Happy Tuesday 4-H Families! Wishing all of you a wonderful 4^th of July holiday!

These email updates will come to you approximately every 2 weeks. You can always get these updates on the web at: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/

New! Free Horse DVD

Passing along this info for a free horse safety DVD produced by Nutrena Feeds for those interested in acquiring one....Ranging from Horse Psychology to Rules for the Trail and Arena, this FREE 50-minuteDVD on horse safety will help you learn the basics of being safe around your horse. Horse safety is an essential part of the equine experience - and a passionate part of the Nutrena brand culture. For all of us at Nutrena, that includes safety in riding and handling, as well as nutrition. With 11 chapters ranging from Horse Psychology to Rules for the Trail and Arena, this 50-minuteDVD will help you learn the basics of being safe around your horse. Chapters include: Safety equipment, horse psychology, catching & building trust, leading, tying, grooming, tacking & untacking, riding (arena & trail), trailering, feeding, compatibility. Request a dvd at http://www.nutrenainfo.com/horsesafetydvd

Volunteers Needed for Fair

Looking for a way to get involved in the McLean County Fair? Volunteer with 4-H!!! Here is the electronic version of the Volunteer Form--applications are due July 2nd.
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/units/survey.cfm?sID=88&UnitID=477

State Fair Update

Tentatively 4-H judging will be held in 4 major locations on the fairgrounds. Judging schedules will be divided between morning and afternoon to accommodate project areas. Final locations will be identified in mid-July.

Horticulture & Floriculture – Emerson Building East Wing

Fashion Revue (4 days) and Public Presentations (2 days) – IL Bldg Theater

Natural Resources, Woodworking, Welding (1 day only), Forestry, Small Engines, Wildlife, & Tractor – 4-H Tents (MOVED to old Happy Hollow area)

All Other Exhibits (inc. 2 days of Public Presentations) – Expo Bldg Mezzanine

Due to the space changes, Foods Demonstration and Club/Group Action Presentation classes will NOT be offered at the 2012 State Fair.

Exhibitors are encouraged to park in General/Public Parking (Gate 6) vs. our usual 4-H Lot (Gate 8) because it is closer to the Exposition Building.

This year, only exhibits receiving a Superior ribbon will be paid a premium from the State Fair.

Save the Date for State Fair 4-H Family Event

The Illinois 4-H Foundation Board of Directors hopes that each of you, your families, and your local 4-H families will join us on Saturday, August 11 from 4 -6 PM on the Director of Agriculture's lawn at the Illinois State Fair for the annual State Fair 4-H Family Event.

This event marks the 7^th year of 4-H celebration at the state fair! Come and meet the new class of Illinois Hall of Fame, the 2012 Family Spirit Award Winners, our Legacy of Leadership Scholars, and our State Fair Online winners!

Online registration is available at https://ecommerce.aces.illinois.edu/4Hfamilyevent/

THANK YOU to all of McLean County's TEN YEAR 4-H Members!

This isHUGE Milestone and we want to recognize your accomplishments at the McLean County Fair, on the "TEN YEAR MILESTONE WALL OF HONOR", to be located just inside the front south entrance to Cloverleaf Hall! Please take a few minutes tell us a little bit about yourself on the Ten Year 4-H Member form, and send it and a digital photo to: aschlapp@illinois.eduor you may bring them into the office.Milestone biographies are due July 26. The form is available on our website at: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/downloads/43358.pdf

4-H members who have completed 10 or more years of 4-H will be recognized at the Flag Raising Ceremony on Tuesday evening, July 31 at 8:00 PM (All ten year members are encouraged to attend.)

Oh the Places You'll Go...in 4-H!

Bring a flash drive and all your records to get one-on-one assistance from state winners and volunteers with the Illinois 4-H Award Application. You'll be working in a computer lab at Heartland Community College Instructional Commons North Building. A workshop will be held on Thursday, August 9 6:30-8pm. Register online http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/ . Parents are welcome to attend with 4-Hers. Call the Extension office with any additional questions.

