4-H Calendar of Events

April 26

4-H Livestock Fitting Clinic, Wayne County Fairgrounds, 9 a.m.

May 1

Wayne County 4-H Enrollment Deadline

May 1

4-H Horse Ownership/Lease Papers Due

May 1

4-H Public Presentation/Food Demonstration Contest, 7 p.m.

May 3

4-H Petting Zoo at Literacy Fest

May 5

Dog Obedience Class - 1^st session

May 5

4-H Federation, 7 p.m.

May 17

4-H Day with the Cardinals

May 17

Youth Horse Clinic, Hamilton County Saddle Club, 9:30 a.m.

May 22

PQA Training, 7 p.m.

May 30-31

Hunter Safety Course

June 5-6

So. IL 4-H Space & Aeronautics Camp

June 6

Tractor Clinic

June 8-11

So. IL 4-H Camp

June 23

PQA Training, 7 p.m.

June 26-28

Illini Summer Academies

June 29 - July 1

Jr. High 4-H Camp

August 8 & 12

Wayne County Days at the IL State Fair

The May meeting of the Wayne County 4-H Federation will be Monday, May 5, at 7 p.m. All 4-H members are welcome.

We had hoped to go to Brookstone to play bingo with the residents but a scheduling conflict has forced us to reschedule. Be on the look out for an alternate date.

Do you need help getting your 4-H animals ready for the Fair? This free 4-H Livestock Fitting Clinic, scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 9 a.m., at the Wayne County Fairgrounds will provide you with lots of useful information. Topics to be discussed are Animal Nutrition, Showmanship Techniques, Daily Care of Your Animal, Premise ID, and Showing and Fitting Animals for the Fair.

There will be a 4-H Petting Zoo at the Family Literacy Fest on Saturday, May 3. It will be held at Northside School in Fairfield. Geff Chatters 4-H Club is coordinating this activity and invites any 4-H'ers with small animals to participate. Call the Extension Office at 842-3702 to volunteer. Help is also needed to man the booth that day.

The popular 8-week dog obedience class will be held on Monday evenings, 6-7:30 p.m., starting May 5 and running through June 30, except May 26, which is Memorial Day. It will take place in the 4-H arena of the Wayne County Fairgrounds. Interested individuals should call the Extension Office at 842-3702 to register or Mary Murphy, class instructor, at 599-5018.

The Wayne County 4-H Public Presentation & Cooking Demonstration contest has been set for Thursday, May 1, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Extension Office. All 4-H members interested in giving a talk or demonstration are encouraged to do so. Several categories are offered in this contest (complete list of contest categories and rules in Showbook). You could even give a speech that you wrote for a class at school! Each time you speak in front of an audience, you gain so many skills that you will carry with you throughout the rest of your life. Please contact the Extension Office by April 30 to let us know the topic of your presentation.

Wayne County 4-H is in the process of forming a new Theatre Arts Club. This club will meet the 2^nd week of June and is open to students in the 6^th, 7^th or 8^th grades.

The group will perform the play "Recess" to family and friends the final night. The script includes 20 speaking roles. Auditions will be held prior to the first club meeting. A registration fee of $30 - $35 is anticipated to cover expenses.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please call the office to sign up. Details are being finalized and will be made available soon. Tap into your creative side at Theatre Arts Club this summer.

Your next chance to enroll in a Hunter Safety Course is right around the corner. One has been scheduled for May 30 & 31. It will be held at the Fairfield Gun Club. Friday's class will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday's class will be all day from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Don't forget to bring a sack lunch. Remember you must attend class on both days for certification. The class is limited to 40 participants, so call the Extension Office early to register!

Youth Pork Quality Assurance Certification is required for any exhibitor showing junior barrows, open barrows, or Premiere barrows at the 2008 Illinois State Fair.

In reaction to most US packers requiring PQA, the Illinois State Fair is mandating this certification for its exhibitors in these swine classes. Proof of PQA Certification will be part of the Illinois State Fair entry forms due July 1^st every year.

