp)

Page 14 Provincial/National Activities (Intermediate

Leadership Camp and National Conference updates)

Page 15 Judging Tips for Strawberries

Page 16 Photos from recent activities

Quebec 4-H Motto:

Leadership tomorrow through

learning today.

Canadian 4-H Motto:

Learn to do by doing.

I Pledge

My Head to clearer thinking

My Heart to greater loyalty

My Hands to larger service

My Health to better living

For my club, my community

and my country.

What is 4-H?

Quebec 4-H is about developing self-confidence, learning skills in communications, leadership, problem solving and goal setting but most of all, Quebec 4-H is about having FUN! We’re here to promote the personal development of youth aged 6 to 25 in agricultural and rural communities. With a focus on fun and learning, we provide opportunities to de-velop the skills needed in an ever-changing future. Using the talents and energies of our members, volunteers and staff we create innovative ideas and programs as well as maintain our successful traditional ones. Members can choose from pro-jects ranging from livestock to square dancing. We work to spread the impact of 4-H and to help the youth of today be-come the leaders of tomorrow.

April 2012 Quebec 4-H News Spreader

INTRODUCING THE NEW QUEBEC 4-H WEBSITE

www.quebec4-h.com

Find forms, photos, events, and everything

you need to know about 4-H in one place-

Finally!

Quebec 4-H News Spreader April 2012

Congratulations!

Shelby Drew (Hatley 4-H) was

nominated for the rural youth of

the year for the Sherbrooke Hols-

tein Club last fall. She was 1 of 3

finalists. Shelby received a $250

bursary offered by the Caisse Des-

jardins and Solutions-Affaires. She

is pictured here with a representa-

tive of Solutions-Affaires.

Co-operators Volunteer Leader of the Year

Laura Johnston, Ormstown 4-H leader, was selected by the Canadian 4-H

Council as the Co-operators 4-H Volunteer Leader of the Year award for

Quebec. To read her 4-H story click on the Volunteers tab of the new Quebec

4-H website: www.quebec4-h.com

W. Garfield Weston Foundation 4-H International Exchange

Congratulations to Meredith Closs (MAC JAC 4-H) and Julie Neal

(Ormstown 4-H) who will be among 25 Canadians travelling internationally this

summer as part of the Garfield Weston Foundation 4-H International Exchanges.

Meredith will travel to the UK and Julie to Jamaica.

4 Quebecers will attend National 4-H Citizenship Seminar April 13–19. Congrats to:

Ben Hooker (Howick 4-H) Emma Sutherland (Huntingdon 4-H) Brittany Taillon (Hatley 4-H) Lexie Tucker (Valley Adventure 4-H)

. Look for their report in the June issue of the News Spreader.

Ottawa Valley Farm Show Congrats to Kathleen Hickey (11th overall), Lindsay Howard (4th overall), and Laura Stephens Dagg (2nd over-

all) who represented Shawville 4-H at the March 12th Ottawa Valley Farm Show 4-H judging competition. They

judged 6 different classes. Their team also came first overall and won a cash prize of $120. See photo - pg 16

FRAQ 30th anniversary On March 8-10 the 30th Fédération de la Relève Agricole du Québec (FRAQ) Congress took place in Sala-berry-de-Valleyfield. Around 160 young farmers from every Quebec region attended. They enjoyed the DéfiFRAQ provincial final on Thurs-day, then the AGM where several resolutions were discussed and voted on, on Friday. Friday night, they celebrated the 30th FRAQ anni-versary during the banquet. A brunch conference about the new generation of land farmers was held on the 10th. Alain Audet from the Beauce region was elected the new president of FRAQ. He is working with his father on the family pork farm . (submitted by Magali Delormier)

Tout-Québec Jeunes Ruraux Results 2011 Congratulations to the 4-H members listed below who, with their dairy heifers, were

some of the Tout-Québec Jeunes Ruraux competition winners. This competition is

organized by the AJRQ annually. Members submit a photo of their dairy heifer and

listing of their show season placings to the AJRQ in the fall to be considered for the

all-Quebec titles.

Holstein Senior

Reserve: Brismer Laramie Jazz (Véronique Brisson, Ormstown 4-H)

Summer Yearling

Tout-Québec: Brismer Duplex Guibson (Emmanuel Brisson, Ormstown 4-H)

Junior Yearling

Reserve: Lookout Jasper Jana (Zachary Cyr, Hatley 4-H)

Jersey Junior, Intermediate and Senior

Tout-Québec: Buckland BS Babydoll (Perry MacKinnon, Hatley 4-H)

Summer and Junior Yearlings

Tout-Québec: Lookout Blackstone Treasure (Alana McKinven, Hatley 4-H)

Reserve: Lookout Reagan Glo (Brooke McKinven, Hatley 4-H)


Club News

Lachute 4-H: Fun was had by all at Lachute 4-H annual square dance fundraiser

Young and old swung to the music of the Glen Silverson Band on March 10th, and the Lachute 4-H Club made their

first formal presentation of three new teams, complete with new costumes. Each team danced a set to show off their

newly acquired skills. A big thanks to the many volunteers who have helped with coaching, music, sewing, calling, etc.

