Richmond County 4-H

DAD - The 4-H Kind!

2011-06-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

4-H District Activity Day (DAD) is an event that you have to see to believe. Around 200 4-H members (75 first timers), along with about 300 agents, judges, parents, friends & family gathered at Anson Middle School in Anson County to participate in presentation, public speaking and talent contests against 4-H’ers from across the South Central Extension District.

Three Richmond County 4-H’ers were on hand for the event. Two competed in presentations and two were part of the talent show. Nathan Ezzell took home the Gold for his presentation on How Bees Affect Farmers in the Bugs and Bees category while Santiago Acuña Robinson also won Gold in the Horse category for his presentation about Care of the Race Horse. Sarah Tyler and Santiago Acuña Robinson both participated in Talent. Sarah mimed to “He Knows My Name” while Santiago sang the song “Let Me Hold You”.

Nathan will be competing at the State Presentation Finals held during 4-H Congress in Raleigh in a few weeks. Santiago will be competing at the State Presentation Finals held during the 4-H State Horse Show in Raleigh, also in a few weeks.

Special thanks to all of the parents and family who support these 4-H’ers as they complete their projects! Good luck to everyone competing on the State level! Special thanks for Tiffanee Conrad-Acuna for attending DAD with the Richmond County delegation & for writting this.

Chili Cookoff Rules....

2011-04-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

Come out & support Richmond County 4-H, take a tour of the recent improvements made at Millstone 4-H Camp & see the Leadership Richmond Cow Pie Bingo Contest!

Chili Winners will be announced 12:00 noon with tasting for $5.00 until 2:00 pm (or until it’s all gone:)

To enter a chili, send $20 deposit to Richmond County 4-H (we will return deposits upon your arrival at Camp.) For complete rules, see below or stop by the office at 123 Caroline Street in Rockingham.

1st prize Chili receives $100! Taster's Choice receives $50! Doorprizes given throughout the day!

(Contact Michelle NOW to ensure you get your chance to win $1,000 & other prizes in Cow Pie Bingo to benefit the BackPack Pals Program - last day to buy tickets for Bingo is May 19th!!)

Contact Michelle Stumbo at the Cooperative Extension Office at 997-8255 or michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu with any questions.

The Rules and Regulations for Cooks at Richmond County 4-H Chili Cookoff:

1. Traditional Red Chili is defined by the International Chili Society as any kind of meat or combination of meats, cooked with red chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients.

Chili Verde is defined by the International Chili Society as any kind of meat or combination of meats, cooked with green chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients. You may cook either of these varieties or your favorite spin-off!

2. Individuals or teams (up to three people) may entry the Cookoff. Teams must designate a Head Chef during registration. Youth under age 18 may be part of a team, but not be named the team’s Head Chef.

3. The entry fee will be $20.00 per chili entered. Contestants may enter more than 1 batch of chili and will receive their entry fee back upon registration at the Event. There will be a 1st, 2nd, and Taster’s Choice cash prize.

4. All ingredients must be pre-cooked & treated prior to the event – chili is to be brought “ready-to-eat” after the set-up period. Registration will be from 10:30-11:00. Judging will begin at 11:30 am.

5. Contestants are responsible for supplying all of their own utensils & products relating to their chili submission and maintenance of its proper temperature for serving. Electricity will be available, however, plan to bring your own power cords. Spoons and cups for use in serving chili to the general public will be provided. Condiments will also be provided.

6. Each contestant must cook a minimum of four (4) quarts of competition chili. Any additional chili (Other than that which is submitted for judging) will be for public consumption.

7. Each contestant will be assigned a “contestants number” by the Chief Scorekeeper and be given a container in which their chili will be collected at the time of the official judging. Each contestant should verify that the number on the bottom of their container is the same as their contestants’ number assigned to them by the Chief Scorekeeper.

8. The decision of the judges is final. Judging will be based on score cards which are numbered. The Taster’s Choice Award will be based on donations collected during tasting. One vote = $.25. All tasters can vote as many times as they would like.

9. Each contestant is responsible for policing and cleaning up the area at the end of the day and removing all items from the area. No items shall be allowed to remain after the close of the Cook-off.

10. In this competition the chili will be blind judged (no one knows the identity of the cook) and scorecards will be based on the following six characteristics:

A. Texture: The texture of the meat shall not be tough or mushy

B. Flavor: The chili should have good flavoring and chili pepper taste (not too hot or not too mild)

C. Consistency: Chili should be a smooth combination of meat and gravy not too thin or too thick

D. Spice and taste: Blending of the spices and how well they have permeated the meat

E. Aroma: This will be a personal preference of the judge

F. Color: The submitted chili should look appetizing

· Chili may be distributed to the public only after judging has commenced.

· The decisions of the Chief Judge are final.

· The Peoples Choice Award is determined by the public. The public will purchase chili. It is up to you to entice them to try your chili and cast their vote for you. The more chili you have the more votes you can get.

· All cooking is to be done in a sanitary manner. Conditions are subject to inspection by the Chief Judge. In addition, failure to comply is subject to disqualification for that team.

· Each team will provide all ingredients, utensils, and accessories necessary to cook chili. This includes cook stoves, warmers and fuel.

· At no time should you leave cooking chili unattended (for safety and integrity reasons).

· Chili must be made from scratch: cooking beginning with raw meats, vegetables and spices; complete commercial chili mixes are not permitted.

· Beans, pasta, rice, etc. are approved ingredients for this chili competition.

Extension Needs Your Help!

2011-03-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

As I believe we are all aware by now, our State is facing a budget crisis. Up until this week Extension was looking at a possible 10-15% budget cut state wide which would effect programs, positions, and ultimately the future of Extension as we know it. Yesterday, Dr. Joe Zublena, Associate Dean and Director of North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service (CES), has said that the cuts being discussed are between 25-30%. That means the loss of almost 400 positions across the state and programming cuts across the board.

If Cooperative Extension programs, including 4-H, have affected your life in a positive way, we are asking you to make contact, either through phone calls or emails, to elected officials. Below are the names and numbers of the people we elected to serve us and who are ultimately the people who are making decisions about our budget. The Cooperative Extension budget is in the Higher Education Line item, specifically the agriculture section of Higher Education. Cooperative Extension is budget code 16032. Please take a moment to share that Cooperative Extension is important to our farmers, our youth, our families and our communities. In 2010, Richmond County Extension made contact with more than 11,000 people (nearly 25% of our county population) and Extension volunteers donated more than $75,000 worth of volunteer service to our community. Let lawmakers know that Extension includes helping traditional agriculture such as farmers, livestock producers, and poultry producers but also let them know we help families and youth. Extension is the only organization that can adapt to the needs of a county and offer solutions with research-based materials that improve the health/well being of our citizens, protects our food chain, and increases the profitability of our agricultural economy.

If you are a resident of Richmond County, you are represented by:

Representative Ken Goodman (Dem): 910-997-2712, 919-733-5823, Ken.Goodman@ncleg.net

Senator William R. Purcell (Dem): 910-276-7328, 919-733-5953, William.Purcell@ncleg.net

If you live outside of Richmond County, please visit the website listed to find out who represents you.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/GIS/RandR07/Representation.html

Dr. Zublena sent some key points about the work that Cooperative Extension does in North Carolina for you to think about & hopefully share with those representing you.  

“Below are some additional key points that may be useful. Keep in mind every program we provide is at risk. When interacting with your legislators speak from the heart and about the programs you believe in and support within their and your districts.
• The CES budget is only 0.23% of the General Fund. The Research Budget is 0.30% of the General Fund. Combining these two with NCDA CS (0.31%) and NCA&T SU, the primary research, extension, marketing and development organizations supporting agriculture are only 1% of the General Fund. Agriculture is the #1 industry at $74.3B and more than 688,000 jobs in the state. This data clearly shows a very frugal, effective and efficient system of support for such a significant and important industry in our state.
• A recent (March 2011) Council on Agriculture Science and Technology report showed North Carolina is among the states that has seen the greatest growth from 1960 through 2004 in agricultural output. In addition the report showed nationally that agricultural productivity is largely responsible for the fact that the percentage of U.S. household income spent on food has decreased from 22.3 to 9.5 percent at the same time that total food consumption increased. The report also points to studies that conclude that each dollar spent on public agricultural research returns $32 to society. Information from this report validates that agricultural research and extension is a significant value to society and our efforts in NC have been one of the best in the county. This was not by accident, we’ve had a state that understood the importance of agriculture and invested in its future through CES and ARS.
• Research today provides adaptability, economic development, competitiveness and sustainability for our state’s future. Most research takes 4-10 years to provide reliable outcomes. Adoption of that research by producers and adaptation of the research for local conditions occur though Extension.
• 4-H is one of the Nation’s premier youth development programs. Compared to their peers, youth engaged in 4-H: stay in school longer, have higher graduation rates, have higher college attendance and graduation, smoke less, have significantly lower rates of criminal conduct and arrests, and are more involved in their communities. In 2010 NC 219,000 youth and 22,000 volunteers participated in 4-H. Youth in 4-H make significant contributions throughout the state and will be our future leaders just as many of our 1,000,000 4-H alums are leaders in their communities today.
• Since the early 1900’s NC communities have had strong leadership though the efforts of rural women participating in home demonstration clubs and now Extension and Community Associations. We will be celebrating their 100th anniversary this year and their accomplishment are many including the development of rural libraries and book mobile programs, establishing hot lunch programs in NC rural schools, selling more than $2M in war bonds for the WWII hospital ship, Larkspur whose total cost was $4M and helping bring electricity to rural NC. Today’s Family and Consumer Sciences Extension programs train women in leadership development and empower them to publicly address family and community issues, provide education for their families on financial management, energy conservation and nutritious and safe food preparation.
We appreciate your continued support for Extension and Research within your College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Your efforts today will shape the future!”

On a slightly more personal note, I wanted to end by sharing part of a letter that I recently wrote in support of my “home” Cooperative Extension program in Jackson County, Ohio. The words hold true for programs across the state of North Carolina as well.

“4-H is the largest youth development organization in the United States and began in Ohio more than 100 years ago. Since then, the idea of Extension Staff and trained volunteers working together to impact the lives of youth has expanded into every state of the Union and more than 60 countries worldwide. No two 4-H programs look like one another, because 4-H meets the citizens where they are and helps them to reach their own goals.

On a personal note, I am a product of 4-H. I was a member at age 9, showed livestock at the Fair, went to 4-H Camp as a camper and a volunteer counselor, became a 4-H Volunteer when I aged out of the program, interned with 4-H in Tennessee and currently work as a 4-H Agent in North Carolina. In a recent conversation with my mother, she actually told me that I was so shy as a child that I was, “painful to watch.” Even into junior high and high school, I would seldom speak to people unless I was talking about 4-H. 4-H provided me with my first public speaking experiences and even though I was shaking as I spoke to groups of 3^rd graders and announced shows at the County Fair, I did it. And I learned to enjoy speaking and sharing what 4-H had done in my life.

Through my time in 4-H & grace alone, I have gone on to obtain both a BS and MS in Agricultural & Extension Education. I have traveled around the world and spoken to thousands about my experiences. I have seen 4-H do the same thing for others that it did for me – my time in 4-H gave me a voice. It gave me a voice and the ability to use it to help others.

My hope in writing this is not to brag – far from it! My purpose in writing is to implore you – keep 4-H & Cooperative Extension in Jackson County. Without it, I hate to think of where I would be today.” You can insert any county name there - because I truly believe that Cooperative Extension makes a difference in the lives of our citizens!

As always, please contact us with any questions or concerns. Have a wonderful day!

Change is Coming... But That's OK!

2011-03-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

Please find below some directions for switching over Photoworks Accounts to ShutterFly Accounts that was originally published by Shea Ann DeJarnette, the wonderful 4-H Agent from Robeson County. She gave me permission to copy this to our Blog. THANKS SHEA ANN!!!

Well we have a little announcement to make for all of you who follow the Robeson County 4-H blog. As you know when you click on the links to our photos you find them at photoworks.com. Our organization has had a decade long partnership with this company even before it was photoworks and was known as Seattle Film Works. In the last day or so photoworks has announced it will be closing as of April 4, 2011. They are transferring our photos to a similar service at shutterfly.com.

This will effect you in two ways. For those of you who look at photos or download photos for project records etc., you will now be taken to our Shutterfly account where you will have to create your own free account as you did on photoworks. You will be able to save entire albums to your account or specific photos. You can download them to your computer and print or order prints from shutterfly just as your did photoworks. If you have photos stored at photoworks you can log into your account (up until April 4) and ask them to transfer your photos to your shutterfly account which you can do for free.

The second way this will effect you is through the blog. All posts prior to this one are linked to photoworks. After April 4, we will replace the links in reverse chronological order so the photo links will be through shutterfly. This is not an overnight task, and may take some time but we will work diligently to update all of our posts with new links to the new photo sight.

If you would like to order any of the photo books we have made in the past now is the time. The last post of each year has a link to the books that were made. After April 4, these books will no longer be available. We are working with Shutterfly to build our own share page that you will be able to access all our photos separately without a specific link from the blog and will keep you updated on that process as it happens.

We appreciate your understanding and patience as we go through this process. If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me at michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu.

Happy Hatching!!

2011-03-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Almost ready for the brooder box.

Miss Michelle helping West Rockingham students be better hand washers.

The week has finally arrived! When I got to the office on Monday, I heard the faint sound of chirping coming from the incubator. Several hours later, our first chick hatched! Overnight, many followed suit and we now have more than 20 here at the 4-H office! I have gotten reports from many classrooms of chicks hatching there as well.

As fun as being there for the chick's birthday is, the 4-H Embryology project is about more than just hatching chicks! Through this project, 11 Richmond County 1st and 2nd grade classrooms have cared for eggs for the past 21 days. After the teachers attend a training with Miss Michelle, they are ready to receive equipment and eggs. During the course of the project, students learn about life cycles, agriculture, biosecurity, record keeping and more! Students have written stories, made books and completed timelines to help them learn more about the chicks and why we treat them like we do.

Farm Bureau partners with us to help ensure success of 4-H Embryology! Special thanks to Farm Bureau for assisting with this program.

Time for Teens

2011-02-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

3 Richmond County 4-H teens started their 4-H year off by attending Winter Enrichment recently. The event was held on the campus of Sandhills Community College in Moore County. It brought together 4-H'ers from the South Central Extension District which includes 15 counties. Nearly 70 youth from across the district gathered to conduct business meetings, attend workshops, meet new friends and have a good time.

Katie working on her Electric Project Kit.

Nathan Ezzell, Courtney Miller & Katie Miller represented Richmond County well at the event. Courtney taught a workshop on Health Rocks, a healthy lifestyles basics curriculum. Other workshops offered included Scrap booking, Electric and Personality Testing.

This, and other 4-H events are supported by contributions to the United Way of Richmond County and fund raising events

We are very proud of our teens and look forward to a great 4-H year to come. To take a look at all the pictures from Teen Retreat, click here!

I Hear Noises....

2011-02-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

I have had a new sound in my office for a past week. The gentle hum of an incubator has been in my office and 11 Richmond County 1^st and 2^nd grade classrooms. The students are participating in the 4-H Embryology project by hatching out a group of chicks in their classrooms.

Day 3/4 of Development

Students at Monroe Avenue, West Rockingham and East Rockingham Elementary Schools are participating in the project now, with Fairview Heights, Washington Street and L.J. Bell, Mineral Springs and Cordova Schools participating in March.

During the 21 days that it takes for the chicks to develop and hatch, students help to ensure healthy growth by turning the eggs, monitoring temperature and keeping water in the incubator. Students learn about many different areas during this project, including life cycles, growth, agriculture, and bio-security. To see more pictures from my incubator, click here.

Lilo waiting for her classroom visits.

1^st grade classrooms were offered a visit from 4-H Agent Michelle Stumbo to learn how important it is to wash hands by looking at where germs like to hide under the black light. 2^nd graders could get a visit from one of the 4-H Program Rabbits to help discuss agriculture and how important that is for us.

Richmond County 4-H receives support to offer programs like these to Richmond County School Students at no cost through the generosity of Richmond County. Farm Bureau has donated money in order to purchase new incubators. You can also support Richmond County 4-H by contributing to the United Way of Richmond County.

Volunteers Get A Day!

2011-02-14T07:26:00.000-08:00

I often write about trips and conferences that our 4-H members participate in, but recently our wonderful Volunteers got their chance to have fun learning when they travelled to Volunteer Leader’s Conference in Raleigh.

Volunteers from across the state gather each year to learn new information, share what they are doing in their counties, celebrate the work that has been done over the past year and meet other volunteers who can understand the challenges and successes that they experience.

Richmond County 4-H Volunteer Mamie LeGrand and 4-H Program Assistant Cynthia Little took the trip with me last weekend and went to the conference to learn how to better serve the youth of Richmond County.

