 May 2008Newsletter Editor: Contents:
HELP WANTEDOur Broadcasting Project is growing exceptionally well. We have an energetic team of youth working on it with Micah, and they are beginning to develop a nice variety of programming options. But in late June, we'll be saying goodbye to Micah as his Americorps term ends. In order for this exciting project to continue, we need someone to step forward to begin working with us NOW. As an adult Broadcasting Project volunteer, you'll work with youth as they learn how to use available technology to develop music programs, Public Service Announcements, spoken word programs, and more. Your interest and energy levels are much more important than your experience levels, as the 4-H motto is "learn by doing!" Our long term goals for this project include creating a dynamic partnership with the up and coming KWPA radio station, establishing an archive of local interest interviews, providing audio files of educational info addressing local issues, offering a format to highlight our 4-H performing art members, and so many other applications. But we can't do any of them without you. Check out the Broadcast page. If you like what you see and want to help us make sure it continues, please contact Judy FeldmanWSU/Island County 4-H Program Coordinator 360-679-7328 Coming Events
Club Reports
Central Whidbey Cattlemen Our Big CWC Club News is that we have a Beef Superintendent; (Sheriff) Tom Molitor, father of 4-Hers, Tommy and Matt Molitor. We will have our market beef weigh-in, a cake bake for Foster Kid Families Cake Walk, and a Spring Fling Learning Fair for beef on Saturday May 3rd at the Molitor's Ranch on Ducken Rd. The Circle 4K Ranch crew has been busy planting and growing food this cold Spring; strawberries (Lance), cherry, Italian prune, and apple trees (Jay and Monica), and Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries (everyone,including G'Pa) Inca Pride Alpacas Manure Composting On Saturday April 12th, our club, Inca Pride Alpacas, had a visit from Janet Hall from Waste Wise. She came to talk to us about manure composting at the Island County Fairgrounds. She showed us her four-foot tall thermometer that we can use to check the manure's temperature. The hotter the manure gets, the faster it composts. When the manure gets up to 130 degrees F. all the pathogens in it will die. The compost bins at the fairgrounds will be divided into three sections. As the manure gets older it will be moved from section to section. When it is in the last section the manure should be almost completely composted and full of worms who help break up the manure. You have to turn the manure making sure you don't have too many woodchips or straw in the compost bin because you have to have the right amount of nitrogen. If you have too many woodchips or straw there will not be enough nitrogen for the manure to compost. Straw is better than woodchips, but it is best to not have much of either in the compost bin. Grass clippings can help to raise the level of nitrogen in the bin. You also need to add water to the bin to keep the manure moist so it can compost. Janet Hall said she likes alpaca manure the best because alpacas are ruminants with three stomachs so their manure is virtually weed free! They are sometimes called Inca Pride Alpacas thanks Janet Hall for teaching us how to compost. Thank You! Submitted by: Kelly Uhlig Committee Reports
Our Board and committees are so busy that they didn't submit a report this month! Good golly! Here's the short version of what they've been up to: Leaders' Council - The Council has been addressing the question of how to increase 4-H'ers engagement with Public Presentations and Record Books. Everyone agrees that these activities strengthen communication and record keeping skills that are very important throughout life - but we are not sure about how to create opportunities that are interesting and helpful for our members. For now, the Council has decided to allow any 4-H'er who has done an evaluated public presentation (evaluated by a teacher using the 4-H standard, a club, or a panel of judges) to move on to the county fair level. In the past, you could only move on to county fair if you got a blue at the local level and were evaluated by a panel of judges. This change is intended to allow 4-H'ers to incorporate the feedback they have received in a timely fashion and seek to improve their presentation for the next level of evaluation. The Council has also been providing information on the new manure composting facility that will be in place at the Island County Fair this year. Janet Hall, coordinator of the WSU Extension Waste Wise Program, will make sure that we are all trained and ready to make something useful out of all the stuff we muck out of the barns in August and beyond. Dog Project Committee - These folks are busy getting ready for their Leaders' Fun Match, Saturday, April 19th. They are also planning for Spring Show and looking into possible Agility lessons for 4-H'ers. Horse Project Committee - Never at a loss for things to do, this group has been trying to figure out measures that might be taken at the Fairgrounds to minimize the impact of the amusement rides on the horses and riders. Each year we have at least one or two 4-H' ers who meet emphatically with the ground when their horse gets spooked by one of the rides. Last year, it was especially frustrating when the riders were trying dressage for the first time at Fair, with some repeatedly thrown from their mount and other horses refusing to go into the arena. The committee has done research on a type of tightly stretched material like that used around tennis courts. If they are able to get approval from the Fair Board, they will put this material up along the end of the arena closest to the rides. In addition, they have been encouraging all of their horse project members to participate in the startle response clinics that have been recently held on the island. These clinics work to increase the level of trust between horse and rider, so that the horses remain more calm in the presence of otherwise scary circumstances. Leaders hope that between the two efforts, the Fair will be a much safer experience for their members and their horses this year. Livestock Sale Committee - This is going to be a big year for those 4-H'ers in the Market Animal Project! Since our last newsletter, the numbers have changed. It looks like we will have 10 beef (sold by the quarter), 12 sheep, 9 goats, and 16 pigs up for auction! Make room in your freezer and get those check books ready! The Committee is looking for ways to get the word out about the auction, this year set for Saturday, August 16th at noon at the Island County Fairgrounds. Please contact Judy at the 4-H Office if you know of an opportunity to post information. Horse Project No report this issue Dog Project No report this issue Livestock Sale No report this issue Looking Back at April
