March

3 Extension Council Mtg., 7:30p.m. at Extension Office

8 Science Club meeting, Computers, 6pm at Ext. Office

28 County Council Mtg., 6:30p.m. at Extension Office

18&19 4H Basketball Tournament, Melcher-Dallas H.S.

21 Pella Pizza Ranch tip night for Insurmountable Breakfast

4-H FTC team

29 FSQA Training, 5:00 & 6:00p.m. @ Extension Office

April

7 Extension Council Mtg., 7:30p.m. at Extension Office

16 Cooking Day @ Extension Office

15-17 Beef Fitting and Showing Clinic

18 Youth Committee Mtg., 6:30p.m. @ Extension Office

21 4-H Foundation Mtg., 7p.m. at Extension Office

25 County Council Mtg., 6:30p.m. at Extension Office

26 Spring Leader’s Mtg., 6:00p.m. @ Extension Office

May

1 Livestock Id’s Due to Extension Office

5 Extension Council Mtg., 7:30p.m. at Extension Office

7 Sheep & Meat Goat Weigh-In, 8a.m.-11a.m. at Marion Co.

Fairgrounds

23 County Council, 6:30 p.m. @ Extension Office

30 Extension Office Closed - Memorial Day

Future Dates

June 11, 2016 - Communication/Clothing Day

June 28—30 - State 4-H & Youth Conference @ ISU campus

July 1, 2016 - County/State Fair Entries Due to Extension Office

July 15-21 Marion County Fair

August 11-21 Iowa State Fair

March 2016 DATES TO REMEMBER

PAPERLESS NEWSLETTER

If you would like to receive the Clover Courier Newsletter via e-mail please email: kephartm@iastate.edu with your email address.

1

Looking for some

great ideas for Fair?

Please check out the State

4H site for ideas. There are

a lot of great resources of-

fered there that you should

take advantage of.

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/

Marion County Extension Staff

County Extension Program Director:

Dale Miller, dmill@iastate.edu

County Youth Coordinator:

Mindy Kephart, kephartm@iastate.edu

Ag. Program Assistant:

Lauren Petersen, lpeterse@iastate.edu

Youth Program Assistant:

Chrys Bregar, cbregar@iastate.edu

Region 14 Extension Education Director

Nathan Crane, ncrane@iastate.edu

Youth Program Specialist:

Marisue Hartung, mhartung@iastate.edu

2

Thank You All 4-H members that attended Jr. Fun Night!

County Council for organizing and participating in a very successful Jr. Fun Night!

To the Poultry Committee for putting together a very successful Poultry Workshop!

Livestock ID's

Please be aware that ALL live-

stock ID's are due to the Exten-

sion Office by Wednesday, May

1st! This is for everything that

didn't go to a weigh-in.

Dive to New Depths at the 2016 State 4-H & Youth Conference

It is time to start recruiting for the 2016 State 4-H & Youth Conference! The conference is scheduled for June 28th -

30th 2016 at I.S.U. Campus in Ames, IA. The conferences is open to any youth that will have just completed 8th

grade through 12th grade. All youth are invited, they do not have to be in 4-H to attend.

Cookies for the Basketball Tournament

We are asking families and clubs to bring one or two dozen cookies to be sold during the 4-H

Basketball Tournament. The money made from the concession stand at the tournament funds

County Council. They use this money for events such as Jr. Fun Night and Barnyard Olympics.

Other Events at the 4-H Basketball Tournament

11:45 - Free Throw Contest Please sign-up in the concession stand area Friday night or Saturday

morning

12:30 - Clover Kids Game Any Clover Kid (Kindergarten - Third Grade) please join us by the an-

nouncers stand at 12:20

3

Marion County Fair 4-H

Cooking Day Competition Saturday, April 16th

This is your opportunity to cook like a chef! You pick your favorite recipe and then come make it at the Marion County Extension Office’s kitchen in front of a judge. Some of the recipes made in the past are: fresh-squeezed lemonade, grilled cheese, party meatballs, cracker dip, breakfast casserole, lasagna, pasta salad, tater tot casserole, fruit pizza, lettuce salad, cream puffs, and much more. At this pre-fair event, you will receive a ribbon and premium money.

Purpose: To emphasize food safety and food preparation practices in an observation & con-ference judging event and have the opportunity to prepare a recipe that is considered “inappropriate” as a county fair exhibit. Don’t forget to practice your recipe at home before the event!

Participants: Any 4-H member or Clover Kid in Marion County grades K-12th is welcome to join the fun. The judge will consider the degree of difficulty for the 4-H’er when evaluating preparation and final food product. Recipes will be judged according to the following:

25 points Safety & Sanitation Washed hands, safe food handling, no cross-contamination, used cutting board(s), knife safe-

ty, utensil / tool safety, used hot pads, recipe & final product meeting food safety standards

25 points Organization Had copy of recipe, brought and had all ingredients, tools & utensils prior to beginning, correct

measuring, knowledge of recipe, used 3 or less prepped (prepared ahead of time) items

25 pts. Final Product Appearance (exterior & interior), texture, flavor, adequately cooked & chilled, etc., Prepared in

30 minutes or less, Baked/Refrigerated/Standing time 30 minutes or less, considered an “Inappropriate Food Item” that prevents being an exhibit at the county fair

15 pts. Conference Judging Learning relates to goal, identifies food safety issue for the recipe, recipe reflects skill level,

complete and accurate, preparation steps, serving suggestions, cost appropriate

10 pts. Completion Interest form completed by registration, registration form, study guide, recipe & preparation steps completed by May 4th, study guide completed adequately.

