University of Illinois Extension serving Henderson, Knox, McDonough and Warren Counties

Entries Due JUNE 3!

Entries have been sent to everyone who have met the meeting attendance requirements and for clubs who have turned in attendance sheets to your address we have on file. Entries are due June 3 by 4:30 p.m.

For the 4-H Show this year, monies for premiums will be provided even though the state may or may not reimburse us for them. Local dollars will be utilized if state funds do not come through.

Don't forget to mark your calendar for the food stand schedule! Your help is much appreciated. For the 4-H Market there is a short application needed to participate, due to the office by July 1. You can find this on our Knox County 4-H. The 4-H Market will be on Saturday, July 16 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Thanks to all the volunteers who help make the 4-H Show a great success!

Current Staffing for 4-H

Mary Lynn Bowman has been hired as a temporary staff members to help with the 4-H Show and summer programs. She is a recent graduate of Culver Stockton College, National 4-H Congress winner and former member of the state 4-H Youth Leadership Team. We are very happy that Mary Lynn was able to be hired for the summer. She will provide leadership for the 4-H Show and 4-H Federation activities. Mary Lynn's email is knoxextra@extension.uiuc.edu.

In addition, Tessa Hobbs-Curley will begin her duties as the 4-H Youth Development Educator for McDonough, Warren, Henderson and Knox Counties beginning July 1. She earned a bachelor of arts in social sciences from Mount St. Clare College in Clinton, Iowa, and her master of arts in human development counseling at the University of Illinois Springfield. Hobbs-Curley is a member of the Youth Quality of Life Task Force, McDonough County Tobacco-Free Coalition, McDonough County Interagency, Health Network and the Walnut Grove United Methodist Church.

She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and she is certified to teach Colors Matrixx. Hobbs-Curley completed the Character Counts! training from the Joseph and Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics and the National Character Counts! Coalition, along with Pursuing Victory with Honor.

Tessa will work from the McDonough County office and can be reached at (309) 837-3939 or tessa@illinois.edu.

2011 Federation Food Stand Schedule

Saturday – July 16

9:00 – 11:30 am Hague Hustlers

11:00 – 1:30 pm Rusty Spurs

1 – 3:30 pm 4-H Spinners & Bright Horizons

3:30 – 6:00 pm Wataga Trailblazers

5:30 – 8:00 pm Rio Livestock

Sunday – July 17

9:00 am – 3:00 pm Main Family

11:00 am – 1:30 pm K'ville Clovers

3:00 – 6:00 pm Delong Livestock

5:30 – 8:30 pm Walnut Grove Progressors

Monday – July 18

8:00 – 11:30 am Wataga Trailblazers

11:00 am – 1:30 pm Walnut Grove & Bracken Busy Bees

1:30 – 4:00 pm Henderson Aggies

4:00 – 6:00 pm Delong Livestock

6:00 – Closing 2011 Federation & Parents

Tuesday – July 19

8:00 – 11:30 am Williamsfield/Knox County Power Clovers

11:00 am – 1:30 pm Union & Williamsfield & Cisna's

1:30 – 4:00 pm Cloverleaf

3:30 – 6:00 pm Southwestern

6:00 – Closing 2011-2012 Federation & Parents

Clubs are responsible for their shift with adults to prepare sandwiches, attend the cash register and grill. Please do not leave your shift until you have replacements for you from the next shift.

Please announce this at club meetings so adults and youth can arrange their schedules for the week. Thanks for your support of the 4-H Federation's only fundraiser led by Tyler Main and Christi and Pete Main this year.

General Show Committee to Meet

The General Show Committee's meeting has changed to Tuesday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m. Please note the date change. Clubs are encouraged to send someone to represent your club! Meeting will be at the Agri Center.

Livestock Superintendents to Meet

The Livestock Superintendents will make final preparations for the 4-H Show on Tuesday, June 28 at 7:00 p.m., Knox Agri Center.

Like Fashion?

