HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEXI!

Hello Everyone!

I think that it’s time for me to introduce you to someone that is very special in my life... my horse, Lexi! 

Lexi is a beautiful sorrel and is a registered Quarter Horse that goes by the name, “Chips Are Deluxe” whenever she is in the show ring.  Lexi enjoys many things such as eating, exploring, eating, going on adventures, eating, and oh, did I forget to mention – eating?  Lexi has a very sweet nature and it was a true blessing that our paths crossed and she became mine…

After losing my much beloved pony, Babe, two weeks before the first show of the show season, I was very upset - not because I couldn’t show – but because I lost a friend of mine.  Babe and I had a unique bond and my greatest fear was that I would never find another horse that I would connect to like I had with Babe. 

As they say, “good things come to those who wait”, and it was in the middle of summer that a friend of mine told me about a sorrel Quarter Horse that needed a home. Taking their suggestion, I met Lexi and it was “love at first sight” and “the rest was history” (pretty cliché, I know).

So why am I telling you about this?  Well, Lexi just celebrated her sixteenth birthday on February 26!  So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEXI!  I am so thankful to have found a well-mannered and loving horse.  Although the doctors have not cleared me to ride yet, hopefully I’ll be back in the saddle soon (fingers crossed)!

Well, in completely unrelated news, Capital Days is quickly approaching!  I can’t wait to see everyone in Harrisburg for this amazing event.  It’s sure to be a blast and your PA 4-H State Council couldn’t be more excited!  See you shortly! 

Until later, 

Cassidy Baker

2012/2013 PA 4-H State Council President 

Photo by John Hudson Photography

 "Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense, and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.”

Dale Carnegie

Planning, Preparing, and Anticipating! 4-H Summer Camp!

          Where’s the best place to find a super 4-Her? 4-H summer camp, of course!

          The blustery February weather hasn’t stopped our camp staff from preparing fun-filled activities for summer 2013!  For the 3^rd year now, I have the opportunity to serve as a counselor at the Northwest Regional 4-H Summer Camp.  After our recent camp-planning meeting, I found myself reminiscing about great times with friends, camp songs, skits, canoe rides, and hikes!  I have made some good memories and met many of my best friends at camp.  I eagerly anticipate heading of to camp again this June!

Summer camp is a place to learn, have fun, gain confidence, and make new friends.

What do we learn at summer camp? Each year camp has a theme and there are plenty of workshops based that theme.  For instance, last year our theme was “The Science of Motion”. We built and set in motion propellers for a wind turbine that generated energy. Other themes or workshops from past camps include nature sciences, where we learn about the environment and what can be harmful and what is healthy for it. While learning this campers were able to canoe across a river, hike to a waterfall, and swim in the pool of water beneath it.  Past workshops were also designed to teach life skills, such as teamwork, cooking, swimming, safety, healthy living, and leadership.

Although we do a lot of learning at camp, it isn’t entirely about business. There’s plenty of fun to be had, and 4Hers definitely know how to have a good time!  Every morning there are early bird activities, where campers can swim, dance, or play other team sports. After we eat, we sing some pretty awesome camp songs to keep everyone excited! If there’s ever any down time that gets too boring, the counselors know plenty of group games that can be played in a moments notice. The senior counselors who teach the workshops are very enthusiastic, and make learning fun for everyone involved. There are no lectures, just hands on learning. Most campers will tell you that one of their favorite times is when groups put on skits that they’ve created.  You never know what unique characters may appear!

While enjoying camp, 4-Hers may be unaware they are also heightening their communication, teamwork, problem solving, and decision making skills.  That’s because they are having a great time while doing so!  Not only that, many parents say that they feel their son or daughter is more independent and responsible due to their camp experience. It’s always a good thing to make your parents happy, right?  Perhaps the most significant benefit from the camping experience is making wonderful, new friends! 

“Riding the Waves” is the theme for the 2013 Northwest Regional Camp.  There we plan to surround ourselves with activities regarding waves of light, sound, and of course of water!  Be on the lookout for the camp brochure and don’t miss the sign up dates!   If you are not in that part of the state, check with your extension agent or look at your area 4-H newsletter for more information about when, where, and the theme of your area 4-H summer camp.  4-H camp is definitely a worthwhile experience that you don’t want to miss!

Who do you want to be?

