Thursday, November 26, 2020

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

We are so thankful for all of you and for the amazing community that you all have created here in Bastrop County.  We hope that all of you have a fabulous Thanksgiving week filled with love, laughter, and gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving! 



Wednesday, November 18, 2020

REMINDER: 2020 Lost Pines Winter Classic - Free Showmanship Clinic & Contest (12/05/20)

  The Bastrop County 4-H & Lee County 4-H Youth Livestock Coalitions are excited to invite you to our 2020 Lost Pines Winter Classic - Free Showmanship Clinic & Contest!!  We are super thankful to our sponsors, Circle WL Beefmaster & Boullion Cattle Company, for sponsoring our event this year!

Please note that an RSVP is REQUIRED this year - we need to have a head count for insurance, meal planning, and materials.  Please complete the Online RSVP Form (linked) by Monday, November 30, 2020

 

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Jan 2021 - Apr 2021 4-H Winter Pen Pal Program - Registration Opening Nov. 16!

 States’ 4-H will be offering another Pen Pal Program this winter.  Registration Opens November 16th.  Details and registration link is below.  Last time this was offered (this summer) slots were filled in two days so strongly encouraged youth to register early if they want to participate.  

States' 4-H is launching online registration for its second Pen Pal Program on November 16!

Program Details:

  1. The program will run from Jan 18 - April 18, 2021.
  2. Participants must be between the ages of 9-18 and from an active States' 4-H state.
  3. There is no cost for participation.
  4. Participants sign up by completing an online registration form, which includes a Terms of Use agreement.
  5. States' 4-H will match participants with an international peer from one of the participating countries. States' 4-H will make its best effort to match based on country preference, age, gender, and interests.
  6. Participants are asked to communicate at least TWO times per month with their international pen pal.
  7. A positive and enthusiastic attitude are crucial for this program as it will be up to the US participant to initiate contact with their pen pal.

Register Online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7N8RBHY starting November 16, 2020!


District 11 Shooting Sports Training - 1/9/21

 Information for the 2020-2021 District 11 Shooting Sports Training is now available at the event website: https://d114-h.tamu.edu/events-and-contests/district-11-shooting-sports/.

The event will be held Saturday, January 9, 2021 at the Victoria 4-H Activity Center in Victoria, TX. Registration will be online at 4-H Online. Regular registration will be open from November 15, 2020 – December 18, 2020. Late registration will be open from December 19-25, 2020.

Note: The entire training is limited to 60 participants.

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Department of Soil & Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University is awarding $16,000 scholarships to incoming freshmen and $8000 scholarships to transfer students

 The Department of Soil & Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University is awarding $16,000 scholarships to incoming freshmen and $8000 scholarships to transfer students.  Please see the attached pdf for information about the scholarships and the application process.  The deadline for the application is January 1.  Please find the application at this link:

http://soilcrop.tamu.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/scholarships/

The Soil & Crop Sciences Department at Texas A&M University has great opportunities for students wanting to major in Plant & Environmental Soil Science and Turfgrass Science.  These majors are great options for students with a STEM and/or Agriculture focus that are interested in plants, water, soil, and the environment.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, November 8, 2020

Seguin Swine Breeders Prospect Pig Show - 12/6/20

 

Bee Jolly Showdown - Steer & Heifer Prospect Show - 12/19

 Below is the information about the “Bee Jolly Showdown” Steer and Heifer prospect show in Bee County. The show will be held at the Bee County Show Barn at 214 S FM-351 Beeville, TX 78102 December 19, 2020.  

Grand and Reserve Champions (Heifer and Steer) will receive cash prizes in the amount $500 and $300 as well as buckle plaques, Breed and Division Champions will receive belt buckles, a total of $6000 worth of prizes and awards will be given.

