Cherokee County 4-H

Annual 4-H Plant Sale Underway

2012-01-12T09:23:00.008-05:00

PLACE YOUR ORDER ONLINE OR VIEW A LIST OF AVAILABLE PLANTS GO TO THE FOLLOWING LINK:
https://docs.google.com/a/ncsu.edu/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dENtZ2libkk3aGRZVG15WTg3WUs0amc6MQ#gid=0

OTHER WAYS TO PLACE YOUR ORDER: Come by our office or call us at 828-837-2210. This is a fundraiser and there is no guarantee on plants. Pre-payment is necessary on all plant orders. All orders should be in our office by February 24, 2012. Make checks payable to Cherokee County 4H.

Carrying on the Tradition of Pumpkin Pies for Seniors at Hiwassee Dam

2011-11-17T08:42:00.003-05:00

The Modern Woodman & 4-H clubs at Hiwassee Dam have made pies for the Seniors that come to the Senior Center for the past several years.

4-H Holiday Workshop Planned for November 23rd!

2011-11-07T10:47:00.002-05:00

We will be making some holiday crafts, baking and just having fun. The workshop will begin at 8:30AM and end at 5:00PM. This year’s workshop will be held at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center in Murphy. Lunch, as well as Snacks and drinks, will be provided. The workshop is open to all youth ages 5-14 and cost only $25.00. You must register by November 21 at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center in Murphy. You can register over the phone but registration fees are due when you register and are non-refundable. Remember parents this is a teacher workday at school and what a better way for youth to spend their day “learning by doing”. For more information call (828) 837-2210.

2011 Fall Paper Clover Promotion at Tractor Supply

2011-09-13T08:23:00.002-04:00

The 2011 Fall Paper Clover promotion with Tractor Supply will run from Sept. 21 to Oct. 2. Now in its second year, the fundraiser allows shoppers to purchase paper clovers for $1 at checkout. All funds are donated to 4-H and help support programs in the communities where each store is located. Click "here" to see the flyer!

"The Sprouts" 4-H Club

2011-09-08T16:32:00.007-04:00

Here's some pictures of "The Sprouts" 4-H Club working in their garden and some of them making salsa. They have worked hard this summer and we are very proud of them!

"My Manners Matter" 4-H Day Camp

2011-07-13T09:54:00.003-04:00

In the “My Manners Matter” 4-H Day Camp, youth will learn about all types of etiquette/manners including table etiquette, cell phone etiquette, gaming etiquette, greeting people, social etiquette and some good, old fashion, southern manners. We will have lunch at a restaurant on the last day and use what we have learned! For more information here.

2011 4-H Summer Day Camps

2011-05-31T14:17:00.002-04:00

We have lots of fun day camps planned for this summer! For a list of the day camps and descriptions/details of each camp, please click here.

"The Sprouts" visit Hillside Nursery

2011-05-04T15:10:00.005-04:00

"The Sprouts" 4H Club recently visited Hillside Nursery in Andrews, NC. The club members learned all about planting and growing plants. A big "Thank You" goes out to Ms. Sarah Hedden who gave them a guided tour of the nursery.

4H Rocks in Ranger!

2011-05-04T10:19:00.001-04:00

Eleven students in the 21st Century Afterschool Program at Ranger completed the 4H Health Rocks Program recently. The youth enjoyed weekly physical activities including swimming at the Hiwassee Valley Health and Wellness Center. During the program, students also learned about eating healthier.

Nora Starks Memorial 4-H Open Horse Show

2011-04-19T11:28:00.001-04:00

The Cherokee Riders 4-H Horse Club cordially invites you to attend the Nora Starks Memorial 4-H Open Horse Show. It will be held April 30, at Shiloh Stables in Hayesville, NC. Registration begins at 9:00AM show starts at 10:00AM. We will have a variety of events for all children ages 5 to 19, regardless of 4-H membership.
Events include riding and non-riding events like: Stick Pony (non-riders); Halter; Stake Race (Riders); Flag Race (Riders); Arena Race (Riders); Pole Bending (Riders); 3-Legged Race (Non-riders); and Cloverleaf Barrels (Riders). There are over 45 different classes. Youth are riding against their own age group except for the open classes, which are open to youth 9-19. A negative coggins is required for all horses. Helmets are required for all riders. You must bring your own helmet. Ribbons will be awarded to all 1st -5th places in all divisions except Cloverbud. All Cloverbuds will receive a participation ribbon. Each event is $4.00 for all 4-H Members (from any state) and $5.00 for non 4-H members or $25.00 for all events. Membership for Cherokee County 4-H will be available at the show. Concessions will be available. The arena is a covered arena so the show will go on rain or shine.
We hope you will attend and bring friends and family to show your support for the youth of our county and surrounding area. For more information contact Shannon Coleman (828) 837-2210 or Angie Hopkins (828) 557-1408.

Steps to Health Program Taught in Local Schools

2011-04-06T16:41:00.001-04:00

Shannon Coleman, 4-H Agent, with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension just completed a new program here in Cherokee County to help youth make better choices in the foods they eat as well as helping parents get some new healthy recipes that they could try with their families. Murphy Elementary School’s second and third grade classes just completed the nine week Steps To Health program. The program consisted of 9 sessions that are designed to educate and inspire young children to eat smart. Hands-on activities, games, and physical activity were incorporated into each lesson. Each 45-minute lesson included a taste test of either a snack the student can make after-school or a healthy meal parents can make for dinner. Recipes and nutrition and physical activity handouts were sent home each week to the parents.

