My Blog Crashed!

Well it HAPPENS ! There was a problem and my blog crashed and I lost almost every thing; With the help of my mom I am working on rebuilding my blog. This will take some time sorry for the inconvenience.

Marie Retires after 23 years

 How many time have we all in the Gooding County 4-H program stood next to Marie and shook her hand as she gave a an award of some kind? If you were not at the Year End Awards Banquet on October 9th 2011 you may not be aware that Marie officially announced her retirement. Marie's last day will be November 11, 2011.

I know that I will see her around the fair and at different events; but The extension office will seem so empty with out her smile, help, and positive words of encouragement.

                                             Thank You for 23 years of Dedication

                             Marie  Gooding County 4-H Coordinator 1988 to 2011

Beef Documentary

2011 Gooding County Fair is now in the Record Book

Fair week was long and it was very hot but I lived though it
here is how I did.
Best First  Year Leadership Project,
Top Intermediate/Senior Clothing Project Model,
Top Public Speaking Presentation,
Grand Champion Showmanship Horse (Trophy),
Top Intermediate Horse Showmanship Trophy  ,
Top Intermediate horse Record  Book Plaque,
4-H Cart Class First Place.
Intermediate Beef- Reserve Champion Showmanship, and placed 4th over all.
Master Showman Participant and placed 5th over all,
Heifer placed 1st in her breed (Red Angus) and was Reserve Champion ,
All three steers received blue ribbons in Quality.
Purple Rosette for my Quit, blue for my sewing project, blue for my leather project,
3rd place Intermediate Livestock judging,
 My steer Velvet won top Gaining market beef  Trophy with a 4.03 pounds per day gain.

2011 Gooding County Style Revue

My sewing project (a tailored fully lined Jacket)

a sewing project

sewing project

Sewing project

Clover bud

Clover bud

Sewing project

Sewing project

        

Modeling Projects 

The 2011 Gooding County Fair Events has started. Here are the pictures from the Style Revue.

Well it is Almost Fair Time

It is almost fair time and the dreaded book fight. I hope that you all stated your books at the beginning of your 4-H projects and have been keeping them up to date; if not you are most likely pulling your hair out trying to remember dates and all the activities you have done.

For those of you who stated your books at the beginning of the project congratulations you now know how easy it makes you life and projects. 

I am adding the finishing points and dates to my own books and finishing up a few projects. This year was a great learning experience for me.

I truly hope you learned as much of from your Projects as I did from mine; good luck at your fairs.

5th Annual Southern Idaho Livestock Judging Camp is Now in the History Books

Hot and Dry with a Chance of Rain; and Busy!

It is hot and dry here; my steers and heifer are all doing well, I am going out at least once a day to rinse them off to try to keep them cool. My dad has almost got all our hay baled and hopefully be stacked today.

Boy have I been busy! I have been to Lamb camp and learned to show sheep, to the Idaho Jr. Beef Expo in Twin Falls and showed Fabio and Lady, and Western Heritage Days and drove Tiny in the 4-H driving contest and Parade. Next week I will have my Heifer bred and attend the Southern Idaho Livestock Judging Camp and Contest; and in between all this I will be completing my quilt and sewing.

Me and Lady at the Idaho Jr. Beef Expo

Here are a few pictures of what has been
happening with my 4-H adventures.










 

Me and Fabio I am so glad he behaved nicely!

Western Heritage Days

Western Heritage Days Parade

Western Heritage Days 4-H Driving Contest

 Have to go I still have five more days of school will at the Lamb camps pictures later, Have a great day.

Life In The Show Ring!

On May 28^th I enter my steer Fabio and my heifer Lady in the Magic Valley Jr. Classic.

When I go to these shows, I have hopes of winning I guess we all what to win; but I also go for the learning experience. This year the quality of showmanship was out standing, the fitting and groomers were great, and all the cattle were fluff and fabulous.

To those who won Congratulation! You all did an outstanding job.

I knew from the time that Fabio stepped out to the trailer that I was at the Classic for the learning experience; his eyes got big and his head went up.

I had worked with him and all my other steers everyday and in the pen they all behaved great; Fabio does not have a mean bone in is body, but he is a little set in his ways and nerves. It was the noise, the strange environment, and people, that affected him, he just did not what to be there. I even thought about not showing him, but thanks to Mr. Hooper; Fabio did enter the show ring, he did not setup and behaved badly.  Fabio and I lived through it.

The lesson that Fabio learned was that no matter how he acts he would be shown; the lesson I learned is that I can handle my steers even when they act like spoiled fit throwing brats; (you must call your steers bluff).

 Mr. Hooper gave me a tip on how to correct Fabio’s behavior, and with his knowledge and experience with show cattle; I know that I will be able to take the brat out of Fabio. I am going to give it my best effort and we will see what happens at the next show. I am also going to use this tip on all my steers just to be on the safe side.

