March Dog Madness an annual educational program for adult and teenage 4-H volunteer leaders will be held this year on Saturday, March 16th at Cornell University. All interested staff, adult and teen 4-H leaders are invited to attend this one day information packed program. Dog project leaders engaged in local community training programs are strongly encouraged to attend.

The theme for 2013 is TRANSITIONS. Think of all the transitions that happen between puppyhood and adulthood. Each particpant will have a chance to pre-select (2) different workshops from a menu of canine related topics. This years topics and events include: 

• Agility Ground Work - Learn from a Judge
• Are You Your Dog's Owner or Teammate? How to Build a Working Partnership
• Canine Photography - Taking Pictures Like a Pro
• Fostering Dogs - What's involved when volunteering for the SPCA?
• What a Dog:Handler Team Needs to Know to do Advanced Rally - Learn from a Judge
• Building Youth Leadership Skills
• What's New at Cornell's Animal Health Diagnostic Center?
• K-9 guest

To register and view a copy of the schedule visit http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/4H/dogs/MarchDogMadness/index.html. Paid registrations are due my March 8th to reserve a spot. The cost to participate is $20 which includes lunch and your workshop materials.

As you know, the goal of 4-H is to equip young people with life skills they will need to be successful in their community and the world. Using research-informed programs, focused on positive youth development, 4-H provides youth with the hands-on real world experiences they  need to become leaders.

In collaboration with and support from members of the 4-H community, we (a group of students from Seattle Pacific University), led by Lynette Bikos, Ph.D. (a Missouri 4-H alumnus and a long-time 4-H volunteer) have set out to explore the factors that contribute to the use of research-based information throughout the 4-H organization.

So, that we can gather a wide range of perspectives across this national organization, we need to have 600 people complete our survey. Please help us by participating.

Follow this link to the survey and for more information: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YYQCCLG

Products from Palatine Valley Dairy Cheese in Nelliston, Fariello’s Confectionery in Amsterdam, Rulison Honey Farms in the Town of Florida and Smith’s Orchard Bake Shop in Charlton are featured in the 2013 4-H spring product sale in Fulton and Montgomery Counties.

Proceeds from the sale benefit 4-H Youth Development programming in the two-county region. “All of the money realized from this annual sale remains in Fulton and Montgomery Counties to help make 4-H activities and programs available, affordable and accessible for local youth. No dollars are sent to the state or national organization,” explains Linda Wegner, 4-H Youth Development Program Leader for Fulton and Montgomery Counties. “The 4-H local food sale is a major fundraising effort for 4-H members and 4-H youth programming outreach in the community.”

Ten selections of cheese products including gift boxes, single eight ounce bars of flavored cheddar, and cheese curd are offered in addition to eight varieties of fruit pies available in regular or sugar-free versions. Solid dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate bunnies as well as milk chocolate quarter pound chocolate candy blocks and bunny tracks – chocolate covered raisins are also being sold. Two clover honey products are also offered as part of the food product selection for the 2013 sale. All food products must be pre-ordered and paid for no later than March 6th.

4-H members and volunteers will collect payment from each customer at the time the order is placed. Cheese, pies, honey and candy will be delivered March 21st in time for Easter and spring holidays.

Individuals interested in supporting local 4-H youth development programs by ordering cheese, pies, honey or candy may place an order with a local 4-H member or adult volunteer or by calling the 4-H office at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 518-673-5525 x 113 or x 114. Orders may also be placed in person at the Extension office at 50 East Main Street, Canajoharie, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday until March 6th. Download product sale information and an order sheet below.

Dairy Discovery is a hands-on workshop held annually at Cornell March 22-23rd. This is a statewide program for youth ages 15-19 years old. Each year the youth will spend the 1½ days (Friday afternoon until Saturday late afternoon) on campus learning about dairy careers and rotating through a series of hands-on stations which focus on a specific aspect of the dairy field each year. The Dairy Discovery workshops include the following areas: Dairy Herd Health and Management, Calf and Heifer Production Management, Quality Milk and Milk Production, Whole Farm Management Planning, and Maximizing the Feed Management Program.

Due to the hands on approach of the sessions, participation is limited to the first 60 individuals to enroll or by the March 12th deadline. Youth who are 15-19 years of age as of January 1, of the current year and have an interest in dairy cattle and production management are eligible and strongly encouraged to attend (with their parents or chaperones). 4-H project members and FFA youth with a dairy interest or desire to learn about dairy are strongly encouraged to attend. Participants will get to meet Cornell faculty and students, learn about different aspects of dairy production management and dairy industry related careers. They will also be able to interact and exchange information with professional producers, industry experts, and more! Hands-on workshops are planned for each focus area.

The cost of for the workshop is $45 for youth which covers basic handouts, materials, dinner and activities on Friday evening, and lunch on Saturday. This year, all adult chaperones attending with youth must register separately so we have accurate counts. An $8 fee is charged for adults to help cover meals. For more information and to access the online registration visit http://ansci.cornell.edu/4H/dairycattle/DairyDiscovery/index.html. A Dairy Judging Clinic will be held in conjunction with the Dairy Discovery workshop on March 23rd this year, for more information view the attachment below.

