Cow washing in Bradford County

There are some people who ask their kid to go out to wash their cars during the spring, but here in Bradford County they send their kids out to wash heifers. Yes, it’s a cow wash! The cow wash is on the Thursday before our annual Calf and Heifer sale on Saturday. On Thursday people who have donated heifers for the sale bring them in, and it is our job to wash them up and make them look good for the sale. Other 4-H kids and I help to wash the heifers. We usually get at least 60 cows, and all day it’s a repetition; unload them, tie them to the wash rack, wash them, and then put them in a nice bedded spot. After they are in the bedded area it is someone’s job to scoop up any poop so the heifers don’t lay in it and need another wash.

The next day the cows are spot washed, unless they got really dirty over night. They are then clipped up so that they look good for the buyers the day of the sale. I don’t usually go on this day, because I am busy at home preparing some goodies for the food booth for the auction. The food booth is run by the County Council of our county. I am happily in the food booth all day during the sale. We are sometimes hard pressed for volunteers in the booth because there are 4-H members helping out in the live auction holding items up for the bidders to see. The 4-Hers that helped during the previous days of the sale also get to lead their choice of a heifer around in the ring to present. The food booth workers create a system so it runs smoothly and the food is given to the customers quickly, even if we don’t have a lot of helpers. Sometimes it is better with a smaller amount so that we don’t run into each other in the booth… which has happened before, and we have learned from it.

This year the Calf and Heifer sale is the day before Easter, April 7th. I hope that the weather decides to warm up a bit during our cow washing, so the poor girls don’t get too cold! As mentioned a little bit earlier included in the sale we have a live and silent auction filled with items that 4-H Volunteers have asked local businesses to donate, or have made themselves. In the silent auction the items are ones that each club from our county has donated, usually they consist of baskets, like a picnic basket, hunting basket, toys basket, and so on. Each club gets to come up with their own idea and bring at least one basket to the sale. The live auction and silent auction proceeds go to the funding for our 4-H building at the fair to keep it running and get the bills paid.

I’m looking forward to it again this year, because it is always a good time... even if it is in cold weather! It will be a little bit tricky for some of us with Easter the next day, but will still be very enjoyable. Spending time with friends and supporting 4-H as a team is some of my favorite things to do on a Saturday.

Enjoy your Easter weekend!

Danielle Knapp

Reporter

Everyday We Learn Something New!

Every day we learn something new, whether it is a random
fact or a life lesson. So I decided to share some of the things that I have
learned this past month through 4-H.
1: Everyone should color. Coloring brings out the kid in us.
2: I need to get a GPS because I don’t pay attention to road
names well enough.
3: Ashley and I both like romantic movies
4: The 4th H was originally Hustle in 1911 but in
1912 it was changed to Heart.
5: For long road trips a couple of good CDs with sing-able
songs are needed.
6: Every county does 4-H differently
7: It isn’t hard as we think to teach a workshop. (As long
as you are prepared ahead of time.)
8: Sometimes it’s good to change tradition.
9: You can never be too prepared.
10: Every group of friends needs a techy.
These are just a couple of the random things I
learned. I encourage you to think about what you have learned this past month. It
is crazy the things we pick and carry with us the rest of our lives.

Springtime

March 21 began the official first day of spring, and we have had some crazy weather to kick spring off. Even though the weather has been a little rough that hasn't stopped the regular happenings of spring to go on. This month I visited several places some were close ,and some far away. On the second through the fourth I attended the Southwest Teen Leader Retreat, where Liz Mcandrew and I taught a class on the leadership ladder. We also had a council face to face in which we did several team building opportunities. I also attended th Penn State Dubios reception, where I toured campus. Now I wont be lost when i start down there this fall.

Another thing that happened this month is my boss found out that he has the early stages of cancer, I ask that you keep him in your prayers. He is an awesome guy and is more of a grandpa to me than a boss.

March was a thoughroly enjoyable month, all the 4h steer kids have their projects and have started to walk them. Everyone is in full swing to start the year. I wish all the livestock kids a good year for their projects , and I hope everyone will take advantage of our good weather. Thanks and Good Luck. This is your council VP of Internal Affairs and Sentinel


Garrett J. Richardson

Piglets and calves

This past month was another busy one down here in my neck of the woods. My farm has had a busy month, from adding on to our farrowing, haveing litters of pigs, school, oh and of course working. I get the privlage not only to work on my farm with sheep, hogs, and donkeys but also to work at a local dairy farm. The cool part about my job is I have learned so much about dairy and the many aspects of that industry, but also some of the simplest things that everyone should know. I have learned enough at both farms to realize that i truely do want to work with livestock and farming the rest of my life!