Hello Everyone,

I hope that everyone is having a great start to 2013! I can't believe that we are already two months into a brand new year. I know that many of us just got through mid-terms and many other tough school exams and everything else that school always throws our way. Sometimes, with everything that we are involved in and expected to do, life can get a little overwhelming. I myself have been extremely stressed lately with outdoor track getting underway, the new 4-H year beginning, and school. However, I have many great people in my life who want me to be happy and always try to minimize my stress level as much as possible. One of the main people who helps me to stay focused and on the right track with the demanding life and schedule I have is my wonderful coach and guidance counselor. Regardless of what he is doing or how busy he is he always makes time for me when I need him. I was having a very hard time getting back on my feet in school being that I had been sick and out of school so much.

One day at the beginning of February, he gave me a book to read. The book is titled My Orange Duffel Bag. It is an inspirational and motivational story about a boy who played football and ran track but had hardships at the beginning of his life that many of us couldn't even fathom going through. It's one of those stories that makes you believe if they did it, I can do it. I can honestly say that this book has changed my life and given me a whole new outlook on the way I should live my life and what really matters. I have already read the book three times and it still impacts me everytime I read it.

Along with reading that amazing story, I have also taken another step in improving my life and becoming a better person. Even though most of us wouldn't admit it, we always say and do things that deep down we know are not the right things to do. Sometimes we hurt people even though we really don't mean to. My point is that even though many people may not know it we all wish that we could slightly change who we are or the way we act in certain situations.

So this past month I began to try to make myself a better person. I began a thing that I call "Who am I? and Who do I want to be?" Everyday or almost everyday I sit down at my computer for about five to ten minutes and make a list of who I was that day and what I did. I usually have some positive and negative things on my list but that's just the way it is, nobody is perfect. After I have my list of "Who am I?", I make the "Who do I want to be?". This also should only take about five to ten minutes. By doing this, I have already become a better person and I'm greatful for it. So now I ask you, who do you want to be?

I hope that everyone had a great Valentine's Day and I hope to see everyone at Capital Days!
Until later,

Dawn Craft
Pennsylvania State 4-H Council 2012-2013 Vice President of Operations

Maple Season

        After a long, cold winter, everyone always looks forward to the time when the nights are still crisp; but, as daylight breaks, it’s as though you can hear nature’s blessings come to life as the warm air begins to revive all the sleeping growth.  For some people, this season isn’t just another enjoyable time of year; it’s a season that has been part of many generations.  This season comes between winter and spring.  By now, you must be thinking I’m nuts because there are only four seasons a year and there is no such thing; however, there is and this wonderful time of year is called “maple season.”   For the experienced maple producer, this time of year represents an income keeping them busy year-round.  For most, called hobbyists, the season is only approximately two months of the year usually beginning in February and ending in March.

 

       The season begins when winter slowly releases its grip allowing the days to reach temperatures above freezing only to fall prey to winter’s hold again during the nighttime freezing air.  The seasoned producer knows the time is coming not by expensive meteorological equipment and daily weather reports, but simply by the feeling in the air.  When the air is right, it’s time for them to start tapping the trees.  The maple season has begun.

 

         The hobbyists begin in the woods tapping the trees they diligently mapped out weeks earlier in preparation for the season.  First step is to carefully drill a small hole in the tree and then pound in the tap.  If it’s done at the right time and the tree is hit just right, the sap will often splash you in the face as the mallet strikes the spile driver.  I can only compare this experience with that of the Peppermint Patty candy commercial.  The cool splash of sap caressing my face is like that of the cool breeze one feels when one bites into that York patty.  Once the tap is successfully inserted, a bucket is hung to accumulate the sap dripping from the spout one drop at a time.  The bucket is then topped off with a lid to protect the valuable sap from rain, debris, and snow.

 

          Each day, the sap slowly flows from the trees, is collected, and stored.  After enough is gathered, it is time for a boil-down, where you cook all the sap over a heat-source to evaporate most of the water in order to reduce the sap into syrup.  The ratio of sap to syrup is an astounding 40 gallons to 1.  I believe the boil-down is the most rewarding process as you see all your hard work come to fruition.  In my case, boil-down days also represent a time for everyone to come together and enjoy nature beginning before daybreak and sometimes lasting well into the night. 

 

         I am fortunate enough to complete the boil-down in my own log cabin sugar shack.  I pour the filtered sap into the pan then build the wood fire in the stove of the evaporator to bring it up to temperature.  Before long, the warm steam is billowing out of the shack’s roof as if to hang the welcoming sign and almost instinctively, friends and family being to congregate.   Everyone has a story to tell, a memory to share, and good strong hands capable of keeping the fire going strong.  I’m usually filled with a warm fuzzy feeling all over as I absorb every minute of the day.