The youth in the program seem to enjoy trying new foods and taking home recipes for their parents to try. The youth also enjoyed all the free things that came with the programs. All participants were awarded a certificate of participation at the completion of the program as well as a Cook Smart, Eat Smart cookbook. During the program, all the participants also received a water bottle to promote choosing water as the best drink option instead of high sugar sodas and sports drinks. Each time the youth tried a new food like fruits or vegetables that they had never tasted before or didn’t like before they received an “I Tried It” sticker. This helped the youth feel proud about the fact they were expanding their food choices. This also help promote the conversations with their parents about what they did try new so the parents could find out some new foods they could introduce to their children at home. There were many other things that particular grades received for participating in the program like an insulated snack bag to put healthy snacks in to bring to school.

This was the first time NC Cooperative Extension has offered this program in Cherokee County and we hope to expanded next year and offer it at other schools in the county. This was a free program provided through the SNAP-Ed program. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) formally known as Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNE) serves limited resource families across North Carolina. SNAP-Ed is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture-Food and Nutrition Service and works in collaboration with the NC Department of Health and Humans Services, Division of Social Services. The goal of SNAP-Ed is to assist those eligible for food assistance to eat smart and move more. SNAP-Ed works to help participants make healthy choices within a limited budget and choose physically active lifestyles consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and My Pyramid.

Horse Health Expo A Success!

2011-03-25T11:31:00.002-04:00

On March 19, the Cherokee County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and the Cherokee Rider’s 4-H Horse Club hosted a Horse Health Expo at Shiloh Stables in Hayesville. Master 4-H Volunteer Jan Griggs coordinated the event and was excited to share her love of horses to promote horse health care to the area. Mike Stiles with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture was also a huge help at the event. He helped Mrs. Griggs coordinate the vet as well as holding a lot of horse’s heads while their teeth were being floated. We also had farrier’s there offering their services: 21st Century Farrier Services, Bnjmn Lygh and his assistant; and English Stone of Stone Farrier Service.
Dr. Beverly Hargus is a veterinarian from Hendersonville, NC and was the vet for the event. Dr. Hargus and her team of assistants worked all day nonstop on 68 head of horses and on one unexpected emergency for a small dog that had been hurt in an accident. She allowed the youth in the 4-H Horse Club to assist her. She was great. The youth in the club were so engaged in learning about caring for their horses it was amazing to see them with their hands in the mouths of these animals and really learning. It was an experience most have never had but will never forget.
We would like to thank all of our great sponsors that donated time and items to be given away at the event. A big thank you goes out to Jackie McClure of Shiloh Stables for use of the facility, as well as coming out to support the event. Tractor Supply; Peachtree Farm and Home as well as the Coop Feed representative; Hayesville Cowboy Store; and Mountain Valley Country Store all donated items and set up booth’s at the event for the participants to be able to purchase items. Wayne’s Feed donated gift certificates for the event. Pegasus Farms was also there offering their services. Silas Brown and Keith Wood of the NC Cooperative Extension also were there and did a great pasture management class. The biggest thank you goes out to Jan Griggs for organizing this event so that we can keep our area horses healthy and safe.
It was a great event and there are plans for more like it to be held in Cherokee County as well.

Horse Health Expo

2011-02-10T13:27:00.002-05:00

Join us for a great event for horse owners! Does your horse need a coggins test but you don't want to wait on the results? At this expo, you can get coggins test done with on-site results. Major shots like East-West Tetnus; Rabies; Rhino Flu; and West Nile. Does your horse need it's teeth floated? This can be done on site this very day! A pasture management class will also be offered at 10am during this event. Veterinarian: Dr. Beverly Hargus.

New Ag Related 4-H Club

2011-02-09T09:58:00.003-05:00

Join us at "The Rock" in the West in Plaza in Andrews on February 17, 2011 to learn about our new Agriculture Related 4-H Club. The meeting starts at 4pm and ages 5-18 are welcome. Parents, please bring your youth to this great opportunity to join in on the fun and learning of 4-H! For more information, please call our office at 828-837-2210.

It's Time for Our Annual 4-H Plant Sale!

2011-01-27T08:59:00.003-05:00

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension is once again conducting its annual plant and tree sale. This years proceeds will go to Cherokee County 4-H. As usual, the plants and trees will be high quality and reasonably priced. The plant and tree sale is going on now and runs through the February 25. If you would like to download an order form which includes the descriptions, please click here.