• It is encouraged (not mandated) that youth 9-13 years of age be accompanied by a parent or guardian during the class.
• The parent or guardian cannot become certified by accompanying their child at a Youth PQA class; bust must attend an adult PQA Level III program to become certified or have a veterinarian certify them at there farm during a routine visit.
• Youth 19 years of age or older must become certified through the adult PQA Level III education program.
• Youth 9-13 years of age must re-certify annually by attending a Youth PQA education program.
• Youth under 9 years of age cannot be certified in Youth PQA, but may sell a pig under their parent or guardian's Adult PQA Level III certification.

Two PQA training sessions have been scheduled - May 22 at 7 p.m. or June 23 at 7 p.m., both at the Extension Office. Please call the office if you plan to attend either session at 842-3702.

Any youngster planning to exhibit beef, sheep, swine, goats, poultry, dairy or horses at the Illinois State Fair MUST complete Quality Assurance & Ethics training via the internet by July 1 if they have not already done so. Once completed, you do not have to repeat the process. Horses have an earlier deadline of June 9. The website address is http://qaec.outreach.uiuc.edu.

4-H Camp for Grades 3-6

4-H Camp is an experience you'll never forget. Make new friends as you enjoy swimming, hiking, boating and team crafts galore. In addition, this year's camp features wind and water activities like water Olympics, building a cardboard boat and hot air balloons. And, each evening offers special activities like campfire singing, outdoor movies, and board games. Cost is $150.

4-H Youth Camp runs June 8 - 11 and is held at WOW Little Egypt Camp near West Frankfort. All Southern Illinois kids ages 8 to 11, or in grades 3 through 6, can attend. You don't have to be a 4-H member to come to camp. Space is limited, so register early!

Registration material is available online at: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/regions/4h/camp/

4-H Camp for Grades 7-8

4-H Junior High Camp is the place for summer fun. This camp offers just the right mix of traditional camping activities and plenty of free time to hang out with friends. Besides the traditional camp fun of swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, and team games, this camp features a high rope challenge course, robotics, rocketry and GPS activities. Cost is $110.

Jr. High Camp runs June 29 - July 1 and will be held at Camp Wartburg, Waterloo, IL. It is for all youth ages 12-14, regardless of 4-H membership. Space is limited so register early!

Registration material is available online at: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/regions/4h/camp/

Again this year, Dr. Loy Hosselton has been so generous as to offer to test and inspect your livestock project free of charge. Remember all livestock exhibited must conform to the current year's Illinois Livestock Exhibition Regulations as stated under the general livestock rules of the Wayne County Fair Association. Health papers, as required, must accompany all animals to the Fairgrounds. All you need to do is call Dr. Hosselton at 842-4884 to set up an appointment in early June to get on his schedule. Be prepared to let him know the kind of animal, how many, and directions to your farm. All testing must be completed by June.

The Geff Chatters 4-H Club will host an Electricity Workshop on Thursday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m. for all interested 4-H'ers. The workshop will be led by employees of Wayne-White Electric Cooperative. Participants will make a soda can lamp (bring an empty & clean soda can). This will qualify as a project in Electricity III. The cost of the workshop is $12.00 and registration is required by May 23 to ensure that enough supplies are on hand for everyone that wants to attend.

The Office of the Illinois State Treasurer, Alexi Giannoulias, is offering the Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship program again this year with plans to double the number of scholarships from five to ten. They will award $2,500 scholarships to outstanding students pursuing ag-related studies in the fall. This is an excellent opportunity for high school seniors who are pursuing careers in agriculture at two-year or four-year colleges. Winners are chosen by a committee of agriculture agency representatives based on a short essay question. Applications are due May 15, 2008.

You may download the 2008 application at www.treasurer.il.gov and follow the links.

Check out the e Wayne County 4-H Show Schedule. Be sure to post it where you can see it and keep it for future reference.

