4-H Enrollment

The month is quickly coming to a close and so is the regular registration period for the 4-H year.  If you plan on joining 4-H again this year, and haven’t already registered, the time to join before the fee increases is now.  The registration fee will increase after October 31^st (Monday).  

The website is http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/ and click on the “4-H Connect – Register” link.

Smithville Livestock Show Validation for Steers, Lambs, Goats, Broilers, Heifers & Rabbits

November 1 is the validation date for market steers, market lambs and market goats that will be shown in the 2012 Smithville Livestock Show.  Validation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Smithville Ag. Barn.  Broiler orders are due and entry cards for breeding heifers and rabbits must also be turned in by 7 p.m. to Ag. Science Teachers on November 1.  

Bastrop Area Livestock Show Hog, Lamb, Goat, Breeding Swine and Heifer Validation

Validation of market and breeding hogs, market lambs, market goats and breeding heifers for the Bastrop Area Livestock Show will be held December 3, 2011 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Bastrop Show Barn.  Entry fees are $15 per entry.  Market lambs, goats and hogs will be eartagged and entry fees paid during validation.  If a market lamb, goat or hog has been validated for major shows, the major show validation tag will be accepted in lieu of hauling the animal to Bastrop show validation, but the exhibitor and a parent must be present to pay entry fees and submit entry forms.  If animals are not validated for major shows, entry fees must be paid and the animal must be presented by the exhibitor at Bastrop Show validation.  Exhibitors and a parent must be present at validation day or exhibitor will not be allowed to validate or show the animal in the show.

Breeding swine do not have to be validated to show unless there is a possibility they will also be shown in the market show, but entry fees must be paid on Dec. 3 during validation.  Entry cards and fees must be paid on beef heifers at this time (you do not have to bring heifers to the show barn).  If you have questions, call the Extension office.

4-H Livestock Lost Ear Tags

If your animal has lost a validation ear tag for the Bastrop, Smithville or major shows, contact Rachel or your Ag teacher as soon as possible so it can be replaced.

2012 Livestock Show Rules

Rules for the Bastrop Area Livestock Show and the Smithville Livestock Show are posted on our website under the 4-H Information Tab, then click Youth Livestock Shows.  Bastrop County Jr. Livestock Show at Elgin rules should be out around November 10.

Bastrop Show Judges

Judges for the 2012 Bastrop Area Livestock Show are as follows:
Eric Zimmerman- Lambs and Goats
Rick Fleming- Hogs and Beef Cattle
Larry Nickel- Broilers
Robert Laurence- Rabbits

Bastrop Show Rabbit Entries Due

Breeding rabbit entry cards for the Bastrop Area Livestock Show are due to the Rabbit Superintendent, Phyllis Mathison by November 1.  They can be dropped off at the Municipal Court Building at 104 Grady Tuck Lane in Bastrop or to the County Extension Office.

4-H/FFA Rabbit Workshop

There will be a Rabbit workshop in conjunction with the Central Texas Rabbit Club meeting on November 10th at the Livestock Show Barn on Arena Drive in Bastrop at 7:00 p.m.    This workshop will be on picking out your meat pen and on showmanship along with any other question they may have.  An ARBA judge will speak to the group.

Major Livestock Show Entries Due

Put these dates on your calendar- November 7, 8 and 9 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. is the entry deadline for 2012 Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, San Angelo and Star of Texas Livestock Shows in the Extension Office.  (Checks only, no cash, please)  Bring your Social Security Numbers and your Quality Counts Certificates with you, as they are required on the entry cards.  We will also need original signatures of exhibitors and parents on each card.  If you are showing a beef heifer, copies of registration forms will be needed for the Houston Show.  REMEMBER, if you validate an animal, it does not automatically sign you up for a major show.  You must come to the office to fill out entry forms and pay entry fees to be officially entered in a major stock show.

Quality Counts Requirements for Major Shows

As of today, only 17 Bastrop County 4-H members have completed the requirements for Quality Counts certification, which will be required when you enter major livestock shows.  If you plan to show any species of livestock at Fort Worth, San Antonio, San Angelo, Houston or Star of Texas Livestock Shows in the spring of 2013, you MUST complete the Quality Counts training and obtain your certification number.    Major show entries are due in the Extension office November 7 - 9, and you must have your certification number at that time to put on the entry cards.  If your number is not on your entry card, the livestock shows will reject your entry.  Go to http://qualitycounts.tamu.edu to begin your Quality Counts training today.  Don't wait until the last minute!

Beef Project Hoof Trimming

We will have Matt Leopold, hoof trimmer, set up from 4 to 6 p.m. to trim hooves on steer and heifer projects on October 25 at the Bastrop Show Barn.  The cost will be $35 per head.  If you plan to bring cattle to have their hooves trimmed, please call the office by Oct. 21 to let us know how many to get a head count for Matt.

Major Show Hog Validation

If you plan to exhibit a market swine at the 2012 Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, San Angelo or Star of Texas Livestock Shows, you will need to attend swine validation on November 28 at the Elgin Show Barn from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  We will tattoo, eartag and take hair samples on each animal.  A parent must be present with you, as we need original signatures on all validation forms.   This is the only date for swine validation, therefore if you have a conflict, make arrangements with someone to haul your animal to validation.

Achievement Fair in Rockne

The Extension Education Clubs of Bastrop County will have their annual achievement fair on Tuesday, November 8th in Rockne. Click here to see the rules and categories and determine if you would like to enter something.  Items can be dropped off at the Extension Office by November 7th or you can have someone drop it off for you that morning in Rockne and Sarah can bring back to the Extension office for you to pick up, if needed.

This is open to all ages. Spread the word if you know of someone who may like to participate.