4-H Science Experiment in the Classroom

2010-11-15T16:11:00.001-05:00

On October 19 and 26 Angela McClure’s, 5th Grade Science students at Murphy Elementary School, participated in the 4-H National Youth Science Day experiment, 4-H2O.
In the 2010 4-H National Youth Science Day experiment, 4-H2O, youth will learn about carbon dioxide and discover how we as a nation can reduce our environmental impact. This experiment is designed to demonstrate the powerful effects of CO2 on animals, plants, and other living organisms whose habitats are our natural water sources.
Water quality is a term used to describe the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water. Today, as our population evolves, we face a growing concern that our sources of clean water are becoming contaminated by warming temperatures, carbon dioxide emissions and dangerous run off. These changes in the water quality affect not only our drinking water supply, but also the natural habitats of aquatic plants, animals and organisms.
Youth began the experiment through conducting a simple activity to understand how people increase the amount of CO2 building up in the atmosphere. Using a bromothymol blue indicator solution (BMB), youth blew into a BMB/water mixture to demonstrate the concept of CO2 gas; the students could visually see how CO2 levels can build-up in water by seeing how the indicator changed colors.
They continue the activity by introducing effervescent tablets into plastic sandwich bags in varying quantities to show how that CO2 expands in the earth’s atmosphere. The bags represent the earth’s ability to capture greenhouse gases. Youth then add the tablets to water to connect back how the BMB shows higher levels of CO2 in the tablet/water mix.
Lastly, youth took the above concepts and expand into a longer experiment that conceptualizes how algae use sun and the process of photosynthesis to grow. However, youth watch how higher levels of CO2 result in higher air temperatures and, in turn, cause higher levels of algae growth. The experiment, which takes anywhere from 1-5 weeks to observe, provided the students an added element to continue the discussion.
Using worksheets and online guides, the experiment then helped youth take the above activities and connect back to their lives by measuring their own carbon footprint, their family’s footprint, and estimate energy savings by looking at gas and electric bills. As the students calculated their carbon footprints -- like the kind we create with CO2 emissions from our cars, factories and power plants – the students will discover the impact these choices have on our water sources and our lives.

4-H Holiday Workshop!

2010-11-04T09:36:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year again! We are planning our annual 4-H Holiday Workshop. Join 4-H for a fun filled day on November 24 for a holiday workshop. We will be making some holiday crafts, baking and just having fun. The workshop will begin at 8:30AM and end at 5:00PM. This year’s workshop will be held at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center in Murphy. Lunch, as well as Snacks and drinks, will be provided. The workshop is open to all youth ages 5-14 and cost only $25.00. There is a minimum registration of 5 and a maximum of 12 youth. You must register by November 17 at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center in Murphy. You can register over the phone but registration fees are due when you register and are non-refundable. Remember parents this is a teacher workday at school and what a better way for youth to spend their day “learning by doing”. For more information call (828) 837-2210 or visit this link.

4-H “Takes a Bite Out of Hunger” in Cherokee County

2010-10-15T11:53:00.001-04:00

Did you know? 1-in-5 children in North Carolina lives in a household that is forced to reduce food intake, alter normal eating patterns, or go hungry because they lack the money or resources to obtain adequate food. Hunger and food insecurity challenge the well being of children, adults, families and communities. Children are more likely to have medical and behavioral problems, do poorly in school, require more hospitalizations and are more likely to develop chronic diseases as adults. Among the elderly, food insecurity intensifies acute chronic diseases and speeds the onset of degenerative disease, leading to decreased quality of life. Hunger is a problem hiding “in plain sight.” To help combat hunger, the NC 4-H Youth Development program and the Food Banks of North Carolina, all of which are affiliates of Feeding America, our nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, have teamed up to promote awareness of hunger in North Carolina and to make an impact in local communities through a new hunger awareness initiative entitled “Hungry to Help.” Cherokee County 4-H, MANNA Food Bank, our local Feeding America Food Bank, and myself, Samantha House, have partnered up to help “Take A Bite Out of Hunger.”
During the week of October 4-8, I coordinated a food drive held at Konaheeta Park. There was a decent turnout with many people donating items to help fight hunger in our community. Hiwassee Dam School helped out tremendously with 1,182 items donated. Challenged by high school principal, Tom Graham, to help the 4-H out, the high school students really came through with a tremendous amount of food. The Junior Civitan Club raised the most food and we want to say a big thank you to all the students who participated in the food drive. We raised 1,390 non-perishable food items that will help our local food pantries out. However, that is not enough, we want to continue the push to help those in our community that are in need of food. So to do this, we have placed red barrels at various locations for people to drop off more non-perishable items, no glass containers please. The locations where you can find the barrels are: Save-A-Lot; Macon Bank; First Citizen Bank, Murphy and Peachtree Branch; Blue Mountain Coffee and Grill; Cherokee County Court House, by the county mangers office; Murphy High School; Murphy Middle School; The Daily Grind; Green Paws Dog Grooming; Hiwassee Valley Pool and Wellness Center; and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Office/ Cherokee County Mapping Office.
These barrels will be left at these places from now through November 12th. Please leave any non-perishable items at these places to help our fight against hunger in Cherokee County.

Written By:

Samantha House
President of the Cherokee Rider’s 4-H Horse Club
Senior at Murphy High School

4-H Collects Food For The Hungry

2010-09-27T14:17:00.004-04:00

Murphy High School student and 4-H’er Samantha House, along with Cherokee County 4-H will be conducting a food drive October 4-8 to benefit the local and district food pantries served by MANNA Food Bank. Please click HERE for more information.

Cherokee County Represented at Youth Summit - YouthVoice 2010

2010-09-09T10:24:00.007-04:00

August 27-28 marked the inaugural North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Youth Summit –YouthVoice 2010, which was held in Greenville, North Carolina. Held in conjunction with the annual county commissioners meeting and sponsored by the NCACC, over 80 youth and adults from 74 counties attended the event. During YouthVoice 2010, attendees had a chance to interact with County Commissioners, attend the annual Horn of Plenty event sponsored by NC Cooperative Extension, participate in workshop sessions and attend NC SPIN.

