June 2005

THE SCHOOLROOM

June 6, 2005

Randall Lloyd

School Program Coordinator

Agriculture for Educator's Tour 2005, a workshop for teachers, was held on Friday, June 3, 2005. Eighteen teachers from McLean, Dewitt and Livingston Counties participated in this year's edition, the third in a series.

The teachers visited the Funk Prairie Home and Mineral Museum, explored "Illini Boulevard," and the canopy of hardwood forests in McLean County. Sugar Grove Nature Center, the Evergreen FS elevator in McLean and the Schwoerer Dairy completed the tour.

Along the way, teachers learned what moraines are, where they are and why the terrain of the county is so rolling. They also investigated cemeteries, learned to identify "I" houses and "Prairie Cubes," found out where crops are irrigated in the county and dissected a stalk of corn.

Plans are underway for next year's tour, which will be early in June 2006. Again, the teachers will enjoy a catered lunch, courtesy of the McLean County Farm Bureau, and earn six CPDU credits toward their certification plans. Please encourage teachers to plan to attend the 2006 edition of Agriculture for Educators.

AG FACT: An acre of corn yielding 150 bushels will produce almost 11 million kernels.

Daycare/Childcare Tours Of The Mclean County Fair are again available for the 2006 Fair. Tours start at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, August 4 and 5, 2006. Nineteen tours are scheduled so far, with 276 children attending. Still, 27 tour times are available.

Tours last approximately 40 minutes for children above the age of 5. Five-year-olds can enroll in Cloverbuds, so they get the typical tour. Children under the age of five are given a shorter tour focusing on the 4-H animals.

Interested daycare and childcare providers in the county should call Randy at 663-8306 as soon as possible to arrange a tour.

AG FACT: Today there are more than a billion sheep in the world.

The Partners For Agricultural Literacy Council, a group of agricultural business persons and educators that coordinate the Agriculture Awareness program in McLean County met on Wednesday, June 8, 2005. At their noon meeting, the Council reviewed the events of the past year and learned of future workshop plans.

In addition, the Council recognized the retirement of long-time member, Maria Millen. Ms. Millen retired this spring from teaching third grade at Fairview Elementary School and will pursue a writing career in her retirement.

Ms. Millen was an active member of the council and contributed many outstanding ideas toward the advancement of agricultural education in the schools of McLean County. The members thanked Maria for her tenure on the Council and recognized her work with a token of their appreciation.

The council welcomed a new member at the June 8, 2005 meeting. Mrs. Bridget Caldwell teaches third grade at Sugar Creek Elementary School in Normal and is married to David, a farmer in the Ellsworth area.

Mrs. Caldwell uses agriculture lessons in her classroom and encourages her fellow teachers to follow suit. She is a recipient of a 2005 John Maitland Agriculture Awareness Grant and is involved in the annual Chick It Out program.

We thank Ms. Millen for her years of service and welcome Mrs. Caldwell to the PAL Council.

AG FACT: Combines were first used to harvest soybeans in 1920.

McLean County Chamber of Commerce "Ag After Hours" will visit the McLean County 4-H Fair on Wednesday, August 3, 2005. The event will be an outstanding opportunity to introduce chamber members to agriculture and the work of 4-H members in McLean County.

The event runs from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on the fair grounds at the Interstate Center. A number of hands-on activities as well as static and moving displays will provide excellent learning experiences for attendees. WJBC will be broadcasting from the event and snacks and beverages will be provided by the Interstate Center.

Current, as well as potential chamber members are encouraged to join McLean County Farm Bureau and University of Illinois Extension, McLean County leadership and agriculture staff for this exciting agricultural awareness event, and also meet some of the outstanding 4-H members who will be at the fair.

AG FACT: One inch of rain on one acre of ground equals 27,150 gallons of water!

Here's a quote that really sums up the farmer and rancher's attitude about the environment.

"You can have the newest farm equipment and the best crop protection program, but when you get down to basics, we make a living at farming because of good topsoil and the fact that it rains. We have to keep our soil on the land and the water clean." Max Smith – farms 900 acres of corn in Knoxville, Iowa.

Following up on Max's comment, here is some information on how farmers protect the environment.

• The USDA 2006 farm program budget provides more than $3.8 billion dollars for conservation.

• Each year farmers plant hundreds of thousands of trees on farmland in a program known as agroforestry.

• As of April 2005, farmers enrolled 34.8 million acres of their land in the Conservation Reserve Program to protect the environment and provide habitat for wildlife.

