Passion for 4-H

4-H has been mentioned much of late, due to a CNN article posted on June 23. Essentially, the writer of that article, believes that 4-H desensitizes members to animal slaughter. The article has generated much activity, both for and against, the writer's viewpoint.

As a youth development professional, I have the opportunity to see snapshots of growth in the youth involved in the 4-H program. I have watched members gain confidence after successfully completing a presentation, find a career path based upon positive project experiences, be responsible for his/her own money while attending a week's worth of camp, and grow into strong community advocates and adult leaders.

Teachers have often mentioned that they can tell which students are members of the 4-H program. The students often possess a higher degree of self-confidence, responsibility and comfort with public speaking. The results of a child's participation in 4-H are often evident after three years of involvement.

4-H builds community capacity and networks human capital. This is the answer to connecting families and making your community a positive place to raise children.

I would love to hear how 4-H has made a difference in your life. Read the CNN article at http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/06/23/does-4-h-desensitize-kids-to-killing/?hpt=hp_c2 Then email your response to afeld@ksu.edu I would love to post some of your comments right here on our blog. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Gear Up for National 4-H Week

Fall is here -- and it even is starting to feel like it in the weather department too! National 4-H Week will soon be here; October 3-9, and Riley County 4-H clubs are busy planning for the week.

Randolph Ramblers will be performing a song and skit for 4-H Sunday. They have been busy practicing and will share it on October 17 at 9:30 a.m.

College Hill will be visiting Manhattan Broadcasting to promote 4-H and share 4-H made treats.

Bonfire 4-H members will be sharing brochures about their club and their 4-H experience with their classes at school.

The Riley County 4-H Ambassadors will be visiting local radio stations and sharing more about the 4-H program.

The Extension Office will be conducting a special science experiement on carbon footprints with the 4th grade at Manhattan Catholic Schools.

What are you going to do to celebrate National 4-H Week? Email your ideas to afeld@ksu.edu

State Fair Gear Up

We are approaching the "final" weekend of summer, or at least most folks view Labor Day weekend as the final time to celebrate summer. The thermometer may still be on the toasty side, but fall will still soon be here. One of the final summer destinations for everyone should be the Kansas State Fair.

The Kansas State Fair will be held September 10-19 in Hutchinson, Kansas. Members are putting some finishing updates on exhibits, as Kansas 4-H members from across the state have the opportunity to share their work. The Kansas State Fair is, for most 4-H members, the final "big" activity of the 4-H year.

Come check out the action! Visit http://www.kansasstatefair.com/ to explore the schedule and a listing of places to visit. Don't forget to congratulate youth participants for their work! Enjoy this final summer adventure!

Youth Activities Fair

Visit with Riley County 4-H members and Riley County 4-H teen Ambassadors at Manhattan Town Center's Youth Activities Fair on Saturday, August 14.

The fair will be conducted in the center fountain area, located on the west side. School age youth are invited to come and check out what 4-H has to offer from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. that day. Various 4-H clubs will be present throughout the day to showcase project work, and invite you to join their club!

Riley County 4-H is home to 13 community based clubs and three project clubs. So, no matter where you live -- there is a club near you!

The 4-H year begins on October 1, 2010, and we hope you become a part of the Riley County 4-H action!

Cooking Camp

Youth currently in grades Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd are invited to cook – during Cooking Camp, June 14-18, 2010. The camp will be held at the Leonardville Community Building from 1:30-4:00 p.m. each day. Extension Agent, Andrea Feldkamp and Nutrition Assistant, Marina Hairgrove will be teaching the camp.

Campers will get to explore new foods, learn about kitchen safety, how to select fresh produce, prepare snacks and treats, read a recipe, measure wet and dry ingredients, and learn how to prepare food for others.

Space is limited to 25 campers, and registration is due June 1. Visit www.riley.ksu.edu to register today! Campers will design their own apron, recieve a chef hat and a book of recipe's from the week. Come join us!

Make a Splash at Camp!

The camping season is almost here! Youth from second – seventh grades will soon be attending 4-H Camp at Rock Springs 4-H Center. The Purple Power Pack Camp Group (Dickinson, Geary, Morris, Pottawatomie, Riley and Wabaunsee counties) will be camping June 9-12, 2010.

Campers will be swimming, horseback riding, canoeing, creating crafts, trying archery, exploring the outdoors, playing water games, learning about shooting sports, experiencing family style dining and much more! Of course, there will be a campfire and lots of fun learning about nature.