Saturday, November 7, 2020

District 4 Shooting Sports Coaches Certification Training - 12/12/20

 District 4 is excited to host a Shooting Sports Coaches Certification Training on December 12, 2020 in Bowie County.  The complete information packet can be found on the District 4 4-H Website at https://d44-h.tamu.edu/

 

11/06/20 4-H Livestock Email Blast

 

INFORMATION IN THIS EMAIL BLAST (IN ORDER)

  • Office Hours
  • New Staff Members
  • Contest Opportunities
  • Fashion & Interior Design Project Interest
  • Texas 4-H Foundation Scholarship Training
  • Upcoming Trainings & Opportunities
  • Other Opportunities

Howdy and Happy Friday, Y’all!

I wanted to pass on a few quick additions/updates to the general 4-H email blast from last week.  Please remember that you can see all of the upcoming workshops and opportunities on our calendar at https://bastrop.agrilife.org/calendar/.

OFFICE HOURS:

  • The CEO will be closed Wednesday, November 11, 2020, in observation of Veteran’s Day
  • Normal Office Hours:
    • Monday – Friday
    • 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
    • Closed from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM for Lunch

NEW STAFF MEMBERS:

  • We have a couple of new office staff members - please meet Clover and Groot, our new rodent security officers!  They were adopted by our office from the Bastrop County Animal Shelter - they have a lot of really cool resources and adoptable critters if you are looking for a new family member (or dog project!!!).  They are pretty friendly, and we will need your help making sure they don't get too excited to walk through the front door.

CONTEST OPPORTUNITIES:

  • Livestock Show Contests: Once again, due to current restrictions, our livestock shows are not currently able to host the same number and variety of contests that they usually do.  They are every bit as frustrated as we are and are working constantly to try to find a way to fit those opportunities in.  We will pass along news as we heart about opportunities.  Please see the 11/06/20 4-H Livestock Email Blast for current entry forms and opportunities.
  • County Contests: we are going to work with our 4-H Ambassadors to figure out some ways to host socially distanced contests for Food Show, Food Challenge, and Consumer Decision Making.  These will take place no earlier than January.
  •  

FASHION & INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT INTEREST

  • While our fabulous FCH Ambassadors are hard at work with getting ready for the Virtual Food & Nutrition Series, we would now like to start thinking about the Fashion & Interior Design Project!
  • Quick Overview:  In this project you can learn to design, construct and be a smart consumer when purchasing clothing and household items.  This project encompasses the whole concept of fashion and interior design, starting with the basics of sewing and fabric selection, principles of designing a space, clothing and textile construction, incorporating artwork (photography or other medium) into a space, etc.  – we will collect the topics that you’re interested in to design the series and maybe even work on re-designing one of the rooms in the County Extension Office!
  • If you are interested in participating in this project or learning more about it, please Complete the Google Form by Monday, November 16, 2020 – we will be using this information to get an idea of how many people we will have participating and to help with planning the project series (topics, scheduling, etc)

TEXAS 4-H FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP TRAINING – MEGAN LOGAN

  • Our District 10 4-H Specialist, Megan Logan, is hosting a virtual in-depth training on the Texas 4-H Foundation Scholarships at 6:00 PM on Thursday, November 19, 2020
  • IF you are in 10th-12th grades, we HIGHLY encourage you to attend this training to help you prepare for your applications
  • Topics Covered:
        • Timeline/Process
        • Online Application Platform
        • Preparing your application
        • What to have on hand to help you
        • And MORE!!!
  • RSVP by clicking this link by NOON on November 19th

UPCOMING TRAININGS & OPPORTUNITIES:

  • IN-PERSON OPPORTUNITIES: RSVP Required 
    • 4-H Robotics Project Interest Meeting: 5:00 PM on Tuesday, November 18, 2020 at the Lee County Extension Office ( 310 S Grimes St, Giddings, TX 78942)
      • RSVP by calling the Lee County Extension Office at 979) 542-2753
      • COVID guidelines for in-person activities will be followed.
  • VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES: RSVP Required for the opportunities below
    • To RSVP, please complete and email a Virtual Waiver to MLMickelson@ag.tamu.edu as soon as possible. (Just complete the waiver with the name of the event and the dates - we need 1 waiver for each event, but the waiver may have everyone's name from the family listed on it).
    • All Meeting access information will be emailed out about 24-48 hours before the meeting.
      • 4-H FOUNDATION (AND LOCAL) SCHOLARSHIP TRAINING: 6:00 PM, Tuesday, December 8, 2020
      • DOG PROJECT PLANNING MEETING:
        • We are hosting a virtual planning meeting for the Dog Project at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, December 9th, via Zoom.
        • The meeting will last about 1 hour and will include a brief overview of the dog project, some of the opportunities, what we did last year, and we'll work on what we'd like to accomplish this year.
      • 4-H/YOUTH AMBASSADOR MEETING: 5:00 PM, Thursday, December 10, 2020
      • VOLUNTEER 101/ORIENTATION TRAINING: 6:00 PM on Thursday, December 10, 2020
      • NEW PARENT ORIENTATION: 6:00 PM on Thursday, December 17, 2020

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES:

  • Other opportunities can be found on the County Calendar – registration information should be included for each post.
  • Other Contest related opportunities can be found on the Judging Card Calendar – to sign up for these opportunities, please contact Mellanie at MLMickelson@ag.tamu.edu or at 512-581-7186

Please let us know if you have any questions and have a great weekend!!!

M

Mellanie L. Mickelson
Bastrop County Extension Agent – 4-H & Youth Development
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services

P.O. Box 650 | 901 Pecan Street | Bastrop, TX 78602
p: (512) 581-7186 | c: (512) 522-9174 | f: (512) 581-7187
MLMickelson@ag.tamu.edu

Website – https://bastrop.agrilife.org
Blog – www.bastrop4h.blogspot.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/BastropCounty4H

 

2020 Dimmit County Classic Non-Sanctioned Prospect Show - December 5-6, 2020

 


Bastrop County Volunteering & Nonprofit Workshop - 11/10/20

 

The online workshop will last approximately 1 hour. The Webex can be accessed using this link -
https://bit.ly/3lIOxmG or by visiting h ttps://www.co.bastrop.tx.us/page/par.openspace.

 

Friday, November 6, 2020

Dove Country Classic Steer Prospect Show Saturday, November 21st

Below is information about an upcoming prospect show in Karnes County. The show will be held in the Karnes County Show Barn located on Highway 181 between Karnes City and Kenedy.

The show will be giving $500 for overall Grand Champion and $250 for Reserve.  Breed and Division Champions will receive belt buckles in Ring B.  Over $4000 worth of prizes will be given overall.

Texas 4-H Foundation Scholarship Training - 11/19/20

  • Our District 10 4-H Specialist, Megan Logan, is hosting a virtual in-depth training on the Texas 4-H Foundation Scholarships at 6:00 PM on Thursday, November 19, 2020
  • IF you are in 10th-12th grades, we HIGHLY encourage you to attend this training to help you prepare for your applications
  • Topics Covered:
    • Timeline/Process
    • Online Application Platform
    • Preparing your application
    • What to have on hand to help you
    • And MORE!!!
  • RSVP by NOON on November 19th at https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=CljXn3JknE2hQtEx06ehFl_7nBiGwBxOoQIdZWOyq4dUOUtFQzhMRVA1WFlMNVc5TUU2VVdMNE43WC4u  

11/06/20 4-H Livestock Email Blast

INFORMATION IN THIS EMAIL BLAST (IN ORDER)

  • Office Hours
  • County Livestock Show Reminders
  • Major Livestock Show Entries (all entries available – deadline extended)
  • 2020 Lost Pines Winter Classic Showmanship Clinic & Contest
  • Other Opportunities

Howdy and Happy Friday, Y’all!

I wanted to pass on a few quick additions/updates to the livestock email blast – we have a LOT going on in our county.  One of the major things we wanted to remind y’all about this week is that 4-H and FFA are family.  We might operate a little differently, but there are no consequences for choosing to show under one or the other.  Additionally, it does not matter who you purchased validation tags under, that information just helps us let the ag teachers know who purchased them and who we can reach out to if we can’t get a hold of you for any reason.