If anyone is interested in becoming a 4-H Volunteer, please contact Michelle Stumbo at 997-8255 or michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu. Volunteering is a great way to affect youth in a positive way by allowing them to form learning relationships with caring, screened, trained adults. You can also support Richmond County 4-H by contributing to the United Way of Richmond County.

Support Stitch!

2011-02-01T12:16:00.000-08:00

Stitch, and his girlfriend Lilo, are 4-H's newest program rabbits. Stitch has been doing such a great job getting ready to meet Richmond County's youth that we decided to enter him into a photo contest. Check him out...

You can find the entry here:
http://rcdailyjournal.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?contestid=25143&pagetype=APPROVED&SubmissionID=6721248

JCPENNEY CUSTOMERS “ROUND-UP” $1717.41 FOR RICHMOND COUNTY 4-H

2011-01-28T08:33:00.001-08:00

Thanks to funds raised through a recent “Round-Up” campaign at the JCPenney at Richmond Plaza, more Richmond County children in need will benefit from the educational opportunities offered by quality programming. From Dec. 1-14, JCPenney customers were invited to round-up their JCPenney purchases to the nearest whole dollar and donate the difference to JCPenney Afterschool. Donations raised at JCPenney’s final “Round-Up” event of the year generated $582.08 for Richmond County 4-H. The program has set $1717.41 to 4-H in the county this year. One hundred percent of the proceeds collected directly benefit 4-H in an effort to build and sustain afterschool educational programs in Richmond County.

Thanks to JCPenney & Richmond County Citizens for making this partnership work!!

Now Introducing......

2011-01-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

Lilo & Stitch!

Lilo & Stitch are Richmond County 4-H's newest Program Rabbits. They are American Fuzzy Lops, which is a small breed rabbit who are proving to be very funny! For more information on the breed, visit their website at http://users.connections.net/fuzzylop/. The first time Lilo & Stitch will get to see the kids of Richmond County will be during 4-H Embryology starting in a few weeks.

For those who have been visited by the 4-H bunny before - no worries - Carolina Bunny is just fine! She is our current program rabbit and had contact with more than 1200 youth in Richmond County in 2010 and it was time to get her some help so she can get a day off occasionally.

Farm City Week Starts the Giving Season in Richmond County

2010-12-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

Abby Hamilton helps Mr. McInnis's goat feel at home.

Each November, we as a country are asked to return our thanks for the many blessings that we each have. As President Abraham Lincoln stated, "To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God."

I simply can't state it any better than that! And in Richmond County, one of our biggest gifts is the relationship between our agriculture community and our business interests. Each year during the week of Thanksgiving, Richmond County takes time to celebrate Farm-City Week. We have both a wonderful farming heritage and a motivated business sector that must work together to understand one another and work towards the county's best interests on all fronts.

To start the week off with some fun, the annual Farmers Parade is held in Ellerbe. This year the parade route allowed tractors, floats, horses, people and even a goat or two to travel down Main Street. The 4-H Livestock Club members could be seen waving and taking care of a couple future producers (goat kids) on a float being driven by their constant supporter, John McInnis (and Mrs Velma is always supporting them too.) The parade saw more than 130 entries of all types and crowd estimates are that over 1,000 people came out to enjoy the show & shop at the many venders who set up shop for the day.

Chris Yaklin, Farm Bureau President

Monday saw the annual Farmer's Luncheon held at the Agriculture Services Center. Several wonderful cooks volunteer their time to provide wonderful food for the event which saw well over 100 people coming together to celebrate our county's farmers. They included: Earl Graves, Gerald Littlejohn, Bob Hill, Gene Shaw, David McCoy, Myers Waddell, Helen Goodman and Betty Wilson. Several businesses also assist with the event geared towards helping recognize the hard work and dedication it takes to provide food and fiber products to citizens of North Carolina including PeeDee Electric Membership Cooperative, Perdue and FirstHealth. In addition to updates from the agencies housed at the Agricultural Services Center, Luncheon Attendees also got to hear from Chris Yaklin, President of Richmond County Farm Bureau. Chris shared that he knew he wanted to farm from a young age and that it has helped make him who he is today and the important role Farm Bureau plays in the community; it's not just an insurance company.

The final event of Farm-City Week 2010 was the Farm-City Banquet. The Banquet was held at the Cole Auditorium on the campus of Richmond Community College in Hamlet. The banquet featured great fellowship and reconnecting with friends of both the farming and urban communities in Richmond County. We started the night with our own Carol Capel singing with Miss Sarah Yaklin. They sang "Mary Did You Know?" and did a fantastic job! Commissioner Thad Ussery read the Farm-City Week proclamation from the Richmond County Board of Commissioners. A.J. Outlaw, who works in the agricultural sector, provided entertainment for the event. AJ is also an Elvis impersonator and provided us with his best impressions of The King, including my two favorite Elvis tunes: Blue Christmas and An American Trilogy. We ended the evening listening to Miss Molly Stutts of Ellerbe. Molly is the NC Peach Queen and she shared some of her experiences during the course of her year. She has had many chances to reach out to the community and enjoys each chance to help expand the understanding people have about agriculture. She also made sure that everyone had some yummy peach recipes to take home to try for the Holidays.

We had a wonderful Farm-City Week in Richmond County! Here at the Extension Office we are grateful for many things, including all of the wonderful people who make these events possible. Special thanks & congrats to the staff of Farm Services Agency in Richmond County for all of the hard work they put into planning this year! To see more pictures from this year's Farm-City events, click here.

Camp for Christmas!

2010-11-23T06:06:00.000-08:00

It’s that time again!! No, not for snowflakes and Santa, but for thinking about canoes, crafts and Richmond County 4-H Camp! What better present under the tree than a week of fun and excitement this summer? Forget about enduring the day after Thanksgiving crowds & visit the Agriculture Service Center to do your Christmas shopping this year. If you pay the deposit before Dec. 17th, we will make your child a certificate to open on Christmas (maybe wrapped inside a new sleeping bag, etc?!?)

We will be camping at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp in Reidsville, NC. We will depart on Sunday, July 24th and return on Friday, July 29th, 2011.

The camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and is staffed by trained and dedicated young men and women from across the country and around the world.

Youth aged 9-14 participate in horseback riding, canoeing, archery, climbing, swimming, arts & crafts, cookouts, campfires, nature exploration, teambuilding, high ropes, and much more. Adventure programs offer older youth (13 and 14 year olds) opportunities to gain compass, GPS and other outdoor living skills, plus participate in rock climbing, swift water canoeing and more. All these activities help youth improve their leadership and communication skills while making new friends from across the state.

If you are interested in more information about 4-H Camp, and to pay a $50 deposit or the whole camp fee of $325, call 997-8255 or email michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu for a copy of the camp form! You can also check out what happened at camp this year by scrolling down to July. There will be an opportunity to receive $50 -$200 Camp Scholarships this year, and the application will be mailed to those having paid their deposits before March 1st!!! Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas & Happy Camping!!

4-H Farm Credit Circuit Ends With a...Banquet!

2010-11-23T05:56:00.000-08:00

Another year has come & gone for the 4-H Farm Credit Show Circuit. We could not be more proud of the more that 80 showmen, 20 from Richmond County, we dedicated themselves to caring for and showing an animal this show season. It takes time, compassion and commitment to participate in a fall of livestock shows across the region.

Richmond County was wonderfully represented at the Banquet in Sampson County! Many families made the trip to help celebrate the accomplishments of our young people. To see more pictures from the Banquet, click here.

The Goat Junior 9-10 year old category saw the following placings:

Brianna Hamilton	Richmond
Katie Edwards	Anson
Savannah Chappell	Richmond
Kristen DeBerry	Union
Maria Fehlman	Union
Faith Thompson	Richmond

The Goat Intermediate 11-13 year old showmen is always a competitive category. It came down to the wire again this year too.

Jordan Carroll	Richmond
Sarah Maske	Richmond
Bethany Thompson	Montgomery
Madelyn Chappell	Richmond
Michaela McInnis	Moore
Alana McQueen	Richmond
Peggyann Kennedy	Richmond
Jeremy Fehlman	Union
Kristi Reep	Richmond
Matthew Acorn	Hoke
Nathan Lemonds	Montgomery
Benjamin Herndon	Cumberland

Dixie Acorn of Hoke County receiving her Award.

The Senior 14-19 year old Goat division saw something that has never occurred to our knowledge in the past. One person, Dixie Acorn of Hoke County, won both the Goat and Heifer categories. We are very proud of Dixie & all of our Seniors for always being willing to help out younger showmen and lend a hand at shows. The Senior Goat division ended up with the following placings:

Dixie Acorn	Hoke
Nathan Ezzell	Richmond
Morgan Rockwell	Hoke
Grayson McQueen	Richmond
Santiago Acuña	Richmond
Darren Lefler	Moore
Catherine DeBerry	Union
Theresa Fehlman	Union

Our youngest showmen, the Cloverbuds, are 5 to 8 years old and do not show competitively yet. They are using this time to get the basic skills they need to show in the future! They have shown lambs, goats or heifers during the show season & they are:

Shane Kendall	Sampson
Hunter Mercer	Sampson
Tate Naylor	Sampson
Hanna Naylor	Sampson
April Baldwin	Sampson

Marcie Harward	Stanly
Mattie Harward	Stanly
Luke White	Chatham

Brenon Bullard	Richmond
Taylor Chappell	Richmond
Eddie DeBerry	Union
Grace Fehlman	Union
Bryce Goodwin	Richmond
Abigail Hamilton	Richmond
Matthew Lemonds	Montgomery
Eli Maske	Richmond
Madison McInnis	Moore
Will Meacham	Richmond
DeLani Reep	Richmond
Garrett Thompson	Richmond

4-H Science Adventures

2010-11-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

Recently Richmond County 4-H partnered with local professionals in various fields to offer 4-H Science Adventures for all the 5^th grade students in the county. 4-H Science Adventures is geared towards giving teachers and students a day of learning about natural resources and the environment in the natural beauty of Millstone 4-H Camp.

650 students participated in the program with 100% of reporting teachers stating that both student’s scientific knowledge and skills were enhanced. 100% of reporting teachers noted improvements in class participation, goal setting, problem solving and critical thinking skills throughout the day. Youth also participated in the National 4-H Science Day Experiment 4-H2O. The Experiment helped youth to realize that actions we take can affect the world around us.

Numerous volunteers make 4-H Science Adventures possible by donating nearly 250 hours of service to the students of Richmond County, valued at over $5,000. Volunteers include: Brad Allen and Matt Gordon with the NC Forest Service, David Auman, Jeff Smart and William Trivette from the Beekeepers Association, Victoria Hudson with Environmental Health, Krista Long with Morrow Mountain State Park, Jackie McAuley with Soil & Water, Jeremy Martin and Mark Thompson with Sandhills Research Station, the staff of Weymouth Woods State Park, Cathy Brown, Tiffanee Conrad-Acuña, Shea Ann DeJarnette and Lauren Irby with NC Cooperation Extension. Special thanks also goes to one of our own Goat Showmen, Sarah Maske, for letting us borrow your goat for the event. Special thanks to these amazing people and to the United Way of Richmond county for providing monetary support for 4-H programs.

Celebrating What Is GREAT In Richmond County!!!

2010-10-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Written By: Michelle Stumbo, Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development and Tiffanee Conrad-Acuña, Extension Agent, Livestock.

The theme at this year’s NC State Fair was “Celebrate What’s Great!” and Richmond County 4-H’ers should have great reason to celebrate after their strong showing at events this year! Youth exhibited in the Junior Meat Goat Show, Junior Meat Goat Showmanship, Junior Doe Goat Show, and Junior Doe Showmanship during the NC State Fair.

The 4-H Livestock Club was busy for several days at the fair. During the Junior Meat Goat Show, 20 Richmond County youth displayed their finished products. They have been working with their animals since early July and sold their goats during the Fair. Youth competing in the Junior Meat Goat Show included Santiago Acuña Robinson, Brennon Bullard, Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Savannah Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Bryce Goodwin, Vance Goodwin, Nathan Ezzell, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Peggyann Kennedy, Alana McQueen, Grayson McQueen, Eli Maske, Sarah Maske, Will Meacham, DeLani Reep, Kristi Reep and Faith Thompson. These young people did very well, bringing home one 1^st place ribbon, two 2^nd place ribbons, one 3^rd and 4^th place ribbons and three 5^th place ribbons during the Junior Meat Goat Show. Nathan Ezzell had one goat in the Grand Champion drive while Jordan Carroll and Will Meacham both had goats in the Reserve Champion drive.

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club was again working hard during the Junior Commercial Doe Goat Show and Showmanship. Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Bryce Goodwin, and Nathan Ezzell all competed in the Junior Commercial Doe Show. Richmond County brought home two 4^th place ribbons and one 5^th place ribbon during the Junior Commercial Doe Show.

Several youth received Showmanship Pins for their outstanding ability to show their animals to the best of its ability. These youth included: Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Bryce Goodwin, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Eli Maske and Sarah Maske.

Richmond County 4-H volunteers even got into the action of the State Fair! John & Velma McInnis, Richmond County goat producers who continually support the 4-H Livestock Program, had animals on display in the State Fair Ark. John had a doe, an adult female, and two kids, baby goats, which were exhibited in the Expo Center at the State Fair. We are very proud of the McInnis Family for being awarded this honor!

Congratulations to all of these young people and special thanks to all of the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and community members who traveled to the fair to support these youth as they strive “To Make The Best Better” in Richmond County! To see pictures from the State Fair, click here!

Great Things Happening in Richmond County!

2010-10-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

Written by: Michelle Stumbo, Extension Agent, 4-H & Youth Development and Gene Shutt, Millstone 4-H Camp Director

Phone: 997-8255/652-5905

Upon first arriving at Millstone 4-H Camp and seeing over 250 youth walking around carrying guns and bows, I thought how some might be scared of the scene. Many people fear any and all weapons because of the highlights on the news each night. These young people, however, are not to be feared, they are to be applauded for their efforts in the recent North Carolina 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament held in Ellerbe, NC.

The purpose of the NC 4-H Shooting Sports program is to develop caring, capable youth by enabling young people to become responsible self-directed members of society, offering young people of our state a positive experience in the shooting sports program, and promoting the safe sport of hunting and shooting.

4-H’ers from across the state participated in both team and individual contests in the following categories: shotgun, small-bore sporting rifle, small-bore match rifle, air rifle, air pistol, black powder, recurve archery, compound archery, and hunting and orienteering skills. More than 25 counties were represented at the event this year.

During their stay at the historic site in Ellerbe, youth used over 7,000 rounds of .22 ammunition, almost 5,000 shotgun shells, and around 200 round balls for muzzle-loading, ammo for air rifle and air pistol and numerous ends of arrows for archery. Participants also got to experience the numerous renovations that have been done at the Camp over the past 3 years, including heated/air conditioned cabins, state of the art septic system, new roof & windows in the Dining Hall and a brand new kitchen. More changes are quickly on the way at Camp as well! Ground has been broken for a Courtyard which will eventually be part of the NC 4-H Museum at be housed right here in Richmond County.

To see pictures from the day, Click Here , for results from the contest, check out the Shooting Sports section of www.millstone4hcamp.org. If you are interested in developing safety, ethics, personal responsibility, and lifetime recreational skills in youth that you know, contact Michelle Stumbo, 4-H & Youth Development Agent with NC Cooperative Extension at 997-8255 or michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu. For more information on Millstone 4-H Camp and the Museum Project, contact Gene Shutt, Millstone 4-H Camp Director with at 652-5905.

YouthVoice 2010

2010-09-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

August 27-28 marked the inaugural North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Youth Summit –YouthVoice 2010, which was held in Greenville, North Carolina. Held in conjunction with the annual county commissioners meeting and sponsored by the NCACC, over 80 youth and adults from 74 counties attended the event. During YouthVoice 2010, attendees had a chance to interact with County Commissioners, attend the annual Horn of Plenty event sponsored by NC Cooperative Extension, participate in workshop sessions and attend NC SPIN.

In addition, the youth attendees debated and decided on the top ten issues facing youth. These issues stemmed from ones that 4-H’ers and youth in every county identified and compiled. Youth then met in groups to prioritize the top ten issues in their Extension district. One youth from every county was invited to attend YouthVoice 2010. The Richmond County delegate was Nathan Ezzell, son of Randy & Tracy Ezzell of Rockingham.

One youth per county was invited to attend YouthVoice 2010 and bring their district issues. From over 60 issues, the delegation attending YouthVoice 2010 determined the top 10 issues facing youth in North Carolina. The State 4-H Council officer team shared the top ten issues with the County Commissioners.

YouthVoice 2010 was developed because of NCACC’s 2010 President Mary Accor’s commitment to youth and to developing youth leaders. The event was sponsored by the NCACC. North Carolina 4-H Youth Development and North Carolina Cooperative Extension were the lead partners and led the efforts to plan the conference and organize YouthVoice 2010.