Thanks also to the Legion Hall of Lachute for allowing the teams to use the hall. This has been a real community ef-

fort and we are so thankful for the support we have received. (Submitted by Donna Clark)

Huntingdon 4-H Club Banquet By: Andrea Soesbergen

The Huntingdon 4-H club had their annual awards banquet November 26th, 2011,

at the Huntingdon Legion. After the introductions were made, guests got to enjoy a delicious BBQ chicken supper served

by the Legion. Speeches were made by members in both French and English on activities that they participated through-

out the year. The guest speaker, Mario Dumas, gave a speech on communication between the generations in farming.

Awards were presented to members for their efforts throughout the years. Thank you to all of our sponsors to make this

event possible every year!

The award winners were:

Champion Holstein – Rose Choinière Champion Ayrshire – Brandon Maither

Champion Interbreed – Rose Choinière Pee-Wee Showmanship – Leo Choinière

Champion Junior Showmanship – Alice Choinière Municipality Award – St-Anicet

Maple Leaf Grange Trophy for Champion Intermediate Showmanship – Rose Choinière

Heather McKellar Memorial Trophy for Champion Senior Showmanship – Dominique Kloeckner

Junior Judging – Henri Choinière Senior Judging – Emma Sutherland

Harold Dineen Memorial Trophy for Intermediate Judging – Rose Choinière

Most Devoted Member – Emma Sutherland Duncan Sutherland Memorial for Best Garden – Emma Sutherland

Overall High Aggregate on Achievement Day for a Garden Club Member – Emma Sutherland and Julia Nieuwenhof

High Aggregate Runner-Up – Henri Choinière Kelly Trophy for Overall High Aggregate – Rose Choinière

1st Year Member High Aggregate – Henri Choinière John A. Brown Perseverance Award – Rebeca Gabriel

Valley Adventure 4-H Club Celebrates

Winter Near and Far By: Emma Hooker

The Valley Adventure 4-H club and their chaperones Suzie

Ovans and Lorelei Muller joined the Ormstown Scouts for

a trip to the Quebec City Carnival and the Ice Hotel on

February 11th and 12th. Upon arriving in Quebec City we

started at the Carnival, there were plenty of games and

rides to go on. We went on the ferris wheel, enjoyed tub-

ing and played human foosball, and finally we took a dip in

the arctic spas. The arctic spas are hot tubs in the snow and

it was really fun except our feet were numb when we got

out and walked on the snow! After the Carnival we had a

spaghetti supper at the Scout Center with the boys and later

we returned to the exciting Carnival to see the big parade.

There were plenty of entertaining floats; one actually had

fire coming out from the top of it! Another float had Elvis

Presley singing, there were clowns on long stilts and at the

end of the parade there was the Carnival Mascot, Bon-

homme de Neige, waving at everybody. The next day we

went to the Ice Hotel, where they had built two slides, hotel

rooms and suites, a church, and a shop, out of ice. Some of

the suites had spas connected to them. You could buy taffy

and hot chocolate, and at the gift shop they were selling ice

mugs. This was our first experience at the Quebec Winter

Carnival and overall it was a really exciting and entertain-

ing.

On Saturday, February 18th the Valley Adventure 4-H club

went to the Reserve Nationale de la Faune du Lac Saint-

francois nature reserve in Huntingdon. At the beginning of

our walk we went up a bird tower, of course we didn’t see a

lot of birds since it is winter time. Most of our walk was on

the ice canal, half way through the hike we met some peo-

ple who worked at the reserve and they gave us hot choco-

late. When we got back we tried some of the snacks the

reserve had put out, for example venison and duck. We got

back to Ormstown after an adventurous day around 6 PM.

MAC JAC’ers learn personal finance skills: On March 21st, Diana Prenovost, a John Molson School of

Business recent graduate shared her knowledge of finances and experience working in a bank with 13 John Abbott and

Macdonald students. Diana explained the basics of chequing and savings accounts, interest rates, student loan repayments,

the ins and outs of credit cards and what to watch out for when you get one. She also explained the different types of Tax

Free Savings Accounts (TSFAs) available: mutual funds, GICs and straight up savings. Feedback was very positive.


Club News

Lachute sliding day in January (bottom left): members

enjoyed the snowy January weather to get in some sliding,

they are seen here at the bottom of the hill.

