Unit 26

Regional Dairy Judging

The Regional Dairy Judging contest will be held on April 21 at the Bond County Fairgrounds, Greenville. This contest is open to anyone who is interested in dairy judging. Contact your local Extension office for more information.

Showmanship Clinic

All 4-H members (especially 8-12 years of age) showing beef, swine, goats, sheep, rabbits and poultry should attend. There will also be tables set up so that you can participate in feed identification. The Unit 26 Showmanship Clinic will be held at the Franklin County Fairgrounds on Saturday, March 31,from 9 am-12 pm. Learn everything you will need to know to show your animals at the Fair.

4-H Day with the Miners

Save Tuesday, May 29 at 7:05 pm to attend the Miners game with 4-H members from all over Southern Illinois. Tickets are only $6 and $3 of that will be donated back to your club to use towards 4-H programs. If you wish to sit with your county or club, ticket order must be turned into the county office by May 1. Leaders will be receiving ticket forms within the next week

Illini Summer Academies

Registration open March 1! The Illini Summer Academies will be held June 24-27, on the University of Illinois campus. Each academy will offer 15 hours of interactive activities and study in a specific field of interest. There will be 11 academies this year; Aerospace Engineering, Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Art & Design, Bioengineering, Crop Sciences, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, Leadership, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Physics, Veterinary Medicine. Please call your local office for more information on this great program. Discounts given if you register by April 15. Check it out online at: https://webs.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/events/summeracademies.cfm

2012 4-H Day with the Cardinals

4-H members, alumni, and their families are invited to join us for 4-H Day with the World Champion Cardinals, Saturday, May 12. The Cardinals will be playing the Atlanta Braves in a 6:15 pm game at Busch Stadium. Prior to the game, 4-H members and their parents/leaders can take part in a parade around the ball field. Participants will actually get to go down on the field and march one time around the stadium behind their state or county 4-H banner. Also everyone who orders a ticket from the official 4-H form will receive a specially designed t-shirt featuring the 4-H and Cardinals logos to commemorate the day and a special lapel pin. Find the official 4-H order form online at: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/fjprw/

If you want to go as a group you can order your tickets as a group. Order now, tickets sell out fast! Last day to order is April 2, 2012

Illinois Shooting Sports

For those who are interested in becoming a certified shooting sports instructor, or if you

know someone who would like to become a shooting sports instructor, there are two trainings scheduled for 2012. They are May 18-20 and September 28-30. Both will be held at

4-H Memorial Camp in Monticello. For additional information, please contact your local Extension Office.

Illinois 4-H License Plates

We know you are passionate for 4-H—so why not help 4-H get a

specialty license plate in Illinois? In order for the Secretary of State

to begin production of a 4-H specialty license plate, 1,500 Illinois

drivers (who have a current license plate on file with the Illinois Secretary of State) need to show financial support, and we still have a long way to go. This donation helps make 4-H license plates a reality and a future revenue stream for 4-H youth in Illinois. If you would like more information on this opportunity, please contact your local Extension Office.

26th Annual Sheep Festival

The Southern Illinois Sheep & Craft Festival will be held April 14, 2012 at the Monroe County Fairgrounds. Www.mcsheepproducers.com

Rural Youth Loans

The U. S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA) makes operating loans of up to $5000 to eligible individual rural youth ages 10 through 20 to finance income-producing, agriculture-related projects. The project must be of modest size, educational, and initiated, developed and carried out by rural youth participating in

4-H clubs, FFA, or a similar organization.

The project must be an organized and supervised program of work. It must be planned an operated with the assistance of the organization advisor, produce sufficient income to repay the loan, and provide the youth with practical business and educational experience in agriculture-related skills.

A listing of centers, and more information about youth and other loan programs, are available on the FSA website at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov.

4-H Camp

June 5-9 are the dates for the Annual 4-H Camp. Again this year the camp will be held at State 4-H Camp in Monticello. Transportation to Monticello will be provided free from pickup locations in Southern Illinois. Please register early there are only 50 spots available. To find out more information about the camp and to register please go online to: https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=6374

Performance Showcase

Jackson County will be hosting a 4-H Performance showcase on April 27, 6:00 pm at the Murphysboro Middle School Auditorium. 4-H members wanting to perform are asked to sign up by April 13. The title of the performance, type of performance, and any special technical requests are needed then. You may compete as a club or individual. You may sing, dance, play an instrument, do comedy, magic tricks etc. There will also be a Master of Ceremonies competition. If interested please call your local 4-H Office to get more information and to sign up. Remember no signups after April 13.

Franklin County

Spaghetti Supper

Thanks to everyone that helped and sold tickets for making this years

Spaghetti Supper a success! Planning started that night on ways to improve and expand this event for next year.

HANDBOOKS ARE READY!!!!

Leaders will have copies at the next meeting. Read carefully!!!!

Showmanship Clinic

All 4-H members ages 8-13 showing beef, sheep, goats, swine, chickens or rabbits should attend the clinic on March 31 at the Franklin county Fairgrounds. Next year it will be in another county.