Check back and I will let you know how it goes and fill you in on the tip after a few weeks.

Fabio has never acted as he did at the Classic; so no matter how calm and well behaved your steers act at home does not mean that they will be that way in a strange environment.

Take your steers to a show or two for the learning experience. Maybe you will even come home with a ribbon or two. 

As for Lady; I did not place but she was very well behaved.

Beef Cattle and the Quest for Knowledge (Beef Production Medicine and Management)

I love to read;  everyone who has visited my blog knows that I truly believe that knowledge is power.

While on this quest for knowledge; last week I had a book dropped in my lap that I have not put down.

The title of this book is BEEF Production Medicine and Management; in section A; you can read about Anatomy, Biosecurity, Body condition Scoring, Nutrition, Normal ranges for temperature, heart and resporatory rates, showing junior livestock, prescription and non-prescription drug guidelines and the list goes on this is just section A.
Section B - Routine Observation and Procedures.
Section C - Vaccines and Parasite Control Products.
Section D - Tests and Diagnostics.
Section E - Flowcharts for Specific Symptoms.
Section F - Infectious Diseases, Problems and Treatment.

If you are in 4-H, FFA, or a cattle producer this is a book you should own. I have to return this one soon, but I have order my own and it will be here soon.

this book is a Animal Health Publications  you can order it on line or call 1-877-424-7838.

There is also manuals for;
Dogs and Cats
Horses
Sheep and Goats
Beef and Dairy

I think the next one that I will get will be the one for Horses. before I am done I hope to own all of them because my animal never seem to get sick on a week days.

Follow the links and check it out for yourself; KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

The Old Pioneer Cemetery (Teen Leadership Community Service Project)

Idaho is a filled with history; some of the early Pioneers are quite famous and will live forever in history books. My community service project is not about the famous pioneers; it is about the many men, women, and children who left their homes, and died in the process of building our State.

Picking a community service project is never an easy task; so when I decided to organize one for my 4-H teen leadership project, the biggest fears I had was what if no one shows up to help, the out of pocket expense, and completing it in a timely fashion.  

I would like to say that I thought of this project on my own; but that would not be true. The Old Pioneer Cemetery in Hagerman Idaho was written about last year in a local News Paper and it was one of the community service projects that my 4-H leader ( Helen Ruby) but on the table for my club (Hodge Podgers 4-H club) to do in 2010.  

Before I started I went to the Old Pioneer Cemetery and took a look to see what needed to be done; there was downed trees, weeds, and all that was needed was tender loving care .These are the before pictures

This was a Project that if no one show up to help that my club could do alone and if needed I could do myself.

 I had to get permission to do the work, the phone calls started, first I called the City of Hagerman; and got the OK. The planing stated; completion date for this project was April 30th 2011. After talking to Mac he agreed to have it mowed for me. The mowing was a big help it was really over grown( thanks Mac). Now I needed permission from my County 4-H office to get donations to keep expenses down; once I got the OK and papers needed from Marie; and had all my ducks and paper work in a row. 

I presented the project to the Hodge Podgers 4-H club on March 27th 2011 as the club community service project it was voted in

In the weeks before the completion date I needed supplies, weed killer, flowers, drinks and food for all who volunteered. 

My first stop was D&B Supply in Jerome; for weed killer. D&B donated the Round-up and 24 native perennials. Time was a factor with the Roundup so I went from D&B right to the Old Pioneer Cemetery to spay the weeds along the fence line and under  the sign where the flowers were to be planted.

 In the days that lead up to the completion of this project; Plants were donated also by The Valley Country Store in Jerome, and Kelley Garden Center Twin Falls.

When the work was all none My volunteers enjoyed Coke, water and Pizza

The Drinks were donated my Swire CoCa-Cola in Twin Falls, and the Pizza was supplied by PaPa Kelsey's in Hagerman.

Raking up all the dead weeds

I would like to Thank D&B Supply in Jerome,Valley Country Store in Jerome,Kelley Garden Center in Twin Falls, Swire CoCa-Cola in Twin Falls, and PaPa Kelseys In Hagerman for all your help and support with this project.  Your generous donations made this project a success;
THANK YOU.

Clearing out the old dead trees.

clearing dead trees

Planting flowers

Planting flowers

almost done planting all the flowers

getting water for all the plants

Project is complete

Also I would like to thank all who came out to help and my 4-H Leader Helen Ruby, and all the Parents who gave up their time to help.
Also like to thank Hannah for bring the chocolate chip cookies

after all the work was done

I will make use to water these plants

A CoCa-Cola and cookie break

Thanks for the Coke and Pizza