North Carolina 4-H has over 240,926 youth enrolled in the program as well as 21,200 youth and adult volunteers. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

- Written by Sarah Kotzian, State 4-H Office, NCSU -

Running with the Pack

2010-09-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

It's football time again & recently 2 Richmond County 4-H'ers got to see just what that entails during a NC State University football game. 4-H’ers from across the state took part in this year’s Run with the Pack in Raleigh. DeLani Reep of Hamlet and Makayla Wilson of Rockingham represented Richmond County 4-H at the event.

On Saturday, September 4, 12 excited 4-H’ers from across the state took the field at Carter Finley Stadium with the N.C. State football team to kick off their first game of the season - a matchup against Western Carolina University. North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy cooperatives sponsored the game and this once in a lifetime opportunity for the 4-H’ers. The electric cooperatives have a long-standing relationship with the 4-H program, and these students were chosen based on an application.

In addition to running on the field with the N.C. State football team, each 4-H’er also received tickets to the game for themselves and their family. This was a wonderful experience for the youth who were chosen to participate as well as for their families. Richmond County 4-H sent two representatives to Run with the Pack this year. They were DeLani Reep of Hamlet and Makayla Wilson of Rockingham. Congratulations ladies!

Still Showing Strong!

2010-09-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

Richmond County 4-H'ers recently made the treks to Lee and Moore County Goat Shows. The Lee County results are listed below, as well as a link to the pictures taken at the Lee County Show.

Mrs. North Carolina even made an appearance for pictures!

Great job & have a great rest of the season! Click here for pictures!

Cloverbud - Non-competitive

Ages 5-8 (as of Jan. 1)

Exhibitor Name	County
Abby Hamilton	Richmond
Delani Reep	Richmond
Bryce Goodwin	Richmond
Isabella Evans	Lee
Grace Fehlman	Union
Madison McInnis	Moore
Eli Maske	Richmond
Eddie DeBerry	Union
Matthew Lemonds	Montgomery

Junior Division

Ages 9-10 (as of Jan.1)

Exhibitor Name	County	Placing
Katie Edwards	Anson	1
Katie Heldt	Lee	2
Maria Fehlman	UNION	3
Kristen DeBerry	Union	4
Dylan Harrington	Lee	5
Brianna Hamilton	Richmond	6
David Heldt	Lee	7

Intermediate Division

Ages 11-13 (as of Jan. 1)

Exhibitor Name	County	Placing
Joel Dahms	Durham	1
Michaela McInnis	Moore	2
Jordan Carroll	Richmond	3
Sarah Maske	Richmond	4
Bethany Thompson	Montgomery	5
Kristi Reep	Richmond	6
Alana McQueen	Richmond	7
Jeremy Fehlman	Union	8
Matthew Acorn	Hoke	9
Nathan Lemonds	Montgomery	10
Cody Harrington	Lee	11

Senior Division

Ages 14-19 (as of Jan. 1)

Exhibitor Name	County	Placing
Dixie Acorn	Hoke	1
Nathan Ezzell	Richmond	2
Santiago Acuna Robinson	Richmond	3
Catherine DeBerry	Union	4
Darren Lefler	Moore	5
Morgan Rockwell	Hoke	6
Theresa Fehlman	Union	7
Grayson McQueen	Richmond	8

Richmond County "SHOWS" It's Pride!

2010-09-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

Most people will tell you that “office hours” do not include Saturdays, but members of the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Office were hard at work this past Saturday hosting the 2010 Richmond County Goat Show. The Richmond County 4-H Show attracted youth from 7 counties, including Anson, Hoke, Moore, Montgomery, Richmond, Stanly, and Union Counties. A total of 35 4-H’ers brought approximately 60 animals to the farm of Dale and Melanie Dewitt in Ellerbe.

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club really showed their stuff on Saturday by competing strongly in every event. Richmond County 4-H’ers took home most of the major awards of the show. The club members competing in the Farm Credit 4-H Showmanship Circuit are: Santiago Acuña Robinson, Brennon Bullard, Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Savannah Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Nathan Ezzell , Bryce Goodwin, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Peggyann Kennedy, Eli Maske, Sarah Maske, Alana McQueen, Grayson McQueen, Will Meacham, DeLani Reep, Kristi Reep, Faith Thompson, and Garrett Thompson. Everyone in the club did a fantastic job and is looking forward to the rest of the show season.

Sarah Maske

Nathan Ezzell

Brianna Hamilton

Morgan Rockwell was awarded the Senior Showmanship award, while Bethany Thompson was the Junior 11-13 Showmanship winner and Brianna Hamilton won the Junior 9-10 Showmanship division. Cole Mullis was awarded the Senior Showmanship 2^nd place award, while Sarah Maske was the Junior 11-13 Showmanship 2^nd place winner and Katie Edwards won the Junior 9-10 Showmanship 2^nd place. The Showmanship classes are designed to gauge the 4-H’ers knowledge, skill with the animal, and hard work. 4-H’ers can be asked questions about their animals and how they are cared for while presenting the animal to the best of their ability for the judge.

Madelyn Chappell, a 4-H’er from Richmond County, showed the Grand Champion Doe. Jordan Carroll of Richmond County showed the Reserve Champion Doe. Does are females who will be bred and will continue production on the farm. Does are judged on their frame and structure based on how they would carry the extra weight of being pregnant and the stress of milking.

Wethers, castrated male goats, are judged on the total marketability of the animal. The Grand Champion Market Wether was shown by Dustin Helms of Stanly County. Cole Mullis, also of Stanly County, showed the Reserve Champion Market Wether.

We would like to again thank our Richmond County 4-H Goat Show Sponsors who have already contributed: Richmond County Farm Bureau, Inc., Richmond County Tourism Authority, Iron Horse Auction Co., E.E. Vuncannon, Inc., Wal-Mart, Jordan & Jordan Enterprises, Carolina Farm Credit, Daniel Simmons, Carroll Farms, Jack & Mary Webb, Anne & Richard Thrower, Dale & Melanie DeWitt, King’s Septic Tank Pumping & Port-A-John, Jerry’s Inc., Maness Tire & Recapping Inc., BB&T, Bobby’s Furniture, Carroll’s Pantry, Ellerbe Pharmacy, Pee Dee Electric, Steve and Shelia Webb, Carey Thompson, John and Velma McInnis, and Rainbow Hill Farm. Several individuals and businesses donated funds that were used to purchase pens to be used at the show, including: John McInnis Farm, Danny & Glenda McInnis, Scotland Motors, Inc, Lee Howell & family, and Fidelity Bank. Special thanks to Ricky Dewitt of Farm Bureau for awarding plaques and ribbons, John McInnis, Marv Powell, Cary Thompson, Brian Hamilton, and Duke Goodwin for setting up the ring and facilities and to Dale & Melanie DeWitt for donating outstanding show facilities.

To see pictures from the Show, Click here! Special thanks to Olivia Webb, Mayor of Ellerbe, for taking many of these pictures - they are wonderful! For more information about 4-H Livestock, please contact Michelle Stumbo, 4-H Extension Agent, or Tiffanee Conrad-Acuña, Livestock Extension Agent at 997-8255. United Way of Richmond County also supports Richmond County 4-H Club activities.

Way to go Courtney Miller!

2010-09-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

Mr. Wells Hall, Mrs. Phyllis Stainback and Dr. Hugh Liner present Dixie Acorn, a Hoke County 4-H’er who will attend Sandhills Community College, and Courtney Miller, Richmond County 4-H’er who will attend East Carolina University, with the South Central District 4-H Development Fund Scholarship.

Courtney Shea Miller, 17, of Richmond County was recently selected for North Carolina’s 4-H Honor Club, one of the highest honors a 4-H’er can achieve.

Miller, daughter of Anne and Jeff Miller of Laurel Hill, was tapped for the club during a candlelight ceremony Monday July 19 during State 4-H Congress. Congress is the high point of the 4-H year, bringing young people from across the state to the North Carolina State University campus and Raleigh for four days of activity July 19-22. More than 500 4-H’ers, volunteer leaders and North Carolina Cooperative Extension agents attended 4-H Congress.

Membership in the Honor Club is based on service to the 4-H program, leadership, moral standards, 4-H activities and project achievement. Less than one-half of 1 percent of North Carolina 4-H’ers are selected for membership each year. Members must be at least 16 years old and have a minimum of three years 4-H experience.

Miller was also awarded the South Central District 4-H Development Fund Scholarship at the annual North Carolina 4-H Scholarship and Awards Reception and Partnership Luncheon held in Raleigh during North Carolina 4-H Congress. The Scholarship and Awards Reception and Partnership Luncheon celebrates outstanding North Carolina 4-H’ers who have distinguished themselves through their long-term project work, as delegates to national 4-H events, and recognizes those youth who are awarded college scholarships. This year 4-H honored over 137 4-H’ers and awarded over $66,000 in academic scholarships.

The 4-H program is the youth education program of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, based at North Carolina State and North Carolina A&T State universities. More than 240,000 young people between the ages of 5 and 19 participate in North Carolina 4-H activities each year with the help of 21,000 adult and youth volunteers.

- Written by: Michael Martin & Dee Shore -

It that time again.....

2010-08-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it's time for school bells to toll & buses to make me late for work, but I was talking about Livestock Shows! The Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit kicked off the show season with the first show held in Montgomery County this past Saturday.

Richmond County 4-H’ers are busy after the first show of the 2010 Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit last Saturday. The first show was held in Montgomery County and youth had the opportunity to compete against youth from across the region there and at each of the 11 Goat Shows between now and the State Fair. Youth can show goats, heifers or lambs as part of the Show Circuit. The Showmen will finish the season at the Farm Credit Circuit Banquet on November 12th in Sampson County.

Richmond County Cloverbuds who made the trip to show included: Taylor Chappell, Bryce Goodwin, Abby Hamilton, Eli Maske, Will Meacham, DeLani Reep & Garrett Thompson. They all did a wonderful job showing their goats! Some future 4-H Showmen even got to take a trip around the show ring & learn from some older 4-H'ers!

Showmanship placings for the older classes are listed below. Congrats to everyone & we are looking forward to seeing how you do at the next show! Good luck! (Thanks Chrissy Haynes & Hattie Reep for the pictures! To see all of Hattie' pictures, click here.)

The Juniors - 9-10 year olds - had some tough competition, but here are the final results.

Kristen DeBerry	1	Union
Savannah Chappell	2	Richmond
Marla Fehlman	3	Union
Faith Thompson	4	Richmond
Brianna Hamilton	5	Richmond
Katie Edwards		Anson

The Intermediate Showmen, youth 11-13 years old, ended the day with these placings.

Jordan Carroll	1	Richmond
Madelyn Chappell	2	Richmond
Peggyann Kennedy	3	Richmond
Michaela McInnis	4	Moore
Sarah Maske	5	Richmond
Alana McQueen		Richmond
Bethany Thompson		Montgomery
Kristi Reep		Richmond
Nathan Lemonds		Montgomery
Jeremy Fehlman		Union
Matthew Acorn		Hoke

Senior Showmen finished the showmanship classes for the day.

Dixie Acorn	1	Hoke
Morgan Rockwell	2	Hoke
Catherine DeBerry	3	Union
Santiago Robinson	4	Richmond
Grayson McQueen	5	Richmond
Theresa Fehlman		Union
Darren Lefler		Moore

Cloverbuds Can Camp Too!

2010-08-11T05:54:00.000-07:00

While our older campers probably spent that evening and day after we got back from Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp sleeping & recounting stories of camp fun for family members, our Cloverbuds got into the camping mood with a one night event at Millstone 4-H Camp right here in Richmond County!

About 30 youth ages 5-8 from Richmond, Moore & Scotland Counties gathered for the night to have fun and make new friends. We sang camp songs, ate yummy food and spent the night in the newly renovated cabins at Millstone! Of course, we took a few laps in the swimming pool. The campers participated in classes where they got to take aim on the archery range, paddle around the lake by canoe, try to withstand the current in the creek & discover more about the world around us.

We would like to send a BIG thank you to the staff of Millstone for letting us come out & have fun! You all were great! We also need to thank all the agents & volunteers (teens & grown-ups) for getting the kids there & making sure they were safe while having fun! Jennifer Christensen of the Girl Scouts also came out & helped us learn some new campfire songs - THANKS! Hope to see you all next year!! If you want to see the rest of the pictures from the weekend - click here!

We'll be glad to be home, but SO SAD to leave!

2010-07-29T22:04:00.000-07:00

Today was the last day of Camp. It's always a bitter sweet day because we have all gotten to know each other so well but we have to leave all our new friends tomorrow. Our campers had a lot of fun today though! The Trekkers got back from what proved to be an exciting trip canoeing & repelling to Pilot Mountain. Click here to see pictures that Adam provided from the Trekker trip.

For our groups here on Camp grounds, we were just as busy as the Trekkers were. Campers made their last visits to the archery range, the brand new pool, the horse barn, the canoe docks & more today. On the range, camper tested their skills to see who was on target. The pool was, of course, a nice cool break from the weather. Campers helped to saddle their own horse today & went on a trail ride. Campers got to rest their arms after some canoeing by swimming in the lake (some even wanted to get thrown in by the life guards.)

After Flag lowering tonight, everyone was in their finest to celebrate the end of Camp with our annual dance. Everyone had a great time, dancing solo or with a special camp friend, everyone seemed to find their groove & have a great time. We will be back to the office at about lunch time tomorrow, after we see the camp slide show & get our camper awards. Click here to see Camp pictures from Thursday! Sweet Dreams Campers! We'll see you in the morning!

HAPPY CONGRESS!!!

2010-07-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

Congress means many things to many people. In NC 4-H, Congress is the BIG EVENT for our teens. Congress is a 4 day event that allows youth to stay in the dorms on NCSU's campus and experience a bit of college life while participating in leadership development activities and making new friends from across the great State of North Carolina. This year, Richmond County took 4 youth - Nathan Ezzell, Courtney Miller, Sarah Tyler and Hannah Webb.

Monday saw us starting our day with a drive to Raleigh & getting ready for opening meetings, both for the youth & the agents. Our District Meeting had us thinking hard about what we would change about each of our communities and what our youth believe are problems that they face in NC. Monday's opening assembly had an updated version of the county flag ceremony and introductions of our 2009-2010 State & District Officers. Monday was also a very special night for Richmond County's Courtney Miller. Courtney was inducted into the NC 4-H Honor Club. Honor Club is an elite group of 4-H members and Alumni who are inducted yearly at Congress. Congrats Courtney!!

Tuesday saw State Presentations in which Courtney and Nathan Miller competed in Safety and Expressive Arts, respectively. Courtney took home a Silver for her presentation on Gun Safety & Nathan did a wonderful job on his presentation on Masks. Youth also participated in several workshops during the day including the opportunity to take a tour of NCSU's campus, learn how to handle media relations and a how-to start planning for college. Tuesday's evening assembly was an eye opening session on hunger. Hunger affects people all over the world, including those in our back yard! 4-H will be working over at least the next two years to help allivate this big problem in NC.

On Wednesday, we were able to put our motivation into action & sort tons of pasta for the NC Food Banks for the Hands to Service project. And I do really mean TONS of pasta. The youth took about 3 hours to bag and label 37,900 pounds of pasta, which is enough to feed nearly 32,000 meals. We were so proud of our youth for taking time out of the AC to complete the project with smiles & laughs while making new friends. During Hands to Service, the Donor Luncheon was held and Courtney Miller attended to thank the people who are responsible for funding the scholarship she will recieve for college this year. We finished the night with the farewell banquet in which outgoing state officers gave their final speaches & then headed to Dorton Arena for the candle lighting ceremony. If you have never seen an NC candle lighting, it is quite a sight! All of the youth line a giant clover with candles & many agents get a workout climbing stairs to get to the top & take pictures.

Thursday was the end of Congress this year. The youth got to attend a session with representives from NCSU and participate in a panel discussion about how to plan for college & beyond. After a closing meeting with Mrs. Reba Green-Holly of the Northeast District to motivate them to do great work when they go back to the county. We are looking forward to State Council Conference in November and to the great work these you will do in the county! Click here for pictures from the week!

Still at Camp:)

2010-07-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was another fun filled day of camp! Our Richmond County Campers are doing a great job at all their activities. After a yummy breakfast, campers were again off to their group activities. These included canoeing, crafts, pool, archery, horse, high ropes, teambuilding and the ever popular choice class. Our Trekker and Adventure groups change their schedule for today & tomorrow and do some different things. The Trekkers left in the morning for a trip to Pilot Mountain. They will go rapelling and canoeing and will be back for tomorrow's dance. Adventurers learned how to find their way anywhere in the GPS class. They learned how to find map cooridinates and then used their new found skills to go geocaching. The Adventure group is currently camped out last night and we wish them sweet dreams under the stars!