         

         After a long, exhausting, but exhilarating day comes to an end, it’s time to pour the syrup into a finishing pan and head to the house.  Again, because the ration is so extreme, the evaporator pan is too large to complete the process.  The jars are prepared and the boil is finished when the hydrometer bobs at the magic density reading of 66.   It is time to pour the liquid gold into the bottles.  The best part of all is the Sunday morning breakfast.  Like the flowers bring validation to the spring season, maple syrup brings validation to maple season.    

 

A Fascinating Start

The new year has started off with the always fabulous Pennsylvania State Farm Show where we got to meet a lot of new people and do many things!  To really kick off the start of this year, the Willy Wonka themed State Leadership Conference was a blast with new things at every corner and fantastic people and workshops!

With my local clubs starting to take off again, this year has certainly gotten off to a busy and 4-H filled start with more to come!  Just down the street with the District Three Teen Retreat, Camp Counselor Training, and 4-H State Capital Days, I can't wait to see what else this year has in store with new members and new surprises everywhere!

"If you don't know where you want to go, then it doesn't matter which path you take."

~Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland

Butter Sculpture, Milkshakes, and Beef Brisket, Oh My!

What an eventful January we have had as Pennsylvania 4-Hers! Congratulations to everyone who competed at Farm Show and a huge thank you to everyone who attended State Leadership Conference.

As you may know, every January thousands of people from across Pennsylvania and the country flood the Farm Show Complex for the largest indoor agriculture event in America. To many of you, going to Farm Show every year seems like second nature. You probably know the ins and the outs of that 24 acre complex like the back of your hand. For me though, the 2013 Farm Show was completely new and slightly overwhelming. Walking into the Farm Show Complex for the first time made me feel like a child who walked into an endless toy store; there was so much I wanted to see and explore!  

My first time in the Farm Show Complex was spent with my fellow council team representing Pennsylvania 4-H among all of the commodities in Pennsylvania and influential adults in the agriculture industry. However, what most people remember about that day is that the near 1000lb PA Preferred Butter Sculpture was revealed.  Seeing the masterpiece in person is much more impressive than what my friends described it in years past.

As if I thought the Exhibit Hall and animal halls were a lot to soak in and observe, I did not have a clue what to expect at opening ceremonies. I sure felt like a rock star walking into the Large Arena with State Council. Exhilarating- to say the least.

Of course 4-Hers cannot attend Farm Show without stopping by Hess's Barbecue Booth and trying some award winning beef brisket. I had the privilege to work in that famous log cabin with my State Council team twice, and it was some of the most fun I've had with teammates to date. Not to mention the convenience of being within eyesight of the milkshake stand.

I can’t believe I missed out on all the excitement Farm Show has to offer previously, but I think it is safe to say I will be returning next year and many more years to come!

Sincerely,

Cecilia Stuetz

Pennsylvania State 4-H Council Secretary

“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” –Dr. Seuss

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

I can absolutely not believe that January is already over. I feel like it was just Christmas and New Years; but that's a whole month away now! I hope that all of the state 4-Her's had a blast at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, and of course, at SLC because I know that the state council sure did. Hopefully, everyone is getting ready to attend Capital Days!

Farm Show is always something that I look forward to at the beginning of the year! It's a great way to get back into show season after my county fair in September. This year at Farm Show sure was a great one! I placed third with my goat, London, and I recieved Master Showman as well. To make it even better, she made it to the sale on Tuesday and was bought to be a breeding doe so I know that she went to a great home. I also showed my pig Cocoa at the Farm Show. He also recieved third in his class but he didn't behave quite as well as London did. But in the end, I made it to the sale with both of my animals and made out pretty well.

I love being at the Farm Show to show my animals but I also loved being there with the State Council. We did so many fun and interesting things that I never even knew of before then. I had the honor of carrying the 4-H flag in the opening ceremonies. I had such a great time with the council. It didn't matter if we were out talking, interacting with people or making decorations for SLC together at the hotel. We always have fun! The 2013 Farm Show was definitely the best one yet!

I would also like everyone to take a moment and give thanks for all of the blessings in their lives. My dear friend and fellow council member, Cassidy, was in an awful  car accident the week of farm show. After losing one of my classmates to a car crash in September, I was very upset and worried about her. I'm so grateful and blessed to be able to say even though she is not completely healthy yet, she is on a great road to recovery and she will continually be in my prayers. I'm so glad that she got to be with us at SLC and will be able to continue the rest of the journey with our council, team, and new-found family. We all love you Casss!

I hope that everyone had a great January, and I hope that everyone has a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Until next time,
Dawn Craft- 2012/2013 Pennsylvania State Council Vice President of Operations