Welcome to a New Year of 4-H Activities
What are some fun things you can do in 4-H? Well, the first place to look to find out about what’s going on in Calcasieu Parish 4-H is The Cloverleaf you’ll receive at your monthly meeting. Take it home to let your family know which events interest you. Information about 4-H activities - newsletters, calendars, forms, etc. - can also be found on our Web site. Go to http://lsuagcenter.com/calcasieu.
We’re glad you decided to join 4-H this year, and we hope you have a year to remember.
Calcasieu 4-H Membership Closes November 1
Club leaders must have all enrollment information in the 4-H office by Nov. 1. Please help them do this by turning in your enrollment cards to them when they ask. A special note to livestock exhibitors: you must be enrolled by November 1 to show your animals at the parish, district or state livestock shows.
Officer Training Helps Club Officers Get A Good Start On The Year
Good officers are the key to an active and successful 4-H Club. Have you been chosen to serve as an officer for your local club? If so, you have an important job to do for your club members. Our Officer Training Workshop is your chance to learn exactly what your responsibilities as a club officer are and how to best carry out those responsibilities. Our parish Officer Training Workshop will be held on October 15, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the 4-H Office on Gulf Highway. We hope to see all club officers on October 15.
Elementary Project Workshop Day
Elementary Project Workshop Day is a great way to start off the 4-H year! Participants will take part in “hands-on” workshops that relate to the fourth- and fifth-grade projects. This year Elementary Project Workshop Day will be held on Saturday, November 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Gayle Hall on the McNeese campus. There will be six workshops for you to choose from -- Electricity, Pet Care, Clothing, Foods, Outdoor Adventures and Plants. You may choose three (3) workshops to attend. We will attempt to give everyone their first three choices, but, because we can only work with so many at one time, we may have to place you in another workshop. To participate you must register by November 13 by completing and returning the form at the end of the Cloverleaf.
Parents are welcome at Workshop Day. Our parents’ workshop will give parents information on how you can help your child succeed in 4-H.
Elementary Workshop Pre-registration Form - Return To: Calcasieu 4-H, 7101 Gulf Hwy., Lake Charles, LA 70607
4th & 5th graders only
We will be able to accept a limited number of participants, so be sure to pre-register by November 13.
Download Registration Form
You’ll Soon be Getting Your Project Books!
When you completed your enrollment form, you probably checked at least one “project” at the bottom of the form. Each of those “projects” has a book associated with it, and you will be receiving your project books soon. And now is a good time to get started on your project!
So, what are you supposed to do with your project book? Your project book is full of fun activities. Your project book can serve as a tool to motivate your self-directed learning, a guide to plan hands-on activities, a resource to explore an area of interest, and a framework for measuring your progress.
Your project book is designed to be used over a 3 year period, so the first thing you need to do is read the first pages of your book to see what you need to do to complete your project for this year. Next, find an adult to support and help you with your project. A parent, grandparent, older brother or sister can serve this role. Next, outline what, when and how you plan to do project activities and experiences. Get out a calendar and set a timeline for completing your project activities.
Have a family member or friend take pictures of you completing the project activities. You’ll also want to participate in the contests and workshops that relate to your project. This will give you a good start in completing your 4-H Portfolio in the spring.
Project Clubs are Organizing for the 2009-2010 4-H Year
While you are a member of your school’s 4-H Club, you can also participate in project clubs that are a part of our parish 4-H program. Project clubs are groups that conduct all of their activities in one project area. If any of these project areas interest you, come be a part of the fun. You’ll learn more about the project area, get to participate in 4-H activities outside of your regular school club and make new friends who have the same interests as you do.
4-H Shooting Sports Program
The Shooting Sports club is for members enrolled in the Outdoor Skills project who are interested in learning more about wildlife habitat and management, gun safety, hunting ethics, and much more. The outdoor skills project consists of shotgun, archery, rifle, black powder, pistol and hunting. Volunteers are needed to help teach in the six areas.
The Shooting Sports club meets monthly on Saturdays. This year we will divide into two groups determined by experience level of club members. New members must attend the first meeting to be held on Monday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the 4-H Office.
4-H Fishing Sports Program
We’re really excited about our 4-H Fishing Sports program. This year we have fun fishing days planned at Burton Coliseum, fishing at Calcasieu Point and the Cameron Jetties, educational workshops on fly fishing, water ecology, fish and shrimp identification. An initial parent’s meeting and enrollment meeting will be held on October 15 at 6:30 at the 4-H Office. Meetings of the Fishing Sports Club will be held throughout the year. If you and your parents are interested in learning about the Fishing Sports program, please complete and return the following form by October 9.
