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1625 Adventureland Drive Suite A, Altoona, Iowa 50009 | 515-957-5760 | Monday—Friday 8:00-5:-00

LEARN MORE AT WWW.EXTENSION.IASTATE.EDU/POLK

CLOVER POWER MARCH 2015

POLK COUNTY EXTENSION

Headliner: 2015 Taste of camp

KATIE BEARY County Youth Coordinator kbeary@iastate.edu (515) 957-5771

CARLA VANDERHEIDEN Youth & Nutrition Internal Coordinator carlav@iastate.edu (515) 957-5763

MARCI VINSAND County Youth Coordinator vinsand@iastate.edu (515) 957-5770

Are you hungry for adventure? Does your mouth water when you imagine yourself zip-lining, climbing a 65-foot wall, and roasting the perfect marshmallow? Experience the sights, smells, and sounds of summer camp when you attend the 2015 Taste of Camp in Madrid, Iowa. Campers will learn about the natural en-vironment and sciences, develop their leadership skills, and make friends from surrounding counties. Dallas, Madison, Polk, and Warren county youth entering grades 1-8 in the fall of 2016 are welcome to attend; additionally, membership in the 4-H Youth Development program is not required to attend. Youth entering grades 5-8 may attend the full camp which will begin on Wednesday, June 17 at 4:00 p.m. and end Saturday, June 20 at 11:00 a.m. Youth entering grades 1-4 may attend Mini Camp on Friday, June 19 from 8:00 a.m. to Saturday, June 20 at 11:00 a.m. Family members are invited to the Closing Ceremony and campfire lunch on Saturday, June 20. Adventure Learning Center Associate Educator Katie Martin shares her excitement for Taste of Camp, “I'm excited because we are going to do some really fun activities that promise to give you an adventure!” Cost is based on a three-tier system. Financial aid is available for campers. Find more camp and cost infor-mation: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/polk/content/taste-camp-2015. Please contact Regional 4-H Youth Specialist Jeff Macomber at (515) 975-2677 or jmacombe@iastate.edu for additional information. Join us this June for a challenging and fun adventure! Start packing, Region 13 Staff

RE-LAUNCHING THE RECORD BOOK

Focus There will be a NEW record book rubric available Monday, March 9. All record books will be judged using this new ru-bric. There is a separate rubric for Juniors, Intermediates, and Seniors (the only difference is point value based on the number of project summaries required). We will accept hard copy record books and electronic record books this fall. The Polk County Advisory Board has a Record Book Committee who created this rubric, will oversee the workshops, and will judge the record books in the fall. Look for the new rubric on our website March 9. Leaders, expect a workshop this spring on the new rubric and how to help your members. Members and families, expect a few workshops this spring and summer on different ways to create an e-record book. Ease of mind: Some of you will wonder what this means for previous records. It is NOT expected or requested that you transfer all previous records to your online record book if you choose to create an e-record book this year.

INTERMEDIATE TRIP: THE BLACK HILLS OF SOUTH DAKOTA

events

POLK COUNTY CLOVER DASH 5K

I-CUBS GAME? Want to perfect your crust for family pie night? Join our Pie Workshop hosts Liz, Alex, and Marci on Saturday morning, March 14 for a three-session pie workshop focusing on food safety and inappropriate food at fair, pie fillings, and pie crusts. This workshop is open to 4-H club members and spots are limited to twenty-four pie enthusiasts (there are 14 spots left)! Registration is $10 and must be payed before the start of the workshop via cash, check or credit card* (*$10 plus 3% processing fee). Registration Form: http://goo.gl/forms/77KFjDZikt Contact Katie or Marci with questions. Wear your apron!

The first annual Polk County Clover Dash 5K will be held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 25. Polk County 4-H member Rebecca Osthus created this race in honor of former Polk County Youth Coordinator Joy Niklasen who passed away in 2014. The race is open to everyone, and you don't have to be fast to have fun. See you at the starting line!