Parents can register youth online at www.riley.ksu.edu Click on “Register for 4-H Camp.” Have your credit card ready, for online payment. Hurry, registration is due May 5!

Camp only comes along once a year – and you won’t want to miss it! Be a part of 4-H Camp 2010, as we “Make a Splash” during this year’s camp theme experience!

To Demonstrate

It has been said that more people fear giving a speech than death. There really is nothing to fear, and you will be surprised at how easy a speech becomes with more opportunities to give them. Speaking is a way to share thoughts and ideas with others, so have no fear, speech tips are near!

Please Do:
· Pre-measure ingredients, if performing a cooking demonstration.
· Bring a table covering for your work space.
· Face the audience when you speak.
· Cover product brand names, or place product in an unmarked container.
· Make a list of supplies, and gather in advance of the presentation.
· Have completed examples ready to share.
· Clean up your work space after the presentation.
· Have a “hooking” introduction and summarizing conclusion.
· Organize the speech in a way that the listener can understand the topic.
· Visual aids should be neat, easy to read and relate to the presentation.
· Dress for a presentation should be neat and clean.
· Wear an apron, if the presentation might be messy.

Last, but not least – remember your smile! People will enjoy the presentation more with a smile, and you will have fun too. Want to learn more? Contact the Riley County Extension Office for publications on demonstrations, illustrated talks and project talks.

Horses, Legislators & Shooting Sports

February is a busy – and exciting month – in the 4-H youth development world! This weekend (over the Valentine’s holiday) 4-H members will be traveling to Rock Springs 4-H Center for Horse Panorama and to Topeka for Citizenship in Action (CIA). Let’s learn more about these youth learning experiences.

Horse Panorama is state-wide quiz bowl and demonstration contest focused entirely on the subject matter of the horse project. Members learn about hippology, perform demonstrations and participate in judging contests. Youth compete both on individual and a team basis. Different age divisions make this an enjoyable contest for all 4-H youth. This event will take place Saturday and Sunday.

Meanwhile, another set of teens – 13 to be exact – are traveling to our State Capital on Sunday. They will be attending legislative sessions, workshops and visiting with local Representatives and Senators. The delegation will get the opportunity to debate mock bills, one of which is a texting while driving bill. The youth will be seated in both the House and Senate Chambers to debate and vote upon the 3 bills. This is truly government in action!

Riley/Pottawatomie counties are hosting a BB gun, Air Rifle and Air Pistol match in Havensville, Kansas, on Saturday. The event has 193 registered shooters from across the state! Shooters are competing for an opportunity to represent their team at state and nationals. Good luck to all 4-H participants this weekend! Congratulations to all for their hard work!

Gavel Games

The best way to have everyone’s input in a meeting is actually quite parliamentary, well, parliamentary procedure that is. Parliamentary procedure is a way to insure that each person present has his or her say in the matter being discussed. Effective use of parliamentary procedure makes meetings run smoother. It is a democratic process, created originally for government meetings. However, the process is quite useful for all types of meetings.

Would you like to learn more about parliamentary procedure? Come check out par-law in action at this year’s 2010 Gavel Games Contest! Youth teams of 4 or 5 will be competing to achieve purple ribbons on their parliamentary practices. The contest will be held on Saturday, January 30 at Blue Valley High School. Teams in Junior (age 7-10); Intermediate (age 11-13) and Senior (age 14-19) will be participating. The first teams are scheduled at 8:30 a.m. The contest will conclude at noon. Come check it out!

A House of Sugar

Some illustrious 2-4th graders have been creating cottages – out of graham crackers, frosting and sweet treats. The foundation begins with a small milk carton set upon a white paper plate. The frosting is concocted with powdered sugar, water and meringue powder to make it set stiff.

Students had to plan a budget for their decorating costs. Candy items ranged in price from 5¢ to 20¢. Each student had $1.50 to spend on their house decorations. The students recorded their purchase intentions on a special sheet and then brought their money with their plan to the table. Be careful though – new crackers will cost you 10¢, if yours happen to break!

I was able to decorate my house on a budget of $1.20. What do you think?

Member Achievements

A big celebration is set for Sunday, November 8! Riley County 4-H members will receive special recognition for 4-H achievements. We will recognize members for Leadership, Citizenship, project work, and more. A new award will be presented for Citizenship this year to one Riley County member.

