Pinellas 4-H County Events

Springtime in 4-H means the competitive events are in full swing. One event common to all 4-H counties is called County Events. Pinellas County 4-H divides its County Events into two events - Night of the Arts and Demonstration Day.
Night of the Arts has three contests - Share the Fun, Poster Contest, and the Photo Exhibit. Share the Fun is the talent show with an emphasis on fun. This year's entries include piano, songs, a monologue, and dancers from ballroom to hula. Contestants are judged (except for Cloverbuds) and awarded ribbons. The top two winners in each age category advance to compete at District Events in Pasco County in May.
The Poster and Photo Exhibit Contest entries are turned in and displayed during Night of the Arts for everyone to enjoy. They are judged at a later date and the results are announced at Demonstration Day. Winning entries advance to the State competition in Gainesville.
Night of the Arts is a fun event, although it is important to remember that the entries are covered by the Communication and Expressive Arts project area. Theatre Arts, Photography, and Visual Arts are project book categories in 4-H. Some examples of these projects can be found at : http://www.florida4h.org/projects/Project_Enrollment_CAS.shtml.
Four-H members are not required to be enrolled in one of these projects to participate in any of the above contests.

The second half of County Events is Demonstration Day. Demonstration Day presentations are tied directly to the 4-H'ers project. The presentation, called a Demonstration or Illustrated Talk is an opportunity for the 4-H member to educate the audience on something interesting that was learned while working on the 4-H project. Last year the most popular project area for demonstrations was on horses.
Registration for Demonstration Day is open. All 4-H'ers who need an entry form should contact Jean Rogalsky at jrogalsk@pinellascounty.org.
All blue ribbon winners are eligible to compete at District Events. Junior and Intermediate winners from Pinellas County earn a scholarship to 4-H Camp Ocala. Senior winners are awarded a scholarship to attend 4-H State Congress.

Night of the Arts takes place March 2 at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at the Pinellas County Extension Office.
Demonstration Day takes place March 24 at 9:00 a.m. also at the Extension Office.
The public is invited to attend these events. Come and learn a little more about what the Pinellas County 4-H program is all about.

Save the Date - April 14 for District Congress

Coming … District 4-H Junior Congress April 14, 2012
Pinellas 4-H Juniors and Intermediates, this event is for you!

Sarasota County 4-H will host District 9 4-H Junior Congress this year. The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 14 (9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; registration starts at 8:30 a.m.) at the Sarasota County 4-H Office, located at 6700 Clark Road (Twin Lakes Park) in Sarasota, FL 34241.

What is District Junior Congress? District Junior Congress is a fun-educational event for junior and intermediate 4-H’ers to participate in workshops and activities designed to develop leadership skills and learn about opportunities available in 4-H.

What Classes/Workshops are being offered? This year Senior 4-H’ers will be teaching sessions on Beekeeping, Dairy, Gardening, Mock Legislature, My Plate, Stop Bullying, Stow-it, Don’t Throw-it, and Waterworks. Everyone will get a chance to participate in most sessions.

What is the cost? The fee is $5.00 which includes materials. Please make your check payable to the Pinellas County 4-H Foundation. You must provide your own lunch.

How do I register? Copy the registration form below or request one from your 4-H leader, and return it to the Pinellas County 4-H Office by March 22nd. Your 4-H Agent will print your 4-H participation form (from 4-H online) and include it with your registration to the district.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
District 4-H Junior Congress
Saturday, April 14, 2012

Registration Form

Name:_________________________ Age:_______ County:______________________________

Address:______________________________________ Club:______________________________

Phone:______________________________________
e-mail:_______________________________

Please circle your top four (4) workshop choices:

Beekeeping
Gardening
Stow-it, Don’t Throw-it
Dairy
Stop Bullying
Waterworks

Please return the registration form and a $5.00 fee to the 4-H Office by March 22.

Start the Year with a 4-H Vegetable Garden

Registration is now open for the Ochs Garden 4-H Club. This program is open to youth ages 5-18. The garden is located at 14644 113th Avenue North, in Largo. The parking lot is located off of Hamlin. The garden is open on Wednesdays from 2-6 and Saturdays from 9-11. The 4-H club meetings are on Wednesdays at 4:00. For more information and a look at what we did during the fall garden season, go to: http://4-hochsgarden.weebly.com/index.html.

Each member is assigned a 10'x12' plot. All the starter plants and seeds are provided. Master Gardeners and knowledgeable volunteers teach techniques and assist the 4-H members to grow vegetables according to University of Florida guidelines. We use mainly organic methods, make our own compost, harvest rainwater, and learn to enjoy a variety of healthy foods. Best of all, the children have fun as they learn to garden, make sustainable choices, and spend time outdoors.