In addition, the youth attendees debated and decided on the top ten issues facing youth. These issues stemmed from ones that 4-H’ers and youth in every county identified and compiled. Youth then met in groups to prioritize the top ten issues in their Extension district. One youth from every county was invited to attend YouthVoice 2010. The Cherokee county delegate who was selected to attend was Joy Ann Duggan, daughter of Paul and Nancy Duggan of Andrews, NC. Joy is a senior at Tri-County Community College Early College High School and a member of the Cherokee Rider's 4-H Horse Club. Clay County and Transylvania counties were represented also. Clay County’s representative was Alice Thompson and Olivia Miller represented Transylvania.

From the district meetings, one youth per county was invited to attend YouthVoice 2010 and bring their district issues. From over 60 issues, the delegation attending YouthVoice 2010 determined the top 10 issues facing youth in North Carolina. The State 4-H Council officer team shared the top ten issues with the County Commissioners.

Youth had collected county issues and shared those at district meetings
to determine the top ten youth issues facing youth in their district. Those issues were discussed and from those issues the top ten issues facing youth in the state of North Carolina were determined. The top ten issues facing youth in North Carolina were:
1. Teen Pregnancy
Prevention, sex education, health issues, starts a chain reaction, tough decisions
2. Substance Abuse
Includes illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs, younger children trying tobacco
3. Drop-outs
Drop-out rate is at one-third in our state, dropout prevention programs
4. Violence
Bullying, gangs, crime, physical harm, more education on safety issues, recognizing that your "unsafe" actions impact others such as friends and family
5. Recreation
Community activities, intramural sports, youth centers, unstructured activities, paying for sports can be expensive, funding facilities, safe places, re-evaluate current park and recreation programs
6. Socio-economics
Jobs for adults and teens, poverty and hunger, identity theft, family money management, small counties, loss of jobs, need jobs, low economic ratings, family income below average, grandparents with low incomes raising grandchildren, unemployment getting worse
7. Education Issues/School Funding
Schools need money to provide more classes and extra curricular activities for youth, need to prepare for and find money to help pay for college, school improvement issues, youth want to feel their needs are recognized, more opportunities at school
8. Lack of youth voice in community
Youth need to have their voice mentioned in political decisions, youth should take the initiative with governmental officials to have positions where they can express their opinions
9. Health Issues
Obesity, healthy lifestyles education, healthy food in school cafeterias, chronic disease reduction
10. Lack of things to do
Safe and effective activities for youth to participate in, partnership between youth development programs, safe places to be, constructive activities, positive activities

YouthVoice 2010 was developed because of NCACC’s 2010 President Mary Accor’s commitment to youth and to developing youth leaders. The event was sponsored by the NCACC. North Carolina 4-H Youth Development and North Carolina Cooperative Extension were the lead partners and led the efforts to plan the conference and organize YouthVoice 2010.

North Carolina 4-H has over 240,926 youth enrolled in the program as well as 21,200 youth and adult volunteers. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

4-Hers Enjoy "Sew Much Fun" Day Camp!

2010-08-06T14:18:00.006-04:00

Today was the last day of the "Sew Much Fun" day camp that has been going on at the Cooperative Extension Center this week. They youth learned basic sewing skills that will last a lifetime. Here's some snapshots of the day camp.

4-Hers Visit Hazel Creek

2010-07-27T11:34:00.013-04:00

On Monday, July 26th 4Hers from Cherokee County traveled over to Swain County to visit the area of Hazel Creek Community where the town of Proctor once thrived.The group joined other 4Hers from Swain, Macon and Jackson counties. You can still see old chimneys and foundations of homes and other buildings that existed in this community.These little buildings were called "valve houses". They were used to control the amount of water that was released downstream.
It was a wonderful history lesson and a day of hiking the mountains and wading the creek. Once the group reached the campground, they participated in a scavenger hunt where they found several artifacts.Hazel Creek is a beautiful area and we enjoyed our day.After the hike up the mountain to visit Proctor cemetary, in 95 degree weather,we were very glad to see our boat waiting for us to cross back over Fontana Lake to our van.

4-H District Activity Day

2010-06-28T08:33:00.016-04:00

This year, we had a great turn out at the 4-H West District Activity Day. Cherokee County was in charge of hosting the day. The west district counties met in Jackson County. 4-Hers did presentations public speaking and outdoor cookery. They also showed off their excellent talents! Congratulations to all of the winner!

The Registration Table

We would like to say thank you to our volunteers from Cherokee County who traveled with us to assist us with this fun day. Now, it's time to start planning for next year's district day. We hope to have more representation from Cherokee County in 2011!
Outdoor Cookery

4-H District Activity Day - June 24th

2010-05-17T15:10:00.004-04:00

Each year, NC 4-H holds a District Activity Day. It is the biggest day of the 4-H year-when 4-H’ers take “center stage” giving presentations, sharing talents, displaying posters and demonstrating outdoor cooking skills. 4-Hers throughout the West District will participate in this day. This year’s District Activity Day will be held in Jackson County on June 24th, with Cherokee County being the “Host County”.

Shannon Coleman, Cherokee County 4-H Agent, is in charge of making sure this day goes as smoothly as possible and is looking for volunteers for this event. Cherokee County has been charged with the task of bringing twenty volunteers who will assist in hosting this event. If you would be interested in volunteering to help with this day, please call the Cherokee County Cooperative Extension Center at 828-837-2210 by June 3rd. Transportation and lunch will be provided. Please consider this opportunity to support N.C. 4-Hers.

This year, Samantha House is one of Cherokee County 4-Hers that is doing a presentation. If you or you know of a Cherokee County youth that would like to do a presentation, please let us know by June 4, 2010. Agents are happy to work with any youth doing presentations. For more information about 4-H presentations, click here.