Lachute 4-H’ers dance (above and below)

Here, the

2011 John

A. Brown

Persever-

ance Award

is being

presented

to Rebeca

Gabriel by

last year’s

winner,

Claudia

Meganck.

Valley Adventure 4-H’ers “chill out” in the Ice Hotel

Valley Adventure 4-H at the Lac St-Francois

nature reserve on February 18.

Tessa Hadley, Hannah McOuat and Jenna

Hammond have some fun between dances.

Emma Hooker, Sahra Ross and Kayleigh Tannahill enjoy

the arctic spas during Carnival in Quebec City.


Club News

Ormstown 4-H Square

Dancing and Community

Service: Dancers from Ormstown 4-

H, with the help of a Howick member and

some novices, performed for the residents

at the Huntingdon Hospital during March

break. Dancers were: Kevin Macfarlane

and Jenna Rember (1st couple), Brittany

Knox and Mikky Chisholm (2nd couple),

Ella Bryson and Cassidy MacDougall (3rd

couple), and Kelsey Bryson and Haley MacDougall (4th couple). John and Connie Wilson played violin and keyboard

for the group, who danced two sets for the residents, and Janice Barr called the squares. (Photo above by: Christina

Knox; Submitted by Janice Barr).

On March 22, 9 Ormstown members (Sahra

Ross, Owen Meloche, Noel & Will Erskine,

Ashleigh Cavers, Emma Hooker, Leanne Dun-

can, Kurt Mueller & Jenna Rember) went and

danced for the patients at the Centre d’Accueil

in Ormstown. The residents were delighted to

have us dance for them. (see photo at right)

Ormstown 4-H Pancake supper

was a big hit with young and old. We served

about 189 people on Friday, March 23. 4-H

members served and set the tables and parents

and members helped wash dishes, make pan-

cake batter, serve beans and sausages and make sure the servers had enough supplies on their table. This was a fund-

raiser for the club to help with trucking, and contributing to activities that its members attend. A big thank you to

George Neal and Peter Bulow for cooking the yummy pancakes, and to everyone who provided syrup or other supplies.

(Submitted by Ashleigh Cavers) (See photos below).

Huntingdon Hospital Square Dancing

Ormstown Centre d’Accueil Square Dancing


Atlantic 4-H Leaders’ Conference Debert, Nova Scotia, March 2-4, 2012

Submitted by Shelley Fequet

The conference began with a 4-H Project skill-a-thon. Eve-

ryone participated in crafts, cake decorating, wood working,

scrapbooking, rabbitry, utensil and outdoor survival demon-

strations. Each category provided samples of traditional and

new projects available throughout the 4-H program.

Keynote speaker Chet McPhail, a professor at Crandle Uni-

versity in Moncton, a Baptist Minister, and leadership men-

tor provided the participants with a sample of how he

teaches and motivates at the same time. Mr. McPhail spoke

of how 4-H provides youth a safety zone that offers: security

& stability, acceptance & accessibility, fun & friends, train-

ing & trust, example & endurance and youth & yield. Eve-

ryone was reminded of the wonderful results possible if we

pour all of this into our youth…just like we remember those

who have made an impact in our lives.

Work shops attended: Effective Meeting Management – Jean Ward, Nova Scotia

Department of Agriculture & 4-H Leadership Coordinator

Participants learned that the strength of an organization de-

pends on the strengths of its Executive Committee and that

there are rules in order to carry out a successful meeting (be

prepared, practice positivity, communicate clearly and leave

with an action plan). Emphasis was placed on the agenda,

making a motion, working with people in a meeting and the

action plan.

Learning to Do by Doing – Valerie Oickle

We learned that everyone learns differently and learning

styles make a difference in what we retain. The goals were

to understand learning styles, success in learning, learn to

do by doing, increase our impact as leaders/teachers and

have fun. The three basic learning styles are: auditory, vis-

ual, and tactile.

Senior Members are Junior Leaders – Elsa Furniture

4-H Leader

Participants were informed that it is important to make use

of youth who have been involved in 4-H for a long time –

Engage senior members as junior leader. It is also important

to give youth a chance to try. This can be done by asking

them - most teens said they would do a task if asked, get

them to help out with activities they enjoy, be specific with

the goal you want them to reach, provide support and publi-

cally show them your appreciation.

It will be important to develop a time schedule, plan a

yearly calendar with the senior members and take time to

meet before and after the activity. Be sure to inform the sen-

ior members that the skills they have are valuable and listen

and try to incorporate their ideas. Rewards will be beneficial

for both the member and the leader.