McLean County 4-H Horse Competition Preparation Clinics

CLICK HERE to view photos from last year's "Showmanship Clinic".

CLICK HERE to view photos of "Balanced and Controlled Riding 2011".

Get you and your horse ready for the 2012 Show Season!! Participate in ARENA ACTIVITIES or BARN ACTIVITIES. Both available each week!

Please read flier for more details!

Location: Interstate Center, Bloomington

Cost to participate with your horse in the Arena is $10.00* per week, payable at the door. There is a limit of 30 horses for most weeks' arena activities.

Fairgrounds Open 5:00-9:00 Clinics from 6:00-8:00pm

Arena Activities are limited to 30 horses*, so register EARLY!

AUDITING IS FREE! All are Welcome!! Open to all experience levels; pick and choose any or all six weeks.

Please click here to download a copy of the RULES for all participants in these clinics.

It is MANDATORY that All Manure and Trash must be hauled out with your horse.

***All 4-Hers MUST be ACCOMPAINED by a PARENT/ GUARDIAN/ TRAINER at ALL TIMES***
**Liability waivers must be signed upon entering the barn by a parent/guardian. You may download here..***

Proper barn attire required at ALL TIMES.

For Questions please contact Lisa Riddle jpines2388@speednet.com (309)530-7800 or Kate Rodriguez at k_rodrigo@comcast.net (309.261.0786).

Superior Young Livestock Producer

Youth do not have to show a live animal at the state fair in order to participate in the Superior Young Livestock Producer Contests for horses, swine, beef, dairy, or sheep. Twenty-five $1,000.00 scholarships will be awarded to the top five individuals in each specie contest. 2012 dates and locations are:

Horse – 6:00 p.m., Thursday, July 26th, lower level of Livestock Center

Swine – 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 8th, Livestock Center

Beef – 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 8th, Livestock Center

Sheep – 4:00 p.m., Friday, August 10th, Open Sheep Barn show arena

Dairy – 2:30 p.m., Saturday, August 18th, Livestock Center

For more specific details including registrations and rules visit the Illinois State Fair Premium Book website. www.agr.state.il.us/isf/

2nd Annual Illinois 4-H State Fair Online

It's not too early to remind members about the additional state judging opportunity that is made available through the 2nd Annual Illinois 4-H State Fair Online event. Members in all project areas are invited to make a video or map to share with a larger public to teach something they've learned in their 4-H project area. Entries are submitted online during the summer. Details on last year's event and entry examples can be viewed at https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/4hstatefaironline/

Club/Group Award Application

State 4-H Club/Group Report Forms, are due to the McLean County Extension Office no later than Friday, August 10. The form is posted at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/volunteers/support_recognition.cfm.

State award-winning clubs will receive state recognition, a state award patch, and $75 if they place in the Top Ten of any of the seven eligible curriculum areas. Applications must be submitted from a club member and a volunteer and must demonstrate youth leadership, project area development, and more.

Salute to Agriculture

Plan on bringing your 4-H members to the University of Illinois on Saturday, September 15 and help the College of ACES celebrate agriculture! This year's Salute to Agriculture event will include lunch and a football ticket for $15!

Come cheer on the Illini against Charleston Southern! Registration will open mid-summer once kick-off time has been determined. Once open, a link to registration will be found at www.academics.aces.illinois.edu/future-students.

4-H Clover Challenge Grants

Attention 4-Hers, 15 to 18 years* of age - you've put a lot into your 4-H project...now let it pay you back. The 4-H Clover Challenge Grant is an opportunity open to members who have completed all levels of the corn, soybeans, or small grains project OR all levels of a foods, nutrition or animal science project that is tied to the use of corn, soybeans, or small grains. Members will work with a mentor to create two communication presentations using computer presentations, videos, GPS maps, posters, etc. These grants are sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Association and Pioneer Hi-Bred International. Check with the local Extension office for additional information.