Those of us back at the main camp got a real treat tonight at the Talent Show. Several campers and staff entertained us with their wonderful talents, including dancing, singing, karate, and more! We even had a special visit from Captin Jack & his pirate friends who acted as our MC's for the evening after scaring off the original MC's. Kandon was our only camper to perform last night, and she did a wonderful job singing a ZoeGirl song.

Click here to see my pictures from today. Also, don't forget to send any camper emails by 2 pm on Thursday & to check our Shea Ann's blog at http://www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com/ for more updates and pictures!

Soaring High!

2010-07-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

This morning our Adventure and Trekker campers, our two oldest groups, got to participate in something not many folks do often. They went through several elements of the High Ropes course here at Betsy Jeff Penn 4-H Center. We were SO PROUD of our campers! They may have been scared, they may have prayed before their climb, but they conquered their fears and took a leap, sometimes real ones!

Click here to see some pictures of their brave trips! As soon as I can figure it out I will try to post some video. It's raining right now, so we are taking an early rest break & they campers are all safely in their cabins.

First Full Camp Day!

2010-07-26T22:47:00.000-07:00

After busy nights spent chatting with new friends & getting all of our beds just right, we had a great first full day of camp. Campers may have been a bit sleepy at breakfast this morning, but activities like canoeing, hiking, rock wall, horseback riding, ice cream making, swimming and crafts got all of us up & going quickly! I cannot mention swimming at BJPenn 4-H Center, though, without mentioning the fact that they now have a BRAND NEW POOL!! It looks great & the kids seemed to enjoy it today too.

For our evening activity tonight, the younger groups played water sports. These included time in the pool, water themed relays and a trip to the lake for good measure. To see pictures of the Water Sports, you will need to check out http://www.robeson4-h.blogsport.com/ because I got to spend some quality time with our oldest campers, the Trekker group tonight at the climbing wall.

All the campers are snug in their beds and can't wait for the day ahead, but you can see pictures of them by clicking here! We are planning an early morning on the high ropes course for lots of pictures, and maybe even a video or two along the way.

Camp - Day 1

2010-07-25T21:13:00.000-07:00

I will go ahead and say I am sorry folks - this post is going to be short & sweet! We arrived safely to Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Education Center in Reidsville this afternoon with 7 Richmond County youth & one LIT (Leader In Training) from Richmond County.

After everyone got checked into their cabins & met their roomies for the week, we headed to the ball field & had grilled out dinner. After dinner, introductions were made & we went over all the important stuff that we need to know about camp. Everyone is tucked snug in their beds now & I am very close to joining them! We did want to make sure that we put some pictures for you to see from our first day & be sure to check back each night for more - click here to see them all. You may also check http://www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com/ for more pics & camp news. Happy dreams Campers!!

A Trotting Good Time

2010-07-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

One those dog days of summer, many young people try to hide in the AC. Not the case with the Richmond County 4-H’ers who recently traveled to Tanglewood Park in Clemmons for the day!

After a rather warm trip north – sorry again that the air went out to everybody – we arrived at Tanglewood to a warm greeting from Mike & the stable staff and James and his hay ride help. We split into groups and got busy. My group went horseback riding first while the second group took a relaxing hayride to see the whole park from the shady back of the wagon.

I got to team up with Reno, a wonderful steady horse, to see some gorgeous scenery of the Uharries. The other horses included Vegas, Dogwood, Hugh and Boots. After some initial nerves, all of the kids settled into their saddles & by the half way point of the ride, requests of, “Can we trot more?” could be heard through the line. In two quieter moments, we even saw deer standing in the woods around us!

When we got back to the stables & thanked our horses for being so good, we switched places & got to relax during our hayride while the other group mounted up & rode into the sunset (well, not really the sunset – I just always wanted to write that:) for their tour of the trails.

After everyone got done riding horses & hay, we settled down for lunch and had to get one last picture with our new 4 legged friends. To end the day, we took a walking tour of the gardens near the manor house at Tanglewood. There were some really cool plants & sculptures there – everyone’s favorite seemed to be the water feature that you could put your hands in & cool off a bit! To check out the rest of our pictures - click here!

There is still much more fun to be had with 4-H this summer! However, the only other horses we are planning to see this summer are going to be a Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp the last week of July! There are still some spots left if you would like to come along! Contact Michelle for more details!

4-H District Activity

2010-07-12T12:50:00.000-07:00

4-H District Activity Day (DAD) is an event that must be seen to be believed. Around 200 4-H members, along with about 300 agents, judges, parents, friends & family gathered at Southern Lee High School in Lee County to participate in presentation, public speaking and talent contests against 4-H’ers from across the South Central Extension District.

Four Richmond County 4-H’ers were on hand for the event. Two competed in presentations and two more were part of the talent show. Nathan Ezzell took home the Gold for his presentation on Masks in the Expressive & Performing Arts category while Courtney Miller also won Gold in the Safety category for her presentation about Gun Safety. Sarah Tyler and Alana McQueen both received Blue Ribbons in Talent. Sarah signed the song “He Knows My Name” while Alana clogged.

Courtney also assisted in the awards ceremony at DAD as part of the 2009-2010 District Officer Team. Nathan and Courtney will be competing at the State Presentation Finals held during 4-H Congress in Raleigh in a few weeks.

Special thanks to all of the parents and family who support these 4-H’ers as they complete their projects! Also, Richmond County sent 3 incredible judges to assist with the event. They were John Hamer, Marv Powell, and Helen Goodman. They judged the Livestock and Dairy Production and Heritage Crafts and Woodworking categories. Example presentations that they judged were parasite control in goats, showing lambs, cheese making, making wooden dog houses, making wooden rubber band guns, and spinning and dying wool. They gave the youth excellent recommendations on how to improve their presentations for the State contest. Good luck to everyone competing on the State level!

4-H Summer Fun Starts on a “Clean” Note!

2010-06-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

4-H Summer Fun is in full swing! Several new & returning 4-H’ers spent the last three days at Millstone 4-H Camp in Ellerbe at the first class of the summer, Enviro-Camp. The three day camp was coordinated by Jackie McAuley, Administrative Assistant with Richmond Soil & Water Conservation District. 4-H’ers spent time with local experts in each of the subjects covered in the Envirothon Contest, which include Forestry, Soils, Aquatics, Wildlife and Current Environmental Issues.

The youth started the camp with Tim McFadden and Brad Allen with the NC Forest Service. They reviewed what a forest is and discussed types of trees and different parts of a forest. We took a walk through an area that had been control burned and saw some of the new growth that results. Controlled burns help to burn off the leaves, needles and debris that collect on the forest floor & helps prevent bigger damaging fires while helping to control problem plants. While we were on our walk, the youth learned how to use Biltmore Sticks to measure the diameter and height of trees and about how to identify types of trees.

Rupert Medford of the NC Wildlife Service was our next guest of the day. He brought all sorts of animal skins and skulls with him for us to investigate and compare. We compared the skulls of different species to discover what they might eat. For instance, otters had very thick jaw bones so that they can open clams to eat and the owl skull had large eye sockets since they need to be able to see at night. We took another walk with Mr. Medford to find habitats where animals including lizards, birds, spiders and other animals live and eat.

Day Two of the Camp saw more visitors & fun information. Doug Hinshaw and Troy Thompson from NC Wildlife Service visited in the morning to cover Aquatics. After hiking to the lake and taking a sample by seining the lake (taking a large net to take samples along the shore) the youth got to help identify the fish, insects and plants that we had found. We looked at different equipment including special buckets for fish to give birth in, fish shock equipment and more. Everyone in the class even got a tackle box with fishing equipment to help encourage future trips to North Carolina waterways.

Our last guest was Bill Dunlap, Soil & Water Conservation District Area 7 Coordinator. Mr. Dunlap helped us get down & dirty while learning about soil. We learned how to judge the amount of sand, silt and clay in the soil by testing how long a ribbon we could make and what other properties it had. We also discussed types of erosion and what each does to the landscape, We even make an edible aquifer in order to see how pollution travels into groundwater.

We finished our week by spending time reviewing what we had learned about each of the subjects. Even though school is out, we took some tests to figure out all that we had learned throughout the week too. To finish our time together, Ms. Jackie gave out awards for everyone’s hard work throughout the week. There are even plans to continue meeting in order to train a team of young people from Richmond County to compete in the Envirothon this year. If you are interested in participating and learning more about participating in the contest, contact Jackie McAuley or Michelle Stumbo. If you are interested in other Summer Fun classes that are offered, contact Michelle Stumbo at michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu or 997-8255. Click here to check out the rest of our pictures!

Summer Fun Classes Are Posted!

2010-05-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Summer will be here before you know it & we are excited about our 4-H Summer Fun classes this year. You can find the class list on the Richmond County Cooperative Extension website - link here. We will hold registration for Summer Fun on June 2nd from 8:30 am - 6:00 pm and June 3rd and 4th from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. After that, the class limit will be lifted & we will take registrations until classes are filled.

Don't forget that we are still taking 4-H Camp registrations at any time at the office. We do still have some scholarship money available for our week of 4-H Camp at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Center in July.

Volunteers Make It Happen!

2010-05-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

4-H could not do what we do without the help of our amazing volunteers! You hear 4-H agents say it time & again, but it is true.

One of the things that I could not do is conduct our 4-H Summer Fun program without the help & support of our wonderful teen volunteers. These are 4-H'ers who want to spend their time each summer working with younger kids to develop their interests, character & skills. These youth do not get a paycheck, but they are rewarded by the achievements of the younger 4-H members who they help during the summer.

Last weekend, three of the teenagers who helped last year got a more tangible reward for their efforts. They decided that they wanted to take a trip to Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach. Let me just say that when teen 4-H'ers are given a choice of where to go and pick something education AND fun, it makes me smile:)

Logan Northcutt, Sarah Tyler and Hannah Webb traveled to the Aquarium for the day, and even made a quick stop at the beach on the way back too. They are excited to again volunteer to help with 4-H Summer Fun this year. If you would like to join them as a volunteer, simply call the office to schedule a time to come in for training.

Once again, we would like to SMILE & say a BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO MAKE 4-H WHAT IT IS! To see the rest of the pictures we took - check here!

Time for the Teens!

2010-04-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

Originally posted by Shea Ann DeJarnette at www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com and modified by Michelle Stumbo. Thanks Shea Ann!

If you ask our teens what their favorite thing about 4-H is, 9 times out of 10 they will say the trips. As you get older in 4-H you have more opportunities to mix and mingle with other 4-H members in other counties and around the state. This weekend provided our youth with one of these opportunities.
The 2010 South Central District Teen Retreat was held at the Days Inn in Moore County. Almost 60 youth from 15 counties turned out to take part in leadership workshops, elect district officers, compete for the spirit stick and just have a good time with their peers. Representing Richmond County at this year's retreat were Nathan Ezzell, Jade McCaskill, Courtney Miller, Katelyn Miller, Sarah Tyler and Hannah Webb, The event started with a district meeting conducted by our outgoing officers, President Dixie Acorn, Vice President Luke Hill and reporter Courtney Miller. The officers laid out the ground rules for the event, and gave everyone a heads up on what gets you spirit stick points. Spirit stick points included everything from behavior to participation, appropriate dress and enthusiasm. This year it also included the amount of canned food donated as part of the state 4-H project. More than 70 pounds of food were donated by our youth, at this single event, to go to area food banks.

After the opening meeting it was a brief break for lunch before we headed into our workshops. The teens had the opportunity to choose from three workshops. In the first session, past officer Allen Monk and Bladen County 4-H Agent Angela Shaver taught Health Rocks! This is a curriculum that lets youth know about the dangers of drugs and alcohol as well as ways to manage stress and peer relationships. You could also conquer their fear of public speaking in a workshop lead by Luke Hill. At the same time Dixie Acorn showed people how to use cabbage leaves, clay and spray paint to make butterfly puddles. After an hour the youth switched workshops and in round two could take Health Rocks!, butterfly puddles, or a workshop on icebreakers. The Ice Breaker workshop was taught but our own 4-H Agent Michelle Stumbo and her colleague (or partner in crime as they say of each other) Shea Ann DeJarnette. The two conducted several types of icebreaker activities with the group that can be used to start meetings, or other events that don't need to be started too formally.

After the workshops it was time to move into our hotel rooms, get changed and head to the bowling alley. Everyone had a good time knocking down the pins in a friendly competition. We had the chance to play two games and relax with our new friends before heading back to change and have dinner.
Dinner concluded and we went right into campaigning. Only one person was running for President, Vice President, and Secretary. However there was a little competition for reporter. Andrew Tuso from Moore County and Jordan Purser from Union County were in a head to head showdown for this position. The youth set up campaign booths and talked with all the delegates, giving out reminders of who to vote for.

Campaigning was followed by our traditional dance. Youth crowded onto the dance floor to socialize to the music, while others filled our game room to play cards, checkers, and anything else the 4-H agents picked up along the way. After the dance it was off to bed to get ready for an early morning.
By 8:30 our youth were checked out of their rooms and downstairs enjoying a hot breakfast. As soon as that was down it was time to vote for our new district officers. Each county has a certain number of votes based on the size of the 4-H program in their county and may split their votes however they like for candidates. While the votes were tabulated it was time for the skit portion of the spirit stick competition. Each county was to preform a skit based on 4-H and the state theme. The different counties were awarded points based on the skits which went to their overall total of spirit stick points.

After tabulating votes and spirit stick points it was time for all the big announcements. This year the spirit stick went to Scotland County. They will take it home with them and bring it back at next year's teen retreat. The South Central District officers for 2010-2011 are Darren Lefler of Moore County, President; Laura Ashley Willis of Bladen County, Vice President; Jordan Purser of Union County, Reporter; and Tatiana Price of Cumberland County, Secretary. Congratulations to all our new officers and we are looking forward to their leadership when they are installed at the end of Congress. If you would like to see some of the highlights from Teen Retreat please click here for our video of the event or click here to check out the pictures.

Richmond 4-H'ers are Right on Target!

2010-04-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

From: Jan Allen, 4-H Volunteer, modified by Michelle Stumbo, 4-H Youth Development Agent

The Richmond Senior 4-H Target Sports Club recently completed in 3 area target sports tournaments. The 4-H’ers competed in Shotgun, Rifle, Archery and Orienteering/Hunter Skills. The Montgomery County Hunter Education tournament was held on Mt. Gilead, NC on February 27^th. The team placed 2^nd in Archery and 3^rd in Shotgun. The Stanly County Hunter Education Tournament was held in Albemarle, NC on March 6^th. The team placed 3^rd in Archery and Shotgun.

Three Richmond County 4-H Target Sports Clubs competed in the NC Wildlife District 6 Hunter Education Tournament on March 20^th. The Tournament was held at Camp Barnhardt Boy Scout Camp in Badin, NC. Club members competed in Shotgun/Trap, Rifle, Orienteering/Hunter Skills and Archery. Thirty teams from District 6 competed. Local teams competing were Richmond Senior 4-H Target Sports Club advised by Jan Allen, Richmond County Shooting Squad advised by Albert Purvis and Ellerbe Middle 4-H Shooting Team advised by Joe Purvis. Richmond Senior 4-H Target Sports Club tied for 1^st place in the Senior division in Shotgun/Trap and placed 2^nd in Archery. Anthony Bristow of the Richmond County Shooting Squad won the individual Archery competition in the middle school division for the 2^nd year. Several of these 4-H’rs will be competing in the State Wildlife Hunter Education Tournament to be held at Millstone 4-H Camp on April 24^th.

If you would like more information about 4-H Target Sports, please contact the Extension Office at 997-8255.