We are currently looking for individuals to serve on the Fashion Revue Committee. We need both adult and youth volunteers. The committee will meet in June at the Extension office. A theme will be determined with plans for decorations, narrators, music, etc. It'll be fun!

Chaperone Screening

By June 15, all documents for those wanting to stay overnight as chaperones at the 4-H Show must be received in the Extension office. These background screening checks are a must this year and without them, adults will not be able to chaperone. You must also complete the online overnight chaperone training. The web address for that site is:

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/4hchaperone/.

Give us a call and we will send the forms for you to complete.

Master Showmanship–July 18

Please sign up for the master showmanship class by Sunday, July 17 at the 4-H office on the fairgrounds to participate in the contest. You must supply your own animals or borrow from an exhibition animal at the show. For a copy of the rules, please contact the office. The contest will be held on Monday, July 18 at 5 pm (earlier time).

Report Outstanding Club Activities

August 10 is the deadline to report your finest club accomplishments for this year. The report form is available on our web site. Don't delay completing this important key to winning a state club award and $50.

SHOOTING SPORTS CORNER

Trainings to be held in June. Mark you calendars!

Archery

To be announced. Equipment has been ordered!

Rifle

June 13 and 27 for 1st year

June 7 and 21 for 2nd year

Western 4-H Horse Show Planned

Mark your calendar for June 25 at 9 a.m. for the Western Illinois 4-H Horse Show at the Warren County Saddle Club north of Monmouth. Cost is $3 per class or $10 for all day. See the show bill release forms on our 4-H web site. Points are given to county members for an overall award at the end of the day! Let's support Knox County this year!

New U of I Plant Clinic website

http://web.extension.illinois.edu/plantclinic/

Developed by Suzanne Bissonette, Plant Diagnostic Clinic & IPM Coordinator and Stephanie Porter, Visiting Plant Diagnostic Outreach Coordinator, the site includes information about collecting and sending samples; sample forms to include with samples; information about the latest in plant problems; and general information about the clinic including their services, fees, and contact information.

NEW IN 2011

Illinois 4-H State Fair ONLINE

Can't get enough of the Illinois State Fair? Then, enter in these NEW Illinois 4-H State Fair Classes: 1) My 4-H Project Video (50118) and 2) My 4-H Project Map (50125).

Create a video or map to teach others about something you learned in your project area. These classes are open to any 4-H youth who was 10-18 years of age on Sept. 1, 2010. You do not need to be enrolled in Geospatial (GIS/GPS) or Filmmaking Video to participate.

There is no county selection process, so ANY AND ALL 4-H members may submit their entries online. There is no limit to the number of entries you make. The only requirement is you must be enrolled in a state 4-H project related to what you're uploading. For example, if you are taking a foods project, you may wish to prepare a

video of you making cookies; or you may wish to prepare a Google map marking the location of all the food pantries in your town. 1^st prize: iPod Touch for both video and map categories. 2^nd prize: Ion Twin Video Camera. Free lunch celebration and recognition at 1^st Annual 4-H Film Festival and Map Gallery at State Fair on August 20^th. For more information http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/events/statefaironline.cfm or contact Dr. Lisa Diaz lbdiaz@illinois.edu. We also have Flip cameras for you to borrow to complete your video if needed. Contact the office to reserve a camera today!

The 4-H Show . . .

At a 4-H show, members bring the animals they have raised, the cookies they've baked, or items they have made during the 4-H year. All counties or units have a 4-H show. In some places, the 4-H show is a separate event. In Knox County we are a separate event from the Knox County Fair. You by now have been given your 4-H Show Book from your 4-H Leader and received in the mail your 4-H Show entry form. Forms are due to our office by Friday, June 11.

At the show, the first step is checking in whether you have a livestock animal or a general show exhibit. All of the information is in the 4-H Show Book. If you don't know where to go, ask!