Judging – Rhonda MacDougall, Cape Breton 4-H Coordi-

nator

It was explained that judging was a requirement for most 4-

H projects. It consists of four similar items (numbered),

items placed from best to worst, using standards, and rea-

sons must be provided to an official judge. Judging is im-

portant because it teaches project standards, allows for criti-

cal thinking, improves decision making skills, enhances the

ability to defend decisions and improves presentation skills.

When presenting to a judge it is important to control your

voice and make eye contact. Be sure to stand up straight and

watch your mannerism (i.e. do not fidget). When presenting,

it will also be important to compare the items, not describe

them, and present in a positive manner.

The conference ended with a presentation from Rob Black,

CEO of the Rural Ontario Institute and current Canadian 4-

H Council President. 4-H will be celebrating its 100th anni-

versary in 2013 with the theme of “Celebrating the Past…

Embracing the Future”. Mr. Black brought the participants

up to date of the celebration’s planning process. Lastly, 4-H

senior members from across Atlantic Canada shared their

experiences and thoughts about the 4-H program.

“The experience in some way has changed my life. I had

no idea the things that the 4-H were doing for the youth

across Canada and I am so happy to have a chance to meet

such great men and women who are making youth lives

better.” - Allie Vatcher-Evans

Shelley Fequet (St. Paul’s KIDS summer camp coordina-

tor) and Allie Vatcher-Evans (Harrington School CLC De-

velopment Agent) are two people from the Lower North

Shore that are helping start up 4-H Clubs in the region.

They attended the Atlantic 4-H Leaders’ Conference to

learn more about the 4-H program and to speak to leaders

from across the Maritimes. Thanks to the RBC 4-H Youth

Outreach program for supporting these efforts.

VOLUNTEERS

North Shore leaders Shelley Fequet (left) and Allie

Vatcher-Evans meet with Canadian 4-H Council Presi-

dent, Rob Black at the Atlantic 4-H Leaders’ Conference

PROVINCIAL RALLY July 5-8, Shawville Fairgrounds

Theme: The Good Old Hockey Game Cost: $60 (includes 1 project), $20 for each

additional project Register by: June 1 to Quebec 4-H

Each club will be receiving their rally packages later in April. These will include club and individual regis-

tration forms, rules, details about local accommoda-tions, meals, and information and forms for the Classic Junior Dairy Show in November.

Turn to page 15 for judging tips on strawberries.

Judging classes will be: Beef cow/calf pairs (written reasons)

Dairy goats Market lambs (oral reasons)

Strawberries Aerial Photographs (written reasons)

Flax seeds (oral reasons) Hockey jerseys identification


Upcoming Events and...

Ormstown Square Dance

Competition

Saturday, April 21st at 7:30 pm Ormstown Rec Centre, 85 Roy St

Any 4-H club is welcome to attend and put in a team. Admission: free for participants. Entrance fee for specta-tors. There will be dancing open to everyone afterwards;

a light lunch will be served following the competition. Contact Janice Barr for details: [email protected]

Richmond 4-H Dance

Saturday, April 14th at the Centre St-Famille Tickets are $5 pre-sale, and $7 at the door. Slightly Haggard will be playing Contact Maria Enright for info at 819-826-1377

Intermediate Leadership Camp May 25-27 at Tamaracouta Scout Reserve, Mille Isles

(near St Jerome in the lower Laurentians)

Turn to page 14 for more details. Register by May 1. Cost: $60 per participant.

Upcoming Dances

National 4-H Conference in Montreal

September 19-23, Montreal

Turn to page 14 for more information. Register by May 1 to Quebec 4-H.

Vankleek Hill Square Dance Competition Saturday, May 12, Vankleek Hill Community Centre

The competition will be followed by a dance in the eve-ning. Cash prizes are awarded to winning teams.

Contact Kelley Allen for info: [email protected]

Hatley 4-H Dance Saturday, April 21st, at Mont Hatley

Slightly Haggard Band will play. $6 at the door, starting at 9 pm. Door prizes.

HOST FAMILIES WANTED: Two in-

ternational 4-H exchangees will be visit-ing Quebec in the summer or early fall as part of the W. Garfield Weston 4-H Inter-national Exchange. We are looking for 4 or 5 host families across the province to host each delegate and show them around your area. If you are interested in being a host family please contact

[email protected]

Save The Date! - Intermediate Leadership Camp—May 25-27

- Provincial Rally, Shawville—July 5-8 - Summer Junior Camp—August 5-8*

- Back to School Pizza Party, Harrison House, Ste-Anne’s—Sept 5

*Note: change of date

Summer Junior Camp August 5-8 at Dunn Memorial Scout Camp, Elgin

(near Huntingdon)

Junior members (aged 9-12) get to practice their camping, cooking, fire-building, and other skills

while playing games and making crafts. The theme this year will be Aboriginal Peoples. Members will

visit the Droulers-Tsiionhiawkwatha Archaeological Site and see the recreated longhouses in the

Iroquoian village! Cost: $70/ participant. Register by: July 15.


