This Weekend's Schedule

We will be at the Live Nativity Saturday at 12-3 at Marshfield Town Hall and Sunday at Norwell Center Town Green on rte 123 at the same time.  Also Lexi will be taking 2 cows to the Cow Pie Bingo at Sanctuary in Marshfield on Rte 139 Sunday at 2:30.  Come on down!!

Big Jim

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Christmas Party

Just a reminder that the club Christmas party is this Monday, Dec 8 at the Marshfield Tavern on Proprieter's Green, behind Roche Brothers from 6-9 pm.  Hope to see you there!!

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Christmas Party and extra barn meeting

The Club Christmas party is Dec 8 at the Marshfield Tavern on Proprieter's Green, behind Roche Brothers.  6 pm.  RSVP by email so we can get a head count. 

Also we are having an extra, optional barn meeting for anyone who is around on Saturday November 29 after Thanksgiving to clean pens.  Come if you can!

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Club Officers

A Note From Big Jim:

Congrats to our new club officers!

Molly Doyle - President

Corinne Lee - Vice President

Becca Nolan - Secretary

Kevin Cloherty - Treasurer

Matt Gallagher - Historian

Thank you all for stepping up!!

Big Jim

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Meeting tomorrow

Don't forget we have our regular monthly meeting tomorrw at O'Neil Farm 9-10:30.  Bring your paperwork too for next year's sign ups. 

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October Newsletter

Attached please find the Newsletter from the 4H office for October. 

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Newsletter 10 14

Sat Sept 20

The latest from Big Jim:

Our meeting at the farm this Sat will start at the usual 9 am.  We will be cleaning pens and otherwise helping to prepare for Farm Day which is from 12:30 - 3:30.  ALL club members should be there!

Also a reminder that they are only selling ice cream this year, so plan to bring a lunch since it will be a long day.

See you Sat!

Records

Hello everyone,

I wanted to take the time to remind all 4-H members that your 4-H records are due by November 15.  

I have attached the new cover bud form and special members form, as well as general instructions.  

If you have any questions please ask your leader or E-Mail me or call me at the office 781-293-3541.  

Your 4-H Records are an important part of your 4-H experience.  

The Plymouth County Records Manual is available on line at www.plymouthcounty4h.org


Valerie Schell
4-H Educator

**** The attachments won't post to the blog but have been mailed to the club.  email me if you need them again - Maryellen

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POSTERS REMINDER

Hello 4-H'ers

A note about Marshfield fair Posters for Achievement.  

If you signed up to do the poster portion of Achievement for any animal you must get them to the fairgrounds by 6PM Sunday August 17th.  NO EXCEPTIONS.

NEW this year posters have a theme:  
Animal Breeds......  For example if you are doing a Chicken Achievement Poster you would need to do it on a chicken breed.  

REMEMBER:  Posters must be 14" x  22"  No exceptions  They can be vertical or horizontal.  

NOTE:  CHicken posters MUST BE Horizontal (Landscape)


Any questions please email me at vschell@umass.edu

Thanks Valerie

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FAIR SUPPLY LIST

ATTACHED IS THE FAIR SUPPLY LIST TO HELP YOU PREPARE

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Farm Supply List

href="http://farmtastic4h.blogspot.com/">http://farmtastic4h.blogspot.com/

Barn Meetings

Just a reminder that we have two upcoming barn meetings.  This Saturday (tomorrow) and Monday at 9 am.  Everyone should come, especially if you are leasing a cow.  It's time to get ready for fair!

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Marshfield Fair Volunteers

Please respond to marie Van Slyck- not the office

Hello, Fellow 4-H Volunteers-
Now that our big 4th of July weekend is over, and you're ready to relax, it's time to start thinking about and planning for the Marshfield Fair.  As usual, the I'm back again begging for help to staff the 4-H water booths at the Fair.  Your help in the past has been wonderful, and I hope you're up for helping out again this year!

For those of you who haven't been able to help out w/this fundraiser in the past or those of you who may be new leaders/volunteers, a little explanation is in order.....  The Plymouth County 4-H Advisory Council helps to plan, organize, fund, and implement a number of important programs that benefit all youth (regardless of project area) in the Plymouth County 4-H Program.  These include Recognition Night and Project Record Awards, Communications (VP) Day, and Club Exhibit Week and Celebration, to name a few.  We also provide financial assistance to 4-H'ers in need of a little help to attend 4-H events, programs, or camps as well as annual college scholarships.