4-H Spotlight in Bastrop Advertiser

Check the current copy of the Bastrop Advertiser for the 4-H Spotlight they printed for National 4-H week.  Thank you to everyone who submitted articles and pictures!!

The updated club list didn't get included. If you notice that please disregard the meeting times and go by the current ones on the lower left side of this blog or our website, bastrop-tx.tamu.edu in the "4-H Information" tab.

Major Show Lamb and Goat Validation

If you plan to exhibit a market lamb or goat at the 2012 Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, San Angelo or Star of Texas Livestock Shows, you will need to attend lamb and goat validation on October 25 at the Bastrop Show Barn from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  We will tattoo, eartag and take hair samples on each animal.  A parent must be present with you, as we need original signatures on all validation forms.   This is the only date for lamb and goat validation, therefore if you have a conflict, make arrangements with someone to haul your animal to validation.

Cattlemen For Cancer Research

4-H members and clubs are needed to assist with the Cattlemen for Cancer Research Fundraiser on October 15 at 10 a.m. at Hills Prairie Livestock Auction.  4-H is using this as a county wide community service project with each club providing a basket or item for the silent auction to benefit the M.D. Anderson Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research near Bastrop.  Please bring club baskets in to the office by October 14, or take them to Hills Prairie Auction Barn on October 14.

The Cattlemen for Cancer Research Committee formed in 1999 to fight cancer in their own backyard. In those years, CCR has raised more than $760,000 to fund programs of M.D. Anderson's Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research. In addition, a separate dedicated fund has provided more than $90,000 to aid patients and their families from Williamson, Travis, Lee, Bastrop, and Hays counties who need financial assistance with lodging, meals, and transportation while staying in Houston to receive cancer care.  Help us support this event.

Important Dates for Stockshows

10/25 Major Show Sheep and Goat Validation 4:30 to 6:30 pm, Bastrop Show Barn

11/1   Smithville Livestock Show Steer, Lamb and Goat Validation, 5 - 7 p.m. Ag. Barn

11/1   Smithville Livestock Show Broiler, Heifer & Rabbit Cards due by 7 p.m. to AST

11/1   Bastrop Show Rabbit Entry Cards Due to Superintendent

11/4   Bastrop Show Broiler Orders Due to Extension Office

11/7-9 Major Livestock Show entries due in Extension Office

11/28 Major Show Hog Validation, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Elgin Show Barn

12/1   Bastrop Co. Jr. Livestock Show (at Elgin) entries due to Extension office
12/3   Bastrop Show Lamb, Goat & Hog Validation, 8 to 10 a.m., Bastrop Show Barn

1/7/12 Bastrop Co. Jr. Livestock Show, Elgin

1/14/12 Smithville Barrow Validation, 2 - 3 p.m., Ag. Barn

2/9/12 Bastrop Show Market & Breeding Rabbit Validation, 5:30-6:30 p.m., BHS Ag. Shop

4/14/12 Smithville Livestock Show, Smithville

4-H Food and Nutrition

Below is a brief description on the 3 food and nutrition projects.

The food show is where the member makes an item and brings a serving of it the day of the contest (so you can actually enjoy the rest!).  Once at the contest, they are judged in a setting by themselves by 2 or 3 judges.  There is a set of questions that participants are given to practice and learn about their dish. Participants make an item in 1 of 4 categories -- Main Dish, Fruit and Vegetable, Bread and Cereal, or Nutritious Snacks.

The district contest is Saturday, December 3 in San Marcos.  Members make the same item they made for the county contest.

There is also nutrition quiz bowl where members on a team of others in the same age group and are asked questions that come from selected resources.  They use buzzers and it’s a double elimination bracket.  The district contest for this is also on Dec. 3 and we have to have a team of 3-4 in order to compete.

The other food and nutrition contest is in it’s 2^nd year.  It’s the Food Challenge and is also a team contest.  Participants are on a team of 3-5 and are given a set of mystery items the day of the contest and have to work together to create a recipe and present it to judges.  There is a set of equipment that is used consistent for all teams.  The district contest for this is Jan 4^th in San Marcos.

Let Sarah know if you would like more information, sstribling@ag.tamu.edu.

Operation A Bit Of Home

Join Texas 4-H in supporting Operation A Bit Of Home, a non-profit organization helping bring a little bit of “home” to deployed US Service members by establishing video lending libraries in Afghanistan and Iraq. Donate new or used DVDs and make a difference to men and women protecting our country (no children’s movies please). Donations accepted at County Extension Offices through December 31, 2011.

Please include 75 cents per disk to help with shipping costs. Throw a few extra quarters or dollars extra in the box! Tax deductible checks are always welcome and can be made out to “Villa Park Rotary Club.”

BILLBOARDS ARE UP!

HELP TEXAS 4-H THANK LAMAR ADVERTISING

The 2011 billboards are going up around Texas so be on the look out for the six different designs. We are once again thankful to the sponsors and donors that helped provide the signs in 2011. One of them is Lamar Advertising for their partnership to conduct the public service campaign. We are asking all our 4-H families to write a letter of thanks to Lamar Advertising on a regular size piece of paper 8 1/2 X 11 and mail it to the Texas 4-H Office. We will scan it and place it into a digital book that will be shared with all the Lamar Offices in Texas. Please mail your thank you notes to: Texas 4-H Office, c/o Toby Lepley, 4180 State Highway 6 South, College Station, TX 77845.

Register your One Day 4-H Activity before it's too late!

THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING YOUR

PROJECT ON-LINE AT THE
ONE DAY 4-H WEBSITE IS

  WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2011

Council Meeting

The next 4-H County Council meeting will be Tuesday, October 11 at 6:00 p.m. at 1st National Bank's Community Room in Bastrop.