GNF, livestock show information
By Kevin Tatum, County Extension Coordinator
It’s almost fair time! That means it’s time to enter the many contests and events available to 4-H’ers at the Georgia National Fair in Perry. The dates for the fair are October 3-13, but the entry deadline for Coffee County 4-H’ers is 4:00 PM on Wednesday, September 11. NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE PROCESSED!
Contests for 4-H members include: Computer Graphic Design, Decorated Agricultural Products, Recycling, Terrarium/Dish Garden, Family Scarecrow Building Contest, Instant Camera Photography, Public Speaking, Variety Show, Family Seed Art, Cotton Boll Speech, Family Pumpkin Decorating, Cloverleaf Peanut Contest, Cupcake Masters, Healthy Commodity Contest (Squash), Homemade Ice Cream, and Pizza Contest.
You can get a copy of the rules for each contest/event from the 4H office or by visiting the Georgia National Fair website at georgianationalfair.com (go to Georgia Living→Youth Educational Exhibits→Competitions-4-H). Registration forms and exhibits/entries must be turned in to the county 4-H office by September 11.
For more information, visit their website at georgianationalfair.com or contact the fair at (800)987-3247 or (800) YUR-FAIR
Georgia National Fair Trip
Plans are being made for Junior and Senior 4-H members to go to the Georgia National Fair on Tuesday, October 8. The tentative fee for attending the trip is $40 per person. This includes admission to the fair, an armband for the rides, insurance, and transportation. The fee is due in the 4-H office no later than Friday, September 6.
Livestock Show Information
The County Goat Show will be held on Saturday, September 21, starting around 9:30 AM, at the Coffee Middle School Livestock Facility in Douglas. Please come and support our youth involved in this event. The state show will be held in conjunction with the Georgia National Fair with weigh in on Thursday, October 3, and shows on Friday, October 4, and Saturday, October 5.
Also, students interested in showing cattle should contact Mr. Kevin at the 4-H office at 384-1402 or Mr. Michael Berry at Coffee High School as soon as possible. The state entry deadline is approaching quickly and all cattle must be tagged, tattooed, and registered.
The tagging date for hogs will be in mid to late November. All animals will be tagged at the Coffee Middle School Livestock Facility. Please make sure that you have your animals there so you can participate in the shows this year.
4-H Volunteer Leader Update
4-H Volunteer Leaders who are current with their status need to remain current by attending an event, meeting, or activity within a six month window. If someone goes longer than six months, they will have to start the application process all over again to become a volunteer. To help volunteers avoid this problem, there is a 4-H Volunteer Leader Update Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 24, at 6 PM in the 4-H office meeting room. If you are not sure if you need to attend, please contact the 4-H office at (912) 384-1402. Our staff will be glad to check your status and let you know if you should attend the meeting.
Volunteers who have not taken the online Risk Management Training (version 3.2) since July 1, 2019, need to do so before participating in an event with 4-H members. This is a Georgia 4-H requirement, so please take the time to do this training. An email with the link for the training and exam was sent out in August to every active volunteer. If you have deleted the email, you may contact us to resend the email to you. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the 4-H staff.
4-H Week Public Service Announcements
Junior and Senior 4-H members will meet up at the 4-H office on Monday, September 16, to record public service announcements (PSA’s). These PSA’s will be played on local radio stations during National 4-H Week (October 6-12). 4-H members are asked to write their own PSA around their DPA project so as to help with content for their portfolio.
Students interested in doing this should sign up by September 9 by turning in a copy of their PSA to the 4-H office of their written PSA.
4-H Officer Training
4-H members who are elected or appointed to serve as an officer for their school or community club are asked to attend the upcoming 4-H Officer’s Training Workshop on Tuesday, September 17. The training will take place at the First Baptist Church in Douglas starting at 5:30 PM with dinner. Parents should plan to pick you up at 7:30 PM.
If you have questions about the Coffee County 4-H Club program, or questions around the farm or home, please feel free to contact the Coffee County Extension office at (912) 384-1402. Remember, we are YOUR local connection to the University of Georgia.