For the past five years, we have sold bottled water at the Marshfield Fair and have successfully increased our earnings each year.  Last year we raised $5,265!  This year our goal is $5,500, so pls keep your fingers crossed and pray for lots of hot sun and NO rain!  Because the Fair gives us the booths/space free, we also sell Marshfield Fair souvenirs, and the proceeds from these sales are kept separate and given to the Fair management.  The Fair uses these funds to purchase the trophies, ribbons, prizes, food, etc., for the 4-H shows and activities throughout the 10-day Fair.  So, all of the money we raise selling water actually does benefit our 4-H programs.  We are fortunate again this year to have two booths from which we can sell water.  We will have the same big booth as last year, across from the show ring office, plus another smaller one.  The location of the second smaller booth will be opposite the rabbit barn - same place as last year.  So, once again, I am making
 my plea for volunteers.  We need a lot of volunteers to cover all of the time slots of these two booths if we have a chance of meeting our goal this year.

The shifts are four hours long - from noon to 4 p.m. and from 4-8 p.m.  We must have at least one adult (leader or parent volunteer) at each booth during all shifts.  The Fair dates are from 15-24 Aug 14.  As you can imagine, this fundraiser requires a lot of man/woman hours, so we can use all the help we can get.  We hope you will be able to help us in this effort by taking one or more shifts.  It's okay if your club takes a 4-hour shift and splits it up into two 2-hour shifts as long as there is always an adult and at least two club members who are older/responsible enough to handle money and interact w/the public. I will need to know the names of all of those who will be working in the booth with the adult volunteer for the Fair Security at the entry gate.

If you cannot cover a shift yourself, please forward this email along to a fellow volunteer or helpful 4-H parent who may not have received this email.  Also, don't forget to announce this need for help at your next club meeting to try to recruit more parent volunteers .  This is a great way for your club to conduct a community service activity while supporting the Plymouth County 4-H Program.  To sign up for a shift or shifts. Just click the link below and fill out the form.
http://jotform.us/form/31906737444156  

Shifts will be assigned on a "first-come / first-served" basis, so pls enter your shift request online as soon as possible.  As the schedule fills up, the time/date you want or need may not longer be available.  I will do my best to accommodate everyone's schedule and will notify you when your shift request has been assigned.  In the next few days I will try to get a Google calendar up online, too.

Thanks for taking the time to read this (too long!) email.  Please help.  I will be following up again within the next few weeks if I don't hear back from you.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at home in the evening at 781-934-6149 or leave me a message on my cell phone anytime, 617-842-5193.  Things get a little crazy this time of year, so email is always the best way to reach me.  Hope to hear from you very soon and to get the schedule filled up early this year!
Regards,
Marie

Marie Van Slyck, Treasurer
Plymouth County 4-H Advisory Council
Email:  mvanslyck@jackconway.com
Home:  (781) 934-6149 / Cell:   (617) 842-5193
Fax:     (781) 934-7149

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Vet Check Day

Good morning !! Just a reminder for vet check day Friday the 11 th at 830, anyone leasing should def be there !!! Everyone should be there to help out . See you then !! Also we will be doing Marshfield fair entry's at Monday nite meeting all forms need to be completed then .  Big Jim

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Reminders

A couple of reminders from Big Jim:

Barnstable County Fair application deadline is this Tuesday, July 1 for those interested in going.  I believe it is a dehorned only fair, but you can call and double check if it affects you.  All rules and application are on their webiste - just google barnstable county fair.  The Dairy Show is Mon July 21 at 4 pm.  It is pull in/pull out so just the one day. 

Also this Friday, June 27, we are at the Marshfield Fair Farmers Market.  Acorn Canning is setting us up with baked goods, and a puppet show is involved - as well as animals of course.  We need all hands on deck to set up at 1 pm.  

Also - as an aside - the horse you may have seen on the news (Coco) stuck in the bog in Duxbury was ours - and happy to say with the help of all the rescue workers (including our friend Jeff Chandler) she is bratty as ever today!!

Maryellen

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Meeting Tomorrow

Just a reminder we have our barn meeting at O'Neil Farm tomorrow 9-10:30.  Mr. O'Neil has a couple of things he would like to get done, so hoping everyone can show up to help.