2010-03-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

In 2009, an article ran on the front page of the Daily Journal about Millstone 4-H Camp needing some help. Some of you may have even offered your skills as a carpenter, painter or just generally felt concern for the camp located in Richmond County. One Richmond County citizen, however, turned his concern into action, and dollars! [Photo]
After reading that Millstone 4-H Camp had lost the $30,000 in support that allowed them to offer a week of Operation: Military Kid Camp at no cost to 100 youth (Guard, Reserve and Active Duty) whose parent(s) have recently, are currently, or are scheduled to serve our country overseas, Mr. A.B. Thompson got on the phone. Soon a generous donation was made to make this camping experience available to 100 Military Youth at Millstone 4-H Camp! As this citizen told shared, “Kids ought to get to go to camp.”
Mr. Thompson is still actively involved in the camp, and has been humbled by the letters of gratitude that the campers wrote him in 2009. If this camping experience is to occur in 2010, however, 4-H needs your support. Camp is a valuable experience for youth. In one camper’s words, “Thank you for paying for me to come to camp. It really took my mind off my Dad while he is in Iraq. The funnest thing that happened at camp for me was playing in the creek, sleeping in a cabin and making new friends. So thank you so much for giving me one of the best weeks ever.” To see more of what these campers had to say about camp, check out the bottom of this post

While at camp, youth participate in canoeing, archery, shooting sports, climbing, swimming, arts & crafts, cookouts, campfires, nature exploration, teambuilding, high ropes, and much more. All these activities help youth improve their leadership and communication skills while making new friends. Camp OMK will focus on building coping skills and creating positive outlets for the intense emotions these children now live with daily. Campers build camaraderie as they meet other youth who are going through similar situations, but equally important is the opportunity to enjoy a carefree camping experience with their peers. While at camp, these children will have fun, laugh, learn and just enjoy being kids.
If the $32,000 in support can be raised, the tentative date for youth ages 8-13 is July 18th-23rd for up to 100 campers. Cloverbud or Young Heroes Camp, for youth 5 to 8 years old, allows youth to experience a shorter version of camp August 2nd-4th or August 6th-8th. Both Cloverbud OMK Camps can accept up to 40 campers.
If you are interested in more information about either of these 4-H Operation: Military Kid Camps please check the web at www.millstone4hcamp.org for forms or call Gene Shutt at 652-5905 or Scott Enroughty at 919-515-8500 with questions. If you are interested in the general 4-H program, please contact Michelle Stumbo at 997-8255!
The following are “thank you” responses written to Mr. A.B. Thompson from military youth who attended Camp NC OMK. Also included are two thank you     e-mails submitted by parents of the military youth who attend Camp NC OMK.
________________________________________________________________________
Dear Mr. Thompson,
I wanna thank you for all you’ve done for us. I may not know you personally, but I’ve heard a lot about you. You have made it possible for us to come to camp and have the best times of our lives. We all have been inspired. We want to give back to our communities, and help others. We’ve all been given an opportunity of a lifetime, to talk about with our friends, and family, and maybe with a family of our own one-day. One day, I want to do something as great as you did for us. I also hope it will mean as much as your gift to us. Thank you again. Asia E.________________________________________________________________________
Dear Mr. Thompson,
Thank you for paying for me to come to camp. It really took my mind off my Dad while he is in Iraq. The funnest thing that happened at camp for me was playing in the creek, sleeping in a cabin and making new friends. So thank you so much for giving me one of the best weeks ever.    Love, Samantha________________________________________________________________________
Dear Mr. Thompson,
This summer my brothers and I thought that we would never have fun this summer. Every night I would wish that school all ready started because I felt bored every single day. But until my mom found out about this camp. I was so excited about the camp. At the time my dad was deployed to Norfolk, VA. So we had to wait b until he came home. When we finally signed up, I did not get chosen, but the second time I did. My mom was so happy that she worked so hard to make sure we went to this camp. Ever since I have been here I had a lot of fun. I have learned how to swim and I enjoyed the canoes. Thank you so much for allowing us to come here. Love, Chloe ________________________________________________________________________
Dear Mr. Thompson,
Thank you for doing what you did to let us go to camp. I really appreciate what you’ve done for us. I look up to you. My dad’s in Afghanistan. I miss him. Love, Lexi
Mr. Thompson,
Thank you for supporting this camp. I had fun meeting people whose parents are in the army. It was so fun. I had a great time.    My two favorite things to do were the bow and arrows and flipping the canoe. It was the best time ever. Hope I can come back next year. Sincerely, Angelique________________________________________________________________________
Dear Mr. Thompson,
I want to thank you for what you’ve done for us. I’m guessing you understand how it is for us. We move place to place without any concern how we feel about it. Thanks to you we had a place to have fun with other people. You gave us a place to be comfortable, to meet new people, and to learn respect and responsibility. You are very considerate of other people. Kaylah B.________________________________________________________________________
Dear Mr. Thompson,
Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to come to camp. It truly means a lot to me, because it allows kids to meet each other, which in the end really helps deal with the deployments. I really love meeting new people, and taking on new experiences. This week has been hard, tiring, and even a little scary, but Please know it has been WELL worth it! Yours truly, Hannah B.________________________________________________________________________
Thanks so much Mr. Thompson,
I really enjoyed the creek and high ropes. I loved being away from the craziness of my dad being gone. It was nice to have a kind of normal life. I enjoyed coming back and I hope to come back. I think I have made real true friends. It is hard being away from my dad most of the time and I don’t usually get to do much things other than watch my little brother. I got over my fears on the high ropes and flipping the canoe. I think it helps to get over your fears so thanks for that too. I also believe the friends you make when you’re young can influence your future.   Julia ________________________________________________________________________
Dear Mr. Thompson,
Hello My name is Michael. It is my second year at OMK. This year was so much better. I did high ropes. The guys in my cabin were nicer. Tim my counselor was awesome. I learned a lot from him and I thank you for your support for the camp. My mom and dad will be deployed in September or August. My dad is going to Iraq and my mom is going to Afghanistan. Thank you, Michael________________________________________________________________________

Dear Mr. Thompson,
Thank you for donating the money for us. My mommy is in Iraq. My favorite part of the camp was meeting new friends. I really want to come back. I am going to miss this camp. ________________________________________________________________________
Dear Mr. Thompson,
Thank you for all the things you did to open this wonderful camp. My favorite thing about this camp is having fun. I hope I can come back next year.   Thank you, Caty B.________________________________________________________________________
To whom it may concern,
My son Christian B participated in the Camp NC OMK, in July of 2009. This was his first time away from home alone. We were all very nervous but 4-H Camp officials were so professional that worried parents such as us were put at ease.Our son had such a fantastic time that before we even got back to the car on pickup day he was asking if he could attend next years camp.
Thank you for making this a great Camp experience for our son and us.See you next year.
Kristina B.Raleigh, NC ________________________________________________________________________
Hi to all involved,
                        I am the mother of one of the kids that recently went to the Camp NC OMK at Millstone 4-H camp in Elerby,N.C.. Her name is Makayla and this was her first time going to any camp and being gone away for a week, she is thirteen years old going into the 9th grade. I must admit I was scared myself. I just knew that she was going to call home but she didn’t, she did get home sick but the “camp mother” made her feel a lot better. This is her father's fourth tour to Afghanistan and he just got back the 26th of January. She normally takes it hard and has nightmares while he is gone and meeting others that deal with what she has can help. I just wanted to thanks to ALL iNVOLED and made it possible for her and all the kids that have to endure the things they do while parent(s) are away overseas. There are many words I can say but this would be a long letter. In as short as I can put it just thank you all, the camp, all the workers and those who donated for all of our kids to enjoy themselves. I know they are saying thank you to our families for what we all go through and I just wanted all to know we do appreciate it.

                                              THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                              Angela and Michael (my husband who is away)
P.S. She told him about it while on the webcam and he was so happy! Thank you!!!!!

Hosting an Exchange Student - Great Way to Spend a Summer!

2010-03-22T13:11:00.001-07:00

Open your home to an exchange student and open your lives to the world. Families will have an opportunity to host Japanese exchange students, ages twelve through sixteen, for four weeks this summer, July 23 – August 19, 2010.

The youth will be visiting the United States as part of a 4-H Exchange Program. You don’t need to be involved with 4-H to host. You just need a willingness to share your lives and your friendship with a young person from another country.

The program is open to families who have a child within two years of the same age and of the same gender to the Japanese youth. One Japanese visitor will be matched to a family based on the host sibling’s gender, age, and interests. The homestays are only for a month during the summer, but the experience will last a lifetime!

There are also opportunities to host adult chaperones for 2- 4 weeks. Families who host chaperones are not required to have children in the home.

For more information and an application visit

http://randolph.ces.ncsu.edu/4hprogram/exchange/index.php

Information from Carolyn Langley, NC International Exchange Coordinator.

2010-02-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

The day has finally arrived! When I got to the office on Tuesday, I heard the faint sound of chirping coming from the incubator. Several hours later, our first chick hatched! Overnight, many followed suit and we now have more than 20 here at the 4-H office! I have gotten reports from many classrooms of chicks hatching there as well.

As fun as today is, the 4-H Embryology project is about more than just hatching chicks! Through this project, 24 Richmond County 1st and 2nd grade classrooms have cared for eggs for the past 21 days. After the teachers attend a training with Miss Michelle, they are ready to receive equipment and eggs. During the course of the project, students learn about life cycles, agriculture, biosecurity, record keeping and more! Students have written stories, made books and completed timelines to help them learn more about the chicks and why we treat them like we do.

Farm Bureau partners with us to help ensure success of 4-H Embryology! Special thanks to them for assisting with this program.

And - since they are so fun to look at - here are pictures of some of our chicks!

4-H Auction Coming Quickly

2010-02-25T09:27:00.000-08:00

A benefit auction and plate sale for the 4-H program in Richmond County will be held on March 5th at Browder Park in Rockingham, North Carolina. Proceeds will be used locally to support leadership and youth development through programs ranging from school enrichment programs, to summer camps, to Summer Fun classes, to leadership trainings, to club activities.

Spaghetti plates will be available for sale at $6 from 5 pm to 7 pm. Come on out & eat dinner with us while looking back at what our 4-H’ers have done over the past year & browse Auction items too.

We have collected a wide variety of items so far! There will be something for everyone at the Auction, from gas tanks & home decorations to dresses & a beach condo rental! We also have a number of gift certificates to auction, including dinners at your favorite local restaurants and nights away from the house at some of the best places to rest your head in Richmond County!

Special thanks to FirstHealth of Richmond County for sponsoring drinks the event and Tom McInnis and associates of Iron Horse Auction Company, Inc who will be conducting the auction at no charge to the 4-H program.

If you would like to mail a donation, please make the check payable to Richmond County 4-H and mail to PO Box 1358, Rockingham, NC 28380. If you would like to donate any items, you can bring them to the Cooperative Extension Office at 123 Caroline Street, or call 997-8255 for an item pickup. All donations are tax deductible.

Be sure to mark March 5^th on your calendars! We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Browder Park for the plate sale from 5 pm -7 pm and at the auction starting at 7 pm. Thank you for helping us make the best better for Richmond County youth!

Happy Hatching!

2010-02-19T12:24:00.001-08:00

I have had a new sound in my office for a past 2 weeks. The gentle hum of an incubator has been in my office and 25 Richmond County 1^st and 2^nd grade classrooms. The students are participating in the 4-H Embryology project by hatching out a group of chicks in their classrooms.

Students at LJ Bell, Mineral Springs, Monroe Avenue, and Rohanen Schools are participating in the project now, with 2^nd Baptist, Fairview Heights, Washington Street and West Rockingham Schools participating in March.

1^st grade classrooms were offered a visit from 4-H Agent Michelle Stumbo to learn how important it is to wash hands by looking at where germs like to hide under the black light. 2^nd graders could get a visit from Carolina, the White Beverin rabbit, to help discuss agriculture and how important that is for us.

Volunteer Fun!

2010-02-19T12:03:00.001-08:00

Four Richmond County 4-H Volunteers, Randy Ezzell, Tracy Ezzell, Anne Miller and Jeff Miller, went to the weekend conference to learn how to better serve the youth of Richmond County.

Photo by Kim Ingold.

Tracy Ezzell received a District Volunteer Award for her service to the Richmond County 4-H program. Tracy serves as a club leader for the 4-H Livestock Club and has done great work with the group and the 4-H program in general over the past few years. Great job, Tracy!

Richmond County 4-H Agent Michelle Stumbo even helped out with the event by teaching one of the more than 30 classes that Volunteers could choose from. Livestock Shows 101 taught Volunteers the basics of conducting a 4-H Livestock Show by sharing tips that Michelle, along with 4-H Agents Shea Ann DeJarnette and Lauren Irby, have gathered through their experiences hosting shows.

Winter Enrichment

2010-01-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

6 Richmond County 4-H teens started their 4-H year off by attending Winter Enrichment recently. The event was held on the campus of Sandhills Community College in Moore County. It brought together 4-H'ers from the South Central Extension District which includes 15 counties. Nearly 90 youth from across the district gathered to conduct business meetings, attend workshops, meet new friends and have a good time.

In addition to our South Central District Reporter Courtney Miller, Richmond County had a strong attendance including Nathan Ezzell, Jade McAllister, Logan Northcutt, Sarah Tyler and Hannah Webb. Courtney taught a workshop on scrapbooking in which attendees helped to build the District 4-H Scrapbook. Other workshops offered included Green to the Extreme, 4-H Ambassador 101 and Biofuel Blast.

This, and other 4-H events are supported by contributions to the United Way of Richmond County and fund raising events including the 4-H Auction & Plate Sale. The Auction and Plate Sale is scheduled for March 5th at Browder Park in Rockingham, NC. We will be selling spaghetti plates at $6 from 5-7 with the auction starting at 7 pm. Iron Horse Auction Co, Inc have agreed to donate their services for the event and we are currently collecting items from local businesses and community members. To make a donation or schedule an item pick-up, please call 997-8255 or email michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu.

We are very proud of our teens and look forward to a great 4-H year to come. To take a look at all the pictures from Teen Retreat, click here!

It's Auction Time Again!

2010-01-21T07:37:00.001-08:00

Back by popular demand! A benefit auction and plate sale for the 4-H program in Richmond County will be held on March 5^th at Browder Park in Rockingham, North Carolina. Proceeds will be used locally to support leadership and youth development through programs ranging from school enrichment programs, to summer camps, Summer Fun classes, leadership trainings and club activities.

In these trying financial times, we need to support our young people more than ever. By providing items for auction or making a donation, you enable us to continue to expand the opportunities for Richmond County youth. Please plan to join us on March 5^th to enjoy a night out while purchasing some great items.

We are asking for community support to continue increasing the opportunities we are able to offer the future leaders of our county, state, and nation. Volunteers will be soliciting business donations over the next few weeks, and are looking forward to offering a variety of items. Tom McInnis and associates of Iron Horse Auction Company, Inc. have kindly donated their services as the Auctioneers for this 4-H program.

Spaghetti plates will be available from 5 pm to 7 pm for $6 per plate. So come out & enjoy dinner, while you look over the Auction items before the bidding starts.

Be sure to mark March 5^th on your calendars! We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Browder Park for the plate sale from 5 pm-7 pm and at the auction starting at 7 pm. Thank you for helping 4-H make the best better for Richmond County youth!

Richmond County 4-H is proud to be supported by the United Way of Richmond County.

Christmas Time Is Here!

2009-12-03T11:57:00.000-08:00

Lights are twinkling, happy music is everywhere. presents are being wrapped, the tree is up & decorated - it must be Christmas time!

If you can't tell, I'm excited about this! Christmas means tradition, family, friends & fun - all things that I love. I wanted to take just a minute to let you know about some great opportunities & general cool stuff that is going on around here right now.

NCSU has used science to prove how Santa can deliver all those presents at once each & every Christmas Eve! I always asked that question when I was little, and now they have figured it out. Click here to see how the science works behind the sleigh!

Richmond County 4-H will come together to have our 4-H Christmas Project next Tuesday at 6:30. We will meet here at the Agricultural Services Center in Rockingham. We will have dinner, play some Christmas music, maybe look at some pictures from the last year and complete our service learning project. This year we are again collecting donations for the Back Pack Pals program in Richmond County. This fellow United Way Agency provides food to children in our schools who may not have access to nutritious food during the weekend. The club that contributes the most items gets a pizza party on 4-H! They sent home over 350 bags right - let's try to supply them for a week!

If you are still looking for that perfect present for your loved ones, there are a couple opportunities to support Richmond County 4-H while you shop. United Way volunteers are wrapping presents for donations at Belk in Rockingham on weekends & the week before Christmas. Stop in & get your presents wrapped with all the donations going to Richmond County United Way Agencies.

Last, but certainly not least, you can visit JCPenney in Rockingham December 4th - December 13th for the JCPenney Round-Up. When you check out, the associate will ask you if you would like to round up your purchase to the nearest dollar. All proceeds from the Rockingham store goes to Richmond County 4-H to purchase curriculum. JCPenney has hosted two Round-Up events this year and have contributed nearly $700 to the program this year.

We hope that each and every one of you has a wonderful holiday season & remember to take time to enjoy it!

Farm City Week Starts with a Tractor....

2009-11-23T08:27:00.000-08:00

Parade, that is! The Saturday before Thanksgiving is the traditional start of Farm City Week here in Richmond County. The parade was held in Ellerbe under rain-free skies this year.

John & Velma McInnis served as the Grand Marshals for this year's parade. John & Velma have a long history of farming in Richmond County. They are even helping get the next generation of farmers, scientists, doctors, lawyers, nurses & maybe even Extension Agents ready to lead by playing a huge role in the Richmond County 4-H Livestock Program. They are a constant source of support and encouragement to our 17 youth who showed goats this year. John also serves on a statewide 4-H Livestock Advisory Committee to help lead state programs in the right direction. It was a privilege to be able to honor them at the Farmer-City Parade this year!

At least in my mind, no parade is fun or complete without yummy food & sweet treats being available. This one was no different with venders selling everything from BBQ to hot dogs to baked goods and even fried Twinkies! Everyone seemed to have a great time visiting the craft vendors too, and maybe got a bit of Christmas shopping started while enjoying the day!