Everyone is busy on 4-H show days, but someone will be able to help you get to the right spot. Sometimes, exhibits must be checked in by a certain time. Leave home early enough to get there and find where you are going.

After check-in, people who know about your projects judge them. All 4-H projects receive a ribbon or special award. Judges give blue award ribbons for projects that meet 4-H standards. Red award ribbons are for projects that need some improvement, and white award ribbons are for projects that need much improvement. In most 4-H shows and classes, everyone can get a blue award. They are not given just to one person. In this part of the judging, members are not competing against each other. Projects are judged on their own merit.

After the judging, judges may select State Fair winners, Champions, or Best of Show for some classes. Judges compare the blue award projects and the best ones are chosen as winners. At many county 4-H shows, judges announce the winners at special times. If you are a special winner, you should be told about these events. Best of Show awards for the General Show are announced after the 4-H Federation Meeting on Saturday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m.

You must be 10 years old by September 1 of the 4-H year to be chosen for State Fair.

Animal exhibits are different from other project exhibits, especially if you are in any of the large animal projects. Depending on your 4-H show, the large animal classes may be judged by competition only. The judge puts the animals in order, from top to bottom of the class. Then members receive ribbons from first to last place. In other areas, judges rank the animals in the same way, but all animals can get blue ribbons if they are good enough.

Take the time to walk around and look at other 4-H members' projects. You may see one that you would like to take. Sometimes you can get an idea for next year's project. Remember, though, you shouldn't just copy what someone else has done.

Conference Judging

Many counties use conference judging at their 4-H shows. The State Fair also uses it for a few select 4-H projects. You can learn some new things from this type of judging. But we want to tell you about it here because it can be a little scary.

Conference judging is a one-to-one talk between you and the judge about your project. Other people may be listening, or it may be just you and the judge. Either way, the judge will ask you about your project. Why did you choose to do this item (if you had a choice)? How did you make it? Did you have any problems? What did you learn? The judges may also talk to you about what they see. They should tell you what you did well and talk to you about what you could do better next time. At the end of the talk, the judge will tell you how you did.

To Attend Illini Summer Academies

4-H members from Knox County who will learn new things and meet new friends at the Illini Summer Academies, June 27-29 are:

Bailey Austin, Delong Livestock

John DeSutter, Walnut Grove Progressors

Brandi Fink, Walnut Grove Progressors

Annie Geitner, Delong Livestock

Brad Goss, Rio Livestock

Keith King, Walnut Grove Progressors

Patrick King, Walnut Grove Progressors

Chandler Lumberry, Robotics Team

Bethany Main, Walnut Grove Progressors

Tyler Main, Walnut Grove Progressors

Christopher North, Walnut Grove Progressors

Luke North, Walnut Grove Progressors

Stephanie Saey, Henderson Aggies

Brett Saline, Rio Livestock

Have a great time and thanks for representing Knox County!

Apply for Vet Science Award

Applications are due July 1 for the 4-H Veterinary Science Award program, sponsored by the Auxiliary to the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association. Applicants must be between the ages of 15 and 18 by September 1, 2010 and must have been enrolled in the Vet Science project at least 3 years, including the current year.

Apply for Youth Leadership Positions

Illinois Farm Bureau Youth Education Committee

4-H Representatives—Open to 17-19 year olds with an interest in agriculture. Two youth are selected for the August 1, 2011-July 31, 2012 term. Youth must be able to attend meetings in Bloomington during the week. Contact the office for an application that is due by June 13.

Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team—Open to 16-19 year olds who wish to make a difference in the Illinois 4-H program. Two-year terms. Geographic representation from across the state is considered. Applications are due June 17 for interviews at Illini Summer Academies or August 1 for Stat Fair.

4–H Night at River Bandits

The 4-H featured night is July 31! Join the River Bandits in celebrating and recognizing area 4-H clubs and their contributions to our communities, For more information contact Mickey Kirk at (563) 333-2730 or email at mickey@riverbandits.com.

Statewide Links