Take me out to the ballgame! Please let us know when you’re interested in attending an I-Cubs game this spring or summer: http://goo.gl/forms/fZkgHZzIHM

HMM, HMM PIE!

4-H Intermediates (2014-2015 7th and 8th graders), polish your boots and charge your camera! The 2015 Region 13 & 14 Intermediate Trip takes place in the Black Hills of South Dakota for three days/two nights in June. Specific infor-mation and details will be available in April’s Clover Power.

spotlight BONDURANT GO-GETTERS AT RONALD McDONALD HOUSE

INTO THE WILD

On February 15, 2015 Bondurant Go-Getters 4-H Club donated non-perishable items to Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Des Moines. 4-H members also cleaned, learned more about the RMH mission, and witnessed how RMH makes their families feel at home. RMH offers individual and group volunteer opportunities.

Suburban Spirits with Polk County Conservation’s Heidi Anderson

BE MY VALENTINE Beaver Creek makes valentines for Kennybook Village residents in Grimes

Open Opportunities 4-H Club hosts The Amazing Race for residents of Walnut Ridge Senior Community in Clive. 4-H members researched a chosen country and made a food item from their country to share; there were eight counties represented. Games at each coun-try brought lots of laughter for all! One of the games, Name That Tune, included songs such as“Happy Birth-day” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” that were in different languages. Residents had to figure out the song title before they were given the next clue to “travel” to the next country. What a great time!

Spotlight cont’d. SHARK TANK

THE AMAZING RACE TICKET TO FUN Here is the official 2015 Polk County Fair theme and logo: Ticket to Fun!

At their last meeting, Ankeny Clover Kids Club collected all of the junk they could find. Then, the kids grouped into pods of four to five and created inventions with the junk and a roll of duct tape. Each pod had to "sell" their invention to "investors" a la Shark Tank. The kids had a blast, as did some of the more competitive parents! Take a look at our little entrepreneurs.

4-H BABYSITTING CLINIC

classifieds

IOWA 4-H YOUTH CONFERENCE 2015 ROUNDUP APPLICATIONS

Babysitting is an important job and can be scary if you don’t know what to expect. This clinic is for youth in grades 5 and above and will teach the skills to become a great babysitter. Topics include child development, safe cooking skills, emergency preparedness, basic first aid, and what parents expect from babysitters. Participants will prepare lunch and snacks as a group and will get to take home a babysitting basics workbook and a mini first aid kit. The clinic will be at the Grimes Community Complex in the cafeteria on Saturday, April 11 from 9:00 am-3:00 pm. Regis-tration is $30. Spots are limited so pre-registration is required. To register, contact Katie Martin at (515) 957-5778 or ktmartin@iastate.edu. Registration is complete upon payment.

Dare to Discover the 2015 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference! Dates for the conference are June 30-July 2, 2015. Watch the 4-H Conference website for additional up-dates: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/iowa4hyouthconference.

Last chance! Check out the 4-H Animal Science Roundup page. The online application form is available, and the deadline to apply is March 1. This year each Roundup species (beef, dairy cattle, horse, sheep, swine) will be limited to 20 applicants per species. Youth not selected for Roundup are still encouraged to attend the regular State 4-H Conference delegation.

LITTLE HANDS ON THE FARM The Iowa State Fair invites your club or county to partici-pate in a volunteer shift at Little Hands on the Farm (LHOTF). What is required of you? As a participant, your club or county commits to providing the volunteers for LHOTF for an entire shift. In return the name of your club or county is listed on the entrance and exit gates of LHOTF; additionally, your club or county is listed on the Iowa State Fair website as a Volunteer Group. Shifts are filling up quickly, so if you want information on what days and shifts are still available, please con-tact Agriculture Education Coordinator Emily Wynn at ebrewer@iowastatefair.org or 515/262-3111 ext. 244

CONSUMERS ENERGY SCHOLARSHIPS

DOWNTOWN EARTH DAY TOUR

Consumers Energy is offering two scholarships: Lineworker Scholarship and Academic Scholarship. Both scholarship deadlines are April 1 and parents must be a Consumers Energy Co-op member. For the Information and Application forms, contact Katie or visit Polk County 4-H’s Facebook page. For more information regarding specific details, contact Kippen Glenney, Member Service Representative, by phone at (800) 696-6552 or by email at kglen-ney@consumersenergy.coop.