This year was the 2nd year that a FREE craft station was offered by Richmond County 4-H. We were able to again give youth the chance to make one of two crafts at no cost due to a generous donation from Richmond County Farm Bureau. The kids who visited the 4-H station could make Little Gobbler Turkeys or Sweet Potato Bead Necklaces! Everyone had a great time getting creative & we hope you enjoy your crafts & learning more about 4-H!

We want to thank everyone who came out for the Farm-City Week Parade! Whether you drove a float, smiled & waved from the passagener's seat, sold food or crafts, helped 4-H'ers get creative or simply wanted to enjoy the sights, thanks for spending part of your day with us! To see all the pictures from the day, please click here!

We hope you take some time this year to be thankful for all the gifts we are given. Be sure to add one of the safest and easily available food supplies in the world to that list this year! We look forward to seeing you at the Farm City Banquet on November 24th at the Cole Auditorium when Dr. Jim Clark will share how 4-H history goes hand in hand with America's Farmers! Tickets are available at the door or the FSA office at 123 Caroline Street.

Camp for Christmas!

2009-11-17T12:16:00.000-08:00

It’s that time again!! No, not for snowflakes and Santa, but for thinking about canoes, crafts and Richmond County 4-H Camp! What better present under the tree than a week of fun and excitement this summer? Forget about enduring the the day after Thanksgiving crowds & visit the Agriculture Service Center to do your Christmas shopping this year. If you pay the deposit before Dec. 19th, we will make your child a certificate to open on Christmas (maybe wrapped inside a new sleeping bag, etc?!?)

We will be camping at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp in Reidsville, NC. We will depart on Sunday, July 25th and return on Friday, July 30st, 2009.

The camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and is staffed by trained and dedicated young men and women from across the country and around the world.
Youth aged 9-14 participate in horseback riding, canoeing, archery, climbing, swimming, arts & crafts, cookouts, campfires, nature exploration, teambuilding, high ropes, and much more. Adventure programs offer older youth (13 and 14 year olds) opportunities to gain compass, GPS and other outdoor living skills, plus participate in rock climbing, swift water canoeing and more. All these activities help youth improve their leadership and communication skills while making new friends from across the state.

Richmond County 4-H at the State Fair

2009-11-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

The theme at this year’s NC State Fair was “A Whole Lotta Happy!” and Richmond County 4-H’ers should be very happy after their strong showing at all events entered during 4-H’s Centennial Year! Youth exhibited in the Entomology Displays, Junior Meat Goat Show, Junior Doe Goat Show, and the Heritage Festival during the recent NC State Fair.

Madeleine Hudson, a Cloverbud 4-H member, made an insect collection with specimens found around Richmond County which was displayed during the State Fair. She received a green ribbon for her hard work and will be old enough to compete in the category next year. This family was using Madeleine's work to show younger generations what insects look like & do.

The 4-H Livestock Club was busy for several days at the fair. During the Junior Meat Goat Show, 13 Richmond County youth displayed their finished products. They have been working with their animals since early July and sold their goats during the Livestock Sale. Youth competing in the Junior Meat Goat Show included Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Savannah Chappell, Michael Ezzell, Nathan Ezzell, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Ryan McInnis, Trey McInnis, Alana McQueen, Grayson McQueen, Will Meacham, and Kristi Reep. These young people did very well, bringing home three 1^st place ribbons, two 2^nd place ribbons, three 3^rd place ribbons, two 4^th place ribbons, and two 5^th place ribbons. Will Meacham, Jordan Carroll and Brianna Hamilton all had one goat in the Grand Champion class.

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club was again working hard during the Junior Commercial Doe Goat Shows. Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Nathan Ezzell, Eli Maske, Sarah Maske, Ryan McInnis, Trey McInnis, and DeLani Reep all competed in the Junior Commercial Doe Show. Ryan McInnis showed the Reserve Grand Champion Junior Commercial Doe, which could include any doe (female goat) that did not have breed pedigree papers. Richmond County brought home two 1^st place ribbons, one 2^nd place, and two 3^rd place ribbons during the Junior Commercial Doe Show.

Finally, Alana McQueen displayed her clogging talent at the Heritage Festival during the fair. She was selected to be a part of this showcase through her 4-H activities and represented Richmond County well, as usual.

Farm City Week is Coming!

2009-11-05T10:40:00.000-08:00

It hardly seems that summer has passed, but already we have a report ready to be published about Richmond County4'H's outstanding showing at the State Fair! That means that it is time to start thinking about Thanksgiving, which means eating lots of yummy food & catching up with family & watching football at my house.

Somewhere in those festivities though, it is important to stop and take a moment to reflect and be thankful for all the blessings that we enjoy. While they are MANY, I think that one of the most important things to be thankful for is the fact that we have all the Thanksgiving goodies readily available! For that, we need to thank a farmer!

Farm City Week allows us to do just that, while strengthening the ties between urban residents and rural America. It shocks me that in the rural county I live in, there are still some children who have never seen a tractor up close, or who do not know where their food comes from. Farm City Week allows us to take a step back from our busy lives and think about the simple gifts that we are given.

Richmond County Farm City Week kicks off on November 21st with the Farmer's Parade in Ellerbe, NC. We will also have a Farmer's Luncheon on November 23rd and a Banquet featuring NC 4-H Historian Dr. Jim Clark on November 24th. Take a look at the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Homepage for all the details & come out to join us at one, or all, of these great events!

Hope to see you there!

Fun at the Fair!

2009-10-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Fall always meant changing leaves & warm apple cider where I grew up, but it takes on a whole new meaning in North Carolina.

Fall is Fair Time! Cotton candy, rides, funnel cakes, livestock shows, craft exhibits & so much more. Last night marks the end of the opening week of the Hamlet Lions Club Fair in Hamlet, NC. Extension spent yesterday morning helping our wonderful judges make the tough decisions and place all the animals, crafts, booths & more.

The fair runs through Saturday and opens at 4 pm nightly. To check out the pictures from yesterday, click here!

Keep checking in as Richmond County will have several members competing at the NC State Fair starting this week too!!

Richmond County Goat Show!

2009-09-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

Most people will tell you that “office hours” do not include Saturdays, but members of the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Office were hard at work this past Saturday hosting the 2009 Richmond County Goat Show. The Richmond County 4-H Show attracted youth from 7 counties, including Anson, Columbus, Hoke, Moore, Montgomery, Richmond and Union Counties. A total of 41 4-H’ers brought more than 70 animals to the farm of Dale Dewitt in Ellerbe. Click here to see the pictures of everyone!

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club really showed their stuff on Saturday by competing strongly in every event. Richmond County 4-H’ers took home all the major awards of the show. The club members competing in the Sandhills Farm Credit 4-H Showmanship Circuit are: DeLani Reep, Abigail Hamilton, Eli Maske, Will Meacham, Jordan Carroll, Trey McInnis, Kristi Reep, Brianna Hamilton, Savannah Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Alana McQueen, Madelyn Chappell, Sarah Maske, Grayson McQueen, Michael Ezzell, Nathan Ezzell and Ryan McInnis. Everyone in the club did a fantastic job and is looking forward to the rest of the show season.

Grayson McQueen was awarded the Senior Showmanship award, while Alana McQueen was the Junior 11-13 Showmanship winner and Jordan Carroll won the Junior 9-10 Showmanship division. The Showmanship classes are designed to gauge the 4-H’ers knowledge, skill with the animal, and hard work. 4-H’ers can be asked questions about their animals and how they are cared for while presenting the animal to the best of their ability for the judge.

Jordan Carroll, a 4-H’er from Richmond County, showed the Grand Champion Doe. Ryan McInnis of Richmond County showed the Reserve Champion Doe. Does are females who will be bred and will continue production on the farm. Does are judged on their frame and structure based on how they would carry the extra weight of being pregnant and the stress of milking.

Wethers, castrated male goats, are judged on the total marketability of the animal. The Grand Champion Market Wether was shown by Madelyn Chappell of Richmond County. Jordan Carroll, also of Richmond County, showed the Reserve Champion Market Wether.

Cloverbuds and future 4-H'ers even got a chance to get in the ring at the show! The Cloverbuds (5 to 8 year old 4-H members) showed their goats in two non-competitive classes and future 4-H members and showmen got to work with an older member or adult and show their animal in the ring. These showmen did a great job and the judge stated that the future of the Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit was bright with these kids as future showmen!

We would like to again thank our Richmond County 4-H Goat Show Sponsors who have already contributed: Richmond County Farm Bureau, Inc., Richmond County Tourism Authority, Iron Horse Auction Co., E.E. Vuncannon, Inc., Wal-Mart, Jordan & Jordan Enterprises, Carolina Farm Credit, Daniel Simmons, Fidelity Bank, Medical Center Pharmacy, Rick & Al’s Carwash, Swink Quality Oil & Gas Co. Carroll Farms, The Brewer Group, Head to Toe, Flukie’s Vehicle Service & Hydraulics, Richmond County Home Builders Association, Gary Welch, Jack & Mary Webb, Anne & Richard Thrower, Dale & Melanie DeWitt, King’s Septic Tank Pumping & Port-A-John, Jerry’s Inc. Witherspoon Heating & Cooling, Maness Tire & Recapping Inc., BB&T, Convenience Corner, EZ Breeders, Danny & Glenda McInnis, Community Home Care & Hospice, Dr. Bruce Akers and Ellerbe Pharmacy. Several individuals and businesses donated funds that were used to purchase pens to be used at the show, including: John McInnis Farm, Danny & Glenda McInnis, Scotland Motors, Inc, Lee Howell & family, and Fidelity Bank. Special thanks to Edwin Richardson of Farm Bureau for awarding plaques and ribbons, Marv Powell, Cary Thompson, Brian Hamilton, Duke Goodwin and Dale DeWitt & crew for setting up the ring and facilities and to Dale & Melanie DeWitt for donating outstanding show facilities and serving as the ring steward and show announcer for the day.

For more information about 4-H Livestock, please contact Michelle Stumbo, 4-H Extension Agent, or Tiffanee Conrad-Acuña, Livestock Extension Agent at 997-8255. United Way of Richmond County also supports Richmond County 4-H Club activities.

Livestock Season Starts with a Shave!

2009-08-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, livestock show season with the Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit has not started yet, but Richmond County 4-H goat showmen are already busy working with their show goats for this year! Check out the pictures here!

The Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club recently hosted a fitting and showing clinic at Dale & Melanie DeWitt's farm in northern Richmond County. We were lucky enough to have Brent Jennings, Extension 4-H Youth Livestock Technician, as our guest to help us learn how to show off our animals.

We started the day by learning how to lead our animals in the ring. We found out that we need some "wiggle room" in case we need to move around and that we need to leave a few feet between our animal & the one ahead of us. Everyone was a bit shaky on that first time around the ring, but by the 2nd or 3rd time, everyone was acting like old pros! Everyone practiced bracing our goats. Bracing is basically asking the goat to show its muscles for the judge to see.

We talked about what types of questions judges might ask. Examples: How much does your goat weigh? What is it's name? What breed is it? What would you change about it? What are the four stomach compartments called? How much do you feed it? (Hint: one can is not a great answer!)

After lunch we set up the stands, blowers, clippers & brushes to learn how to trim our animals. We all want our goats to look their best on show day and Brent helped everyone trim one of their goats.

We had a lot of fun & everyone is looking forward to our show and the rest of the show season! The Richmond County 4-H Goat Show will be September 12 at the DeWitt Farm. If you need directions, or would like to make a donation towards show expenses, please contact Michelle or Tiffanee at the Extension office at 997-8255!

Where Have I Gone?!?

2009-08-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

I just logged in and realized that I never told all of you that we got home safely from camp! We have been very busy since then and I actually took a bit of time to rest up for all the fun things that are going on this fall!

During the couple weeks since Camp, we have held a one night camp for our Cloverbuds, finished up our Summer Fun classes, started our Livestock Show season with a fitting & showmanship clinic, visited with the US Secretaries of Agriculture and Education and even worked in a trip to Robeson County's Cloverbud Day Camp with Carolina the rabbit.

With our busy summer, I just got a chance to upload Tiffanee's pictures from this summer! I am not the only photographer in our office. Tiff took pictures of the Zoo trip, our Cloverbud Natural Resources Tour, Farm Tour and 4-H Camp. Click here to see Tiffanee's pictures!

Happy & Tired Campers!!

2009-07-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Today was another fun filled day of camp! Our Richmond County Campers are doing a great job at all their activities. After a yummy breakfast of french toast and fruit, campers were again off to their group activities. These included canoeing, crafts, pool, archery, tag games, horse, high ropes, teambuilding and the ever popular choice class. Our Trekker and Adventure groups change their schedule for today & tomorrow and do some different things. The Trekkers left this morning for a trip to Pilot Mountain. They will go rapelling and canoeing and will be back for tomorrow's dance. The Adventurers took a trip to Richmond County this morning! Not in the car, but in their GPS class this morning. They learned how to find map cooridinates and then used their new found skills to go geocaching. The Adventure group is currently camping out tonight and we wish them sweet dreams under the stars!

Those of us back at the main camp got a real treat tonight at the Talent Show. Several campers and staff entertained us with their wonderful talents, including dancing, singing, playing the violin, duck calls, double jointesness, karate, storytelling and more! We even had a special visit from Captin Jack & his pirate friend who acted as our MC's for the evening.

We are looking forward to our last full day of camp tomorrow! The Hands and Health groups are going to visit Chinqua-Penn Plantation tomorrow and we will try to tag along for pictures!

Click here to see my pictures from today. Check here to see some of Lauren's pictures from the week so far. Lauren is the agent from Chatham County who sleeps on the bunk below me at camp. Also, don't forget to send any camper emails by 2 pm on Thursday & to check our Shea Ann's blog at http://www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com/ for more updates and pictures!

More Camp Fun:)

2009-07-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been another high-flying (or at least climbing) day of adventure at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp!

The older groups got their shot at water sports today. Check out all the pictures from today, including slip & slide, by clicking here. The Earth, Sun and Trekker groups had a ton of fun tonight playing pool volleyball, getting soapy on the slip & slide and playing wet & silly relay games.

But I'm getting ahead of myself...today has been a bunch of fun. After a yummy breakfast, everyone started back to classes. Classes for today included a trip to the beaver pond, archery, canoeing, arts & crafts, pool, high ropes and climbing wall. I myself got to be a part of the belay team at the climbing wall & I have to say that I am so proud of our campers! The climbing wall can be a pretty daunting task, but our campers were very brave & encouraging.

Our campers got to experience one new class today as well. "Choice" class was a big hit & everyone picked the activity they wanted to for a class period. Even the agents & volunteers got in on the action & tie-dyed some very colorful shirts & pillowcases today. We were also busy shucking some very yummy looking corn for dinner on Thursday evening. We even got to have a nature class be talking with some campers about a couple little bud worms that were hiding under the shucks (don't worry parents, we got all of them out before sending the corn to the kitchen!)

Well, I have had a busy day too, and am going to join the campers & head to bed to get ready for another day of camp fun tomorrow! I plan on getting some time in a canoe tomorrow, so I'll see you on the lake!!!

Camp - Day 2

2009-07-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

For our evening activity tonight, we played water sports. These included time in the pool, fun & games with a water-soaked parachute, water themed relays and the giant homemade slip & slide. Missy, one of our wonderful volunteers this week, put herself into harms way along the slip & slide to get some great pictures of our campers coming down the hill.

All the campers are snug in their beds and can't wait for the day ahead, but you can see pictures of them by clicking here! Be sure to check out www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com for Shea Ann's posts of camp events! Sweet dreams Campers!!

Safety First...and second...and third...

2009-07-26T22:21:00.000-07:00

Recently several Cloverbud 4-H'ers gathered at the Richmond County Extension Office to learn about...Safety! It's something that we don't often think about, but something that is VERY inportant.

We started the day with a visit to the Rockingham Fire Department. Captain Vic McCaskill and the firemen were kind enough to give us a tour of the fire department and the trucks while showing us some of the equipment used to keep us safe in case of a fire. The coolest thing was the heat sensing camera that could find a heat signature on a table AFTER you had moved your hand. It was some very cool stuff that firemen use during fires. We even got a special visit from Sparky the fire dog and a tour of the training facility that firemen use to learn.

When we got back to the office, we got a visit from a REAL doggie! Scooby and his person Cindy came to help us learn how to be safe around strange or not so strange dogs. We learned that dogs need to get to know us a bit before we pet them, and that dogs get to know people by sniffing, since they can't talk. We also learned that it is very important to ask any dogs owner before we pet them and that we should not pet strange dogs that we see wondering around without a person.

After lunch, we had a visit from Big Mac the Clown & his helper Small Fry. They helped us learn about strangers and why they can be dangerous. We learned that strangers do not always look strange (who knew!) and that we should NEVER go anywhere with someone we do not know. We also talked about how to be safe when we are online. We are not to give our personal information (like our last names, phone numbers, or addresses) to anyone online because we don't know who people really are.

