SHERIDAN COUNTY NEWSLETTER

Happy National 4-H Month!!

Feb. 6 - 4-H Spirit Day

Feb. 9 - Beef Weigh -in at Sheridan Livestock - 1 to 3 pm

Feb. 13 - 4-H Volunteer Appreciation Day

Feb. 17 - Presidents' Day - Office Closed

Feb. 20 - 4-H Supporter Appreciation Day

Feb. 22 - Robotics Mini Play - 1-4 pm

Feb. 27 - Give Back Day

Feb. 28 - Pop into 4-H - Get Enrolled in 4-H Today!!

DEADLINE DATES:

April 1 - Public Speaking Contest Registration

June 15 - 4-H Enrollment

We are looking for a few new club leaders to help. Please contact the Extension Office if you are interested in helping out. Supplies and resources would be provided for you. Maybe don't want a full time commitment just offer to host one meeting.

Club Leaders need to re-enroll in 4-H Online. We are utilizing a new screening system so all volunteers need to complete the background check within the system but will not have to do it again for another 5 years. Volunteers will also need to complete the orientation videos. Youth volunteers will also need to complete the background screening. Parents will have to sign a release form.

February is a great time to celebrate 4-H. There will be a themed day each week for youth and families to celebrate. We will also be showing 4-H pride with 4-H signs for the members. Show the biggest 4-H pride by making sure your family enrolls in 4-H by February 28th instead of waiting until June 15th.

Make sure to wear your new Sheridan County Fair shirt. Share a photo with us on our Facebook page.

Let a 4-H Volunteer know how much you appreciate them by sending them a thank you note or shout out to them on our Facebook page.

Send a note or stop by a business that supports 4-H and say thank you! Let them know how much you appreciate them.

4-H Month is a great time to give back to others in the community. One group that sometimes gets forgotten about are residents of nursing homes. Feelings of loneliness can be decreased after receiving mail. So this year for 4-H month we are encouraging 4-H members to send cards to residents in the nursing home. Attached are card templates that can be used or draw one of your own. We would like to have cards dropped off at the nursing homes for Valentines Day so please plan to deliver them to the Extension Office by February 12, but cards can be dropped off anytime through the month of February. We also have templates you can pick up at the Extension Office. When sending a card to someone in the nursing home you may not have a personal connection with that person and may not know what their preferences are so for your message it can be an uplifting quote or wishes such as:

“Sending you warm wishes and letting you know someone out there is caring about you.” Here are some other things to consider:

• Do not include your personal information like last name, address, email address
• Keep messages generic and nonreligious
• Avoid suggestion that their situation needs to be improved such as “Feel Better”
• Add fun drawings

Here are some suggestions of what to put in your card:

• Wishing you a wonderful day!
• Thinking about you!
• For someone who’s special and wonderful…
• Just a friendly little hello form me to you!
• Just felt like sharing a smile with you today!
• Sending happy thoughts your way!
• Hoping you know how special you are…
• This greeting is sent with warmest wishes to brighten your day!
• Wishing you a wonderful day to a wonderful person!
• You are loved!
• Sending sunshine

Get enrolled today by visiting: 4honline.com.

The Panhandle Best Matches have officially began! On January 19th Rushville hosted a match and Harrison hosted their match on January 26th. Below you will find the Sheridan County results for both of these contests.

Rushville Results:

· BB Gun:

o 8 year old: Sawyer Jech – 5th

o 9-10 year old: Maverick Bourne – 9th

o 11-12 year old: Ian Hahn – 1st, Whitten Diers – 16th, Ezra Bourne – 17th

· Pistol:

o 14-18 year old: Kayli Rose – 1st

Harrison Results:

· BB Gun:

o 9-10 year old: Maverick Bourne – 8th

o 11-12 year old: Ian Hahn – 2nd, Ezra Bourne – 9th

· Pistol:

o 14-18 year old: Kayli Rose – 2nd

If youth ages 8-18 as of Jan 1 are showing beef, pigs, sheep or goats (this includes breeding, bucket calves and feeder calves), dairy cattle, dairy goats, poultry and/or rabbits at County fair, state fair, AKSARBEN or other shows, they need to complete the YQCA Certification.

There are 3 ways to complete this certification:

1. Youth can complete an online course. This course has 3 sections and youth must complete a quiz in each of the sections and pass with an 80% or better. If youth do not get at least an 80% they are locked out for an hour and should review material. This course also has a fee of $12 that must be paid online.
2. Youth can attend an Instructor Led Session put on by the Extension Office. Youth will attend in-person and actively participate through the 60 minute PowerPoint, as well as some hands on activities at the end. This session has a fee of $3 that must be paid online through the YQCA Website. We also ask that you pre-register through the YQCA website so we can make we have enough supplies for the hands on activities.
3. Youth could complete the Test Out option online at the Intermediate or Senior Level. These courses cost $36 & $48 respectively.