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Fwd: MA Dairy State Show

Good morning:

The MA 4-H Dairy Show is August 1-3, 2014 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, MA. The official entry book is on the MA 4-H website at https://mass4h.org/programs/beef-and-dairy  .  This year the Grilled Cheese Contest is being held as part of the New England 4-H Dairy Show. We can select up to two teams to represent our state. We will follow the same rules as the contest at the Big E. The rules are located in the New England 4-H Dairy Show packet at: http://www.thebige.com/fair/agriculture/documents/14ag4hdairypacket.pdf  You should read over the New England 4-H Dairy Show packet since there are some new rules in place.

Make sure to pass along to your 4-H members to send in their entries early since no late entries will be accepted

Please contact me with any questions that you may have.

Thank you.

Carrie Chickering-Sears
Director of Community Education in Animal Agriculture
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA 01002
Phone 413-549-3257      Fax 413-577-0760

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Scholarship Opportunity

Good morning:

 

The Chester Goodfield Scholarship is available for students enrolled in college and have completed one year of study (preference) or even deserving high school seniors may apply . The requirement is that the student is enrolled in an agricultural major, agri-business, forestry, or the environmental/biological sciences. Selection is based on academic standing and leadership qualities. The scholarship deadline is July 1, 2014. To obtain the application, email Robert Bottomley at bottomley1@comcast.net

 

Please pass the word since this is a great scholarship for youth in the agricultural/environmental field to apply for.

 

Carrie

 

Carrie Chickering-Sears

Director of Community Education in Animal Agriculture

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA 01002

Phone 413-549-3257      Fax 413-577-0760

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Reminder

Just a reminder we will be at The Green Earth Festival tomorrow, Sunday May 4 from 11 - 4.  it is being held at the Science Center at 48 Jacob's Lane in Norwell.  Free Admission!

Big Jim

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Marshfield Fair Farmer's Market

Hello Leaders,

Last call for Marshfield Farmers Market.  If you would like to bring your club to any of the following dates please let me know:  

May 30

June 13

June 27-  Taken by Farmtastic

July 18

August 1

September 5

September 19

October 3

October 10

We would again love to have a  4-H club presence at the market again this year.

I would again ask that all sales of items be pre-approved, They do want the clubs to get some donations and sign ups but there are vendors paying for spots and there are certain guidelines that  need to be followed.

We need to keep the ideas within certain bounds.  I love ideas like a dollar for a trick, or dollar for some feed to give to an animal, or stump the knowledge of a kid or something like that.  

Thank you

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Youth Ag Day

Join Us for Ag Youth Day
Saturday, May 10, 2013; 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Ag Youth Day is sponsored by the Mass State Grange in collaboration with Mass 4-H and Mass FFA. The program will take place at the South Deerfield Research Farm, 23 River Road, South Deerfield, Mass. This program is open to youth ages 10–20 interested in learning more about agriculture. Pre-registration and payment of the non-refundable registration fee is required by May 1. The registration fee of $5 
covers all sessions and lunch and can be made out to MA Sate Grange. Topics include seed lending, hand tool playoffs, animal handling safety and flower hunt. 
For more information and to register, please contact Jessica Goodfield-Stelmokas at 978-729-6183 or email smokeyfieldfarm@hotmail.com


Carrie Chickering-Sears
Director of Community Education in Animal Agriculture
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA 01002
Phone 413-549-3257      Fax 413-577-0760

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Hen House Hop

Hen House Hop, 2nd Annual South Shore Coop Tour

Saturday, June 14, 10am-4pm

From the backyard to the barnyard, families can tour multiple private chicken coops on the South Shore, meet a variety of chicken breeds, and chat with owners about poultry. 

Discover unique ways to house and care for poultry and view examples of tried and true methods chicken owners utilize including predator protection and surviving the New England winter. 

Be sure to stop by the Science Center to greet the 4-week old chicks and learn about SSNSC's new chick hatching program.

At SSNSC you can also see antique chicken equipment, learn about egg nutrition, try your hand at chicken games, meet 4-H poultry students, visit with our hens, and more!

Visit www.southshorenaturalsciencecenter.org  for more details.
Call 781-659-2559 to purchase tickets. $6 Member  / $8 Non-Member tickets in advance; $10 day-of event.

Looking forward to this wonderful event.  