4-H Fishing Sports Club Pre-registration
Return By October 9, 2009 To: Calcasieu Parish 4-H, 7101 Gulf Hwy., Lake Charles, LA 70607
Download Registration Form
Horse Project Club
Interested in Horses? Then this is the club for you. All interested 4-H members can participate in this club. You do not have to have a horse to participate, only a strong interest in horses. Some of the activities the club has planned are field trips to veterinary clinics, breeding farms, trail rides and other horse related activities.
To find out more about the Horse Club or to join, please come to our enrollment meeting on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. in Grand Lake at Wilkerson Arena. A map to the arena is available on our website lsuagcenter.com/calcasieu. Bring your horse if you have one.
Green TEENs Environmental Club
Are you concerned about what’s happening to our environment? Do you want to learn ways that you can help protect our environment. Then our Green TEENs Environmental club is just right for you. We’ll be having our first meeting on Thursday, October 15 at 6:00 p.m. at the 4-H office. Our Green TEENs club is open to any 4-H member. (You don’t have to be a teenager.)
Livestock News
Livestock Exhibitors! Get Ready For The Spring Shows
Are you planning to show an animal at the parish, district, or state livestock show? Let us know by filling out the form found at right. Returning this form will put you on the livestock list to receive information from the 4-H office on possession dates, caring for animals, show entry procedures, etc.
Animals to be shown at the parish, district, or LSU shows must be in your possession and under your care before the following dates: Steers - August 15, 2009
Commercial Heifers & Beef Breeding - November 7, 2009
Market Lambs, Commercial Ewes & Breeding Sheep - November 7, 2009
Market Goats, Commercial Does & Breeding Goats - November 7, 2009
Dairy - November 7, 2009
Market Hogs & Breeding Swine - December 5, 2009
Meat Pen Rabbits - own does by October 15, 2009, don’t breed until after October 18th
Breeding Rabbits - November 7, 2009
Anyone planning to show broilers at the parish or LSU show must notify the 4-H office by November 1 so the broiler chicks can be ordered from the hatchery.
Livestock Possession Rule Guidelines
If a 4-H or FFA livestock project cannot be housed at the exhibitor’s home or family property, the exhibitor must file for a hardship request for special housing. The request must be made and approved prior to possession date. If this request is not made before possession date then the exhibitor will not be allowed to show at the parish, district, and state livestock shows. There will be no exceptions to this rule, so please get your request approved before you purchase show animals this year.
Please contact the 4-H Office if you need to complete this request form and we will mail a copy to you. Forms are also available on our website. Please do not wait until the last minute to get approval, because you will not be able to show. It is the 4-H or FFA member’s responsibility to notify the 4-H office of the housing hardship and complete the request prior to possession date for each species.
Validation of Animals for 2010 Livestock Shows
Commercial heifer, market lambs, commercial ewes, market goats, commercial does, breeding rabbits and beef breeding animals will be validated at the following locations: November 5, 2009 - 4:00-6:00 p.m., Burton Coliseum Barn
November 7, 2009 - 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m., West Cal Arena
Validation for market hogs & breeding swine will be held the first week of December. More details will be in the November Cloverleaf.
Cal-Cam Fair
We will be validating breeding rabbits and beef breeding at Cal-Cam Fair on Saturday, October 10, 2009. We will validate commercial heifers, market goats, and market lambs if we have the validation information at this time. Otherwise we will validate at these animals at the November validation dates.
Hardship Statement
The district and/or state show manager must be notified within 48 hours of the end of validation if an unforeseen emergency or act of God has prevented an exhibitor from attending validation. After contacting the district and/or state show manager, hardship forms must be immediately filed along with supporting material. The deadline for making notifications and filing hardships is November 9, 2009, 4:30pm for Dairy, Beef, Sheep and Goat species and December 7, 2009, 4:30pm for Market Hogs. These hardships will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the parish agent, district show manager and state show manager. Only cases where it is determined that the situation was unavoidable will the exhibitor be allowed to validate. This decision will be final and not subject to appeal.
Spring Livestock Show— Pre-registration
Return by October 23, 2009 to: Calcasieu Parish 4-H, 7101 Gulf Hwy., Lake Charles, LA 70607
Download Registration Form
Contests
Pet Show- October 20th - Burton Coliseum
Registration 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Show Begins 6:30 p.m.
Each 4-H’er can enter only one pet.
1. Categories of pets include dogs, cats, rabbits, fowl, fish, reptiles, any other. It does not include cows, horses, sheep, pigs, or goats.
2. Elementary and junior members will compete separately in categories where 5 or more pets are registered. In categories where less than 5 pets are registered, elementary and junior 4-H’ers will compete together.