If you upcycled or recycled a 4-H project (past or pre-sent) and want to share it with the Des Moines commu-nity on Saturday, April 25 at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden as part of the Downtown Earth Day Tour, join this event! Also, if you want to promote 4-H, join this event! Katie plans to attend this event and promote 4-H with marketing materials, but she also wants a working ex-hibit that is eco-friendly and promotes sustainability. Katie is also looking for 4-H projects to display--projects that promote eco-friendly, sustainable practices. If you want to volunteer, contact Katie. The details: Saturday, April 25 at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm (volunteer shifts: 11:00-1:30, 1:30-4:00, and 11:00-4:00).

INTERN FOR LATINO HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Classifieds Cont’d.

EASTERN IOWA 4-H DAY EXPERIENCE AGRONOMY EVENT

4-H Senior members, are you interested in Volunteer Interning for Joe Gonzalez, Director for the Latino Heritage Festi-val? If you want intern experience in marketing, diversity, and community promotion, this is a fabulous opportunity for you. Time commitment: two hours per week. Responsibilities: update social media weekly; research different Latino countries, informing your audience with cultural write-ups; and assist with preparation for the Latino Heritage Festival (September 26-27, 2015).

If you are interested, contact Katie. Polk County 4-H and Region 13 plan to partner with the Latino Heritage Festival this year, so we hope a Polk County 4-H member takes advantage of this opportunity.

Eastern Iowa 4-H Project Workshop is at North Scott High School in Eldridge, Iowa on Saturday, April 25, 2015. Region 16 is excited to host this exciting day full of opportunities. We encourage all 4-H members, parents, and volunteers to join us. We are especially excited for our CARGILL sponsored keynote speaker John Robinson. There will be a variety of workshop offerings including Communications, Food Science, and FSQA, and there are sessions for adults! Visit Polk County 4-H’s Facebook page to view the original Information form.

The Iowa State University Agronomy Club is excited to announce a new educational opportunity for 4-Hers in grades 4-8 who are interested in Agriculture and Agron-omy. Together with the staff and professors of the Iowa State University Agronomy Department, the club will host a fun-filled interactive day full of demonstrations by world renowned ISU Agronomy faculty and teaching assistants, a career fair with companies in agricultural industries, a lunch, and a raffle. The day will focus on many important areas such as weeds, seeds, crops, weather, and soil. This event will take place on Satur-day, April 11, 2015 in Ames at Agronomy Hall. We are asking for $5 per attendee to help cover the cost of lunch and one t-shirt per person. For the flyer/registration, http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4hfiles/pubApr112015AgronomyClub.pdf

GOURD BIRDHOUSE WORKSHOP Calling all artistic and outdoor-loving 4-Hers! Ellen Sattler, a Polk County 4-Her, is hosting a gourd birdhouse workshop at her home located at 1870 NW 80th Ct. in Clive. The workshop will be held on Saturday, April 18th, 2015 from 9:00 am-1:00 pm. Participants will listen to an educational presentation given by Ellen and then will make their own gourd birdhouse. Bring gloves, a flat-head screwdriver, and a sack-lunch if desired. Ages 10 and up. Maximum amount of par-ticipants is 15. Cost is $3. Contact the Sattler family at (515) 778-5143 to register.

