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Alexander County 4-H
Newsletter

                                                April 2023


Are you looking for something educational, but fun for your young one this summer??

The 2023 Alexander County 4-H Summer Opportunities has something for all ages and interests.  If you receive our newsletter each month you have already received an email regarding summer programming.  In case you did not receive, please go to the following link for all information.

4-H Mini Garden Project for Kids

The N.C. Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center is looking to engage youth in a garden program. Students will be provided seeds and information material to start their own little garden.   This will encourage them to learn about how to grow vegetables. Participants will be asked to share pictures throughout the year on social media.  A contest will be held once gardens are producing by having judges come out and look at the gardens.  Ages 8-under, 9-12 years and 13-18 years will be judged.  Date for judging will be sent out closer to date, but will be in June or July.  


Prizes will also be given to those who have the best project books.

Kits are limited to the first 25 families to register, but we will also be taking a waiting list for those who are interested. Registration will be open until full, kits will be available April 10th and can be picked up through May 1st.  For additional questions, please contact DJ Salyer at dj_salyer@ncsu.edu. Use the following link to fill out registration:   Alexander County 4-H Mini Garden Registration
Calling all young creative writers who love honeybees!

Enrolled North Carolina 4-H youth are invited to research and write an essay for the state 4-H Beekeeping Essay contest.


The 2023 essay topic is, “The Importance of Beeswax.” Although honey bees are much beloved for honey, bees also produce beeswax that can be used in many ways. For this essay, a 4-H youth should discuss why beeswax is so important to the hive (it’s a pantry, it’s a nursery, it’s the dance floor), but also discuss their favorite way to use beeswax outside the hive. Photos of candles, soaps, or lip balms that are made to show the 4-H’er’s skill in using beeswax are welcomed as are recipes or brief instructions.  For more information please contact DJ Salyer at 828-632-3125 or email dj_salyer@ncsu.edu.
Community Service Project Opportunity
Shockers 4-H Club is still needing your help with their community service project!  They are collecting warm winter items for patients of the Alexander Dialysis Center.  Donations of gloves, scarves, wool socks, diabetic socks and blankets are greatly needed for these patients.  A drop off box has been placed at NC Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center.  If you have any questions please contact the 4-H office.  All donations are greatly appreciated.  

ALL 4-H members and volunteers MUST be enrolled in 4-H Online to participate in any programs or clubs that are provided by Alexander County 4-H.

For more information and to start the enrollment process please visit the following link:
https://alexander.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/01/time-to-enroll-in-4-h/

If you have any questions regarding enrollment or need help with enrollment please contact DJ Salyer at 828-632-3125.  Again, no child or volunteer can participate in 4-H events without being enrolled.
Programming in Alexander County Schools


Alexander County 4-H conducted the Embryology Program in 20 second grade classrooms in the Alexander County School System in March.  Through this program, students get hands-on experience as they learn about the life cycle.  Fertilized chicken eggs are donated by Tyson Hatchery in Hays, NC and are incubated for 21 days in the classroom.  Eggs began hatching on March 28th!  The picture shows DJ Salyer, Alexander County 4-H Agent, showing a class how to candle the eggs to check their progress.  
Afterschool Programming

This month's afterschool programming was done at all 4 school sites with over 135 youth.  Students were given the materials to make a seed necklace that can be planted at home. Hopefully soon they will have home grown basil to cook with.  Materials needed for this program were:  a small ziplock bag, yarn, cotton balls, water, and the seeds. This is a great way for kids to learn about plants.
Alexander County 4-H Clubs
 

Alexander County Livestock 4-H Club
met on Monday, March 6, 2023 at the Alexander County Service Center.  Ethan Sprinkle came and talked about the different types of feed and hay, and how they affect livestock. He pointed out the best ways to get the best growth out of animals. We plan to meet in Bethlehem on April 3, 2023.  New members are welcome to attend!

 
Alexander County 4-H Garden Club learned all about trees in honor of Arbor Day the month of March! We learned about the history of Arbor Day, how trees are structured, and how trees work from the inside. Our 4 H’ers learned about xylem and phloem, where they each are located in the plant, and how each of them work for the plant. In the pictures below you can see our youth experimenting with food color dyed water and a celery stalk. In one of the pictures you can see blue strips in the celery stalk. These blue strips are actually the xylem bundles or tubes that run up through the celery stalk providing water throughout the whole plant, even up to the leaves. In one picture you can actually see blue mottling in the leaves!!
 
Southern Grace 4-H Club was not able to meet in March.  They do have their April meeting scheduled for April 20, 2023.  
 
 




Shockers 4-H Electric Club
met on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.  Members completed a soldering project, which lit up the LED lights with detection from a laser pointer.  Our next meeting will be April 17, 2023 at 6:30p.m. at the Alexander County Service Center. New members are welcome to attend!  
 


Whisk it Up 4-H Cooking Club
met in March to get creative with dying Easter eggs.  Members took different types of materials such as, shaving cream, baking soda, vinegar, coffee filters, rice and kool-aid to create beautiful Easter eggs.. T
he next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 27 at 4:00 p.m.  New members are welcome!  
 


WHEP (Wildlife Habitat Education Program)


The WHEP team met for a field day on March 27th. The team spent the day participating in a practice run of the competition at Rocky Face Park. Here is a picture of a team member, Allie Millsaps, giving her answer for best management practices for the park's wildlife.

The WHEP Team will have its last meeting of the season on May 3rd at 4pm

The State Contest for WHEP will be held May 6th at the PeeDee National Wildlife Refuge.


National Days in April:

April 1st - April fools Day
April 9th -  Easter
April  22nd - Earth Day
April 28th - Arbor Day




Alexander County offices will be closed Friday, April 7th in observance of Good Friday.

Alexander County 4-H Programming
is sponsored by Alexander County United Way
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NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.

Extension's 4-H program is the largest youth development organization in North Carolina. We help over 247,000 young people grow into active, contributing citizens each year.



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