...Opportunities...

My Quebec Roots Video Contest

CBC, the QCGN and Quebec community groups are sponsoring a video contest to encourage English-speaking students to discover the history and heri-tage of their families and communities. Must be a student between 13-18 years old. Videos must be 2-3 minutes long and be received by April 30th. You could win an IPAD, IPOD or gift certificate. Visit www.qcgn.ca/myquebecroots

Bus trip to Royal Would you and your family be interested in visit-ing the Royal? Richmond 4-H Club is hoping to ar-range a greyhound bus to go up to Toronto for the last weekend of the Royal, in order to see and par-ticipate in the square dance competition. If you would be interested in hopping on the bus, please fill out the survey found at this link:

www.surveymonkey.com/s/NVNHHG3

Holstein Quebec école de preparation May 19-21, Montmagny

This is the fitting school for dairy calves. Want to learn

how to prepare, clip and feed a calf before a show? Members aged 13-21 can attend.

Cost: $175+ taxes. Register quickly; limited spaces fill up fast. Register with Holstein Quebec

www.holsteinquebec.com/evenements/jeunesse

QFA Farm Food Forum

The last videoconference for the season will be held on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 7:30 pm

Topic: “The Food We Eat– A Panel Discussion” Cost: free for QFA members, $5 donation for non-

members, refreshments served at 10 pm Contact the QFA at [email protected] for more info

15th Annual YES Entrepreneurship Conference: From Inspiration to Creation and Beyond

Saturday, April 28, 8 am-5 pm at La Plaza Holiday Inn Montreal-Midtown

Cost: $99.00 ($79.00 Early Bird - deadline: April 5th) or $69.00 (For full-time students under 35 with student ID)

This full-day event is Quebec's largest English-language entrepreneurship conference and provides entrepre-neurs of all ages with the tools they need to start, develop or expand their business, including: - A mega-panel discussion moderated by Ric Peterson (CJAD), featuring: Guy Laframboise (Subway Que-bec), Peter McAuslan (The McAuslan Brewing Company), Andy Nulman (Just for Laughs) and Rory Olson (Total.net) - Keynote address by Yona Shtern, co-founder of Beyond the Rack, a private online shopping club - Workshops on starting, growing and financing your business - and more. Participants’ package - Networking opportunities with up to 250 entrepreneurs, speakers and accomplished business leaders - Exhibition of local organizations and businesses providing services to support entrepreneurs - Breakfast, lunch and networking cocktail Please call 514-878-9788 for more info.

"From Farm to Fork"

QFHSA Essay Competition

The Quebec Federation of Home and School Associa-tions, Inc. is launching an essay competition in con-junction with Quebec Nutrition Month. "From Farm to Fork" will give Quebec students an opportunity to con-sider the food they eat, where it comes from and how it is harvested. It will also give them an opportunity to share the delights of their favourite traditional/family recipe and the culture, history or story that goes with it. Who is eligible? Students in Cycle 3 or Secondary 1

& 2, teachers can do this in class Essay deadline: April 27, 2012 Winners announced: May 25, 2012 Prizes: The 1st place submission will receive a $100 Chapters gift certificates and the 2012 Canadian Farmer Almanac. 2nd place wins a $50 Chapters gift certificate and the Almanac. Winners will be selected in the Cycle 3 category and again in the Secondary 1 and 2 category. Winning Essays will be published in the June issue of the QFHSA NEWS. For more info, go to www.qfhsa.org

http://www.holsteinquebec.com/evenements/jeunesse

http://www.qfhsa.org/


4-H’ers learn ins and outs of

Chateauguay Valley agribusinesses on Innovative Ag Tour

From March 9 to 11, 2012, 43 4-H participants met in Ormstown, Quebec for the annual Innovative Ag Tour, hosted this

year by Ormstown 4-H. Members from ten 4-H clubs including members from the area, as well as participants from the

Eastern Townships, the Pontiac, Lachute and Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue attended the event. Everyone met briefly on Friday

night for registration and ice-breaker games.

Saturday morning saw participants heading to Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka to visit Marie-Claude Loiselle’s Canadian horse

farm where she also boards horses. Loiselle explained the history of the farm and spoke about training horses in shows for

Cavalia and the Centre professionel des moissons. This visit was followed up by a tour of Ferme Kostka, owned by Simon-

Pierre Loiselle and Claudia Machabée. Loiselle talked about their decision to start a small Holstein herd with strong pro-

duction and genetics in 2009 while both working off the farm. A tour of the sugar shanty facilities at the Cabane à Camille

came next. Co-owner Chantal Vinet described how they now cater and host over 50 weddings and events each year to di-

versify their income.

