All re-enrolling 4-H members who intend to exhibit at the 2007 Winnebago County 4-H Fair must have their SIGNED enrollment forms with at least one project chosen turned into the Extension Office by the deadline of FEBRUARY 1, 2007.

New member enrollment deadline is May 1, 2007.

FAIR DATES FOR 2007

Winnebago County Fair–August 14-19, 2007

Illinois State Fair–August 10-19, 2007

Now that winter is here, programs and events can be affected by inclement weather. If you're wondering if the office is open, or if any activities have been cancelled, call the office at 986-4357. Cancellation information will be left on the office answering system at extension 205.

Black & white neutered male cat–3 years old. "Spencer" prefers to be indoors, but likes to explore outside occasionally. Please call and leave a message for Mrs. Schmeling at (815) 629-2658.

4-H is the largest out-of school educational program for youth in the United States. 4-H seeks to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, forming attitudes, and developing life skills that will enable them to become caring, competent, and contributing members of society. In Illinois more than 280,000 youth participate in 4-H and other youth programs of the University of Illinois Extension. More than 25,000 youth and adult volunteers assist in the programming. For more information about 4-H in Illinois and especially in Winnebago County, visit http://winnebago.extension.uiuc.edu.

Anyone who has spent any amount of time in the Winnebago County 4-H Program knows how wonderful the 4-H Club Leaders are and how much time they put into their roles as selfless, supporting mentors to our children.

Mom & Dads–Please check with your club leaders often to see if there is something you can do to help make their jobs easier and your 4-H club even better by simply becoming involved and supportive. 4-H is a family affair–one that will benefit you more if you are involved as a FAMILY!

To be eligible to exhibit at the Winnebago County General Projects Day and/or Winnebago County 4-H Fair Show, 4-H'ers must attend 2/3 of club meetings after enrollment. Excused absences due to illness, school or church activity are permitted if the leader is informed prior to the 4-H meeting.

Clover Challenge is available to members who are 15-18 years old. It is an advanced study unit for state 4-H projects. This project unit is an option only after the 4-H member has successfully completed the other levels in a particular project area. The advanced opportunities are limited only by your imagination. Take what you've learned in project area and explore beyond your 4-H project books.

To enroll in a Clover Challenge project, a signed Clover Challenge Agreement form must be submitted to the Extension Office by July 1, 2007. A second copy of this form must accompany the 4-H'er and his project to the fair at time of judging. For a copy of the agreement form, please contact the Extension Office at 986-4357.

The Illinois 4-H Enrollment Policy states that youth who are 8 years old and have not reached their 19th birthday by September 1st of the current 4-H year may enroll as 4-H members.

CLOVERBUDS are 5-7 years old (and NOT in the 3rd grade) by September 1st.

This is a reminder to all 4-H clubs that the state requires all 4-H volunteers to complete an extension volunteer application and go through a screening process to protect our youth from potential abuse. This is a state policy and files must be updated every five years. The Extension Office will do it's best to review volunteer files for up-to-date information. If a club has new leaders, volunteers or active parent helpers, please call the office at 986-4357 to get a packet of information for them. We need all our volunteers to be positive role models for our youth.

Photos are wanted for the 2007-2008 Illinois Clover. Color & black and white photo submissions may be prints or electronic files (.tif or .jpg). Digital photos may be sent to cwiklo@uiuc.edu.

The Illinois Clover Staff is looking for photo close-ups of 4-H'ers in action showing projects and fun activities with kids. If the kids are wearing some sort of 4-H attire–even better!

Please identify any people, and include club name, county name, and event or description of activity. People in photos must also submit a signed photo release (if not already on file in Extension Office). Please submit your photos to the Extension Office by March 1st.

Burpee Museum is offering a chance to learn more about nature and other ecological areas at one of their many workshops. Please see attached flyer or check out their website at www.burpee.org for more information.

Arbor Day Fair at Burpee Museum

Help bring Arbor Day and the importance of trees and ecology to Northern Illinois. Your 4-H club may participate by having a booth or table at the April 28th fair with an activity or craft that teaches the importance of trees for our environment. You may include activities that demonstrate the importance of conservation and ecology in general and the need for providing habitat for birds, since May 3 is Bird Day.

Time to be creative and wild with your ideas for a fun colorful booth. The spaces will be small to be manageable, approximately 6 – 8 feet wide. There are great ideas on the Arbor Day website. Arbor Day foundation has a section Kids Make a Difference and 4-H already knows this. See what fun you can create to show how kids make a difference.

http://www.arborday.org/kids/kidsdif.cfm

Questions or more info–please contact Owen Blue Bonnets 4-H Leader Betsy Carlson at 965-3433–extension 1029.