Please visit: https://yqcaprogram.org/ for more information, get registered and pay fees for the in-person course, or take the online course.

Dates for Instructor Led Trainings:

• Thursday, March 13 at the Extension Office at 1 pm
• Monday, April 21 at the Extension Office at 1 pm
• Thursday, May 1 in Hay Springs at after school

Deadline to complete YQCA is June 15th! YQCA Certificates need to be sent (mmracek2@unl.edu) or returned to the office.

Please contact the Extension Office if you have more questions.

All market animals this year need to attend one of the below dates or go to a neighboring county to have their animals tagged.

Sheridan County Weigh-in & Tagging Dates:

Sunday, February 9th, 2025 from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

All Market Beef Animals need to receive a 4-H ear tag.

Other County Box Weigh-in & Tagging Dates:

Dawes: Saturday, February 8, 2025 from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM at Crawford Livestock

Nebraska State Fair/ AKSARBEN: All livestock in contention to exhibit at the 2025 Nebraska State Fair and/or the Aksarben Stock Show will be required to submit a DNA nomination. All 4-H/FFA BREEDING livestock, market livestock and FEEDER CALVES will be required to submit a DNA sample/envelope to be eligible to exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair.

DNA nominations for the Nebraska State Fair are due on June 15, 2025.

Any DNA nomination submitted through Show Stock Manager will also be eligible for exhibition at the Aksarben Stock Show.

The Sheridan County 4-H Council wants to recognize 4-H seniors with a scholarship opportunity. Below is the word and pdf version of the scholarship applications. Please complete the application and return it to the Extension Office by April 15th.

The Premier Communication Event and will be a two-day event held on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus on June 19th & June 20th. For more information visit: https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/communication/pce/

Sheridan County 4-H will participate in the North Panhandle Public Speaking Contest on Sunday, April the Speech, PSA and Presentations Contest on Sunday, April 6th at 1:00 pm tentatively in Harrison. Contest will consist of youth from Box Butte, Dawes, Sheridan, and Sioux counties. Youth will be judged in each county and separate awards will be given per county.

Registration forms are due to the Sheridan County Extension Office or email mmracek2@unl.edu by Tuesday, April 1st!

The Nebraska 4-H Farrowed & Owned Swine Cohort is an opportunity for youth interested in learning more about the swine industry. The program is designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the Nebraska swine industry. The goal is to enhance the educational value of the traditional 4-H swine projects by focusing on swine production, accurate and complete record-keeping, industry knowledge, and engagement by the 4-H member.

Youth participating in the Farrowed & Owned Swine Cohort will:

1. Network with 4-H members across the state who are also participating in the cohort experience.
2. Participate in learning opportunities hosted by Extension Swine Specialist Benny Mote about nutrition, feeding, genetics, and more.
3. Gain knowledge related to their project and the swine industry as a whole.
4. Maintain records related to swine management and basic care.

**NEW for 2025**: Exhibit their Farrowed and Owned project animals at any Nebraska county fair. Exhibiting at the 2025 Nebraska State Fair is optional. All cohort members will participate in an interview at the 2025 Nebraska State Fair. Join the first session in February for more details!

The 2025 What’s the Buzz? season of the Nebraska State 4-H Camp will share the importance of pollinators in Nebraska- why they’re important, how they impact agriculture, and what youth can do in their own communities to support the various native pollinators we have in Nebraska. From bees and butterflies to hummingbirds and bats- it’s going to be a week full of learning and fun!

The Nebraska State 4-H Camp is returning to Chadron and Burwell for summer camp 2025! Youth new to camping can attend a shorter camp session designed to let them experience all the best parts of summer camp in a 3 day/2 night session. Choose from one of two 5 day/4 night sessions for youth 10-14 years old and returning this year is the Leaders in Training camp for high school youth 15-17 years old! Campers will focus on developing leadership skills with an opportunity to put those skills into practice by volunteering at one of our other camp sessions!

Registration is now OPEN! More information on sessions, dates, and the link to register can be found at 4h.unl.edu/camp.

The Nebraska Extension Special Agronomy Project gives 4-H members an opportunity to experience a crop that is grown, was grown or has the potential to be grown in Nebraska. Youth participate by receiving seed and resources to grow the crop, research traits of the crop and determine the viability of that crop in the part of the state they live in. The project allows 4-H members interested in agronomy to grow something fun, new, and different. This year, we will be exploring a crop that can be marketed different ways depending on the variety.

In the fifth year of the special agronomy project, youth will explore sunflowers! There are two types of sunflower production in Nebraska. There are those grown for oil production, and those grown for human food consumption referred to as confectionery seeds. A portion of the oil seed production is used in the bird seed industry. Sunflowers are grown throughout the state of Nebraska with the greatest concentration in western Nebraska. The variety we will be growing is a high oleic hybrid. Its oil profile combined with a nice black seed color ensures multiple market options.