After lunch, the group visited Les Bergeries Mimeault, owned by Marc Mimeault and Sylvie Emond. The farm has about

300 purebred Dorset ewes. In 2007, the family built an on-farm store and butcher’s shop where they sell their own meat, as

well as at local markets. Direct selling to customers is increasingly seen as an innovative way to build clientele for farm

products. From St-Stanislas to Ormstown, the bus travelled to Bryhill Farm owned by Lynn, David and Matthew Bryson.

Visitors were impressed by the dairy facility built in 2008 to house 600 Holsteins. Technology and innovation are impor-

tant factors in the facility’s management (such as the Lely Juno robotic feed pusher), while balancing genetics and herd

health. A wholesome supper put on by the Huntingdon United Church UCW was followed by bowling at Quillorama Hun-

tingdon. The disco lights and music set the mood for a fun-filled night.

Sunday’s tours started off in Saint-Chrysostome at AlpacAdore, an Alpaca breeding farm owned by Elisabeth Fortin and

Luc Pinet. The couple decided to leave their jobs in Montreal in 2007 to start the farm and change their lifestyle. The al-

paca’s fibre is also used to make clothing and a variety of products in their on-site boutique and agro-tourism is also an

important aspect of their income. Next stop was Anglo Acres Farm, where Chantal Agnew and Frank Boyle run a 55 An-

gus/Simmental cow cow-calf operation. Agnew chose to work full-time on farm when they started a family in 2008, while

Boyle owns his own construction company.

Lunch was followed by a tour of SG Ceresco, a Saint-Urbain-Premier soybean exporting company. They specialize in the

niche market of non-GMO (genetically modified organism) organic soybeans for human consumption. 4-H’ers learned

about the business, the international markets, and their expanding research and development department. The last tour of

the weekend was at Les Serres PM Marcil in Sainte-Clotilde-de-Chateauguay, owned by Pierre, Micheline and Dominic

Marcil. Pierre Marcil expressed his enthusiasm in helping young producers learn more about the greenhouse horticulture

business. They recently installed a biomass boiler that burns wood pellets to replace gas heating, resulting in significant

savings on heating bills.

This tour is an interesting opportunity for 4-H’ers to compare farms and agribusinesses to each other and to their own op-

erations at home. For members who are not from farms, it provides them with an opportunity to discover a variety of ag-

related jobs and learn about innovative technology and practices, and unusual productions such as alpaca-breeding.

A big thank you goes to the Ormstown 4-H club and volunteers who put together such a diverse tour, the local sponsors,

Alan Reddick our bus driver, and the Montérégie

Ouest MAPAQ office. Many fond 4-H memories

were made during the weekend and everyone looks

forward to the 2013 Tour with Richmond 4-H Club

as hosts.

Ormstown 4-H would like to acknowledge the

Direction régionale de la Montérégie secteur Ouest

of the ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et

de l’Alimentation for their financial support of

Innovative Ag Tour 2012.

Provincial Activities


Marie-Claude Loiselle shows off her horses Simon-Pierre Loiselle tells how Ferme Kostka got started

The Mimeault family in front of their on-farm store Plenty of room in the Bryhill double 16 milking parlour

Curious Alpacas at AlpacAdore in St-Chrysostome Young calves enjoy the sunshine at Anglo Acres Farm

The soybean lab at Ceresco New plants enjoy the heat at Les Serres PM Marcil


WINTER JUNIOR CAMP

Winter Junior Camp 2012 began at the Ormstown Recreation Centre on the very snowy evening of Friday, February 24 th.

A game of Peek-a-Who helped participants to learn each other’s names before the group was divided in three for a round

-robin of activities. Throughout the evening, juniors took turns playing Animal What-am-I?, crafting creatures out of

pinecones, and learning about monarch butterflies. Participants also enjoyed snacks and games of Pass-the-ball-faster and

Streets-and-alleys before spreading their sleeping bags out to settle down for the night. Thanks to the municipality of

Ormstown for supporting 4-H through the use of the recreation centre.

Though the snowstorm made travel a challenge for the some of the campers, it also improved conditions on the hill be-

hind the recreation centre where the group spent much of Saturday morning sledding. Thanks to the running and tackling

skills of one of chaperone Eliza-Jane, no crazy carpets were lost in the blowing wind.

With assistance from chaperones and a volunteer quartermaster, juniors practiced their cooking skills by preparing fried

egg sandwiches for breakfast and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Fruits and vegetables added to the meals. 4-H is

grateful to Loblaws for contributing to nutritional programming. Campers packed up wraps and other goodies for their

suppers, carrying them in their backpacks for their outing to the Montreal Botanical Gardens.