At my place I have learned stuff such as how to artifically insemenate a sow or gilt, how to properly give shots, ear notch piglets,catch ewes and sows/gilts when their in heat, judge for proper quality in my livestock and also how to love what I am doing. The dairy farm however has taught me how to appreciate being able to grow up on a farm. I have only been working there for 3 monthes now and I'm already doing things that the other kids working there had to wait a lot longer to do. My boss has taken the time to show me how to artifically insemenate a cow, which is so much different then a pig, they've showen me how to give pills to calves and even how to properly feed a newborn calf. I have come to the conclusion tho had it not been for 4-H I probably would have wanted to quit this new job by now. 4-H has taught me to take every new opportunity given and make the best out of it. I mean heck I'm the only girl that works at the farm and yet i can show up some of the guys when it comes to driving some of the equipment, or getting a calf that won't drink to drink.

Hope to see alot of you at Capital Days here in April!

What an exciting month!......

February was a very action pack month for my side of the state. We began the month with the anticipated yet dreaded appearance of Punxy Phil, a groundhog that looks for his shadow to determine whether or not we will have six more weeks of winter or if it will be an early spring. Yeah, we're crazy ,but the youth in the area don't seem to mind. They get two whole days of school off.
The week after that, love was in the air, emotions were high, and many men (including me) were actually shopping. Feb. 14 and that whole week was very pleasant, not only because of the occasion, but also the weather. At the end of that week my county had their Leader's Symposium. I was asked to represent council ,and give a presentation on our county, regional, state, and national events. The first night of the Symposium I didn't have to be there, but I went anyway. Halfway through the night, when we came down to the last two presenters, my extension agent ,Carol Schurman, came to me and asked if I could speak in her workshop. I agreed, thinking I could look over her materials and speak on her subject. About the time I began to search through her notes, she came up to me and asked me to pick a random card from the dreaded, green impromptu cards. My mind was spazzing out thinking "Impromptu, she meant impromptu speech!!" I slowly pull a card, I read it, the subject " To you what does pledging your heart to greater Loyalty mean?" It is not a hard hard question to talk on, until you actually start trying to think what your are going to say. Mind you this is two minutes before she started her presentation. Three minutes into her speech she starts introducing me ,and I do not even have the first sentence in my head. I take my place at the head of the room and start. " How many of you know what the 4H pledge truly means?...." after that my words spewed a motivational speech about What the 4-H pledge meant to me with an emphasis on Heart. I ended took my seat as the audience judged my skills. I collected papers and  to my delight my three minute impromptu speech got no lower than a score of 95. Talk about an ego booster. The weekend couldn't have gotten better ,or could it have? I did my presentation on the events ,and as I was handing out my council business card, a lady who listened to my impromptu speech and attended my workshop, came to me and asked if I would come be a motivational speaker at their county's round-up.

As I said February was an action packed month. I will be speaking at several round-ups ,because of my involvement with the state council. It taught me the speaking skills, and I am really now looking for a way to give back. Until Next month this is your Council Vice President of Internal Affairs and Sentinel. Garrett Richardson.

And the placings are...

Horse shows. They are confusing to most people that haven't been to one and even to those that have still are confused. Now, to get even more confusing there are horse shows for high school and middle school students through the organization, Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA). During the fall and winter I dedicate some weekends for these horse shows and once a week to lessons. Sounds like a huge commitment but when your one of those "crazy horse people" it's more like having fun and relaxing than a commitment.

So the question your probably asking is, what is IEA? Well, to make it short and simple it's a program set up for high school and middle school students to go to different horse show locations, English style or Western style, and ride that facilities horses. So, no you are not bringing your own horse. You ride a completely different horse that you know nothing about and try to place well enough to accumulate 15 points in order to make it to regionals or zones. From then you have to place well enough to make it to nationals. Yes, that is the shortest way I can explain it, sorry.

This was my second year doing the English style for IEA and I had high expectations for myself. Starting this month, I had 11 points in my one class, on the flat, and seven points in my jumping class. So, I needed four points in the one class and eight more in the other in order to qualify for my regional horse show. I was a little nervous because I only had two shows left and I needed to get good places. The first horse show, which was five hours away, I got a fourth place on the flat and a third place in my jumping. That fourth place was enough to get me the 15 points I needed for on the flat but the third only gave me 11 points in my jumping. So, thankfully I was able to already say I made it on the flat to regionals but I really needed to get a third or better at the last show. The day finally came and I heard that there was going to be a lot in my jumping class. Then, I found out what horse I had and got even more nervous because I had already seen a girl fall off him. At that point, my hopes were pretty down but I went in the class and give it my all. After about 45 minutes, I finally heard the announcer say that they were ready to pin the class. My heart was beating so fast! "And the placings are..first.....and second goes to Elizabeth McAndrew!!! I couldn't believe it! I placed second out of all those people and qualified for regionals! It was definitely a moment I will never forget because this was my first and last year to qualify.