Soil Solutions in the Classroom

2010-05-04T15:17:00.012-04:00

Shannon Coleman, Cherokee County 4-H Agent, has been in the classroom teaching "Soil Solutions" with third graders in Ms. Leatherwood's class at Murphy elementary. The students learned about the importance of our soil, how it is made up of different particles, and they learned about erosion. They helped with a small experiment about soil erosion to show how ground cover helps control erosion.Students mixed their soil and water by shaking their bottles!Then, they watched the soil particles settle into different layers.
The erosion experiment was a lot of fun and the students learned that ground covers help hold the soil in place!

Hiwassee Dam Soaring Eagles

2010-05-03T15:29:00.005-04:00

The Hiwassee Dam Soaring Eagles 4-H Club helped the members of Modern Woodmen and afterschool students plant flowers in the planter boxes at the Community Building/Senior Center. They also planted flowers for their Mothers for Mother's Day and made cards for them.

Want to Support Your Local 4-H?

2010-03-31T16:09:00.006-04:00

Looking for a quick and easy way to support your local 4-H clubs? Look no further than your local Tractor Supply Company (TSC) store. Purchase a paper clover for one dollar or more at checkout, and the money will support National 4-H Council and your local 4-H programs.

Hiwassee Dam 4-Hers Help Dye Eggs!

2010-03-30T10:05:00.006-04:00

The Hiwassee Dam Soaring Eagles 4-Hers helped the Modern Woodmen group and the afterschool program dye their eggs for the egg hunt that was held this past Sunday.

Nora Starks Memorial 4-H Horse Show Planned!

2010-02-26T15:28:00.003-05:00

Plans are being finalized for the Nora Starks Memorial 4-H Horse Show. The show will be held on April 24th at Shiloh Stables in Clay County. Mark your calendars now!

2010 Plant Sale

2010-01-15T09:13:00.002-05:00

We are now taking orders for our 2010 4-H Plant Sale. Each year NC Cooperative Extension has this plant sale to raise money for 4-H programs in our area. We have blueberry plants, strawberry plants, grape vines, apple trees and more! Please click here for an order form and a description of the plants we have for sale. The deadline to order is February 19th. Please have both your order and money in by this date. Call us for more information at 828-837-2210.

4-H West District Ski Night

2010-01-14T10:40:00.001-05:00

The 2010 4-H West District Ski Night will be held at Cataloochee Ski Area on January 29th, 2010. Please pass this information along to the youth in your clubs and encourage them to attend this fun-filled night! Registration for people that do not need ski lessons is from 5:00 - 6:00. Registration for people that do need ski lessons is from 5:00-5:15 (the instructors leave at 6:00; the last lesson is at 5:30). The price is $25.00 to ski from 6:00-10:00. It will be $35.00 to snowboard from 6:00-10:00. These prices include skis/snow board, lift ticket, boots and pole rentals. The best way to pay is cash. If you want to pay as a club with a check please do so in one lump sum. Leaders are responsible for bringing medical releases for their club members. If members plan to attend without their leaders they must bring a copy of their medical release form and emergency contact information with them to registration. No one will be permitted to ski without a current, notarized medical release form.
Please RSVP NO LATER THAN January 22th with the number of children and adults coming from your club to me.
Transportation is the responsibility of each individual/club coming. The group will meet in the first log cabin that you pass going toward the lodge (there will be 4-H signs hanging on the doors). Anyone not planning to ski is welcome to stay in the log cabin lodge. It is heated and has plenty of room. You can also bring snacks and drinks with the understanding that you are responsible for cleaning up after yourselves.

For more information about Cataloochee Ski Area, you can visit the website below:
Cataloochee Ski Area
1080 Ski Lodge Road
Maggie Valley, NC 28751
(828) 926-0285
www.cataloochee.com

Attention All Horse Lovers-Join us for an afternoon of fun!

2009-12-18T14:23:00.005-05:00

District Horse Activity Day and Horse Bowl Contest

You are invited to our District Horse Activity Day and Horse Bowl Contest. All 4-H’ers interested in the 4-H horse program are invited to attend. While this event will qualify participants for the state horse bowl, it will also provide an example of activities you can do in the 4-H horse program. So, if you are not ready for the horse bowl this year, you can see it in action.

This horseless event will showcase 4-H Horsebowl*, Hippology, Judging, Presentations, and Creative Expression Contests, share information about WD Horsemanship Clinic and 4-H Horsemanship Camp and more. You will have opportunity to participate in a HORSE BOWL contest with your existing team or create a team the day of the event. Hippology will consist of learning about various tack and identifying the function of the items. The NC 4-H Helmet rule will be clarified at this station too with examples of approved helmets.

Judging - Through the use of DVDs you will have the opportunity to learn some of the basics of horse judging

Presentations - Horse public speaking/ presentation opportunities are available to 4-Hers. These are delivered on the opening day of the state 4-H horse show in July. Learn how you can compete in local, district, state and regional contests.

Creative contests - 4-H covers many categories from creative writing to sewing to poster and photography - learn about these and other contests.

Youth will have the opportunity to rotate through each activity.

Please have lunch before arriving. Snacks will be provided.