Public Presentation Night

Friday, March 1st 5:00-8:00 p.m.

Shirley J. Luck Senior Citizen Center, Johnstown, NY

4-H Public Presentation night is around the corner and now is the time to start choosing a topic and preparing yourself for that evening. The 4-H program in Fulton and Montgomery counties expects all 4-H members to participate in this worthwhile event. If you have never done a presentation before or need help getting started contact Shannon Dygert at the 4-H office at 673-5525 ext. 122 or email smd69@cornell.edu. This years Public Presentation event is on March 1st from 5-8 p.m. at the Shirley Luck Senior Citizen Center.

Please click below to find the registration materials and informational packet for starting your presentation. Teen and adult volunteers are needed for that evening if you would like to volunteer please contact Shannon or indicate so on the registration sheet. Registrations for Public Presentation night are due by February 25th.

4-H Dairy Judging Barn Meeting
Friday, January 25, 2013
7-9 p.m. Canary's Farm
395 County Highway 140, St. Johnsville, N.Y. 13452

The first 4-H Dairy Judging Barn Meeting of the year is upon us! There will be at least 2 more in the next couple of months. All 4-H Members are welcome to attend!  Please be sure to have your 4-H Enrollment in to the 4-H office before attending (if you don’t already).

For directions contact Bonnie at the 4-H office.

Please pre-register by contacting Bonnie at the 4-H Office. Only those who have indicated they are attending will be notified in the event of cancellation.

Take note of these 2013 4-H Program Dates!

February 8-10: 4-H Teen Winter Weekend, Lewis County, NY
February-March: 2013 National 4-H Science E-Academy
March 3-5: 4-H Capital Days, Albany, NY
March 16: NYD 4-H March Dog Madness Leader Training Conference
April 6-11: National 4-H Conference, National 4-H Center, Chevy Chase, MD
April 13-15: STARR, NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY
May 4: Animal Crackers (2013 focus:Horse & Rabbit), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
May 31-June 2: 4-H Forestry Weekend, Cortland County
June 25-27: 4-H Career Explorations, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

4-H Hay and Forage Workshop

Saturday, January 19, 2013 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Fulton and Montgomery Counties Office
50 East Main Street, Canajoharie, N.Y. 13317
(Snowdate:  Saturday, January 26^th)

Guest Speakers:  Dairy and Field Crops Specialists, Dave Balbian and Kevin Ganoe.

Topics covered will include forage species, understanding forage analysis and when to cut forages for top quality.  Please bring up to TWO samples of what you are feeding per farm, and they might do a little judging or discussion as they look at what you brought.    Any forage is good to bring: hay, haylage or corn silage.  Diversity will be good!  Also, if you have forages that have been recently forage tested, please  bring the forage analysis along.  If you bring a wet forage,  It should be in  a gallon zip lock/ plastic grocery bag half full of the wet forage.  If your forage is in the form small square bales,  bring a 6-8inch flake in a garbage bag.

Please RSVP by contacting Bonnie at the CCE office by Thursday, January 17, 2013.  Only those who have registered will be contacted in the case of cancellation or postponement to the snow date.  Call 518-673-5525 ext. 115 or email bsp8@cornell.edu

What Are the Results of Honey Bee Pollination in my Community?
To determine what crops were pollinated by honey bees in her community of Shelby County, Louisville, Ky., Michelle Solinger, 15, quizzed farmers and orchardists and handed out surveys at a beekeeping workshop. The result was a list of 16 crops ranging from apples to squash to watermelons. Her essay was judged the best of the 20 state winners entered in the 2012 4-H Beekeeping Essay Contest, sponsored by the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees.

The essay topic for 2013 is “Reducing the Usage of Bee-Killing Pesticides in my Community.” The 4-H’ers are encouraged to learn about bee-killing pesticides being used in their communities – by homeowners, businesses, or farmers. Then, they should investigate how the impact of those pesticides on honey bees can be lessened. Students interested in writing should contact their local 4-H offices for contest details. The state selection must be done through the 4-H system.

Jim Kahler has been named National Program Leader, Youth Development, Science, Technology, Engineering & Math at 4-H National Headquarters by NIFA (National Insititute of Food & Agriculture), Lisa Lauxman, PhD announced. Lauxman is the director of 4-H National Headquarters.

Jim has most recently provided leadership at the headquarters to the 4-H Science Mission Mandate and support to the CYFAR (Children, Youth & Families At-Risk) program as a Program Specialist. Prior to joining the headquarters staff at the end of 2011, Jim served for 20 years as a county 4-H educator with Maryland Cooeprative Extension. During his tenure in Maryland 4-H, he spent two years as a Technology Specialist for the   4-H/Army Youth Development Project.

Jim has hit the ground running and he can be reached at: jkahler@nifa.usda.gov. We welcome, Jim and look forward to his impact on 4-H youth programming in STEM.