If you have questions or would like to sign up, please contact Mindy at the Extension Office. kephartm@iastate.edu or (641)842-2014

4

FSQA Training If you plan on showing swine at the Marion County Fair; or Beef, Sheep, Swine,

Dairy, Poultry, Rabbit, or Goat at the State Fair, you need to be FSQA certified

What is FSQA?

The Iowa 4-H Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) program focuses on seven Good Production

Practices that help ensure the safety of the food you produce.

When 4-H’ers meet the 4-H FSQA certification, they also meet the Beef Quality Assurance and Pork

Quality Assurance certification

Who needs FSQA?

All you exhibiting SWINE at the Marion County Fair.

All youth exhibiting BEEF, SHEEP, SWINE, DAIRY, POULTRY, RABBIT OR GOAT at the Iowa State Fair.

How do I certify for FSQA?

4-H’ers in 4th –6th grade (on January 1) must attend a certification program every year to be FSQA cer-

tified.

4-H’ers in 7th - 9th grade (on January 1) can either attend a workshop every year, OR take a test which

is good until they enter 9th grade.

4-H’ers in 10th –12th grade (on January 1) can either attend a workshop every year, OR take a test

which is good until they turn 19.

4-H’ers age 19 on January 1 will need to certify through the adult program.

When and Where do complete the requirements for FSQA?

Training and Testing will be offered for Marion County 4-H’ers on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 5:00p.m.

and 6:00p.m. at the Marion County Extension Office.

BULLETS & BOWS ARCHERY PRACTICE

Bullets & Bows has moved their indoor archery practice to the second Tuesday of

each month. If you are interested in attending, please let one of the Bullets &

Bows leaders or the Extension Office know. You do not have to be enrolled as a

Bullets & Bows member if you want to go and check it out. All of the equipment

that you need is provided as well as great instruction.

6

Basketball Tournament The 2016 4H Basketball Tournament is on March 18th & 19th at the Melcher-Dallas High School.

Good luck to all players, please remember the 4-H Basketball Tournament is all about having fun

and good sportsmanship!

Jr. Girls

Jr. Boys

7

Sr. Boys

Iowa Dairy Goat Association’s “Share-A-Kid Program” The IDGA Share-A-Kid Program provides the opportunity for youth, ages 10 to 17 and residents of the state of Iowa, to own a registered dairy goat kid. Applicants submit essays and other supportive material to win a doeling. Doelings are donated by IDGA members and a selection committee determines the winners. Winners are expected to display their goat at a county fair or youth show, to keep in touch with the donor, and to submit an article about their doeling to the IDGA newsletter. As needed, winners receive a follow-up visit after the doeling goes home, and can be mentored by an IDGA member. Entries for the 2016 IDGA Share-A-Kid Program are accepted from January 1 to March 15, 2016. Entrants must be between the age of 10 and 17, a resident of the state of Iowa, and a member of IDGA, 4-H, FFA, or other agricultural groups. Application information can be found at www.iowadairgoat.org and following the ‘Youth” link from the homepage.

Ten80 STEM Camp Much more goes into being part of a racing team than simply putting a car on the track and driving. The team needs to develop

their identity, learn what components make their car drive better, and plan how they are going to accomplish everything that

needs done. TEN80 teaches 6th– 12th grade youth how to gather data, make decisions based on that data, plan a project, com-

municate, and work on a team. TEN80 teams can participate in an online points race next fall or winter.

Marion County 4-H will be offering a TEN80 Camp March 24-26 at the Marion County Extension Office. Kids who partici-

pate in the camp will have the option of forming official teams to compete in the Ten80 online points race and at the Ten80

Invitational on April 16 in Oskaloosa. We will be doing many of the activities needed to prepare for the invitational at the

camp.

The camp is open to all youth in 6th-12th grades. Participants who are not in 4-H will need to a signed release form. The cost

of camp is $30 and registration is due March 17. Camp will be canceled if less than 10 kids register.

Please email cbregar@iastate.edu or call the Marion County Extension Office at 641-842-2014

for more information.

Pizza Ranch Community Impact Night for

Insurmountable Breakfast

Marion County’s 4-H FIRST Tech Challenge team will work-

ing at Pella Pizza Ranch’s Community Impact night on March

21 from 5-7pm. The team will be bussing tables and refilling

drinks for 5% of those hour’s sales and donations.

The team recently received the Rockwell Collins Innovate

award for innovative robot design at their League Champion-

ship in Ottumwa on February 9th and a slot at the FTC-Iowa

Wildcard on February 27. At Wildcard, they placed first for

robot performance and were invited to the State Competition

March 4-5. From there, they have a chance of advancing to Super-Regionals in Cedar Rapids.

Funds raised on March 21 will help the team pay for registration, parts, and other costs associated

with FTC competition. Please plan to attend and share the word.

Marion County 210 N. Iowa St. PO Box 409 Knoxville, IA 50138 641-842-2014

Return Service Requested

Non-Profit

Organization

Permit No. 35

Knoxville, IA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,

national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibit-

ed bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint

of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964.