*Note: Existing horse bowl teams who wish to qualify for the state contest please register by January 11 - You may do this by sending an email to Lisa Mackay lisamackay@charter.net stating whether it is JR, SR or MIXED, and list county and coach contact phone number. Reminder that county questions must be submitted to the state office by Jan 11 if you have a competitive team.
REGISTRATION:

Pre-registration is preferred. Registrations can come to
Lisa Mackey, 4645 Patton Road, Morganton 28655; Or
email (best): lisamackay@charter.net
Please include:
Name and age of youth attending
County
Horse Bowl Team: Jr, Sr, Mixed
Name of adults attending and phone number

If you would like to volunteer at this event please contact Lisa Mackay at lisamackay@charter.net

Directions: *Directions: Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center

West District Office
455 Research Drive
Mills River, NC 28759

From Interstate 26, take Exit #40 (old exit #9) (Asheville Regional Airport Exit). At the end of the exit ramp turn toward the airport onto NC Hwy 280. Go past the airport. The road will bear right. Turn right on the first paved road after the airport: Old Fanning Bridge Road. Cross the French Broad River and the MHCR&EC office building is at the top of the hill on the right.

Welcome Our New 4-H Club!

2009-12-09T16:29:00.006-05:00

We are excited to announce that we have a new 4-H club in Cherokee County! The name of the new club is “4-H Rocks". 4-H Rock’s leader is Jessica Mashburn. The officers are:

President: Cruz Ponce
Vice President: Heather Mathieu
Secretary: Leslie Ponce
Reporter: Talia Smith

Their club will meet on Wednesdays during the Murphy Elementary Afterschool Program.

Upcoming Holiday Workshop

2009-11-09T14:01:00.010-05:00

We are planning a 4-H Holiday Workshop on Wednesday, November 25th. The workshop will be held upstairs at the Extension office from 8:30am til 5:00pm. We will be making holiday cookies, arts and crafts and bread which the 4-Hers can share with their families on Thanksgiving. There will be a $20 charge which covers all materials, snacks, and lunch. For more information please call our office at 828-837-2210. Click here to print a registration form.

4-H to celebrate 100 years October 9th!

2009-09-15T11:44:00.005-04:00

4-H Homecoming

Save the Date

100 Years! Wow. What an achievement. And, what a birthday!

Few organizations or companies ever reach their centennial year. But, as you know, in 2009 the North Carolina 4-H Program will celebrate 100 years. From humble beginnings in northeastern North Carolina as corn growing clubs, North Carolina 4-H has grown into the largest youth development program in the state. Today's 4-H is a mirror image demographically of the youth living in North Carolina between the ages of 5 and 19. With the support of over 22,980 volunteers we now serve more than 239,000 young people.

To celebrate this momentous milestone in our history, an exciting event has been planned. Please reserve October 9, 2009 for the “NC 4-H Centennial Homecoming.” This event will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to catch up with old friends, make new ones, and celebrate our past as we position 4-H for the future.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and be a part of history in the making. More details and an official invitation will follow in early October 2009.

4-H Explorers Learn to Preserve

2009-07-22T15:09:00.004-04:00

The Home-schooled 4-H Explorers learned to preserve vegetables they have grown in their plot at the community garden. Shannon Coleman, 4-H Agent, instructed the group on making pickles, salsa and preserving green beans. It was a long day of hard work! The rewards will be well worth it when it comes times to enjoy the tasty foods. Club members who canned will chose a sample of their work to enter in the Mountain State Fair this summer.

Register 4-H Day Camps Now!

2009-05-26T11:20:00.000-04:00

It is time again to have summer fun with 4-H. Registration for the 2009 4-H summer day camps has begun. This year there will be three different 4-H day camps to choose from or come to all of them.
4-H Summer Fun Day Camps are packed full of fun and learning. We will be working on nutrition, wellness, physical activity, life skills, arts, crafts, sewing, gardening and so much more. Each week we will have an extended lesson for the families on budget friendly meals, healthy bagged lunches, nutrition on a dime, and how can families be fit and well together. Youth attending the day camps do not have to be a 4-H member or become a 4-H member to attend a day camp. All the day camps are open to youth regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, or disability. At 4-H day camps, youth will get to experience just how much fun 4-H really is.
Dates, ages and registration cost are listed below. Pay close attention to times and dates, they are included below and in the registration packets. A registration packet can be picked up at the office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, located at 39 Peachtree Street, Murphy, NC. Deadline for registering for all of the local 4-H day camps is June 12, 2009. Register early because space is limited to 10 youth per camp. The age for all camps is 6-15 years excluding Scott Hogsed Day.

4-H Fit for Fun Day Camp!
June 24 – July 2 (We do not meet June 27 or 28)
Hiwassee Valley Pool & Wellness Center
TIME: 8:00AM-5:00PM
TOTAL COST: $50.00 (That is less than $8.00 a day)

4-H Health Rocks & More Day Camp!!
This camp will be similar to the Fit for Fun but will have different activities for youth to do so if they choose to repeat the camp it will not be the same.
JULY 6 – July 17 (We do not meet July 11 or 12)
Hiwassee Valley Pool & Wellness Center
TIME: 8:00AM-5:00PM
TOTAL COST: $70.00 ($7.00 a day)

4-H Fit for Fun Day Camp, Take II!
Even though this is the same type of camp different activities will be plan so that if the same youth choose to participate they will not be bored.
JULY 27—AUGUST 4 (We do not meet August 1 or 2.)
Hiwassee Valley Pool & Wellness Center
TIME: 8:00AM-5:00PM
TOTAL COST: $50.00 (Less than $8.00 a day)

For registration information, come by the office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension or call Shannon Coleman or Cindy Chastain at (828) 837-2210. Day camps fill up fast so register as soon as possible.

