Bastrop County Extension & 4-H: 9/11/19 Bastrop County 4-H Email Blast

Good Evening all!

I wanted to send out a brief September Email Blast with some of our opportunities listed in date order below.

To keep you in the loop, I am working on redesigning our website most of this week so we can get some of our items posted online and they are easy to access, so I will not be including our usual spreadsheet calendar below my email signature this time. Be sure to look for it in a couple of weeks or visit the blog at www.bastrop4h.blogspot.com. You can even subscribe to it on the top left corner where it says “follow by email” and have each post sent to your email or a weekly update sent! Additionally, all Agents will be out for a training tomorrow, 9/11/19.

General Announcement: Quality Counts Certification Required To Show At Major Shows and Elgin and Bastrop Shows

All NEW exhibitors and exhibitors who have moved up in age groups (if you moved from 5^th to 6^th grade or from 8^th to 9^th grade) will be required to complete Quality Counts training and the test to show at local and major livestock shows.

The training is divided into Junior (3-5 grade), Intermediate (6-8 grade), and Senior (9-12 grade) divisions according to the exhibitor’s age. A Quality Counts number will be required for all youth exhibiting market and/or breeding livestock at major shows in Texas (Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston, San Angelo, Rodeo Austin, Sandhills Stock Show, State Fair of Texas and Heart O’ Texas Fair). All Exhibitors will be required to complete and pass the online test at the time of entry to be eligible to show, and will be required to put their verification number on major show entry cards in November.

Therefore, you will need to complete the new Quality Counts test before entries are due. Don’t wait until the last minute, as the training takes approximately two hours to complete. Exhibitors can access the system, and complete the training/testing, at https://www.texaslivestockvalidation.com/qc/qcregister.aspx.

All livestock exhibitors will be required to be verified under the system for entry into major livestock shows, and you may add your FFA chapter to your registration if you are enrolled in both organizations. Please know, we will provide step-by-step instructions for getting your exhibitors registered and verified online. Call Mellanie or Rachel at the Extension office if you have more questions.

Major Show Hog Validation Tag Orders Due

It is time to order validation tags for the 2020 Spring Major Shows. If you are planning to show a market hog or a breeding gilt in Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Houston, Austin or San Angelo, you must order validation tags.
The cost is $20.00 per tag and the deadline for ordering is September 18, 2019.
Swine Validation will be held on November 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Smithville High School Ag. Shop. Ordering tags does not automatically enter you in the major shows. Major Livestock Show entries will be accepted in November 5-7 at the Extension office.

Food & Nutrition Project Interest is Due to the CEO by September 18^th

If you are interested in the Food & Nutrition Project this year, we would like you to sign up/RSVP online at https://forms.gle/WARodiyTDsazXbZE7 by September 18^th to help us with planning.
There will be a $5 fee for youth wishing to participate in the Food Challenge Contest this year – this fee will go towards purchasing food and supplies for practices. If there is anything left over, it will be used to provide snacks at District 10 Roundup. The fee is due by 9/18.

Bastrop Area Livestock Show (BALS) Fundraiser Reminders

The annual Bastrop Area Livestock Show Fundraiser Raffle will be held September 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Parish Hall in Rockne. 4-H and FFA members who show at the Bastrop Show are strongly encouraged to donate a door prize of at least a $25 value to be given away at the fundraiser (door prize examples include baked items, gift cards, ice chests, gift baskets, jewelry, etc).

Please bring the items to the Extension Office by Noon on September 20, or to the Sacred Heart Parish Hall on Friday evening from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. or Saturday morning between 9 and 11 a.m. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit the Bastrop Livestock Show Building fund for show barn improvements, and to pay livestock show expenses. Please make sure to help support the Show Board through the fundraiser if you show at BALS. If you have questions, please call the Extension Office at (512) 581-7186.