RADA MFG. CO. CLUB FUNDRAISER

Classifieds Cont’d. The Extension Office has eight Rada Mfg. Co. fundraising packets. Each packet includes the Fundraising Catalog, Order Taker, Order Form (with wholesale prices), and Fundraising Made EASY Guide for the leaders. Rada Mfg. Co. is an Iowa company that employs 100 people who make almost 17,000 pieces of cutlery a day. Rada Cutlery is 100% Made in USA kitchen items. Club profit averages 40%. Contact Katie if you’re interested.

IALF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 4-H CLUBS *[Please inform us if you plan to apply; only ONE submission per county. We will helps clubs collaborate.] The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF) is offering grants to support agriculture education programs that im-pact students or adults and help develop an understanding of agriculture and the agriculture industry. Agriculture in the Classroom Local Support Grants are designed to initiate new projects or expand existing projects that promote agri-culture literacy through education and outreach. Grants can be used for to fund innovative lessons, activities, class-room resources, guest speakers, outreach programs, field trips and other projects. Eligibility Projects/events must take place between March 15 and October 31, 2015. Applying organizations must qualify in one of the following areas of funding: Start-Up Grants ($1,000 each; up to 5 awarded)

Organization has not conducted any Agriculture in the Classroom or agriculture literacy efforts in the past 2 calendar years (2013 & 2014)

Organization has detailed plans of beginning Agriculture in the Classroom or agriculture literacy efforts with specific action items and planned measurable outcomes.

Scale-Up Grants ($750 each; up to 5 awarded) Organization has conducted at least one Agriculture in the Classroom or agriculture literacy activity in the past

2 years Application must show an increase in number of projects conducted, an increase in the scope of the project

being conducted, or an increase in the scale of the project being conducted like number of students/adults reached

Continuing Excellence Grants ($500 each; up to 10 awarded) Organization has conducted at least one Agriculture in the Classroom or agriculture literacy activity in the past

2 years Organization has detailed plans of continuing Agriculture in the Classroom or agriculture literacy efforts with

specific action items and planned measurable outcomes. No more than one grant will be awarded in each county. Multiple organizations within a county are encouraged to work together and apply jointly, however one organi-

zation should be identified as the lead. Grant money cannot be used for fund raising efforts or political issues or campaigns. Grant Timeline Applications due by March 15, 2015. Successful applicants will be notified by late March 2015. Funding will be distributed by early April 2015. A follow-up report and at least one photo (minimum 300x400 pixels or 250KB) of the project must be submitted by

October 31, 2015. Visit Polk County 4-H’s Facebook page to view the original Information form.

HORSE OWNER SEMINAR

FSQA TRAINING AND TESTING

Animal & Livestock news

2015 EQUINE EXTRAVAGANZA

All food-producing livestock exhibitors currently in grades 4-6 are required to attend FSQA training. 4-H’ers currently in grades 7-9 will be eligible to take the Intermediate Test, and 4-H’ers in grades 10-12 will be eligible to take the Senior Test. These eligibilities are no longer tied to the 4-Her’s age. This training includes exhibitors in Beef, Dairy, Sheep, Swine, Poultry, and Rabbit project areas; additionally, the train-ing includes breeding divisions of the above exhibits. Polk County will be offering FSQA Training from 6:00-8:00 pm on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 and 1:00-3:00 pm on Tuesday, March 17, 2015. These are currently the only two sessions scheduled for Polk County. Be sure to reserve your place in the FSQA class by contacting Marci. Testing sessions will be held from 5:00-6:00 pm on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 and 12:00-1:00 pm on Tuesday, March 17, 2015.

Attend the Horse Owner Seminar at the Jester Park Equestrian Center (JPEC) on Saturday, March 7, 2015 from 3:00-6:00 pm. This event is free of charge and is a great opportunity for area 4-H members interested in horses to come out and learn something new and in-formative. JPEC values education and sharing love of horsemanship. There is a presentation or round-table discussion every half hour, ending with a Q&A session at 6:00. Please call JPEC Facility Manager Lela Mullen at (515) 999-2818 for more information.