Last, but certainly not least, we made All About Me books. These books help us to know information that everyone should know, including where we live, what our parents names are (after all, if you get seperated in the Mall, calling for Mom over the speaker will not do much good) and what we like to do. We got a bit messy and put our fingerprints in the book too. Fingerprints are pretty cool - no one has the same ones you do!

Thanks to everyone who came and helped our Cloverbuds learn how to be safer in a world that can be a bit scary at times! They are better prepared to face that world because of your time with them. To see everything we did that day, click here!

Happy Campers!

2009-07-26T22:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year again! It's the wonderful time of year when Richmond County 4-Hers get to have fun and experience new things at one of North Carolina's great 4-H Camps! This year 19 youth traveled from Richmond County to Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp in Reidsville, NC for a fun filled week of making new friends & learning new things.

After getting everyone settled into their cabins, the kids got to know everyone in their cabins and headed to the ball field for a cookout. After all the staff, agents and volunteers were introduced and shared an interesting fact about themselves (mine being that that I went to the University of Rio Grande, which rhymes with Ohio because the townspeople did not know how to pronounce it when they named the town) we learned some old time dances and even threw in some new stuff to get everyone on their feet too!

We also had our first campfire tonight too. We sang songs, laughed at skits, watched the fire and generally had a good time.

Be sure to check back often this week for updates! Click here to check out pictures from Sunday & be sure to send any camper emails to michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu!

Happy Congress!!!

2009-07-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

I know, I know - Congress was last week & I should be writing about Camp this week. But we were so busy having fun at Congress last week that I did not get a chance to tell you about it. So here goes!

NC 4-H Congress is the highlight of the year for our teen 4-H members. This year Richmond County took four of our wonderful teens, Nathan Ezzell, Grayson McQueen, Courtney Miller and Sarah Tyler to experience Congress. We stayed in the NCSU dorms, ate in the campus dining hall, and generally had a great time.

On Monday we arrived and got started in meetings. We got all of our stuff moved into the dorms and did our best to make them feel like home for the rest of the week. For the evening activity, we traveled to the State Fair Grounds and watched the County Flag ceremony and Fashion Review.

Tuesday was a big day! We started the day with State Finals for Presentations. Richmond County had two presenters, Sarah Tyler and Kristi Reep. Both did an awesome job and Sarah brought home Bronze for her presentation on Fire Safety and Kristi took the Gold for her presentation on Granny's Button Jar. They both did a great job! Congrats ladies!

Tuesday was also a big day for NC 4-H. It was the homecoming celebration for the NC 4-H Centennial! 100 4-H supporters were the first inductees into the NC 4-H Hall of Fame. Mrs. Helen Goodman and her late husband Victor Goodman, Sr. were both inducted into the Hall of Fame for their years of tireless efforts on behalf of Richmond County youth! We were so proud to have two of our outstanding supporters recognized on the state level! Congratulations!!!

After the induction ceremony, which was sponsored by the NC Grange, we headed over to join around 1500 guests at the Fair Grounds for dinner. Among several speakers, Mr. Larry Wooten, President of NC Farm Bureau, spoke about how 4-H and Farm Bureau can work together. Tuesday finished with the Rockin' Clover Bash dance and campaign speaches by state officer canidates. NC 4-H officers represent our members at a wide variety of functions and havning the best person for the job is important.

On Wednesday we all ventured out to our Hands to Service sites. This year, NC 4-H'ers offered over $20,000 worth of volunteer service throughout Wake County. Richmond County joined Chatham and Yadkin Counties at the Total Life Center (TLC), which was a Senior day program. The 4-H'ers helped the TLC participants do some crafts and "chair dances" which involved moving & shaking while staying seated. We ended our fun at TLC with a remdition of the Electric Slide that, if not technically outstand, was rather funny. After some free time at the mall, we all loaded up & headed to Johnston County for the first showing of 4-H Centennial, The Musical. All the 4-H'ers in the production did an outstanding job!

Thursday began with leadership workshops and ended with our Farewell Dance and is always a busy day at Congress. Teens spend most of the morning learning all kinds of things to bring back to the County, including Ambassador basics, teaching & learning styles and ethics. After a yummy lunch, all the 4-H'ers headed into officer elections. Races were really tight this year with 11 outstanding canadates and two runnoff elections. The final officers are: La'Miesha Wittington as President, as Michael Drake as Vice President, as John Norwood as Secretary and Ann Margaret Deitrich as Reporter.

After elections, it time to get ready for the Farewell Banquet and Dance! We all made alot of new friends and reconnected with old ones, and it was really hard to say goodbye to everyone, but we made sure we looked good doing it.

At the Banquet, Ms. Courtney Miller was installed as the South Central District Reporter. We are all very proud of her for taking on this big responsibility and are looking forward to seeing the scrapbook for this year. Before the dancing started, everyone headed to Dorton Arena for the candle-lighting ceremony. For anyone who has not seen it, the 4-H'er make a giant clover & pass flames from the state officers to members, just as 4-H'er's pass excitement for what they do on to others. After much fun was had at the dance, we all headed back to the dorms to pack & get ready to head home on Friday.

All in all, I think we had a great week at Congress! I could not have asked for better representatives of the Richmond County 4-H program and I am looking forward to seeing what these young people accomplish in the days, weeks and years to come. On a side note - the agent had a great year with only 2 wrong turns in Raleigh! Check out the rest of the Congress pictures!

Happy 4th of July & Merry Christmas Too!!

2009-07-17T20:45:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, Christmas and the 4th of July are not celebrated in the same month. USUALLY! Recently, Richmond County Cloverbud 4-H'ers celebrated each in big style at the Extension Office during Cloverbud Holiday Craft day.

We started the day by painting flag designs on tee shirts. It was actually really simple! We used masking tape and star stickers to get our designs just right. While they were drying, we also painted tops and star pinsheels to help us celebrate in style. We even learned a bit about how we are to treat the flag and why it looks the way it does! Thanks to Miss Diane and her daughter Danielle for coming in to help us!

After a yummy lunch, which included baked pineapple that many of us tried for the first time, we jumped in the calendar! We did several crafts to keep until Christmas to help us celebrate then too. We made fun picture frames, and started to make Christmas tree boxes, but someone decided that we all wanted crowns instead. Speaking of pictures - check out all the pictures by clicking here! Thanks to Courtney, Sarah & Hannah for helping today as well!!

Fun at the Zoo!

2009-07-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

WOW! It has been guite a busy summer for Richmond County 4-H Summer Fun members! Just yesterday we loaded up and traveled to the NC Zoo in Asheboro. 24 of us invaded the Zoo in search of animals (and plants) great and small! And we sure found them. The Zoo houses more than 1,000 animals and 40,000 plants along five miles of paths and we tried our best to find them all! The Zoo is divided into two sections, or continents. We started the day in Africa (and it only took us two hours to get there) and made our way to the North America Exhibit.

In the Africa section we saw everything from gorillas (one of my personal favorites), rhinos, chimpanzees, elephants, zebra, ostriches, sleepy lions, and patas monkeys. Ms. Wanda and Mr. Dave helped us learn about the animals while we waited out a bit of a storm watching the chimpanzees and we want to send them a huge THANK YOU!!

After lunch we jumped the Atlantic & headed to North America. One of our first stops was the bee exhibit that is supported by our very own Richmond County Beekeepers and Richmond County Farm Bureau. There was a hive set up inside with holes that allowed the bees to leave and visit their very own garden. Ms. Courtney Miller, teen helper and the day's photographer, got a couple good shots of the bees entering and exiting the building.

After we took a group shot with the REALLY big bee, we continued to see the animals of the Sonora Desert exhibit, which included road-runners and all kinds of tortoises. After leaving the desert, we saw a grizzly bear, elk, bison and black bear. The Zoo tries to be very environmentally friendly and they had an exhibit set up to help us see the power of movement and the sun.

We then traveled from the praire to the stream to meet several playful (and constantly moving - sorry Courtney) otters, snakes, fish and even a barred owl.

I think one of everyone's favorites was Wilhelm, the Zoo's polar bear. Wilhelm was playing in his pool and Courtney managed to get a couple really good shots of him. He is a special story because he was rescued from a circus where he was not fed the right things and often had to endure temps of 100+ degrees with no air conditioning. However, since coming to the Zoo, Wilhelm has all sorts of things to keep him cool and was having a great time yesterday!

Before taking a quick stop by the gift shop, we also got to meet puffins, sea lions, harbor seals, and a eagle who is new to the Zoo. Everyone did a really great job of playing the quiet game to help him get used to people.

We had a great time, and the rain even missed us for most of the day! Check here for all the great pictures & special thanks to our teen helpers Courtney Miller, Sarah Tyler, Logan Northcutt, and Jasmine Northcutt! We couldn't do Summer Fun without you all!!!

Cloverbuds Shoot For The Stars!

2009-07-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

We had yet another adventure with our Cloverbud 4-H'ers recently! We visited the Planetarium in Wadesboro and had a great time. Ms. Phillips was our guide as we visited the stars, planets, animals and exhibits that are housed at the facility. The planetarium is operated by the Wadesboro Rotary and Anson County Public Schools.

We got to learn about constellations that we can see in the night sky and the story behind them. We also got to learn about the planets and their moons (did you know that some planets have more than one!)

After learning about the stars, we had the chance to make our very own constellations with glue and glitter. Ms. Phillips also let us meet several of the animals who live at the Planetarium, including a hamster & a gecko.

On the way home, we even stopped at a local farm stand for homemade ice cream! We had a great time & are looking forward to visiting again! Check here for more pictures!

DAD!! The 4-H Kind!

2009-07-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

There are many definitions for the letters DAD. In North Carolina 4-H, they tend to mean District Activity Day! In the South Central District, this event draws youth for the 15 county to compete on a wide range of topics.

Several members of Richmond County 4-H recently showed their presentation skills by competing at District Activity Day. The event was held at East Montgomery High School in Montgomery County, North Carolina. Three Richmond County youth showcased their talents along with over 140 other members of the South Central District.

Kristi Reep (pictured receiving her award from SC District Director Dr. Donald Cobb) competed in the 9-10 Fashion & Fabric Care category. Her presentation was titled “Granny’s Button Jar” and she demonstrated how to sew on a button. She was awarded a Gold medal and was asked to compete at State 4-H Congress in Raleigh.

Sarah Tyler competed in the 14-18 Safety category. Her presentation was titled “Fire Safety” and she spoke on fire prevention & what to do in case you are ever faced with a fire. She was awarded a Silver medal and was asked to compete at State 4-H Congress in Raleigh.

Last, but certainly not least, Alana McQueen showcased her ability in the talent show. Alana clogged to “Charlie Brown.” Alana was awarded a Blue ribbon for her efforts.

Special thanks to all the family and friends who came out to support these outstanding young people! They would not be able to achieve so much without your support. Thanks also to Courtney Miller and Mary Bowles, who volunteered their time to serve as room hosts! We are looking forward to seeing the great things these Richmond County youth do in the future! Click here to see more pictures from DAD!

Technology, Painting & Goat Care - we've been busy!!

2009-06-24T09:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy couple days & I think it'll stay busy for a while at this point!

Yesterday we had 19 9-13 year olds in the office learning about Internet Safety & Painting Techniques. We traveled to Richmond Community College to discuss Internet safety and how to be safe when we are online. Dr. Carlotta Knotts helped us to find some websites that were safe to go to and we learned that we should never give out information about ourselves over the Internet. Before heading back to the Extension Office, we talked about cyber bullies & how to react when someone says something to or about you online.

After some team building activities, we got out the paints, brushes & newspaper & started painting everything! Well, almost everything:) We started out practicing on paper. Diane Lucas & her daughter Danielle helped us learn all kinds of cool designs! We had to learn to paint really small things, because next we moved to faces! I painted Coleman's face - cool huh?!? Check out the pictures to see what Coleman painted on my face:)

After we were all decorated, we moved on to painting jars. We painted jars to hold everything from dog treats to hair ties to cotton balls! We had to be sure to place our creations in the oven for a few minutes to make sure that the paint stayed on. We got to take our creations home to share & now we know how to create more cool jars if we need them!

This morning we got here early to a bit of a different sight! There was a pen set up behind the building & two goats in it! We learned all about how to take care of them and show them from several members of the 4-H Livestock Club. We got to lead them around the "show ring" and learned how to stay on the right side while showing (don't block the judge's view:) and how to make sure they stay healthy. We finished the class with a game of review darts and everyone has this afternoon free.

We are excited to continue our Summer Fun classes Friday with Sewing Basics! Stay tuned for news as several of our members will travel to Montgomery County tomorrow for District Activity Day!

Summer Fun Starts with a Twirl!

2009-06-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very important day on the 4-H Calendar. It was the first day of 4-H Summer Fun! What better way to start the 4-H Summer than with 15 Cloverbuds (5 to 8 year old members) learning to dance & doing crafts!

We started the morning by getting warmed up with the help of Ms. Sharon Nichols, who just opened a new Dance Studio in the old Kay building in downtown Rockingham. Ms. Sharon helped us learn everything from the bunny hop to the waltz & as you can tell from the pictures, we had A LOT of fun doing it!

After thanking Ms Sharon & eating a yummy sack lunch, we started doing crafts and team building with a bit of coloring! We made sun catcher key chains and colored several 4-H pictures. They all turned out really cool. We finished the day by learning about communication using Team Chutes, which are actually just parachute panels that we put together to form obstacles to overcome. We learned that it is easier to listen to one team leader than for everyone to try to do things their way. After we figured that out, the obstacles became pretty easy!

As I type, a group of 9 to 13 year old 4-H'ers is at Richmond Community College learning about Internet safety and cyber-bullying with the help of Dr. Carlotta Knotts. I sure hope they learn that this is a safe site to visit:) This afternoon we will be painting everything from jars to faces as we learn about working with different types of "canvases" with Ms. Diane Lucas. Stay tuned for more updates of what our 4-H'ers are learning and doing during Summer Fun!

All Kinds of 4-H Fun!

2009-06-02T06:34:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was an exciting day in the world of Richmond County 4-H! Many People are coming together to work for the good of 4-H and Richmond County Youth!

June 1st was the first day of Summer Fun Registration! We registered about 40 youth yesterday for classes that are held during the summer. Classes can be taken on subjects ranging from sewing to livestock to science to CSI to holiday crafts to healthy lifestyles. We are taking a few more trips than we have in the past, including a visit to the North Carolina Zoo, the Rotary Planetarium in Wadesboro, Richmond Community College, and the Sandhills Research Station. Registration will be held at the Extension Office from 9-5 and on an individual basis after Thursday. For more information, including required forms, schedules and class closings, please see the Richmond County Cooperative Extension website at richmond.ces.ncsu.edu.

Also, Mr. Brad Dixon, Assistant Director of Development for 4-H Camps and Conference Centers, Ms. Sharon Rowland, Executive Director, NC Cooperative Extension Foundation & Director of Development for the Central Region and Jim Clark, NC 4-H Historian, visited several businesses and individuals in the county to share the vision for the 4-H Museum Complex at Millstone 4-H Camp in Richmond County. Brad gave a wonderful presentation to the Richmond County Board of Commissioners with support of myself, our County Extension Director Clinton McRae, Millstone Camp Director Gene Shutt and his wife Dorothy, who is a public school teacher, Summer Camp Director William Terry and Head Male Cabin Counselor Will Speight. If anyone would like more information on the project, please check out http://www.nc4h.org/donors/museum.html or call Brad or Sharon at (919) 513-7989.

We are excited about both of these very big projects! Stay tuned for more information on events involving the Museum Project and be sure to come in & register for 4-H Summer Fun!

4-H Operation: Military Kid Camp Gets Funded at Millstone 4-H Camp!

2009-05-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

Many of you have probably seen the front page of the Richmond Daily Journal with the article about Millstone 4-H Camp needing some help. Some of you may have even offered your skills as a carpenter, painter or just generally felt concern for the camp located in Richmond County. One Richmond County citizen, however, turned his concern into action, and dollars!

After reading on Friday that Millstone 4-H Camp had lost the $30,000 in support that allowed them to offer a week of Operation: Military Kid Camp at no cost to 100 youth (Guard, Reserve and Active Duty) whose parent(s) have recently, are currently, or are scheduled to serve our country overseas, this concerned citizen got on the phone. On Monday, a generous donation was made to make this camping experience available to 100 Military Youth at Millstone 4-H Camp! As this citizen told me Monday, “Kids ought to get to go to camp.”
Youth at Operation: Military Kid Camp in 2008 participate in Flag Raising Ceremonies to start their day at Millstone 4-H Camp. The Camp will be offered in 2009 thanks to a generous donation from a concerned citizen in Richmond County!

While at camp, youth participate in canoeing, archery, shooting sports, climbing, swimming, arts & crafts, cookouts, campfires, nature exploration, teambuilding, high ropes, and much more. All these activities help youth improve their leadership and communication skills while making new friends. Camp OMK will focus on building coping skills and creating positive outlets for the intense emotions these children now live with daily. Campers build camaraderie as they meet other youth who are going through similar situations, but equally important is the opportunity to enjoy a carefree camping experience with their peers. While at camp, these children will have fun, laugh, learn and just enjoy being kids.

