Share

 
 

Alexander County 4-H
Newsletter

                                                  August 2026
picture of DJ Salyer, Alexander 4-H Agent at
From the 4-H Agent

As summer comes to a close, I want to thank all of the youth, volunteers, parents, and community partners who helped make this year's Alexander County 4-H Summer Opportunities a tremendous success. It has been wonderful to see so many young people learning new skills, exploring career interests, making new friends, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

While we're sad to see summer end, we're excited for everything that fall has in store! August marks the beginning of a new 4-H year, and there are many opportunities just around the corner. Whether you're interested in joining a 4-H club, participating in shooting sports, exploring STEM, agriculture, leadership, or community service, there's a place for everyone in Alexander County 4-H.

As students head back to school, I encourage everyone to continue exploring new interests and challenging themselves to learn something new. 4-H is all about helping young people grow into confident leaders who are ready to make a difference in their communities.

Thank you for your continued support of Alexander County 4-H. We look forward to another exciting year of learning, leadership, and fun. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and watch for upcoming events, enrollment information, and opportunities to get involved.

I hope everyone has a safe and successful start to the new school year!

— DJ Salyer, 4-H Agent, Alexander County
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.


4-H Nature Photo Contest

Have a photo that you took of nature?  Send it in to Alexander County 4-H to be put into a nature photo contest.  Photos that win at the county level will proceed onto the state contest.  This contest is open to youth ages 5-18 years old.  Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.  

Email photos to DJ Salyer or bring in the photo to our office.  If emailing please include the child's name and age.

County Deadline:  August 7th
State Deadline:  August 17th
Alexander County 4-H Clubs
Alexander County Livestock 4-H Club  meets 1st Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Location:  Alexander County Service Center.
The 4-H Livestock Club will begin to meet again on October 5th.  If you have an interest in livestock animals this is the perfect club for you.  They are welcoming new members.  
 
Alexander County 4-H Garden Club meets 2nd Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m.  Location:  Alexander County Service Center

Below is the schedule for the Alexander 4-H Garden Club:

September 10th - Habitats: Build a Burrow
October 8th - Leaf Mosaic or Planting Bulbs
November - NO Meeting
December - NO Meeting
For more information please contact our 4-H Center at 828-632-4451 or email cari_rosenbalm@ncsu.edu.
 
Red Pony 4-H Club meets 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Red Pony Inn located at 615 Ned Herman Road, Taylorsville, NC 28681.  They are accepting new members.  



Red Pony 4-H Club will meet September 15 at 7 p.m. at The Red Pony Inn.  Topic for this meeting will be how to age a horse by its teeth.  Members are encouraged to bring a photo of your horse's teeth so those attending can guess their aget. 

They have a facebook page so follow them there as well:  Red Pony 4-H Club facebook page
 
Southern Grace 4-H Club  meets 3rd Thursday of each month at 4:30 p.m.  Location:  Alexander County Service Center (They are not accepting new members at this time.)
Southern Grace 4-H Club will begin meeting again September 17th at 4:30 p.m.
 
Shockers 4-H Electric Club meets 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Location:  Alexander County Service Center   New members are welcome!
The Shockers 4-H Club will meet September 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Alexander County Service Center.  This is a great club if you have an interest in electricity and science.  Please make plans to join them!
 
Whisk it Up 4-H Cooking Club meets 2nd Tuesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. Location:  Alexander County Service Center.
National Days in August

  • National Book Lovers Day – August 9  A great reminder to pick up a good book before school starts. Reading helps build knowledge, imagination, and lifelong learning skills.
  • National Tell a Joke Day – August 16  Laughter brings people together! Challenge your family or 4-H club members to share their favorite clean joke and brighten someone's day.
  • National Honey Bee Day – Third Saturday in August (August 15, 2026)
    Did you know that one honey bee visits about 50–100 flowers during a single foraging trip? Honey bees play a vital role in pollinating many of the fruits, vegetables, and flowers we enjoy every day.
  • National Take a Hike Day – August 17
    Take time to explore the outdoors! Hiking is a great way to stay active, observe wildlife, and appreciate nature. Whether it's a walk through a local park or a mountain trail, every hike is an opportunity to discover something new.  A great reminder to pick up a good book before school starts. Reading helps build knowledge, imagination, and lifelong learning skills.
Local 4-H'ers Attend Electric 4-H Congress and NC 4-H Congress
NC 4-H Electric Congress was held July 14-16 at Appalachian State University. Shockers 4-H Club Leader Merylin Davis and youth Lucas Hardin, Eowyn Berwick and Finn Berwick represented Alexander County.


NC 4-H Congress was held July 20-24 in Raleigh, NC.  Alexander County 4-H was represented by Eowyn Berwick, Finn Berwick, Allie Millsaps, and Lucas Hardin  We had an awesome week learning, exploring and meeting new people.

Alexander County 4-H Programming
is sponsored by Alexander County United Way
Facebook
 
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.