Thursday, May 1^st

Public Presentations/Food Demonstration Contest, 7 p.m., Extension Office

Tuesday, July 8^th

Clothing Show, 10 a.m., Methodist Church

Wednesday, July 9^th

Fairgrounds Clean-up Day, 9 a.m., Fairgrounds

Thursday, July 10^th

Foods Show, 1 p.m., Geff Ruritan Building

Thursday, July 10^th

Dog Obedience and Dog and Cat Show, 6 p.m., Fairgrounds

Saturday, July 12^th

Horse Show, 5 p.m., Wayne County Saddle Club

Monday, July 14^th

General Projects Show, 8 a.m., Fairgrounds

Bicycle Rodeo & Tractor Driving Contest, 2 p.m., Fairgrounds

Beef weigh-in, 4 p.m., Fairgrounds

Sheep & Goat weigh-in and check-in, 5 p.m., Fairgrounds

Swine weigh-in, 6 p.m., Fairgrounds

Tuesday, July 15^th

Bucket Calf Show, 8:30 a.m., Fairgrounds

Beef Show, 9 a.m., Fairgrounds

Chicken BBQ Contest, 3 p.m., Fairgrounds

Sheep Show, 5 p.m., Fairgrounds

Goat Show, 6:30 p.m., Fairgrounds

Wednesday, July 16^th

Swine Show, 8 a.m., Fairgrounds

Poultry Show, 5:30 p.m., Fairgrounds

Rabbit Show, 7 p.m., Fairgrounds

Thursday, July 17^th

Carcass Show, 10 a.m., Farmer's Packing in Albion

Round Robin Showmanship Contest, 1 p.m., Fairgrounds

Little Pig Drive, 4:30 p.m., Fairgrounds

Awards Presentation, 5:00 p.m., Fairgrounds

Livestock Auction, 5:30 p.m., Fairgrounds

THIS SCHEDULE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

The activity you get in PE class is probably not enough. In addition to your PE activities, try to work in about 30 minutes of moderate physical activity such as walking or riding a bike every day. Three or four times each week, challenge yourself to 15 to 20 minutes of more intense activities like jogging or one-on-one basketball. Whatever activity you choose, make every day an active day.

Here's how to tell if your body is getting a good workout. If you can talk while doing a physical activity, you're moving at a pace that's right for you. If you're too breathless to talk, slow down. And if you can sing, you may not be working hard enough—so get moving.

10 Ways to Get Physical

1. Use your feet. Instead of asking your folks for a ride, put your feet to the ground and start walking. Ask your parents to come along—walking is good for them, too.

2. Try in-line skating. Fun, fast, and easy to learn, in-line skating is a great way to spend a day outside with friends. Don't forget the safety gear!

3. Take the stairs. Forget the elevator. By simply taking the stairs every chance you can, you'll get a workout without even thinking about it.

4. Walk the dog. Dog walking is a fun, furry way to be physically active.

5. Turn up the music and dance.

6. Bike there. Bikes go wherever you take them, so grab your friends and hit the trail. Of course, wear a helmet.

7. Earn extra cash. Try mowing lawns, weeding gardens, and cleaning garages.

8. Baby-sit for little children. Sounds silly, but if you've never kept up with a toddler, you're in for a big surprise.

9. Lap it up. Swimming is a great activity.

10. Play one-on-one basketball with friends for a total body workout. First one to 21 wins!

Recipe of the Month

High-5 Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1 small can pineapple chucks in juice

1 small banana

1 cup seedless grapes, cut in half

1 kiwi, peeled and sliced

3 Tablespoons chopped nuts

Directions

1. Pour pineapple with juice into bowl.

2. Peel and slice banana, then add to pineapple.

3. Add the grapes, kiwi, and chopped nuts.

4. Mix well and enjoy. Store leftover salad in the refrigerator.

The Food Stamp Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact Dept. of Human Services at 618/842-2621.

Why not make plans to attend the Illinois State Fair this year. It will run from August 8 - 17 in Springfield. Wayne County's 4-H action presentation day is Friday, August 8 and conference judging day is Tuesday, August 12. Check out the State Fair website for information on coming attractions at http://www.agr.state.il.us/isf/.

If you are planning to show a bucket calf this summer at 4-H Fair, you will need your project manual/record. Please call or stop by the office to pick yours up. Remember, the judge will need to review this during judging.