There are actually two OMK Camping opportunities at Millstone 4-H Camp this summer. Thanks for a generous donation from a citizen concerned about this group of young people, youth ages 8-13 will camp July 12th-17th and can accept up to 100 campers. Registration deadline for Camp OMK is Wednesday, June 17, 2009. Cloverbud or Young Heroes Camp, for youth 5 to 8 years old, can experience a shorter version of camp August 2nd-5th and can accept up to 40 campers. The registration deadline for Cloverbud or Young Heroes Camp is Wednesday, July 22, 2009.

If you are interested in more information about either of these 4-H Operation: Military Kid Camps please check the web at www.millstone4hcamp.org for forms or call Gene Shutt or William Terry at 652-5905 with questions.

It's Time to Think Livestock!

2009-05-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Richmond County's Livestock Agent, Tiffanee Conrad-Acuna, and I had quite an adventure! We went to help out with an awesome training at the Robeson County Regional Fairgrounds for about 50 youth & parents/leaders who are interested in showing livestock this year. Charlie Brown, Tiff's retired show goat & horse companion, helped us with the goat section & everyone seemed to get a kick out of our heifer improv as Tiffanee & I helped Robeson County's Livestock Agent Michelle Shooter with the heifer class!

For all the info & pictures, check out the Robeson County 4-H Blog at www.robeson4-h.blogspot.com! We were sorry that no one from Richmond County could attend this year, but are looking forward to seeing how these young showmen grow and care for their animals over the next few months!

Richmond County Goat Showmen after the 2008 Richmond County Show!

If anyone happens to see this & wants more information about showing livestock this fall, please call Tiffanee or Michelle at the Extension Office at 997-8255! We have several youth who show goats in the Sandhills Farm Credit Circuit and some who show chickens and rabbits at local shows. We can even help you find an animal if you don't already have one!

Time for The Teens!

2009-04-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Well, it took me a few days to recover from the late, fun night enough to write this, but the South Central District 4-H'ers met recently at Teen Retreat in Moore County. The county was again a wonderful host to around 100 youth and adults from the 15 county district as they met to conduct business and have fun. This year's District Officers; Nick Clegg President from Moore County, Kelli Hateley Vice President from Stanley County, Allen Monk Reporter from Bladen County, and Ashley Willams Secretary from Cumberland County, lead the meeting.

Richmond County 4-H'ers Nathan Ezzell, Grayson McQueen, Courtney Miller, Logan Northcutt and Sarah Tyler then spread out and attended workshops on scrapbooking, Introduction to the Ambassador program, Botanical Prints, Vermicomposting, and Breaking the Ice: an Introduction to Ice breakers. The workshops were fun, educational and gave the 4-H'ers a chance to meet people from across the district.

After the workshops, everyone loaded up for the short trip to Moore County First Health's fitness center for some swimming and recreation. After everyone dried off, it was time for our district Service Learning project of writing letters for the Operation military Kid program. This programs give Hero packs to children of deployed military parents. Inside each Hero pack is a letter to the military parent and child to thank them for their service and for sharing their lives with the country.

Once all the letters had been written & dinner eaten, it was time for Officer Campaigns. Richmond County was well represented this year with two of our Outstanding 4-H'ers running for district office. Nathan Ezzell ran for Vice President with a campaign slogan of "Come Roll With Me" and Courtney Miller ran for Reporter amongst the flashes of cameras, mostly her own. After a tough night of campaigning and answering questions about their background, opinions and activities, everyone waltzed into the main room for the Dance.

Everyone was up early on Sunday morning & ready to complete the county skits, chants and generally show good 4-H Spirit! After the votes were tallied, the new district officers were announced. Dixie Acorn from Hoke County will be President, Luke Hill from Bladen County will be Vice President, Courtney Miller from Richmond County will be Reporter and Ryan Fairley from Scotland County will be Secretary. After what had to be a very difficult discussion about the great attitudes showed throughout the weekend, Bladen County was awarded the District Spirit Stick for 2009.

Thanks for everyone who went or supported those attending! Don't forget that we will be conducting our Summer Fun Volunteer Training at the next County Council meeting on April 28th. Come hungry, we'll have pizza! Check here for pictures of the weekend!

Here They Come Again!

2009-04-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

For the second time this year, something special is growing in my office, and in 23 classrooms in Richmond County! No - it's not mold - it's baby chickens! Teachers and students at Mineral Springs, Washington Street and West Rockingham Elementary Schools are getting their chance to participate in the 4-H Embryology Project!

The growing embryos are on about Day 14/15 of their development. By this point, the embryos are taking up more and more of the egg and have absorbed nearly all of the albumen (or white/clear stuff in the egg). They have feathers over their body & now begin to "look" like a baby chick.

Students have been taking very good care of the eggs, which includes turning the eggs everyday, making sure there is water in the incubator, recording temperature and humidity, and making sure that the incubators is out of direct drafts. We are visiting the classrooms to practice safe handwashing with the 1st graders and chat with the 2nd graders about general agriculture before the babies arrive.

You can check out pictures of the candled eggs be clicking here! We'll be sure to add some more pictures when the babies arrive, which should be about this time next week.

Happy Hatching!

They're Here!!!

2009-03-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

The day has finally arrived! When I got to the office yesterday, I heard the faint sound of chirping coming from the incubator. Several hours later, our first two chicks hatched! Overnight, many followed suit and we now have more than 20 here at the 4-H office! I was able to visit several classrooms yesterday and many had chicks starting to hatch as well.

As fun as today is, the 4-H Embryology project is about more than just hatching chicks! Through this project, 24 Richmond County 1st and 2nd grade classrooms have cared for eggs for the past 21 days. After the teachers attend a training with Miss Michelle, they are ready to receive equipment and eggs. During the course of the project, students learn about life cycles, agriculture, biosecurity, record keeping and more! Students have written stories, made books and completed timelines to help them learn more about the chicks and why we treat them like we do.

Farm Bureau partners with us to help ensure success of 4-H Embryology! Special thanks to them for assisting with this program.

And - since they are so fun to look at - here are pictures of some of our chicks!

Auction Nears!

2009-02-26T12:05:00.000-08:00

A benefit auction and plate sale for the 4-H program in Richmond County will be held on March 6th at Browder Park in Rockingham, North Carolina. Proceeds will be used locally to support leadership and youth development through programs ranging from school enrichment programs, to summer camps, to Summer Fun classes, to leadership trainings, to club activities.

As you can see, we have collected a wide variety of items! There will be something for everyone at the Auction, from fishing poles & cowboy hats to prom dresses & punch bowls! We also have a large number of gift certificates to auction, including dinners at your favorite local restaurants, nights away from the house at some of the best places to rest your head in Richmond County, and even $100 off a used car!

BBQ or chicken plates from Jordan’s Catering will be available for sale at $7 from 11 am to 7 pm. Five or more plates can be delivered if preordered by Feb 27th. Please call or stop by the office to purchase tickets or order a delivery. A limited number of plates will be available for purchase on the 6th, so get your tickets early! FirstHealth of Richmond County will be sponsoring drinks for those that plan to eat onsite.

If you would like to mail a donation, please make the check payable to Richmond County 4-H and mail to PO Box 1358, Rockingham, NC 28380. If you would like to donate any items, you can bring them to the Cooperative Extension Office at 123 Caroline Street, or call 997-8255 for an item pickup. All donations are tax deductible.

Thank you for helping us make the best better for Richmond County youth!

They Just Keep Growing!!!

2009-02-26T11:37:00.000-08:00

After nearly 21 days of turning and monitoring, our eggs are almost ready to become chicks! The "due date" is next Tuesday, March 3rd. Students and teachers in 24 classrooms are getting ready to see if their hard work has paid off with live chicks hatching in their classes.

If you look closely at the pictures, you can see the blood vessels and the embryo taking up even more of the egg.

When the chicks hatch, they will use what is called a "pipping tooth" to break the shell from the inside. They do this all on their own & don't need any help from us humans! We are looking forward to seeing the chicks for the first time early next week, and will be sure to post pictures here for all of you to see!

HAPPY HATCHING!!!

2009-02-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

NC 4-H turns 100 years old in 2009! A program that began as corn clubs for boys and canning clubs for girls has grown into one of the largest youth development programs in the state, nation and world. Not many organizations can say that. Whatever role you have had in the 4-H program, we want to take time this year to celebrate that role! Click here to see pictures of the fun!

4-H Achievement Night was held on Feb 9th at the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Office. County Council officers Nathan Ezzell, Ryan McInnis, Courtney Miller and Grayson McQueen presided over the evening. 4-H'ers received awards for all of their hard work throughout the 2008 year and were encouraged to participate even more this year! We are very proud of all of our 4-H members in Richmond County and look forward to what they will do next.

Not only were our 4-H members honored for their hard work and success, but our wonderful 4-H volunteers were awarded for all that they do to make 4-H a wonderful program. 4-H doesn't work without the help of many, many people and we could never do enough to thank them for all they do.

In honor of the North Carolina 4-H Centennial Celebration, everyone enjoyed birthday cake and party games. Anyone not attending will get their certificate in the mail in the coming weeks. For more information about 4-H, please contact Michelle at 997-8255 or michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu. You can support the Richmond County 4-H program by supporting the United Way of Richmond County and during the upcoming 4-H Auction & Plate Sale on March 6th at Browder Park in Rockingham, NC. The Plate Sale will go from 11 am to 7 pm with the Auction starting at 7 pm.

2008 County Fair Educational Booths……....4-H Livestock Club
Project Record Books.....................................9-10 Year Olds - Jordan Carroll
11-12 Year Olds - Trey McInnis
13-15 Year Olds - Nathan Ezzell
2008 District Activity Day Presenters………Courtney Miller, Katie Miller and Kristi Reep
2008 Talent Show .........................................Maggi Chambers –(Singing), Chloe Eaton – (singing), Gabrielle Eaton – (Storytelling) and Alana McQueen - (Clogging)
2008 4-H Fashion Show……….......................Delani Reep & Kristi Reep
2008 4-H Congress Delegates…………............Nathan Ezzell & Courtney Miller
During last year’s Congress, Michael Ezzell was inducted into the NC 4-H Honor Club. This is a very elite group and induction is truly an Honor. Great job!
2008 4-H Livestock Showmenship Circuit……Abby Allen, Jordan Carroll, Madelyn Chappell, Savannah Chappell, Taylor Chappell, Christin Deese, Elizabeth Deese, Michael Ezzell, Nathan Ezzell, Abigail Hamilton, Brianna Hamilton, Sarah Maske, Ryan McInnis, Trey McInnis, Grayson McQueen, and DeLani Reep
2008 4-H Shooting Sports State Competition
2008 Junior Black Powder 2nd Place Winner.……………....Tyler Dove
2008 Senior Shotgun 2nd Place Winner…………………....…Mark Allen
2008 Senior Sporter Rifle 3rd Place Winner…………....……Austin Wiggins
Team Sporter Rifle 1st Place…………..……………………..........Richmond Rangers: including Aaron Wiggins, Austin Wiggins, Michael Smith and Mark Allen
Two Richmond County 4-H members even went to the National 4-H Shooting Sports Tournament in Nebraska. Tyler Wilson placed 6th and Aaron Wiggins placed 9th in small-bore silhouette.
2008 Junior Camp……………….......................Hailey Bass, Gary Boyette, Hannah Craven, Jackson Carter, Olivia Farrah, Andrew Greene, Brandon Greene, Aidan Kegebein, Andi Luther, Ronald Maynard, Victoria Jade McCaskill, Bradley McPherson, Katie Miller, Alyssa Rush, Mikala Smith, Luke Souder, Myers Souder, Andrew Tamura, Rusty Wadsworth & Hannah Webb
2008 Summer Fun Volunteers…………………..Nathan Ezzell, Ryan Hudson, Ryan McInnis, Grayson McQueen, Courtney Miller, Tabitha Reeves, & Logan Northcutt
4-H Leaders
These people have completed all required volunteer trainings and have submitted all required forms to be a 4-H volunteer! Several others in the county are well on their way to completing all the forms and the initial training and we look forward to honoring them next year. We would not have much of a 4-H program without the hard work of many people and we are honored to have these people in the program!
Jan Allen, Mark Allen, Jerry Andrews, Chris DeWitt, Randy Ezzell, Tracy Ezzell, Rosa Gales, Reva Horne, Mamie LeGrand, Valeria Lunceford, Leon McRae, Anne Miller, Albert Purvis, Joe Purvis, Hattie Reep, Naomi Reese

GREAT JOB EVERYONE! WE"RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE IN 2009!

The Eggs Have Arrived!!

2009-02-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

Richmond County 4-H is partnering with 45 Richmond County School 1st and 2nd grade classrooms over the next several months to offer the 4-H Embryology program to students. Teachers at Fairview Heights, L. J. Bell and Monroe Avenue Elementary Schools got their eggs last Tuesday, and things are going great.

I am keeping some chicks-to-be in my office & they seem to be doing well! Tiffanee, our Livestock Agent, helped me candle some eggs today & I wanted to share the results with the world! We were able to see the blood vessels forming & the embryo really easily. All we used was a dark office & a strong flashlight. You can see our pictures here .

Teachers are provided training, curriculum, supplies, and support to complete the project, which involves caring for and hatching chicks in the classroom. These students will learn about many subjects, including bio-security, record keeping, life cycles and agriculture, during the 3-week project.

This project is supported by our friends at Richmond County Farm Bureau, United Way of Richmond County, and donations from the community. We are in the process of collecting donations & selling plates for our 4-H Auction & Plate Sale on March 6th at Browder Park in Rockingham. If you would like to make a donation of an item or service, or order plate tickets, please call us & we will be happy to help you!

If your class is participating and has any project ideas or pictures to share, simply post here or email to Michelle at michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu.

Happy Hatching!!

Camp for Christmas!!

2008-12-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

2008 Campers take some time to get to know Gimlie, one of the camp’s horses, between riding and grooming lessons.

It’s that time again!! No, not for snowflakes and Santa, but for thinking about canoes, crafts and Richmond County 4-H Camp! What better present under the tree than a week of fun and excitement this summer!! If you pay the deposit before Dec. 19th, we will make you a certificate to open (maybe wrapped inside a new sleeping bag, etc?!?)

We will be camping at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp in Reidsville, NC. We will depart on Sunday, July 26th and return on Friday, July 31st, 2009.

The camp is accredited by the ACA and is staffed by trained and dedicated young men and women from across the country and around the world. Youth aged 9-14 participate in horseback riding, canoeing, archery, climbing, swimming, arts & crafts, cookouts, campfires, nature exploration, team-building, high ropes, and much more. Adventure programs offer older youth (13 and 14 year olds) opportunities to gain compass, GPS and other outdoor living skills, plus participate in rock climbing, swift water canoeing and more. All these activities help youth improve their leadership and communication skills while making new friends from across the state.

If you are interested in more information about 4-H Camp, and to pay a $50 deposit or the whole camp fee of $315, call 997-8255 or email michelle_stumbo@ncsu.edu for a copy of the camp form! You can also check out what happened at camp this year in earlier posts. There will be an opportunity to receive $50 -$100 Camp Scholarships this year, and the application will be mailed to those having paid their deposits before April 1st!!! Merry Christmas & Happy Camping!!

2008 Campers learn water safety while having fun on the lake. Older campers even get to try their hand at swift water canoeing.

Christmas Time Is Here!!

2008-12-09T06:33:00.000-08:00

Nothing rings in the Christmas season for me than taking time to give to those who may not be as blessed as I am during this time of year. 14 Richmond County 4-H'ers & parents met last night to do just that!!

Richmond 4-H County Council members chose this year's project of giving donations to the BackPack Pals ministry. This is a program that provides backpacks with non-perishable foods to students to eat on the weekends when they may not get a good meal. The students are then responsible for returning the backpack on Monday to participate the next week. Richmond County 4-H'ers collected over 350 individual items for donation for the group!! Richmond County 4-H Livestock Club earned a pizza party at their next meeting for collecting the most items! Family & Friends 4-H Club and Animals "R" Us 4-H Club came in a very close second & third. Great job everyone!!

While we were at the office, we also took some time to write letters to go into Hero Packs, which are given to children of deployed military parents. Two letters go into each Pack, one encouraging the child and one to go to the child's serving parent. The letters will go into Hero Packs to be given out over the next few months.

If you would like more information about Hero Packs, which are a part of Operation: Military Kids, check out http://www.nc4h.org/military /index.html. For more info about the BackPack Pals Ministry, contact Michelle at the Extension Office.

Richmond County 4-H members Courtney Miller & Aaron Wiggins were two of the 4-H'ers who donated food & wrote letters for the Operation: Military Kids Program.