I wasn't able to place at regionals but I'm still proud to say that I made it there and did my best. I was even awarded a High Point Placing at the regional banquet for accumulating the most points. Even though at first I felt like I couldn't do it, I never gave up and I always tried my best. No matter what the odds are don't give up and good things will come of it!

Sincerely,
Liz McAndrew
PA State 4-H Council Vice President of Operations and Events

Homeschooled kids are cool kids too

There is a saying I have heard a few times before. “That weird homeschooled kid.” I never used to understand it, because I was a homeschooled kid. Now that I am older I can better understand. Other kids find homeschooled kids to be different, mostly because the stereotypical version of them lacks social interaction. That is not true for all of them. I am homeschooled, but I have had PLENTY of social interaction that many don’t think of me as ‘that weird homeschooled kid’. In fact there are times where some of my friends have even forgotten that I am homeschooled. I have 4-H to thank for that. Without the program, I would not be able to speak in front of others at all. Now when first meeting people I am quiet, but I warm up eventually.

Now there are times that people say “I wish I could be homeschooled too.” Yeah it is great for me, because I can pick the hours to work on school but I don’t just sit around all day doing nothing. I have work to do. I live on an Organic dairy farm that my parents run, but I help them do it along with my other siblings. We also have beef cows, horses, dogs, chickens, and goats to take care of as well. So it’s not all fun and games for me, some homeschooled kids’ maybe, but not this one.

I attend PACyber which is an online school that gives me a course to follow. I have been homeschooled ever since I was little. What started me off with it was my mother. She started us in homeschooling because my older siblings had some trouble with public schooling. I have never switched from being homeschooled. I will admit, there were times when I would think about going to public school, but being able to stay at home and do my work was easier for me while working on the farm and taking care of it.

The most awkward times for me, I would say are when my friends are talking about afterschool programs such as sports or other after school activities. I have never experienced them. I just get to listen to what that person has to say about it. I like hearing it, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t have much to contribute to the conversation. There were chances for me to get into sports but homeschooling sports aren’t advertised well or they are a big distance to get to, so instead I use my time to work with the animals on the farm. This gives me more chances to go to 4-H events as well, so I don’t really mind. I also have more time to work with my horse and goats. So being homeschooled works well for me, but may not be the best choice for others.



I hope to see many of you at our next event, Capital Days!

Danielle Knapp
State Council Reporter

When I grow up I want to be...

Recently while watching TV I saw a commercial for Monster.com. Their tag line was “when I grow up I want to be.” Children around 8 years old to about 14 years old were stars in this commercial. They each had a different answer depending on where they grew up and who influenced them. Some of the answers were I want a big nose, I want people to love me, I want to be a teacher, I want to work in advertising, and the list goes on.

The commercial made me realize that a big influence of my ending for the sentence came from 4-H. When I grow up I want to work in agriculture public relations. I love talking to in front of a large crowd, creating handouts, and evening writing articles. This all came from my 4-H career. I would not have prepared my first public speaking speech if it was not for 4-H. I learned starting at age 8 I can accomplish anything if I put my mind on the task at hand.

I show dairy animals through the 4-H program. My love for the dairy industry and the animal would not be as strong if it was not for my first 4-H animal. I still remember to this day I was finishing my soccer game one minute and rushing to a sale the next. That sale changed my entire life. It was that day when I bought my first animal to show. I was only 8 years old so I didn’t quite understand the process of bidding but I knew when the gavel fell that animal was mine. The purchase not only influenced my passion but it shaped my future.

The count down is on for the next big council event, Capital Days. This year we will gather in Harrisburg on April 28th until May 1st. 4-H members will be engaged in workshops, participate in a mock legislative session and have a tour of the State Capitol. Members also will meet face to face with their legislators during the final breakfast.

With something to think about,

Ashley Mohn

PA State 4-H Council Secretary

“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your Grandfather was.”