Valerie

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Meeting Monday

Just a reminder we have our regular meeting at the fairgrounds this Moday, 6-7:30

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Dairy Judging Clinics

I just wanted to bring this to your attention in case any of our club kids wanted to attend these clinics.  If you do, please let me know by Monday, as I have to RSVP how many kids we will be bringing.  I have room in my car for 5, if more people want to go we can caravan.  Respond to this email if you would like to go please. 

Coming up we have two MA Dairy field trips, both dairy judging events.  
Close by at Peter Hawkes' Jersey Farm there will be a dairy judging
event on Saturday April 19 at 2PM. Address is 51 Pleasant St Mendon, MA.

A second judging event will be on Tuesday April 22 (during school vacation week) at 12:30 at Arethusa Farm in Connecticut. Which if you haven't been ~ it is so worth the trip. http://www.arethusafarm.com/

Maryellen Lee
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Scholarship Opportunity

Message from Joanna Samuelson Lidback:

 

Hello Mass 4H Dairy kids! Wanted to share with you a scholarship opportunity by my employer. We look for kids (and adults too!) who are pursuing a career in agriculture, forestry or commercial fishing. It can be for any post-high school education: 2-year, 4-year or graduate degree programs as well as technical schools. You also have to have a permanent home address in our region - which includes Massachusetts!

The deadline is 5:00 pm Friday April 11. Good luck!
https://www.farmcrediteast.com/Industry-Support/Scholarship.aspx

 

 

Carrie Chickering-Sears

Director of Community Education in Animal Agriculture

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA 01002

Phone 413-549-3257      Fax 413-577-0760

 

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A 4H Thank you

Dear 4-H Clubs:

 

Our raffle, held at the annual Mass Blue Ribbon Calf Sale went smoothly and was a huge success because of the support of so many 4-H clubs, youth & adults, volunteering their time putting together such nice baskets, and soliciting area businesses for donations to our annual raffle. Through your efforts we have again surpassed our record for the raffle table, netting $1850 at this years raffle. This money supports your 4-H dairy activities through out the year. Great job everyone!

 

Sincerely,

Chris & Cheryl

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4H Survey

From: 4-H <donotreply@email.4-h.org>
Date: March 6, 2014, 1:30:57 PM EST
To: James Nielsen <jimscst@aol.com>
Subject: Reminder
Reply-To: paulab@umext.umass.edu

To MA 4-H parents,

Thank you to the 8% of parents who have already completed the 4-H Marketing survey.  

We would greatly appreciate you taking the time to complete the marketing survey.  Your ideas and opinions are important part of this planning process.  The deadline is March 12.  The link to the survey is https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z259M9R

Thank you,
Sherrie Guyott

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Fwd: IT'S VP TIME AGAIN!!!

Hello,

It is time to register for County Visual Presentation Day. Please find the attached form and send it in to the 4-H office at your earliest convenience.  

If you need more information on VP day or a How to Manual please visit our website.  Information is on the LInks/Forms Page.  

www.plymouthcounty4h.org


Valerie Schell
4-H Educator

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Performing Arts Day 2014

2014_PC_VP_DAY

2010 Horse Related Topics

Cattleman's Conference

On March 22, 2014 the Cattleman's  Conference is being held at the Norfolk Agricultural High School in Walpole, MA. The registration form is located at http://mass4h.org/programs/beef-and-dairy

Thank you

Carrie Chickering-Sears
Director of Community Education in Animal Agriculture University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA 01002
Phone 413-549-3257
Fax 413-577-0760

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Upcoming Events

Hello 4-H families,

Happy New Year.  We wish you all a healthy and prosperous year to come.  

Many of you have been looking for the Winter Work Shop information.  It is attached here.  Sorry for the delay, as you will see we have increased the number of offered classes and have varied them significantly.  We hope you all are able to attend and find something that interests you.  

Also attached is the current newsletter.  


Stay safe out there in the blustery winter weather we are having.  

Valerie

Awards Ceremony

Happy New Year
The 2012-2013 Plymouth County 4-H Awards
Celebration will be January 17th (Friday) at 6 pm. They will be held at the
Emerald Hall, located at 10 Central St, in Abington.  Please RSVP by January
15th to the office 781-293-3541 or acampora@umext.umass.edu

You can help by bringing a dessert or item for the silent auction

Cathy Acampora

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Meeting Cancelled

Due to the storm, our meeting on Saturday am, Jan 4 is cancelled.  We will have our regular meeting at the fairgrounds second Monday of the month (Jan 13) as planned.  Stay warm!

Big Jim and Mrs. Peavey

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