If you are interested in this program, please contact Jean Rogalsky at jrogalsk@pinellascounty.org or 727-582-2597 to register your child. You don't have to know anything about gardening to participate, but adults must be accompanied by at least one child. Registration deadline is January 16.

Holiday Lights and a Dog Parade - Perfect for 4-H Families

If you are looking for an inexpensive, relaxing way to spend an evening, make plans to come out to the Holiday Lights at the Florida Botanical Gardens (Extension Office address). The garden areas are filled with beautiful lighted decorations. Check out the pink flamingos!
An evening stroll is just what you need to ease away the stress of mall shopping.
You can avoid mall shopping by visiting the Gift and Plant Sale December 11 from 10a.m. until 4 p.m. A variety of items will be for sale, including jewelry, candies, outdoor items, and clothing. Plants for sale include bromeliads, orchids, native plants, and citrus.
Add a new family tradition to your holidays by entering the Dog Parade December 31. The parade will take place at 2 p.m. that Saturday. Registration is $5 per dog per category, with six categories: best costumed, sit and stay on command, best trick, best smile, most handsome boys and prettiest girls.
Registration for the parade will take place that day.
The lights, sale and parade are sponsored by the Florida Botanical Gardens Foundation. For more information go to:http://www.flbg.org/foundation.htm

Congratulations to 4-H Cook-Off Winners

On November 5, the Pinellas County Extension Office was filled with the delightful aroma of 20 plus apple and pecan dished prepared by 4-H members and volunteers. Awards were given to the highest scoring adult and youth as well as top winners in each category. Ribbons were awarded to all competitors. The winners are:

Top Adult
Heather Schoeppner – Caramel Pecan Crusted Apple Bake
Top Youth
Emily Vines – Fudge Brownies with Pecans
Category Winners
Youth Apple – Rebekah Briggs - Hare Raisin Homesteaders
Adult Apple – Cindy Peacock – Booker Creek Explorers
Youth Pecan -Amoni Green – JD Cooking Club
Adult Pecan- Heather Schoeppner –Hare Raisin Homesteaders
Family Pecan – Fahy Family – Ochs Garden

The recipes from all the entries will be available soon via e-mail and the 4-H web site.
The cook-off was part of the 4-H Open House and is open to the public as well as 4-H families.

4-H Open House This Saturday 10:00 - 2:00

This Saturday, November 5, is the 4-H Open House. The weather should be perfect for this annual event at the Pinellas County Extension Office. The purpose of this event is to highlight the achievements and opportunities of the local 4-H program.
Throughout the day four 4-H members will teach participants icebreakers, the difference between a visual aid and an exhibit, and how to use powerpoint in a presentation. The animal sciences will be represented in person by dairy goats and poultry courtesy of Conservatives 4-H and 4-H2O. The Hare Raisin' Homesteaders will also have information on horses and rabbits. Average Joe's 4-H will focus on technology in 4-H projects.
Along with the club exhibits led by 4-H members and leaders, partners and supporters of 4-H will also be there. The Pinellas County 4-H Foundation will be selling all the varieties of pecans at $10 a bag. The chocolate covered and glazed pecans make great gifts for the holidays. The Pinellas County Farm Bureau will have fun educational materials and information on the benefits of belonging to the Farm Bureau.
At approximately 1:00 p.m. the awards will be announced for the Apple/Pecan Cook-Off. After that, Open House attendees may sample the delicious entries. You don't want to miss this!
The final activity of the Open House is the launching of the "Rockets Away" rockets. Rocketeers bringing an empty 2-liter bottle will create a rocket and then take part in the air powered launching.
Come by the 4-H Open House and experience a little bit of everything the 4-H program has to offer.
The Pinellas County Extension Office is located at 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo.

Enter the 4-H Apple/Pecan Cook-Off Now!

The cook-off is open to all, so don't delay testing an old favorite recipe or trying something completely new. Think outside the apple pie box and share a unique (but tasty) way to use apples or pecans. There are categories for adults, youth, and families. By entering the Family category younger chefs are able to enter their creations with a little help from an adult.

Have a gluten free recipe? Try entering that recipe in the often neglected Healthy category.

4-H prizes will be awarded in each category.

The Apple/Pecan Cook-Off takes place November 5 as part of the 4-H Open House. The event takes place at the Pinellas County Extension Service at 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, 33774. All entries (the finished product) should be delivered by 10:00 a.m. Please include a copy of the recipe and a separate card with your name, phone number, recipe name, and category. Please see below for a link to the registration form:

http://pinellas.ifa.ufl.edu/blog_4H/halfsheetAppleCookOffPre-registration2011.pdf

Any questions? Contact cook-off coordinator Betty Lipe at blipe@tampabay.rr.com.

Good luck!