New Parent Orientation

September 23^rd from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the CEO (Bastrop County Extension Office at 901 Pecan Street in Bastrop unless we have more than 10 RSVP)
If you would like to attend orientation, please RSVP online at https://forms.gle/q79c6zu4uDbww1WY9 by Saturday, September 21^st, to help us prepare handouts and make space adjustments.
We will be going over some of the 4-H year timelines, getting started in 4-H, and answering questions to help make getting started a little less overwhelming

Intro to Food & Nutrition Project

September 24^th from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Sacred Heart Church in Rockne
Come as you are and learn about the Food & Nutrition Projects available in 4-H, as well as a brief overview of contests available and how we are planning to coordinate teams & practices
Please be sure to complete the Food & Nutrition Project Interest Form before coming

FCH Project Leader Training

Hillary and I will be hosting our FCH Project Leader Training on Saturday, September 28, 2019, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (location TBA) – the training is open to youth and adults
We will be providing an overview and training on FCH contests (with updates), training on resources, how to develop and coach teams, etc. and we will provide lunch!
Hillary and I will be sending out a more formal agenda the week of the training
To RSVP, please sign up online at https://forms.gle/4TcCASMBWr6gFv4n6 by Monday, September 23, 2019

Recordbook Resources & Updates

The new updated Recordbook resources will be available online the first week of October
I received several requests this past year to try to do some different things throughout the year to help everyone work on them a little bit at a time, so we are working on setting aside a little time each month to go through the different components of the recordbook and provide at least 2 full overviews
If you have feedback on times and locations that would work – please let me know! I am also happy to come to club meetings if requested at least 2 weeks in advance

Heifer Validation

Heifer validation will be October 29 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bastrop Show Barn for those who purchased tags. You must have a color copy of your heifer registration papers in the child’s name at the time of validation.
This will be the only date that validation will be held. If you have a conflict, contact the Extension office, and you must make arrangements to have someone haul your animal(s) to validation.
Ordering tags does not enter you in the major shows. Major livestock show entries will be accepted November 5-7 at the Extension office.

Swine Validation

Swine Validation will be held on November 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Smithville High School Ag. Shop for those who purchase tags.
This will be the only date that validation will be held. If you have a conflict, contact the Extension office, and you must make arrangements to have someone haul your animal(s) to validation.
Ordering tags does not enter you in the major shows. Major livestock show entries will be accepted November 5-7 at the Extension office.

San Antonio School Tour Guide Opportunity

We have received the dates for youth in grades 9-12 to serve as a school tour guide at the 2020 San Antonio show! Youth will need to commit their entire day from 7:45 AM to 2:30 PM to serving in this leadership role and must be academically eligible to be excused from school in February.
As a tour guide, 4-H & FFA youth will be provided a brief training and serve as a leader to the elementary school groups at the livestock show. This will include some brief talking points and working in pairs with other tour guides.
Youth must register for their day of choice by noon on Thursday, December 5, 2019. Once you sign up, you are fully committed to that date, so be sure to triple check your schedule before signing up.
Note: Currently, youth will need provide their own transportation to the event.
RSVP and select days online at https://forms.gle/FQnpUwQnFASaRusu5 A copy of your selection(s) will be emailed to the address submitted in the form.

Rodeo Austin School Tour Guide Opportunity

We have received the dates for youth in grades 9-12 to serve as a school tour guide at the Rodeo Austin show. Youth will need to commit their entire day from 8 AM to 2 PM to serving in this leadership role and must be academically eligible to be excused from school in February.
As a tour guide, 4-H & FFA youth will be provided a brief training and serve as a leader to the elementary school groups at the livestock show. This will include some brief talking points and working in pairs with other tour guides.
Youth must register for their day(s) of choice by noon on Thursday, December 12, 2019. Once you sign up, you are fully committed to that date, so be sure to triple check your schedule before signing up.
Note: Currently, youth will need provide their own transportation to the event.
RSVP and select days online at https://forms.gle/6fTaTBUSKwHuDfqY6. A copy of your selection(s) will be emailed to the address submitted in the form.

That’s all I have for now! I’ll be sending out some other reminders towards the end of the month. Please let us know if you have any questions!

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.comFacebook - www.facebook.com/BastropCounty4H