PAR (Plant a Row) is a people helping people program launced 12 years ago to help end hunger at the community level. Winnebago County Extension has been an active participant and supporter of this national program for the past 6 years.

Over 8.5 tons of produce was collected and distributed to area food pantries in 2006. 4-H and Master Gardener programs throughout the nation have been active volunteers in support of PAR programs.

We are asking you to consider taking part in this worthwhile program by planting a little extra produce in your garden this year. It may seem early to be thinking about summer's harvest, but we just wanted to take the opportunity to "plant a seed" with you.

The next issue of the 4-H Clover will contain more information about PAR collection sites and kick-off dates. Questions about Plant A Row? Please call the Winnebago County Extension Office at 986-4357.

The 2007 Illinois 4-H Leadership Convention (ILC) is scheduled for June 28-30 at the University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana campus. This convention runs from Thursday–Saturday. High school aged 4-H delegates will stay in college dormitories and experience a portion of college life during the event. Workshops for this year's event will focus on leadership skills that youth need to excel in their local community and school activities.

This event is open to ALL Illinois high school teens, including incoming freshmen for the fall of 2007. Youth must be 14-18 years of age (inclusive) by September 1, 2007 in order to participate. 4-H membership is NOT required–4-H members can invite other friends to come along. Adult chaperones must be age 21 or over and are required to be screened by the University of Illinois Extension's Volunteer Screening Procedures.

Registration materials will be available online in March at: http://www.4-h.uiuc.edu/events/annual004.html. The Extension Office should have registration information by the end of February. Scholarships for first-time attendees may be available through the Illinois 4-H Foundation.

Leaders and Jr. Leaders from ALL Winnebago County 4-H Clubs are invited to attend this wonderful FREE training event held in partnership with Stephenson County Extension.

HURRY–SIGN UP NOW–Deadline for registration is FEBRUARY 2, 2007.

Date: February 10, 2007

Location: Highland Community College–Freeport, IL

(Building R–Community Services Bldg)

Time: Check in begins at 8:30–Training starts promptly at 9:00 a.m. See attached flyer for more info.

Beef Weigh-In & Tattooing is scheduled for Saturday, February 10th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fairgrounds in Pecatonica. If you plan to exhibit a steer at the county fair, it must be tattooed at this time.

You will need your social security number with you if you plan to show at the State Fair. All beef must be castrated prior to weighing.

All beef animals are required to gain a minimum of 1.3 pounds per day from the February weigh in date until the weigh in at the fair in order to be eligible to be shown at the Winnebago County Fair.

The Champion and Reserve Champion Beef Carcass must grade Low Choice or better.

If you have any questions regarding this weigh-in

Carroll County is again offering a FREE Livestock Judging Contest open to all 4-H'ers enrolled in livestock projects.

Please contact Leanne Rahn at 815-244-9444 to pre-register for this contest.

Date: Saturday–March 10, 2007

Time: Registration 8:00-8:45 a.m.

Contest starts at 9:00 a.m. SHARP!

Place: Carroll County Highway Building

West of Mt. Carroll on Route 64

The 4-H Dog Show is set for Sunday, July 29, 2007 at the Winnebago County Fairgrounds–Building 2.

All dog enrollment, leases and pictures are due into the Extension Office by May 1, 2007.

More info about dog practice times will be in future newsletter.

All youth intending on showing swine at the Winnebago County 4-H Fair must attend a PQA Clinic by June 1st to become Youth PQA Certified. Re-certification is required every year. All exhibitors with Jr. Barrows, Open Barrows and/or Jr. Premiere Barrows must be Pork Quality Certification Level III certified. This applies to each individual exhibitor–"farm" certifications are not acceptable.

PQA certification is required EVERY year!

2007 PQA Training offered in our area:

BOONE County Clinics

Thursday–February 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Saturday–March 24, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Tuesday–April 10, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Saturday–April 28, 10 a.m.–Noon

Pre-registration is required for Boone Co. PQA Clinics–Please call 544-3710.

WINNEBAGO County Clinic

Sunday–March 18–1:30 p.m. at Ext. Office

Please call (815) 986-4357 to register.

Each 4-H member taking the training will be Youth PQA Certified. Parents are encouraged to attend. This program is for all youth age 8-18 years of age as of September 1, 2006.

The 4-H Cat Show date is tentatively set for Saturday, July 28, 2007 at the Winnebago County Fairgrounds in the St. Mary's Building. Confirmation of this date will be posted in next newsletter.

All 4-H'ers intending to show a cat at the fair this year must attend at least one of the cat clinics being offered at the Extension Office.