Click here to get a registration form online.

Community Garden Up and Growing!

2009-05-21T09:37:00.003-04:00

Participants in the Community Garden have been attending classes about gardening and participated in demonstrations about gardening. For many of the participants this is the first time they have ever gardened. Agricultural Extension Agent Keith Wood, Family and Consumer Science Agent Teresa Wiley, and 4-H Agent Shannon Coleman have been providing instruction on gardening and gardening techniques. Classes are $10.00 for the entire series for the public and are included in the registration fees for garden participants. Several classes are still to come so please call the Extension office for more information.
The Explorer’s 4-H Club is growing one of the rows in the garden. The Explorer’s are a home school 4-H club here in Cherokee County. One of the clubs main objectives is to learning about gardening and they are getting involved and are knee deep in dirt. The leader is Nancy Duggan, of Andrews, and she is an avid gardener herself so she has a lot to teach the youth. Youth in the club have also contributed by making plant identification stakes from recycled blinds. These have been a big help for the garden participants to identify their crops they are growing. Youth have also help with getting the trellis ready for the beans by helping Keith Wood put the string on the trellis. The youth will also be doing some canning projects when their crops come in but the majority of their row of food will go to help needy families here in Cherokee County.
As a rule of the garden all of the participants must give 10% of their products to a local charity. This giving back is part of our commitment to being good stewards and giving back to the county that helped the participants by providing a place to garden.

Embryology Project A Success!

2009-05-13T14:56:00.008-04:00

The chicks are here! Mrs. Jessica Mashburn's fourth grade class have been studying animal habitats. One of their main projects during this study was the 4-H embryology project. This 4-H school enrichment program starts with the youth exploring the egg and the process of hatching the chick from the egg. Eggs were furnished by a local farmer and incubators are furnished by Cherokee County 4-H. The youth examined the progress of the development of the embryo at each stage as it became a chick inside an egg. The youth were successful in this project and had twelve baby chicks as a result of their care and hard work. The chicks will remain in the classroom until they are old enough to be sent back to the farmer.

Horsin' Around!

2009-05-13T11:37:00.000-04:00

The Cherokee County Riders 4-H Horse Club hosted its second annual Nora Starks Memorial 4-H Open Horse Show Saturday at the Cherokee County Industrial Park.

The event has been part of the Cherokee County 4-H Club for a while, but the name was changed to honor Starks, a member of the club who died in an automobile accident in January 2008.

There were a variety of events for all children ages 5-19, regardless of 4-H membership. Events included riding and non-riding events, including the stick pony race, a popular event for the younger riders. Ribbons were awarded to first through fifth places in all divisions. Also on hand to entertain the crowd were the Cruel Dixies – Carla Franks, Dawna Ham and Tiffany Parker – a horse-riding drill team out of Hayesville.

For details on joining the Cherokee County 4-H club, call Shannon Coleman at 837-2210 or Angie Hopkins at 557-1408.
- Article taken from The Cherokee Scout.

Free Camp for Military Kids

2009-05-12T16:10:00.001-04:00

North Carolina Operation: Military Kids (OMK) and Millstone 4-H Camp is pleased and excited to announce that Camp OMK 2009 will take place 12-17 July 2009. We just received confirmation late today that Camp OMK 2009 has been fully funded and is free to all participants by a generous donor. Operation: Military Kids (OMK) understands our military youth are experiencing difficult times and situations with the deployment of a parent or parents.

Millstone 4-H Camp will host Camp OMK 2009 and will provide an excellent camping experience for military youth 8 to 13 years olds (Guard, Reserve and Active Duty) whose parent(s) are in pre-deployment stage, currently deployed or in post-deployment stage.

Millstone 4-H Camp is nestled in the tall pines of the Sandhills near Ellerbe, NC about 30 miles south of Southern Pines. Established in 1939, it was once a site where granite was quarried by hand to provide grinding stones for mills located in the piedmont of North and South Carolina. The center covers 320 acres of undisturbed woodlands and is situated within the 60,000-acre Sandhills Wildlife Management Gamelands. Near the center of the camp property is a picturesque 17-acre lake where campers can fish and canoe. Operation: Military Kids (OMK) understands our military youth are experiencing difficult times and situations with the deployment of a parent or parents. Camp OMK is free to all participants thanks to a generous donor.

Camp OMK, operated by and at North Carolina 4-H Centers, will focus on building coping skills and creating positive outlets for the intense emotions these children now live with daily. Critical to this experience is the camaraderie built among the campers as they meet other youth from across the state who are going through similar situations, but equally important is the opportunity to enjoy carefree camping experiences with their peers. While at camp, these children will have fun, laugh, learn and just enjoy being kids.

North Carolina's 4-H Centers are fully accredited through the American Camp Association (ACA) and employ extensively trained summer staff members to insure a quality camping experience.
Information about Camp OMK 2009 and the registration form are available at the following web locations:

www.nc4h.org under the heading Military Programs,
www.operationmilitarykids.org under the North Carolina Section
http://www.millstone4hcamp.org/

Completed registration forms must be received to the North Carolina 4-H Youth Development Office by 5 PM on Wednesday, 17 June 2009. Notification will soon follow to those selected to attend Camp OMK 2009. Priority is given to military children with a parent deployed or deploying anytime between May 2008 and November 2009. Once selected, a packet of information will be mailed to you with additional forms to complete, times of arrival and departure, items to pack, directions, and etc.