(* age as of 9/1/12)

2012 North Central Region Volunteer Forum

Register Now! 2012 North Central Region Volunteer Forum will be held Oct. 11-14, in Wichita, KS. For more information go to: http://www.kansas4-h.org/p.aspx?tabid=314. All 4-H volunteers in the 12 North Central states are welcome to attend. Early bird registration is $200 through July 31.

Volunteers needed for the Barn Quilt Heritage Trail Project

Volunteers are needed to paint quilt blocks on 2 by 2 plywood pieces. The blocks will be put in business windows throughout McLean County to stimulate interest in the "Barn Quilt Heritage Trail – McLean County" project.

Many community organizations are supporting the project already, The Bloomington Downtown Association, The
Museum of History, The Town of Normal, the Hands All Around Quilt Guild, and many farm owners, to name just a few.

Volunteers will be supplied with paint, primedplywood boards cut to size, quilt patterns and paint supplies (and basic instructions only if you need them). Volunteers can choose the quilt pattern and paint colors they want to use.

Please call Karen Gottlieb, 663-4259 or GnWscout@aol.com for more information.

State 4-H Poultry Judging Contest – August 9

The Illinois State 4-H Poultry Judging Contest will be held Thursday August 9th in conjunction with the Illinois State Fair Junior Poultry show. The contest will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Orr building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield Illinois.

A county may enter any number of 4-H participants. A county team may be made up of three or four individuals with no limit on the number or teams or individual contestants. The four highest senior 4-H'ers will be selected to participate on the Illinois State 4-H Poultry Judging Team which will represent Illinois in the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Judging Conference during the third week of November in Louisville. KY.

Click here for more detailed information on the contest classes and format.
Click here for registration information.

State 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest – August 18

The 2012 State 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest will be held Saturday August 18th, 2012 in conjunction with the Illinois State Fair. The contest will take place in the Livestock Center at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield Illinois.

Registration is to be made on the day of the contest at the site of the contest. Registration will be from 8:30 am to 9:30 am with the contest starting at 10:00 am. To be eligible for selection, members must have been 14 years of age and not older than 18 years of age as of January 1, 2012. There is no limit on the number of participants per county.

The state 4-H dairy cattle judging team will be selected from participants in this contest. The selected State 4-H Dairy Team will participate at the National Dairy Judging Contest in Madison, Wisconsin. Click here for more contest information and rules.

4-H Program Fee/Club Challenge Update

There is a statewide $20 Program Fee assessed for each 4-Her and Cloverbud. In McLean County, the McLean County Extension Foundation offers support to cover $10 of that fee. 4-H members are responsible for the remaining $10. Many of our clubs work together by doing fundraisers to collect these funds. Check with your club leader to see how your club will be handling the Program Fee.In June, 4-H clubs will be assessed fees for the number of club members they have for the year. Funds raised through the program fee pay for things like project manuals, accident insurance, training for leaders, and state and regional programs and initiatives. If you have more questions about the fee please contact Cathy Blunier at cblunier@illinois.edu.

Quality Assurance & Ethics Certification

This program is no longer mandatory for State Fair exhibition. However, the website is available and all State Fair beef, sheep, swine, horse, dairy, meat goat and poultry exhibitors are encouraged but not required to complete QA&E Certification via this site.

Fair Book is online

If you can't wait to get a printed copy of the McLean County Fair Book, it is available online at: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/mclean4hfair/115.html

Save the dates:

August 1-5 – McLean County Fair & 4-H Show

August 9-19 – Illinois State Fair

August 10 – McLean County Exhibit Day at State Fair

August 25 – State Fair Dog Show

Thanks,

Cathy Blunier

Unit Educator, 4-H Youth Development

University of Illinois Extension – Serving Livingston, McLean & Woodford Counties
402 N Hershey Rd
Bloomington IL 61704

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

cblunier@illinois.edu

phone 309.663.8306 fax 309.663.8270