We will also be recognizing volunteers for their years of service. A family will be honored as 4-H Family of the Year and another long time 4-H volunteer will receive the Volunteer Service Award.

A slide show of achievements will be shared, followed by a light dinner. The delicious finish will be a build your own ice cream sundae!

Great work 4-H members! We look forward to celebrating your work at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday!

The BIG Sale

Raising money takes a l-o-n-g time, according to teen time! The mission is to raise enough money to travel to Washington, D.C. in June. So, in honor of this longstanding 4-H tradition, Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) would like to invite you to the BIG fall sale.

The “garage” sale will take place at Pottorf Hall on Saturday, October 10, from 7:30-11:00 a.m. Pottorf Hall is located at CiCo Park in Manhattan, right off of Avery Avenue.

The building will be filled with furniture, appliances, adult clothing, children’s clothing, games, toys, books, shoes, bags, kitchen items, crafting supplies, linens, electronics and much more. Large items will be priced, and clothing will be sold by the bag for $4. All remaining “bagable” items will be sold for $4 beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Baked goods and coffee will be sold too. Come support local teens as they learn more about our nation’s government, and collect some wonderful items!

National 4-H Week

Happy National 4-H Week! National 4-H Week is currently being celebrated across the United States, October 4-10, 2009. Clubs are hosting recognition events, school information events, displaying their project work and helping people learn more about this family program. Watch for 4-H announcements and listen for what 4-H members are doing in your local community in newspapers and local radio stations.

4-H is over 100 years old, and offers learning experiences for boys and girls. 4-H is for families! Parents and other adults help children learn by teaching them about a specific project – for example – plant science. Adults also serve as mentors and assist youth in planning events and running their meetings.

Riley County is home to 14 community 4-H clubs and 3 project clubs. The clubs meet throughout the county, so there is certain to be one near you. October 1 started the new 4-H year; now is the time to consider 4-H for your family. 4-H experiences start for youth as young as 5, and continue through high school. Here is hoping that you catch that clover enthusiasm!

A Balloon for Your Tailgate?

September has arrived, and football excitement is here too! Join the Riley County K-State Research and Extension staff for a tailgate party sure to please on Thursday and Friday, September 3rd and 4th from 5-9 p.m. each evening. Our booth will be in the center of Poyntz Avenue, directly in front of the Courthouse.

We are exploring “Farm to Tailgate,” and event visitors will learn how their tailgate fare was created from Kansas Agriculture products. Register for a tailgate gift package, complete with paper products, condiments, grill and accessories, tailgate food and a $25 gift certificate for Ray’s Apple Market pork products. The gift certificate is sponsored by the Blue Valley Pork Producers.

Extension Agents and Riley County Extension Council members will be at the booth answering visitor questions, creating balloon animals and showcasing local agricultural grains and products. Come check it out! Goooooo CATS!

Back to School = Back to Routine

The school bells are ringing once again, and it is hard to believe that summer has about ended! Now is the time to start a school routine that is sure to earn “A’s.” Has your family mapped out the school course?

· Lay out clothes the night before, and this will cut down on some of the morning rush.
· If packing a lunch, pack what can be packed the night before. Place all room temperature items, such as crackers, chips, napkins, silverware, etc. in the box or bag. Add the refrigerated items in the morning before you step out the door.
· Gather your backpack goods before you head to bed. Have it all together, and ready by your front door.
· Set aside a designated homework “spot.” Keep pencils, pens, erasers, markers, crayons, rulers and paper at this site.
· Determine a homework time, and stick to it.
· Get plenty of sleep. Brains function better on sleep. Try to keep bedtimes consistent each night.
· Eat breakfast before you dart out the door. Breakfast is the most important brain fuel.

How did you do? If the above items become your school habits, then you will definitely make the grade this year. Good luck!!

Minor Measurement Mix-Up

Last week was the first ever Cooking Camp experience for 19 third-fifth grade students. Ginny and Andrea led the “Chefs” in designing aprons, games, cooking, measuring, kitchen safety, menu planning and a host of other culinary skills. Our young “chefs” quickly learned that a key to any recipe success is to read.

Our breakfast themed day involved work with eggs. Cracking eggs and separating eggs were listed as favorite activities by many of the young cooks. After practice with eggs, it was time to get down to business of completing the recipe for a creation. The recipe of “Sunrise Sandwiches” took on a little hint of night because of a measurement mistake.