Please share with your contacts and partnerships. If you know if any military families who would greatly benefit from this wonderful opportunity, please share. This camp could not have been possible for these military youth if not for the generosity of this donor.
Thank you for all that each of you do in supporting our military families here in North Carolina!

Scott

--
J. Scott Enroughty
Project Manager
Extension Assistant/Military Programs
Department of 4-H Youth Development and
Family & Consumer Sciences
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
512 Brickhaven Drive
Suite 240, Campus Box 7606
NC State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7606
Phone: 919.515.8500
Fax: 919.515.7812
Email: scott_enroughty@ncsu.edu
Websites:
www.nc4h.org
www.operationmilitarykids.org

100 Years of 4-H Celebrated in Song!

2008-08-08T09:07:00.000-04:00

"As North Carolina 4-H prepares to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2009, youth and adults alike will tap their toes and hum the snappy tune to a song written especially for the occasion by John Hood, Mecklenburg County 4-H alumnus and winner of the 2008 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award.

The song, unveiled in April at the 4-H Gala, was the brainchild of Hood and Mark Dearmon of N.C. State’s Communication Services, who have worked together in performing arts for many years. Dearmon was asked to develop “a big number” for the 4-H Gala. With expressive arts as the theme for this year’s gala, Dearmon felt that a song celebrating the centennial of North Carolina 4-H would be the perfect solution." Read More.

Source: Extension Online News

New NC 4-H Conference Center

2008-06-17T08:40:00.000-04:00

"North Carolina State University has selected MHAworks, a Carolinas-based architecture firm, to design a new multi-purpose Conference Center for the Eastern 4-H Environmental Education Center. Michael Hining, President of MHAworks, will lead the project team as Design Principal for the $3 million facility."

Read More

2008-06-09T10:46:00.000-04:00

Don't Forget to Register for 4-H Summer Day Camps!

2008-06-03T15:52:00.000-04:00

"Say Cheese!'

Entries are now being accepted for the 2008 North Carolina 4-H Congress Photography Contest. The statewide NC 4-H Congress Photography Contest is sponsored by the North Carolina Agricultural Communicators Network (formerly the North Carolina Farm Writers and Broadcasters Association) and coordinated by the Department of Communication Services in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University.

The purpose of this exhibition is to provide a showcase of 4-H members' photographic accomplishments. The exhibit is unveiled at 4-H Congress in Raleigh, NC each summer. The winning photos are then displayed at selected meetings and events throughout the year until the next Congress.

Please remember to postmark your entries NO LATER THAN June 10, 2008 and should be original images created from June 2007 to June 2008. Contest categories this year include 4-H in Action, Nature's Beauty and Humor. Each category will be divided into Junior (Ages 9-12) and Senior (Ages 13-19) divisions.

For more information, including rules, entry forms and winning entries from previous years, please visit the following links:

NC 4-H Congress Photo Contest (home)
Contest Rules
Entry Form
Judging Criteria
Updates/Changes
Questions?

Please submit entries to:

Becky Kirkland
NC 4-H Photo Contest
Department of Communication Services
North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7603
Raleigh, NC 27695-7603

Again, entries for the 2008 Photo Contest must be postmarked no later than June 10, 2008!

We’re looking forward to another great group of photographs to judge for the 2008 Contest!

If you still have questions, please contact Shannon Coleman, Cherokee County Extension Agent 4-H Youth Development or Michele Allen, Extension Program Associate @ 828.837.2210.

4-H Career Poster Deadline Tomorrow!

2008-06-02T16:49:00.000-04:00

Calling all kids! Please have your career poster turned into our office by 5pm tomorrow, June 3rd!

We're looking forward to seeing your creative expressions and your career interests!

Where to find us:

39 Peachtree St.
Suite 103
Murphy, NC 28906
828.837.2210

A look at our 4-H History...

2008-05-27T17:37:00.001-04:00

4-H Career Poster Contest

2008-05-27T13:54:00.000-04:00

The 4-H Career Poster Contest helps youth investigate and learn more about a career that interests them. This year’s contest theme is “Career Exploration”. All youth ages 5–18 are eligible to participate. Age divisions are 5-8, 9-10, 11-13, and 14-18. Posters are due to the 4-H Office by Tuesday, June 3rd.

Please see the guidelines below:
1. Poster must be on standard poster board and must be of uniform size 22” X 28”.
2. Use theme to select a career you are interested in and share it with us! For example: “Explore Nursing.”
3. Copyrighted materials should not be used i.e. newspaper and film cartoon characters may not be used.
4. Posters must contain only original artwork (hand-drawn) by the artist (cut outs from magazines /prefab or professional clipart is not allowed).
5. Keep it simple and to the point.
6. Complete a contest entry form and tape/paste it on the back of your poster.

What happens next?
Scoring is based on originality, career theme, message, information and appearance. The top two posters in the 9-10, 11-13 and 14-18 age divisions will move onto district competition. District competition will be held during the seven 4-H District Activity Days with the top poster in each age division at each of the district level events competing for state awards. The state competition will be held in July during 4-H Congress. All State level entries will be displayed on Tuesday of 4-H Congress. Every entry will receive a participation certificate. County Winners in each age division will receive a certificate. District Winners in each age division will receive a District Award Ribbon. State Winners in each age division will receive a State Award Ribbon and $25 cash prize.

Get creative!
We look forward to seeing your posters and all the hard work you've put into them! If you have any questions, we'd be happy to help. Call Shannon or Michele @ 837-2210.