After lunch the bus was loaded with everyone’s gear and the group headed into the city. At the gardens, participants

were impressed with the variety of plants Including fruit and nut bearing plants, orchids and other flowers, bonsai trees

and cacti, but the star attractions were the butterflies and moths. At the special exhibit Butterflies Go Free, many camp-

ers were pleased to have the lovely creatures land on them. Following a stop in the gift shop and a break for supper, the

bus took the group to its final destination, the Ecomuseum in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue.

Participants learned how to differentiate between amphibians and reptiles as Ecomuseum staff gave them a close-up look

at a Yellow-spotted Salamander, American Toad, an albino Black Rat Snake and a Common Snapping Turtle. Members

touched an American Marten and Lionhead Rabbit. They also encouraged a Great Horned Owl to flap his wings and call

to the group. Then the animator took everyone outside to see some of the nocturnal animals, such as the porcupine, in

action. The evening was topped off with a snack before everyone went to sleep for the night.

Ecomuseum staff got the 4-H’ers up early on Sunday morning. Once everyone had their fill of breakfast and got all of

their gear packed up, it was time to see more animals. They started with visits to the aquariums and other indoor enclo-

sures before heading outdoors to see diurnal animals including the wolves, lynx, otters and much more. Another game of

Streets-and-alleys rounded out the morning before parents came to collect their campers.

Eight different clubs were represented by the 29 junior 4-H’ers and four senior member chaperones, who attended Winter

Junior Camp. Thanks to funding from Sears, Juniors were given an “Eco Aware” project book to help them continue

their appreciation of the environment in the coming months. Through the project, 4-H’ers will be challenged to complete

community service and communications activities as well as other experiences related to the theme. They will be recog-

nized for their achievements at the next Junior Camp.


Hey Juniors! Did you choose your Eco Aware service project yet?

When you complete your good deed, we’d love to include the news in the News Spreader

and on the new website. Send photos and an article to [email protected].

That way, you’ll be able to check off both your service and your communications activi-

ties. You’ll be well on your way to completing your Junior Camp Eco Aware project and

being rewarded at the next camp.

Spring came early this year. Have you already seen flowers blooming and robins hopping

around your yard? Remember to note the signs of spring on your calendar.

mailto:[email protected]

Looking for

adventure?

Challenge yourself on the climbing wall. Practice your aim at archery. Take a kayak out for a race. Test your fire building skills. Teams of campers will hone their meeting skills, take turns serving as president, secretary and treasurer, as they work together to chose team names, create team cheers, plan obstacle courses, select champions and

more. Enjoy the great outdoors, sleep in a tent, and help prepare meals.

Intermediate Leadership Camp 2012 Dates: Friday, May 25 (arrival 7:00 pm) to Sunday, May 27, 2012 (4:00 pm)

Location: Tamaracouta Scout Reserve, 499 Tamaracouta, Mille Isles, QC 450-438-4096

Registration fee and deadline: $60.00 Form and payment are due no later than May 1. Cheques will not be cashed until selection of participant has been confirmed. Cheques will be returned if the

member cannot be accepted due to limited space.

Eligible participants: Members ages 13 -15. There are 24 spaces available for this camp. If more than 24 registrations are received then the Programs and Regulations Committee will make selections based on fac-tors such as: fair representation between clubs, position held at club level, and age of participants. Members

who cannot be accepted this year will be placed on a waiting list.

Details: Participants will sleep in tents and must bring their own sleeping bags and mats. A complete kit list will be provided in early May. Participants must eat supper prior to arriving at camp. A snack will be provided on Friday evening. All other meals will be provided up to and including a snack on Sunday afternoon. A par-ticipant contact list will be shared within each region in order to facilitate the arrangement of carpooling. Des-

ignated drivers will be compensated for gas expenses.

National 4-H

Conference 2012 Dates: September 19-23, Montreal

Special edition: Members aged 16 and up are invited to attend this special National Conference which

will be held in Montreal (no event will be held nationally in Toronto in November this year). This year’s theme: Destination: Communication. Participants from the AJRQ, along with 4-H’ers from every province will be attending. The conference will be run bilingually, and will allow 4-H’ers to learn how to get around Montreal (using the metro), visit local sites of interest, hear from guest speakers about careers in agriculture and the importance of communication. Cost: $250 *Quebec 4-H hopes to subsidize a portion of the registration fee. Only 10 spaces are reserved for Quebec 4-H members—get your names in by the deadline. Selections will occur if there are more applicants than there is room.

Register by May 1 by contacting the Quebec 4-H office with your name.