Be eligible to enter an exhibit at the County and/or State Fair in the agronomy project area.

Enroll for the 2025 Special Agronomy Project through 4-H Online by enrolling in the Agronomy project and contacting the Extension Office to order packets of seeds. We will order and distribute the seeds to members. Please contact the office by March 1st.

For project specifications and details, be sure to go to the Nebraska State Fairbook at https://4hfairbook.unl.edu/fairbookview.php/rules.

A virtual training for 4-H Council Treasurers will be held on February 10th, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

Presenters: Lindsay Shearer, Ashley Benes, Jill Goedeken

Topics covered:

• Responsibilities of the 4-H council treasurer role
• 4-H financial policies for 4-H Councils
• Best practices for 4-H council treasurers

Who should attend?

• 4-H Council Treasurers
• County staff working with 4-H Council Treasurer
• 4-H club volunteers who are welcome to attend as well.

Registration information:

• Registration is required. The zoom link will be sent immediately following registration.
• Registration is free. Everyone should register separately.
• Participating in the live session is encouraged. The training will be recorded and will be sent to registered participants.
• Register here: https://go.unl.edu/treasurertraining

We are excited to announce the fifth year of the Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program. This additional opportunity for enrolled livestock project youth, is designed to promote all educational aspects of 4-H livestock projects including selection, production, leadership, and exhibition by recognizing youth striving to improve in their livestock project knowledge and leadership.

The program recognizes Members of Excellence across all 4-H livestock project areas, including: beef, sheep, meat goat, swine, dairy cattle, dairy goat, rabbit, and poultry.

The program consists of three levels that require 4-H members to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate and project-related accomplishments. For each level, the Livestock Achievement Program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H members choose their goals. Each accomplishment is worth a specific number of points. Junior 8-10 submits pictures, poster, presentation, and other learning activities to receive the distinction of Junior Member of Excellence, no point value, Intermediates, ages 11-13, must complete 100 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Intermediate Member of Excellence. Seniors, ages 14-18, must complete 150 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Senior Member of Excellence. The Plan and Reports, linked on the webpage, show examples of the project related accomplishments they can choose, or they can identify their own with approval of their local educator.

Applications/Sign up are due June 15th through the application form link on the website. Plan and Reports, as well as Project Records will be due August 1 via the completion form on the website.

Youth completing the achievement program and receiving member of excellence recognition in the various species will be recognized during the Parade of Champions, 4-H weekend at the Nebraska State Fair.

For more information or to apply, go to: Livestock Achievement Program | Nebraska 4-H (unl.edu)

Welcome, Brock Ortner, as our Livestock Systems Extension Educator. Brock is originally from East-Central Iowa. He was actively involved in 4-H and FFA growing up. These experiences cultivated his passion for beef production. During this time, he began raising and marketing Red Angus Seedstock Cattle.

Brock graduated from Iowa State University- his undergraduate was in Animals Science and his Master's focused on mineral nutrition to feedlot cattle. His goal is to support the sustainability and profitability of their operations by sharing science-based research and practical solutions tailored to their needs.

Welcome Becky Hutchings as our new Early Childhood Educator. She comes to UNL Extension with over 7 years of FCS/4-H Youth Development Extension experience from the University of Idaho. She has a Master's Degree in Instructional Technology, a Bachelor's Degree in FCS Education, and a certificate in Graphic Design.

She enjoys helping to create a caring and loving learning environment where children, youth and adults can flourish.

These people are YOUR voice! Please contact any of them if you have an idea for a new or existing event or activity, have concerns with the program, or just want to have input in the decision-making process.

David Russell, Wendy Andersen, Michelle Heck, Nicole Janssen, Jake Scott, Kami Scott, Valerie Beel, Tim Campbell, Kris Stumpff, Melissa Mracek

4-H Council:
President - Zach Kearns

Vice President - Jace Stumpff

Secretary - Kaleigh Krebs

Treasurer - Brian Nelson
Members - Clint Vincent, Brad Beguin, Jackie Simonson, Brandon Jancik, and Chet Tausan
Youth Members: Jaxon Kearns, Lain Tausan, Kynsleigh Krebs, and Luke Laws

Extension Board:
President - Matt Albrecht
Vice President - Caleb Peters
Secretary/Treasurer - Paige Stumpff
Members - Trevor Ginkens, Morgan Weyers

Sheridan County Extension Office:

Office Manager - Wendy Andersen

4-H Extension Educator - Melissa Mracek

Livestock Systems Extension Educator - Brock Ortner

Rural Prosperity Extension Educator - Caitlin Roes

Email: sheridan-county@unl.edu
Location: 800 S Loofborrow Street, PO Box 329, Rushville, NE 69360
Phone: 308-327-2312
Twitter: @SheridanCounty