Federation Meeting

The next Federation Meeting will be held on Tuesday, April10, 7:30 pm at the Franklin County Extension Office. Please RSVP we will be having pizza!

Livestock Ownership Deadlines

Swine—April 15

NEW——Horses, Goats & Sheep—May 1——-NEW——Rabbits & Poultry—May 1——-NEW

PQA Certification & Training

The PQA certification and training is mandatory if you plan on showing and selling swine in the Franklin County 4-H program. The training will take place on Wednesday, April 18 from 5-7 pm.

Community Garden

We are still needing volunteers to help with the garden here at the Extension Office. Please call the office if you can help. This is very important, if you miss a club meeting and need to make it up you can do so by volunteering for the garden at any time and any day. We are making it very convenient for you, so that you can be an achievement member.

Bicycle Rodeo

New this year!!!!!! To participate you must sign up for bicycling. Just call the office and we will add the project. Bicycling will not be exhibited at the Fair this year. Only at the Bicycle Rodeo.

Livestock Exhibitors

County wide Vet. Check Day will be June 28. This is to get your health papers for the Fair. Beef, sheep and goats all require these to show.

Pseudorabies testing for swine will be June 23 at the Fairgrounds. All swine must be tested. Please RSVP

Facebook

Reminder—I am posting updates on the Franklin County 4-H Facebook page. LIKE the page!

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Dates to remember:

March 31—Showmanship

Clinic

April 9—Federation meeting

April 18--PQA Certification

April 21—Reg. Diary Judging

May 12—4-H Day Cardinals

May 31—Miners Game

June 5-9 —4-H Camp

June 23—Pseudorabies test

June 24-27—Illini Summer

Academies

June 28—Countywide Health papers

July 12-19—4-H Fair

Jackson County

Performance Showcase -April 27

scheduled for April 27 and will be held at the Murphysboro Middle School Auditorium. You can come and setup at 5:00 p.m., show start at 6:00 p.m.

4-H members looking to perform are asked to sign up by April 13. The title of the performance, type of performance, and any special technical requests are needed during the sign up process. Hope to see every club there!

As part of the club's photography project, a Photo Block Workshop has been scheduled for Saturday, April 21st at 10:00 a.m., at the Extension Office. Each club member will need to bring six photos they have taken which will be used at the workshop.

G. J. Beavers Club Fundraiser & Updates!

The G.J. Beavers applied for and received a $250.00 grant from Farm Credit Services to do a community service project in their area. They will be planting large trees at the Christ Lutheran School on the playground. To replace the trees that were destroyed, along with their old gym in 2009.

Their annual flower sale will begin soon. They will sell coupons for $13.00. Coupon holders and others will be able to pick up flowers at the Christ Lutheran School on Saturday, April 21st from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., or you can go directly to McNitt Growers on Route 127 south of Murphysboro. The money raised from this fund-raiser will support their egg hunt as well as other activities for their club.

On Saturday, April 7th at 10:00 a.m., they will sponsor an egg hunt for children in their area. There will be prizes for all children attending.

Campbell Hill Club Update!

Their Club is raking the gum balls in the Campbell Hill park on Saturday, 17tth and then having lunch in the park.

The deadline for youth to enroll in 4-H, exhibit at the county 4-H show, and receive 4-H premiums Is May 1. . It is important to double check with your 4-H club leaders to ensure 4-H members are enrolled in the projects that meet their interests and expectations. To ensure accuracy, 4-H project enrollment changes must be in writing. If you have ANY questions about 4-H project enrollment or project selection, please feel free to contact the Extension office. Staff are here to assist you.

April 2 Deadline for 4-H Day with the Cardinals (order tickets NOW!!!!)

April 13 Deadline to sign up for 4-H

Performance Showcase

April 27 4-H Performance Showcase

May 1 4-H Project Enrollment Deadline

Ordering Publications

May 12 4-H Day with the Cardinals

June 2 Kids Free Fishing Day

June 5—9 4-H Camp offered at Memorial

4-H Camp at Monticello

July 6 4-H Show Days

July 7 4-H Show Days

Perry County

4-H Events

4-H Handbooks—are ready. You may pick them up in the office, or I will be giving them to your 4-H leader before their next meeting. Please read them very carefully this year. There are several changes.

Volleyball Tournament– thanks to all of the kids that came to play volleyball at Dist. #204 on March 18th. We had 23 volleyball players. A good time was had by all.

Livestock Weigh-In—The Swine, Sheep and Goat Weigh-in will be March 24th, at the Pinckneyville Fairgrounds. The weigh-in will begin at 9:00 am. Anyone wishing to participate in the Sheep Rate of Gain, Goat Rate of Gain and Swine Premier must have their animals weighed and tattooed on this date. Call the Extension office for more information.

Livestock Showmanship Clinic-this clinic will be held in Franklin County, on March 31st. I encourage all 4-H members to participate in this clinic. It is not only for those kids showing livestock. If you have an interest in animals at all come out and learn more about them. We will have a Livestock Quiz Bowl set up for fun. I hope to see a lot of 4-H members there. Call the Extension Office to register.