• More than half of America's agricultural producers intentionally provide habitat for wildlife.

• By April 2005, farmers, ranchers and other landowners had installed 1.5 million miles of conservation buffers under a USDA initiative. Buffers are installed to improve soil, air and water quality as well as enhance wildlife habitat and create scenic landscapes.

• By April 2005, more than 29,500 miles of buffer strips had been planted as part of the Wetlands Reserve Program, designed to restore or enhance wetlands.

AG FACT: The U. S. produces more than 200 kinds of cheeses.

The Timeless Clover News

Timeless Clovers 4-H Alumni Association

Randall Lloyd

School Program Coordinator

University of Illinois Extension, McLean County

Memorial Day Parade

What a great event for our community, and a tremendous opportunity for all of us to express appreciation to our service persons and their families!

Several 4-H clubs joined the Timeless Clovers Alumni Association in their unit in the parade. Marching with the alumni were: Bloomington Busy Bees, Linden Lead 'Em, Golden Eagles, Old Town, Ardent Tillers and Silverleaf Let's Go Ag 4-H clubs. Thank you to all the 4-H members and parents who participated in the parade.

4-H Alumni Support "After School" 4-H Program

Timeless Clover Alumni Association has donated $750 for a new "After School" program developed by the University of Illinois Extension, McLean County as part of its many outreach initiatives. Involved in the program will be Bloomington Housing Authority, Normal Parks and Recreation and three Unit 5 elementary schools.

The $750 grant donated by the Timeless Clovers was matched at 100% by the University of Illinois Extension, McLean County, for a total of $1,500. All funds will be used to purchase supplies for children participating in the program. The program objective is to aid less privileged school children in opportunities closely aligned with 4-H principles and skill building.

Alumni "Fill The Bus" With School Supplies at the Fair

The University of Illinois Extension in partnership with the McLean County Health Department, District 87 and Unit 5 school districts, is sponsoring a "Back To School Party" at the Shirk Center on Thursday, August 18, 2005. School supplies will be available for needy students at the party.

The Timeless Clovers will be accepting donations of school supplies at their booth in the lobby of the Interstate Center during the McLean County 4-H Fair. First Student Transportation has donated a 47 passenger school bus that will be located in the commercial exhibition area of the Interstate Center and Timeless Clovers wants to "fill the bus" with supplies that will be distributed to children at the Back To School Party in August.

Help the Alumni fill the bus so the needs of children in District 87 and Unit 5 will be met as school starts in the fall. Watch the newspapers for special admission offers for fairgoers who bring supplies for the Timeless Clovers bus.

4-H Alumni Booth Theme & Activities

The theme for the 2005 Timeless Clovers booth at the 2005 McLean County 4-H Fair is "4-H Builds Champion Kids...of ALL Ages!" This theme shows that while 4-H members must be of a certain age group, the enthusiasm, fun times, friendships and character gained from 4-H last a life time. You are never too old to be a 4-H "kid" at the fair!!!

Be sure to stop by the Timeless Clover booth throughout the week in the lobby of the Interstate Center to check out the Silent Auction Baskets, Cookbooks and T-shirts. There will also be testimonials about what 4-H means to current members and members from years gone by.

In addition to the Alumni booth, the Timeless Clovers are sponsoring the following events at the 2005 McLean County 4-H Fair.

Sunday Church Service

Timeless Clovers will host a Sunday Church Service during the 2005 McLean County 4-H Fair. The event will be held in Cloverleaf Auditorium at 10 a.m., Sunday, August 7, 2005. The alumni-hosted church service will include a praise band, 4-H choir and a guest speaker.

4-H Fun Day Sunday

Timeless Clovers will host a fun-filled afternoon on Sunday for families and individuals. Activities will include a Scarecrow Making Contest; Ugly Boot Contest; Pony and Pigtail Contest; Backseat Driver Contest.

Prizes will be awarded to top groups and individuals. The event will be held in the 4-H Swine building show arena and areas north of the Swine building. Check in: 12 noon to 1 p.m. Contests run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, August 7, 2005.

Additional fair events hosted by the Timeless Clovers Alumni include the Ice Cream Sundae Booth, located in front of the 4-H Activity Center on Main Street; Husband and Hog Calling Contest, Friday, August 5, 2005 at 1 p.m., located in the 4-H Swine Building; Yeast Bread and Pie Baking Contest, August 6 at 9 a.m. located in the Interstate Center lobby rooms.