Much of the month was spent in meetings. Not just our regular Leaders' Council and committee meetings, but also Northwest District 4-H meetings, Farm Tour meetings, meetings about the "Media Smart" summer class we'll be offering in June, meetings with the Juvenile Justice Community Connections program, and meetings about our new meat goat project. Work continued on the website...take a look Given that websites are a form of We're still looking for a couple of 8th-10th graders who want to learn how to use HTML to design and maintain websites. In exchange for free lessons, you'll get real work experience as we develop our site, and you'll learn what it's like to be involved with WSU Extension staff and volunteers in the workplace. To bolster your resume' and college applications, you'll be given regular evaluations that you can include in your portfolio. We didn't get to the M-Bar-C much. Between the weather and Judy's schedule, there just wasn't much time to help with the planting there. But rest assured that they would still appreciate some volunteer help with that project! Food For Thought
Our Food For Thought Program continues to grow slowly. We have more seeds on the way that can be given to any of you interested in planting a garden. Judy has broccoli, radishes, beets, carrots, and sunflowers coming up now! Her onions are finally looking like more than limp green sticks, and she's planning a spinach salad for dinner after Spring Show. Your Leaders' Council President has even more than that growing in her garden, and she'd love for you to check it out on the blog! The weather continues to provide some challenges to gardens across the island, but even that has given us opportunities to think about all of the different uncertainties faced by our farmers. So what's growing in YOUR garden? Does your club plan to enter any garden projects at Fair? If so, you'd better get busy! Also, seriously consider participating in the Plant A Row project as a club community service as wellas a Food For Thought activity. You can get more info about this worthy approach to providing fresh foods to our food banks by contacting the Hummingbird Farm at 360-679-5044. They are hosting a planting party on May 17th, from 10am to 6pm. This is the same date as our Spring Show, but we do have a few clubs that don't show at that event. It seems that as gas prices go up, and food prices go up, wages aren't necessarily doing the same. Many here on Whidbey are feeling the pinch. Please consider food drives and neighborhood potlucks for your community service projects. Think about ways you can be in service with your community, not acting out of charity, but out of support for your friends and neighbors. You're On The Air!
Micah's been on vacation for the past couple of weeks, so we don't have much to report here. We can stress how important it is to find a "new Micah" to pick up the project when his Americorps service time is up. The potential for this project is so exciting! Imagine having a broadcast from the Fair! Or recordings of our Public Presentations! Just in case you haven't already, check out the samples of their work at their website. WRITE!
4-H'ers, don't forget that you can enter your writing at the Fair in August! What's more, in between now and August, you can practice your skills by writing a short story, a poem, or a non-fiction piece about 4-H. We are looking for examples of 4-H writing that will help us tell the story of our program. If you are interested, submit your work for review. It is probable that someone will offer editing suggestions and return it back to you for revision before it is used on our website and in written promotions. Submissions are due to the 4-H Office by May 16th, at 4:00pm. Fair Report
We submitted our proposed changes to the premium book. Now all we can do is wait to see which ones were accepted. Ultimately, it's not our show. We are just given an invitation to participate. That said, there are lots of ways we can show off all we learn throughout the year by engaging in whatever opportunities we are offered. For instance, Judy would like to extend a personal challenge to each of our clubs to enter at least a few educational posters about how the issues of fuel and food have impacted our projects. She'd also love to see more posters and displays about locally grown foods and how they fit into the fabric of community. Remember that If you are planning to enter the Island County Fair you need to be enrolled in our database no later than June 1 (May 1 for horse projects), and you need to meet all the requirements of your division. For more information, contact Judy. What are other WSU Extension programs up to?
Master Gardeners - Plant Sale coming up at Greenbank Farm, May 10th. Livestock Advisors - available to share information with our 4-H clubs…ask Judy Beach Watchers - they have a new class of trainees! Waste Wise Volunteers - also starting a new class…Janet has been key to us our manure composting site at the fairgrounds. Shore Stewards - Scott is working on grant funded projects at Strawberry Point and Holmes Harbor…if you live in those areas and are interested in participating (possible some grant funding available for clubs) let me know! Admiralty Head Lighthouse Docents - Lighthouse License Plates are still for sale! Agriculture Sustainability & Land Stewardship - working on all sorts of exciting ag projects! Olivia is a great resource for us, so be sure to introduce yourself to her at some point. We want all of our 4-H families to be models of good land stewardship. Go to the WSU Extension programs website and 4-H is in the business of growing kids! We do this by working in our community to offer a wide range of opportunities for K-12 youth. Our goal is to support kids as they discover their talents and interests and then provide them with experiences to help them deepen, strengthen, and use those talents and interests! In addition to the club structure that many are familiar with, we also offer activities for families that can be done outside of a commitment to a club, and resources for educators to use in their classrooms. |