The 2015 4-H Youth Equine Extravaganza is a newly combined event of the Youth Horse Jamboree (typically held in late March) and the State Horse Judging Contest (typically held in November) that will be held at the Eq-uine Center at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls. We hope that this will increase participation for all of the variety of equine events in which youth can par-ticipate. Look for more information on entry deadlines and processes coming soon on the Equine Extravaganza website. There are a couple of room blocks set up at the AmericInn and Super 8 in Iowa Falls. Be sure to ask for the Ellsworth College 4-H Horse Event block when you reserve your room(s).

DOG OBEDIENCE CLASSES BEGINNING SOON It’s that time of year for the Dog Obedience Project to start. The orientation and organizational meeting will be Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at 6:30 pm at the Extension Office in Altoona. As required by the USDA you will need to provide a copy of your dog’s vaccination record (including a rabies certificate) before you can start attending classes. A waiver form will be required, and you need to ID your dog in 4-H Online before you may begin classes. Do not bring your dog to the meeting on March 18.

Regular meetings will begin on the following Sunday, March 22 at the Des Moines Obedience Training Center at 1423 SW Army Post Rd., and they will continue on Sunday afternoons until the fair in July. Beginners will start at 1:30 pm and everyone else will begin at 2:30 pm. Please contact Sally Martin at (515) 967-5358 if you have ques-tions or need to make alternate arrangements for orientation.

WEIGH-IN DATES

Animal & Livestock news Cont’d. *[LOOK! There is a date change for the swine weigh-in.] Please mark your calendars with the following weigh-in dates: Swine – Saturday, April 11, 2015 from 8:00-11:00 am at Don Timmins’ farm in Altoona Sheep and Meat Goats – Saturday, May 2, 2015 from 8:00-11:00 am at the Iowa State Fair Grounds Sheep Barn

POLK COUNTY PRODUCED CATTLE

Once again ALL livestock ID’s will be done through 4-H Online. As has always been the case, non weigh-in species’ ID’s will be due by May 15 (they can also be done today!). To enter non weigh-in species, you will need to log into your 4-H Online family record and add the pertinent Animal ID’s to the member record. Weigh-in animals will be entered into 4-H Online by county extension staff. It will be the responsibility of the members to log into 4-H Online to verify that all information is correct. Information that is not verified by the members within the verification timeframe will be locked and will not be able to be changed after that date. If you have questions about this process, contact Marci.

If you plan to exhibit a Polk County Produced Beef animal, you will need to turn in an Affidavit of Polk County Produced Cattle. This affidavit is due to the Extension Office by July 1, 2015. The affidavit can be picked up at the Polk County Ex-tension Office or found online at polkcountyfairiowa.com under Forms. Contact Marci with questions.

LIVESTOCK ID’S

TASTE OF CAMP CHAPERONES

PORTABLE CHALLENGE TRAINING

Attention: leaders!

ANNUAL LEADER MEETING

This two-day training will focus on what it means to lead challenge programs and the principles behind team building. Qualified trainers from the Adventure Learning Center will guide participants through a variety of warm-up activities, get-to-know-you games, and team initiatives as well as in depth instructions on how to use the equipment for the ac-tivities. Upon certification, trainees will receive a manual full of resources as well as access to the Adventure Learning Center’s portable program equipment. Not only is the information obtained during the training applicable to a 4-H Club setting, but it can also be applied in any teaching environment for both youth and adult audiences! The training will be held at the Polk County Extension office on March 18-19, 2015 from 8:30 am-4:30 pm both days. The cost of the workshop is $150/participant. To register, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/polk/content/trainings or contact Nicole Rottinghaus at nrotting@iastate.edu or 515-957-5767.