The other big thing that we wanted to remind you about is that the deadlines listed on the major livestock show websites are the deadlines for the Agents and Ag Teachers to collect entries and payment, correct any errors, complete signatures, enter them on the online entry system, and get them postmarked.  It takes us about 5-6 hours PER SHOW to complete this process, and that doesn’t include the time it takes us to contact you and try to get all of the information corrected to ensure your participation.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE help us get you entered by getting those entries turned in to us as soon as possible.  To help us accomplish that, we are going to implement a late fee for late entries – see below for more information.

Please remember that all of our livestock and validation information is available on our website at https://bastrop.agrilife.org/livestock/.  Additionally, you can see all of the upcoming workshops and opportunities on our calendar at https://bastrop.agrilife.org/calendar/ or at https://www.judgingcard.com/Registration/Default.aspx.  With that, we’ll jump straight in:

 

OFFICE HOURS:

  • The CEO will be closed Wednesday, November 11, 2020, in observation of Veteran’s Day
  • Normal Office Hours:
    • Monday – Friday
    • 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
    • Closed from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM for Lunch

 

COUNTY LIVESTOCK SHOW REMINDERS

 

  • Bastrop Area Livestock Show Entries:
    • Reminder that the next Validation & Entry day is Saturday, December 5, 2020, from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM at the Bastrop Area Livestock Show Barn
      • Entry/Validation night for swine, market goat, lambs
      • Entry night only for Rabbits (Rabbit Validation 2/4/21)
      • Entry night only for plant orders (plant pick-up TBA)
    • Families must attend and complete entries and payment for these species
    • You may pick up entry forms ahead of time at the CEO, please call to let us know how many you will need. 
    • Schedules and reminders available at https://bastrop.agrilife.org/bals/

 

CURRENT LIVESTOCK SHOW ENTRIESALL Major Livestock Show Entries listed below are DUE to the CEO by 12:00 Noon on Thursday, November 12th

  • IMPORTANT REMINDERS – PLEASE READ
        • DEADLINE EXTENDED: We had a situation within the past couple of days where an FFA Chapter found out that their school district will not allow them to enter shows through FFA this year, and they are required to show through 4-H in order to exhibit their animals.  In order to be as fair as possible across the county, we are extending Major Show Entry Deadlines to 12:00 Noon on Thursday, November 12th
              • We will need a separate check written for each show to help with accounting and hard copies of the entries turned in.  (Please make checks payable to “Bastrop County 4-H”)
              • ALL entries turned in after this deadline will need to include a $100 late fee per child.
        • MAJOR SHOW WEBSITE DEADLINES: The deadline posted on each major show website is the deadline for the County Extension Agents and Ag Teachers to collect, process, do the online entry, and catch any errors or missing information on your show entries – it takes us about 5-6 hour per show to do this and catch all of the errors to ensure your participation.
              • The deadlines communicated by the CEO are the deadlines for all 4-H Entries
              • The deadlines communicated by your Ag Teacher(s) are the deadlines for all FFA Entries
        • ENTERING UNDER 4-H OR FFA: There has been a little confusion about this - You may enter each show through 4-H OR FFA – but you must turn in your entries to the advisor you wish to show under for that show.  4-H and FFA are family, there are no consequences or hurt feelings for entering under one or the other.  This simply impacts who will be communicating with you and supervising your projects for that show.  We will still stop in and visit with you if we see you at a show and you entered under your FFA Chapter.  We’re also happy to check in on you as requested if you let us know you will be there ahead of time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • REMINDERS FOR OPEN SHOW ENTRIES & ELIGIBILITY/EXCUSED ABSENCES:
        • We’re happy to help you get entered in the open show opportunities you want to participate in, but please remember that we are only allowed to request eligibility and excused absences for youth show entries that require the exhibitor to be a 4-H/FFA member. 
        • When we request excused absences for youth to participate in the shows, the schools do NOT have to grant them.  Please make sure that you are in communication with your teachers and principals to keep them in the loop on your 4-H activities to they understand the learning experiences associated with them and are more likely to grant the request. 