May

25 - 27

National Events


JUDGING TIPS FOR STRAWBERRIES About Strawberries (Fragaria spp.) Strawberries are bright red at maturity, somewhat cone-shaped or flattened cone-shaped with numerous small, hard, brown seeds scattered on the outside surface in shallow depressions. The fruit is fleshy, with a prominent, green calyx at the stem end. Leaves are compound, consisting of 3 rounded leaflets with deeply serrated margins. The small plant is nearly stemless with a rosette

growth habit and often forms stolons on which new plantlets form.

Judging Fruit and Vegetables Vegetable judging exhibits must be true to the variety type, have proper form, have good market quality (correct size, proper ma-turity or ripeness, ready for eating,), be uniform in size, color and shape, be in good condition (fresh and free from defects, dam-

age, disease symptoms, insect injury, or visible pesticide residues), and be presented well (clean, trimmed, neat, well placed, proper number of items).

Scorecard for Fruits and Vegetables: Market Quality 40 points total (Overall appearance-10; Maturity/ripeness 10; Freshness/firmness 10; Form 10 )

Condition 25 points total (Freedom from deformity/defects 10; Freedom from injury 10; Absence of disease 5) Presentation 30 points total (Uniformity of size, shape, color 10 ; Within size limits 5; Display 10; Proper number of items 5)

True to Type 5 points total

Judging Criteria: Market Quality -The exhibit should have good overall product appearance (be appealing to the consumer), be of proper maturity (not to young or old), be at the proper stage of ripeness (ready to eat), be fresh (showing no shrink, wilt, or desiccation), be of proper firmness, and have good form (proper size, shape, color). Points are deducted if exhibits don’t meet quality criteria.

Condition - Exhibit should be free from defects or damage such as bruising, cracks, tears, splits, deformities (catfacing, hollow heart, curling, stubbing, off colors, etc.), insect feeding, and diseases (spots, rots, etc) which affect the usability and appearance of

the vegetable. Points are deducted because of defects or damage present. Presentation - All vegetables in the exhibit should be uniform in size, shape and color for highest scoring. Single item exhibits

(such as cabbage, melons) should be have a uniform shape (not lopsided) and color throughout. Also included in presentation are display practices that enhance the appearance of the exhibit. This includes washing or cleaning all vegetables; trimming foliage

tops of carrots, beets and onions to about 1 inch; removing only the outer scales of onions; leaving stems on cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, and green tomatoes, removing stems on ripe tomatoes; trimming the stump off cabbages, but leaving several wrapper leaves. In addition, items should be centered on plates and neatly arranged. Points should be deducted if exhibits don’t meet pres-

entation criteria. The number of items on each plate should be uniform. True to Type - Each variety of vegetable has unique characteristics, whether it be color, size or shape; those characteristics should

be evident in the exhibit.

Judging tips: All exhibits should be examined close up and from a distance. Save judging time by first placing the obviously best and poorest exhibits, then deciding the intermediate positions. judging fruits and vegetables is based on common sense factors. They are judged as you see them, not by what they could be if

properly trimmed, cleaned, etc. When judging, first visualize the ideal specimen. Then, consider all departures from this based on the above criteria and common sense. Factors affecting usefulness are downgraded more than other factors. For example, severely overripe apples would be

ranked below apples with slight abnormalities in size or shape. The plate with the most defects and serious faults should receive the lowest ranking. It is usually best to first identify the worst group (plate) within a class. Then, pick the best of the remaining

three groups. Finally, try to place the middle two plates in rank order.

Sources: University of Delaware: www.ag.udel.edu/extension/4h/judgingcontests/pdf/2012-HorticultureJudgingGuide.pdf National Junior Horticulture Association: www.njha.org/projects_hortid_judging.html

Florida 4-H: www.florida4h.org/projects/plants/HortIDJudging/4HPSJ22.pdf


Innovative Ag Tour: Members enjoy social time bowling on Saturday night (bottom left). The Lely Juno robotic feed pusher at Bry-

hill Farm is an example of innovative time-saving technology (bottom right). For more photos and the story visit pages 10-11.

Huntingdon 4-H’s banquet, see page 4 for more info. The winning Shawville judging team at the OVFS (pg 3)

Lachute 4-H’s 3 square dance teams pose (see page 4). Junior Campers at the Biodome, read about it on page 13.

Quebec 4-H has a brand new website! LOOK US UP ON THE WEB AT: www.quebec4-h.com For the latest news, registration forms, event updates and photos. Also note that our email addresses will be

changing shortly! We will now have a “-” between the 4 and h. Ex. [email protected]

the news spreader - quebec 4-h · the news spreader quebec 4-h 21,111 lakeshore road macdonald...

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