The chef team quickly grabbed ingredients and added a ¼ cup of pepper and a ¼ cup of salt to their recipe of 6 eggs. Shredded cheddar cheese was thrown in to complete the mix. After a quick look in the bowl, the adults discovered that the recipe did not quite look right.

After a chat with the team, and a review of the recipe, it was discovered that the recipe actually required a ¼ teaspoon of both salt and pepper. Without enough eggs to remedy the large quantity of salt, we scrapped that batch and began again.

The second recipe was truly sunny – bright yellow and orange – and quickly gobbled up by some very hungry cooks!

"Forever Green"

School is about out. After talking with some 4-H members yesterday, I learned that they will be out of school one day earlier than the calendar indicated. I asked the sixth grader why this was the case, “Well, we already have all our hours in, so we get to be done a day earlier!” She was definitely excited about this prospect.

The end of school signifies another “season” in the year of youth programming. I refer to this season as “T-Shirt Season.” Youth events are all about fun, learning, friends --- and the t-shirt. My t-shirt population is about to experience its annual growth spurt. Speaking of t-shirts, we could use your help, or your thoughts about our fair t-shirt.


Our theme is “Forever Green,” which will be printed on the t-shirt in some fun logo fashion. The question really is: What shade of green should we choose for the shirt? Should it be lime, kiwi, kelly, avocado, artisan, forest or none of the above? Which color is your favorite? Monday is when the big decision will be made. Mull it over, and let us know your choice. Red light, GREEN light – GO!

My Favorite Recipe

Growing up, Mom always needed a little help in the kitchen. She prepared many meals for my sisters, my Dad and I. As we grew older, each one of us (I was one of six kids) had a day to prepare dinner for the family. I started to experiment, and grew to love cooking!

My favorite meal to prepare is baked chicken and potatoes. Yum! It was fun to make, and even more fun to eat. I added a little cheese to the potatoes and ranch dressing for a little twist. This recipe was definitely a keeper.

In honor of cooking, and because I grew to love cooking as a kid, Riley County Extension is hosting a Kids Cooking Camp. This day camp will be held at the Riley Centre, June 22-26, from 9-noon each day. Kids will get to explore the world of cooking and learn about food safety, kitchen utensil ID, shopping on a budget, selecting ingredients, measuring and other cooking skills.

This camp is for current 3-5 graders. A registration form can be found at www.riley.ksu.edu and the cost to attend is $30. Only 25 students will be accepted, and registration will close on June 10. Bon appétit!

4-H Twilight Trail Hike

Riley County 4-H Health & Wellness project leader, Dianna Schalles, is planning the first ever “Twilight Trail Hike” for 4-H members and families. The hike will take place at Annenberg Park, on Friday, May 29 at 7:00 p.m.

Participants should plan to gather at the Shelter House next to the playground. We will make trail mix, explore pedometers and hike around the loop. Youth all ages are welcome, and youth age 13 and younger must be accompanied by a parent.

This is the first of a series of three hikes that Dianna will be coordinating. The second hike will be held on Saturday, June 27 at Linear Trail. Other fun activities will also be held in conjunction with this hike. A third hike will be held in August or September.

Since food supplies will need to be purchased ahead of the hike date, we need an RSVP. Please email Dianna at diannas@ksu.edu by May 22 for the May 29th hike. Additional information will come later for the June hike.

Come walk the trail with Riley County 4-H!

4-H Recycle Sale

The weather is getting a bit warmer – slowly – and Riley County 4-H members are ready to ring in the spring cheer with a sale. So, mark your calendars to come and visit Pottorf Hall on Saturday, April 18. The sale will begin at 7:30 a.m. and will feature a variety of items: housewares, décor, electronics, books, toys, games, yard, sporting goods, small appliances, furniture, linens and much more than can be listed.

Most people think of spring as a perfect time to clean out the closets, and get the house ready for the warmer weather. 4-H families have searched through their home treasures to determine items they no longer need. These items will be featured at the 4-H Garage Sale. The sale is a great place to find items you need, add to your family board game collection, or update your home décor.

Sale visitors will want to stop back by at 10:30 a.m., as the bag sale begins at that time. During the last hour of the sale, customers will receive a bag (large paper bag size) and will be invited to put anything in the bag. Each bagful of items will be $4. Customers may fill as many bags as they wish.

This sale is one way that 4-H members participating in the Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) program, raise funds to cover travel expenses, for this government learning experience. The group will travel to Washington, DC during the summer of 2010 to learn more about the national governmental process.