Manor Garden—this year we will meet the Master Gardeners at the Manor at Mason Woods at 5:30 pm to plant the garden. We need all the help we can get to get the garden planted. Hope to see a lot of you out there to help.

Family Fun Day—looking for help at the DuQuoin Youth Club on April 21st from 11:00 am—2:00 pm. We will have a table set up to advertise 4-H. If you have any good ideas of things we can do at the table let me know.

Passport Party—the Passport Party is planned for April 12th at the Pinckneyville Grade School. We will begin judging at 5:45 and supper will be at 6:00 pm. This year's country of study is Scotland and state is Maine. I really hope all clubs participate in this event. This is a lot of fun for the kids and great time for them to learn about other cultures. I think this years event will be great, so get your clubs planning now.

Manor Garden—this year we will meet the Master Gardeners at the Manor at Mason Woods at 5:30 pm to plant the garden. We need all the help we can get to get the garden planted. Hope to see a lot of you out there to help.

Family Fun Day—looking for help at the DuQuoin Youth Club on April 21st from 11:00 am—2:00 pm. We will have a table set up to advertise 4-H. If you have any good ideas of things we can do at the table let me know.

Make sure and check out the first page of the newsletter there are a lot of activities there also.

¨ Perry County Shamrocks Meeting at Extension Office March 23rd.

¨ Swine, Sheep & Goat Weigh-In March 24th.

¨ Livestock Showmanship Clinic March 31st.

¨ Federation Mtg April 19th at the Manor at Mason Woods 5:30 pm

¨ Manor Garden April 19th at 5:30 pm.

¨ Blue Ribbon Go-Getters Meeting March 26th and April 16th.

¨ Perry County Panthers April 30th.

Randolph County

Pancake Day

Thanks to all of the members, leaders and parents for your help in making this year's Pancake Day a success!

Scholarships for Camp

4-H Camp will be held from June 5-9 in Monticello, IL. If you interested in applying for a scholarship, please contact the office or email Cathi Cowan at cmcowan@illinois.edu.

4-H Membership Cards

Once you are enrolled for the year, you will be receiving a membership card. For those members already enrolled you may have received your card at Pancake Day. Buchheit's in Sparta has generously offered to give a 5% discount towards any project supplies purchased after showing this card. We hope this helps defray some of the cost associated with planning for your project.

4-H Projects

Re-enrollment and project forms are due in the Extension Office by May 1. Without these forms we cannot properly plan the upcoming fair events or order the manuals in a timely manner. Please return these to the Extension Office as soon as possible if you haven't already done so.

E-Newsletter

Unit 26 is now offering an E-Newsletter. This newsletter is sent via email on a monthly basis and includes information on all public events sponsored by Unit 26 including Randolph, Perry, Jackson, Franklin and Williamson counties. If you would like to be included on the distribution list for this newsletter, please email Tracy Stefani at tstefani@illinois.edu.

Additional Fair Dates Set

The following additional dates have been set for this year's fair.

June 9: Bike Rodeo (Randolph County Extension Office parking lot), June 18: Swine Premiere participants deliver swine to meat market (Wenneman's Meat Market, St. Libory, IL), June 20: Swine Premiere participants judged at meat market (Wenneman's Meat Market, St. Libory, IL), July 20: Public Presentations and Cooking Demonstrations (Assisted Living Center, Red Bud, IL).

Williamson County

4-H Project Enrollment Deadline

The deadline for youth to enroll in 4-H, exhibit at the county 4-H show, and

Receive 4-H premiums Is May 1. It is important to double check with your

4-H club leaders to ensure 4-H members are enrolled in the projects that meet their interests and expectations. To ensure accuracy, 4-H project enrollment changes must be in writing. If you have ANY questions about 4-H project enrollment or project selection, please feel free to contact the Extension office. Staff are here to assist you.

4-H Show Day will be held at the Williamson County Fairgrounds. Williamson County Fair Board has designated June 25th as 4-H Day at the Fair. General Show will start at 1:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 1:00 p.m. Following the General Show will be a Social Gathering at 3:30 p.m. Then, registration will begin at 5:00 p.m. for the Small Animals and Goat Shows. Small Animal start at 5:30 p.m. , and the Goat Show will follow after the Small Animal Show. Horse Show will be on June 29th with registration at 9:00 a.m. and show starting at 9:30 a.m.

April 2 Deadline for 4-H Day with the Cardinals (order tickets NOW!!!!)

April 15 Swine Ownership Deadline

May 1 4-H Project Enrollment Deadline

Ordering Publications

Horse, Rabbit, Poultry, Goats, & Sheep Ownership Deadline

May 12 4-H Day with the Cardinals

June 5—9 4-H Camp offered at Memorial 4-H Camp at Monticello

June 25 4-H Show Days – General Show, Small Animals and Goat Shows

June 29 4-H Show Days – Horse Show

July 16-17 Livestock Show at Franklin County Fairground