3. In each category, animals will be judged on characteristics such as best groomed, largest (height), smallest (height), most unusual, longest hair, prettiest eyes, etc.
4. This is a "fun" pet show. It is not necessary to have a registered animal. Grooming and cleanliness are important.
Please Note: Categories/characteristics to be judged will vary. We may add or delete categories depending on the number of pets registered.
Beef & Rice Cookery; Egg, Beef & Rice Ambassador Contests - November 7, 2009 - Gayle Hall, McNeese University
These contests would be an excellent way to start off the new year in 4-H. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.; contests begin at 9:00 a.m. Awards will be presented at 12:00 noon.
First and second place winners in all divisions of all contests will receive an award of $10 and $5 respectively to be presented at the end-of-the-year recognition program.
In addition, the first place winners in each category of Beef and Rice Cookery will compete for "sweepstakes" winner of that category. The "sweepstakes" winner in each category will represent Calcasieu Parish at the area contest held in the spring.
All dishes entered in cookery contests must be prepared at home and brought to the contest ready for serving. Each dish must be chilled on ice and brought to the contest in an ice chest. No hot dishes will be allowed. Bring only the dish and ice chest to the contest.
Beef Cookery
1. Each dish must use a minimum of one pound ground beef.
2. Two servings of the dish should be exhibited at the contest.
3. Contestant must furnish a recipe with name, age, and 4-H club. Recipes will not be returned.
4. Creativity and originality are encouraged. The use of previous winning recipes is discouraged.
5. Contestants may enter a total of 2 dishes. Contestant may not enter 2 dishes in the same category. Categories include:
Low Calorie Main Dish - a dish which has less than 300 calories per serving. Calculations of calories must be stated on the recipe. List each ingredient on the recipe and write the number of calories beside each. Then total. Divide the total number of calories by the number of servings.
One Dish Meal - a dish that provides food from at least 3 of the 5 main food groups. The amount is not specified, but it should be enough to provide some nutrients. Use the “My Pyramid” as a guide.
Quick and Easy Main Dish - a dish that takes less than one hour to prepare, including cooking or baking time. Estimation of preparation time must be included on the recipe. List each preparation step separately and write the preparation time beside each step. Total the preparation time.
Rice Cookery Contest
1. Bring prepared rice dish to the contest. The dish must contain at lease one (1) cup of cooked rice. Wild rice is not a cultivated rice in Louisiana and does not meet the requirement of 1 cup rice. Dishes containing rice products such as rice cereal, rice flour, etc., must also contain cooked rice.
2. Two servings of the dish should be exhibited at the contest.
3. Bring 1 copy of the recipe to the contest. The recipe must contain name of the dish, how much rice it contains, and preparation instructions.
4. Creativity and originality are encouraged. The use of previous winning recipes is discouraged.
5. The contest will be divided into three categories.
Rice Main Dish - contains significant amounts of beef, poultry or seafood.
Rice Side Dish - rice dressing would be considered a side dish.
Rice Dessert
Egg, Beef & Rice Ambassador Contests (Illustrated Talk)
1. Division I – (Grades 4-6) Contestant (a) designs a standard poster 22” x 28” relating to one of the five topics concerning Egg, Beef, or Rice (production, food preparation & nutritive value, food safety, processing, marketing), (b) presents a 2-3 minute explanation of poster subject, and (c) responds to questions from judges.
Division II – (Grades 7-9) Contestant (a) designs a standard poster 22” x 28” relating to one of the five topics concerning Egg, Beef or Rice (production, food preparation and nutritive value, food safety, processing, marketing, (b) prepares an essay not to exceed 500 words or 3 typed pages, double spaced, about the selected subject, (c) presents a 2-3 minute explanation of subject, (d) responds to questions from judges.
Division III-(Grades 10-12) Contestant will present a 5-8 minute illustrated talk concerning Egg, Beef or Rice. (Only egg illustrated talk requires a dish.)
Information for illustrated talks can be obtained from the 4-H Office.
2. One table and one easel will be provided.
3. No dish is needed to compete in these contests with the exception of Division III Egg.
4. 1st place winners in each age category will represent Calcasieu at the area contest in March. The Rice Ambassador contest ends at District. Winners from the area contest in Beef and Egg will compete at the State Contest.
Clovers To:
Our 4-H Summer Camp Counselors: Kristin Davis, Anna Espey, Ryan Gilbert, Leslie Kinney, Allen Lormand, Kristen Smith, Morgan Smith, Cassidy Sonnier, Justin Trahan, Christopher Trahan
Our 4-H Summer Camp Adult Leaders: Brent Chaumont, Janeal McCauley, Sharon Nabours, Kate Ryder, Charlene Smith and Eric Smith