Stronger Every Day

Every day brings new challenges, as I am sure everyone knows. The way we handle the challenges will make us either stronger or weaker. 4-H has handed me several challenges. One challenge I face is  keeping the Northumberland County Council running. This is a particularly hard task because in order for it to work we need dedication from almost all members. Unfortunately, we do not have that dedication. Therefore, I have to find ways to get people interested and willing to work with the council. I could decide that county council isn't worth the trouble, or I could continue to work at it. I have decided to keep on working on it. The longer I work at it the more I learn about how to work through problems, communicate with people, and working with other people. I also learn more about running meetings and planning events. Therefore, through my challenge with county council I have become a stronger person, learning to work through all sorts of problems.
So, next time you, or someone you know is having a challenge work through it. It is alright to ask for help too. Just know that by working through it you will become a stronger and better person.

Until next time,
Sarah Bassett, president

What a busy month

This past month I got to attend the Pennsylvania Farm Show for my 18th time. Since I was born I haven't missed a single one. I did my typical thing up there which is exhibit a market lamb, market hog, market goat and my breeding sheep. This year was different though too, this year I was part of state council so I had the opportunity to take part in some events that i never thought I would be able to do. I took part in the opening ceremonies in the large arena with the rest of my team, I even helped to work at our sandwich stand. While doing that I also had to fit breeding sheep, my goat, lamb, and pig. The weekend after Farm Show was our State Leadership conference held in the beautiful Penn Stater Hotel. Here we meant a ton of 4-H members and even had our past council members come in for dinner. During this weekend we got to see what it is really like to be the ones running the event instead of the ones who get to sit back and enjoy the show. So long for now, hope to see everyone at Capital Days in April!

Potato Judging

OK, OK I know some of you reading this are like, "What is potato Judging?" or "How in the world do you judge a potato?" Well with this blog I am gonna give you the entire rundown. Potato Judging is a competition that is held annually at the Pa state farm show. You never really see signs for it, you just have to ask to find it. Usually it is held upstairs in one of the meeting rooms in Mcreary hall.
Potato Judging is not a hard competition if you study the information. At the competition there are three different parts. One table is for timed judging, one is for defects, and one is for plate placing. When you are at the timed table, it is your goal to get through one hundred potatoes as fast as you can ,meanwhile , circling on your paper, which potatoes you think are grade A. That's not hard right? On the defect table, this is where the studying comes in, you have twenty potatoes with places circled on them, and you must decide out of forty defects which one it is. Such as, Rodent, grub or slug, and Rhizoctonia, just to name a few. The plate placing table is easiest table that is there. At this table you judge four plates of five potatoes. When you are judging these plates you look for uniformity, size, and if there are any defects. That's the competion part of it. This is a team event. After you win as a team you move onto honors. Which is an individual competition with all the same tables. In honors they up the competition by adding another plate placing table, a pick of a dozen table, and two guess the weight potatoes.

If you want more information on potato judging contact your extension agent, and if you have any questions you can message me on face book. thanks for reading.

Your Council Vice president and Sentinel,

Garrett Richardson

Purple Pouch Surprise

When ever my family travels we take our camera in a purple case to keep it protected. When it is not in use the case goes back onto the cabinet. Now you're probably wondering why I just told you this; well the case comes out when I am not home and one of my dairy animals calve.
If my animals calve when I am at school, my Dad goes to the farm and helps with the process. He takes the camera for pictures of the process and the new calf. The case was on my desk, not in the cabinet. I figured something was happening. You probably guessed the surprise. My animal indeed did have a calf.
The surprise does not stop there. The calf was a red and white Holstein. Simple science will tell you that the calf probably came from a red bull and cow. That was not the case. The mother was red and white BUT the father was black and white.
This birth was miracle to have the calf a red animal. For a buyers/ market stand point a red animal is more valuable in my area. When you jog back to 7th grade science you would use a punnett square to find the chance of different genes being passed to offspring. This time the punnett square showed 50% both ways: a red calf and a black calf. The red genes are recessive so for the animal to be red is a miracle I love.
In every good story there is also something that is sad, or upsetting. This story has just that. The calf was a male, or bull, not a heifer. On my farm I only keep the heifers to show at the local fairs. The bulls will got to market to be sold. My calf that was born was sold on market.
If the calf was or was not sold on market, the birth is a circle of life. Through 4-H this is one of the most important lessons I learned. 4-H gives us each a chance to learn something new at every event we participate in. I hope you all are finding you niche, just like I did with my dairy animals.

With something to think about,

Ashley Mohn
PA State 4-H Council Secretary

“A circle is the reflection of eternity. It has no beginning and it has no end - and if you put several circles over each other, then you get a spiral.”