CAT CLINICS will be held in MARCH, APRIL, & JUNE–Actual dates will be confirmed in next newsletter.

ILLINOIS HORSE FAIR is scheduled for March 2-4, 2007 at the State Fairgrounds in Springfield, IL. Visit www.horsemenscouncil.org for more information.

ALL YOUTH HORSE JUDGING TRIALS is open to all youth horse judging teams, the event is expected to draw more than 200 participants representing 4-H, FFA and breed association teams from around the Midwest. While the majority of participants in the contest are expected to come from the ranks of 4-H and FFA, in Illinois alone there are judging teams from Quarter Horse, Paint Horse, POA and other breed organizations.

A $12 per person entry fee for the March 3, 2007 contest also will allow participants one-day access to the Illinois Horse Fair, including sessions with internationally know clinicians, seminars, all-breed expo and tradeshow.

Trophies and ribbons will be given to individuals and teams in two age divisions–Jr. (age 8-13) and Sr. (age 14-18). Age is determined as of January 1, 2007.

Deadline for entries is February 2, 2007. The entry form and additional information can be accessed at http://www.horsemenscouncil.org/illinois_horse_fair/welcome.htm.

HORSE BOWL INFORMATION–Horse Bowl is an opportunity to learn about horses and answer questions in competition. You don't have to own a horse to participate. The group meets during the winter months and competitions start in the spring. If you would like to find out more information about this award winning Winnebago County Team, please call Gretchen Johnson at (815) 742-1655.

WINNEBAGO COUNTY 4-H HORSE SHOW is scheduled for Saturday, August 4, 2007 at the Winnebago County Fairgrounds. If your horse is leased, you must turn in your lease agreement and 3 photos to participate in the Winnebago County 4-H Horse Show. Deadline is May 1, 2007. Helpers will be needed on the day of the show to assist with trophies, ringmaster and setup. Please contact Lori Campbell at 335-7027 if you can help.

If you are planning to show at the State 4-H Horse Show, all members must turn in their registration forms, lease agreements and 3 photos (one from each side and the front) to the Extension Office by May 1, 2007.

4-H HORSE COMMITTEE is looking for ideas for possible clinics, trail rides and other fun activities to do with a horse. Please contact Lori Campbell at 335-7027 if you are interested in being a member of the 4-H Horse Committee and if you have any ideas for horse activities you'd like to do in Winnebago County.

KANE COUNTY 4-H HORSE JUDGING EVENT is taking place on Saturday, March 17 at the Fox Valley Saddle Association located in Hampshire, IL. Please see attached flyer for more details.

JANUARY 28 Bulls & Broncs Rodeo Event – 12:30 p.m. - Metrocentre

FEBRUARY 10 Beef Weigh In at Fairgrounds – 9 am – 1 pm

10 Super Saturday – Leaders & Jr. Leaders – 8:30-3 at

Highland Community College in Freeport, IL

MARCH TBA Cat Clinic at Extension Office

3 All-Youth Horse Judging Trials at Illinois Horse Fair – Springfield, IL

10-11 Northen Illinois Leadership Conference

(Sponsored by Boone Co. 4-H - 544-3710)

17 4-H Basketball Tournament – Seward, IL

(Sponsored by Seward Determination 4-H Club)

18 Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Clinic at Extension Office

APRIL TBA Cat Clinic at Extension Office

23-29 National Volunteer Week

MAY 1 Deadline for New Member Enrollment

1 Deadline for Add/Drop Projects

1 Horse & Dog Papers (Pictures) due in Extension Office

20 Public Presentation & Theatre Arts Judging at Farm Bureau

JUNE TBA Cat Clinic at Extension Office

Dairy Month

JULY TBA State Fair Jr. Horse Show

10 Food Demo & Cake Decorating Judging – 3 pm Ext. Office

19 Clothing Judging & Fashion Revue

22 4-H Building Setup (Volunteers needed to assist)

27 General Projects Day (Non-Livestock Judging) – 1–7 pm

28 Cat Show (Tentatively) – St. Marys Building at Fairgrounds

29 Dog Show – Building 2 at Fairgrounds

AUGUST 4 4-H Horse Show at Fairgrounds

13 4-H Building Tidy-Up

10-19 Illinois State Fair

14-19 Winnebago County Fair

18 4-H Fur & Feather/Livestock Auction at Fairgrounds

19 Last Day of Fair – Teardown of 4-H Building

(Volunteers needed)

25 State Fair Dog Show – Springfield, IL

SEPTEMBER 1 4-H Records & Club Reports Due

1 Illinois Award Applications Due

OCTOBER 1-7 4-H Week – Bulletin Board & Window Display Contest

NOVEMBER 10 Annual 4-H Recognition & Awards Night