 

CURRENT CALF SCRAMBLE UPDATES – ALL CALF SCRAMBLE PAPERWORK DUE to the CEO by 12:00 Noon on Thursday, November 12th

  • What is a calf scramble? A calf scramble is a competition where a group of youth and smaller calves are turned out into an arena.  The goal is for the 4-H/FFA member to catch a calf – if they do, they are awarded a certificate with a monetary value to purchase a show animal for the next show season.  Not everyone will catch a calf.
  • Rules and requirements:  Rules and requirements for calf scrambles vary from show to show.  On average, you need to be at least 12 years old to participate.  The other key detail is that if you get a calf scramble certificate, you must purchase an animal that you will show at their show the following year.  To enter the competition, you must turn in any application materials to your County Extension Agent or Ag Teacher.

 

 

 

 

2020 LOST PINES WINTER CLASSIC SHOWMANSHIP CLINIC & CONTEST:

  • The Bastrop County 4-H & Lee County 4-H Youth Livestock Coalitions are excited to invite you to our 2020 Lost Pines Winter Classic – Free Showmanship Clinic & Contest!!  We are super thankful to our sponsors, Circle WL Beefmaster & Boullion Cattle Company, for sponsoring our event this year!
  • Please note that an RSVP is REQUIRED this year – we need to have a head count for insurance, meal planning, and materials.  Please complete the Online RSVP Form (linked) by Monday, November 30, 2020

 

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES:

  • Other Livestock related opportunities can be found on the County Calendar – registration information should be included for each post.
  • Other Contest related opportunities can be found on the Judging Card Calendar – to sign up for these opportunities, please contact Mellanie at MLMickelson@ag.tamu.edu or at 512-581-7186

That is all for now!  Please let us know if you need anything and have a safe and happy weekend!

M

Mellanie L. Mickelson

Bastrop County Extension Agent – 4-H & Youth Development
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services

P.O. Box 650 | 901 Pecan Street | Bastrop, TX 78602
p: (512) 581-7186 | c: (512) 522-9174 | f: (512) 581-7187
MLMickelson@ag.tamu.edu

Website – https://bastrop.agrilife.org
Blog – www.bastrop4h.blogspot.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/BastropCounty4H

 

Eagle Ford Shale Goat & Lamb Showdown Saturday, November 14th

Below is information about an upcoming prospect show in Karnes County. The show will be held in the Karnes County Show Barn located on Highway 181 between Karnes City and Kenedy.

The show will be giving $500 for overall Grand Champion and $250 for Reserve.  Breed and Division Champions will receive belt buckles in Ring B.  Over $4000 worth of prizes will be given overall.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

2020 Coastal Bend Classic Livestock Clinic & Show - 12/05/20

 The Coastal Bend Classic Committee is pleased to announce the 2020 Coastal Bend Classic.  Information is now available at the event website: https://d114-h.tamu.edu/events-and-contests/coastal-bend-classic/.  The event will be held Saturday, December 5, 2020 in Sinton, TX. 

Registration is also available on the event website.  Early registration will be open from October 1 - November 13, 2020.  Regular registration will be open from November 14 to Day of Show. 

Coryell County Gun Club Trap and Sporting Clay Shoot - 11/14

 Coryell county gun club is hosting a SALE qualifying trap and sporting clays event on November 14, 2020 at the Waco trap and skeet club. Attached is the flyer for more information.  You must have attended shooting sports practices under a certified shooting sports coach to participate.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

2020 Lost Pines Winter Classic - Free Showmanship Clinic & Contest (12/05/20)

 The Bastrop County 4-H & Lee County 4-H Youth Livestock Coalitions are excited to invite you to our 2020 Lost Pines Winter Classic - Free Showmanship Clinic & Contest!!  We are super thankful to our sponsors, Circle WL Beefmaster & Boullion Cattle Company, for sponsoring our event this year!

Please note that an RSVP is REQUIRED this year - we need to have a head count for insurance, meal planning, and materials.  Please complete the Online RSVP Form (linked) by Monday, November 30, 2020