4-H’ers FOR 4-H CAMPAIGN Each year the State 4-H Council sponsors the Iowa 4-H’ers for 4-H Campaign, which raises money to fund projects that benefit 4-H members throughout the state. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Iowa 4-H’ers for 4-H Campaign. Our goal has been placed at $30,030.30 with a suggested $3.00 per member donation to coincide with our 30th Anni-versary theme. Your investments contribute to:

Providing financial assistance to help 4-H’ers attend 4-H camp or conference. Helping members from low-income families pay part of their annual 4-H program fee. Funding speakers and entertainment at the State 4-H Youth Conference, keeping registration fees afforda-

ble for everyone. Improving the Iowa 4-H Center with new equipment to enhance campers’ experiences.

We need your help to provide Iowa 4-H members with substantial funding! We are asking each 4-H club in Iowa to do-nate a minimum of $3.00 per member to the campaign. All clubs that meet the $3.00 per member goal will receive a special campaign certificate at their county recognition event. The top contributing counties and regions will be formal-ly recognized at the 2015 State 4-H Youth Conference in June. Donations are due to the Polk County Extension Office by May 15. Contact Marci for more information.

Adults, do you have a taste for adventure? Did the Headliner article take you back to your glory days of summer camp? Just like Uncle Sam said, “We want YOU!” Polk County is searching for adult chaperones for the 2015 Taste of Camp in Madrid, Iowa from June 17-20. We need one female chaperone for the full camp and a male chaperone for the full or mini camp. It is free to attend if you chaperone!

Mark your calendar! The Annual Leader Meeting is Thursday, April 23, 2015, 1:00-3:00 pm or 6:30-8:30 pm. We will share updates about upcoming events, as well as county fair updates!

THE RULES ARE FROZEN SOLID WHEN IT COMES TO WINTER FUN If you plan a winter activity i.e. sledding, every club member must fill out the Winter Sports Waiver: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4hfiles/RMIowa4HWinterSportsPermissionAgreementJan2010.pdf

Other Risk Management Reminders: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/page/4-h-risk-management

WHAT IS YOUR CLUB DOING? Is your club or a member participating in a fun commu-nity service opportunity? If so, we would love to hear about it! Please share with us your happenings, and we will place it in next month’s Clover Power.

… and justice for all The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call 800-795-3272 (voice) or 202-720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

MAY

JUNE AUGUST

Calendar 2014-2015

JULY

MARCH APRIL

3 4-H Program Advisory Board

7:00 pm

4 County Council Meeting 7:00

pm

10 FSQA Training 6:00 – 8:00 pm

14 Pie Workshop 9:00 am —

12:00 pm

17 FSQA Training 1:00 – 3:00 pm

18 Dog Obedience Workshop

6:30 pm

18 Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm

1 County Council Meeting 7:00

pm

7 4-H Program Advisory Board

7:00 pm

11 Swine Weigh-In 8:00 -- 11:00

am

11 Babysitting Clinic 9:00 am –

3:00 pm

15 Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm

23 Leader Meeting 1:00 – 3:00

pm or 6:30 – 8:30 pm

25 Deadline for Financial Aid for

Camp and State Conference

from the 4-H Foundation

2 Sheep Weigh-in 8:00-11:00

am

5 4-H Program Advisory Board

7:00 pm

6 County Council Meeting 7:00

pm

15 Livestock ID’s Due

15 Last Day to Enroll in 4-H

15 Polk County Fair King and

Queen Applications Due

20 Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm

25 Office Closed

2 4-H Program Advisory Board

7:00 pm

3 County Council Meeting 7:00

pm

6 King/Queen Candidate Inter-

views

17-20 Region 13 Taste of Camp

17 Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm

TBA Intermediate Trip

TBA Photography Camp

30- State 4-H Conference

July 2

1 Polk County & Iowa State

Fair Entries Due to Extension

Office

4 Office Closed

7 4-H Program Advisory Board

7:00 pm

8 County Council Meeting 7:00

pm

8 Fair Board Meeting 7:30 pm

11 Clothing Event

22-27 Polk County Fair

25 Polk County Clover Dash 5K

13-23 Iowa State Fair