National Guard Welcome Home Celebration

We'd like to give a big, huge THANK YOU to the 4-H kids and volunteers who helped out at the National Guard Welcome Home Celebration this Saturday. Keyonia, J.P. and Maggie helped out in the serving line while Shannon helped sign in the soldiers and their families. Everyone had such a good time and their assistance was invaluable.

The kids are standing behind the cake that was made especially for the celebration. There were over 250 cupcakes alone on that table! And we (by we, I mean, of course everyone there) managed to eat every one of them!

On the menu was steak, chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, baked beans, cole slaw and potato salad as well as drinks and dessert.

Thanks again to all that helped!

Calhoun County 4-H

Back on Track

Let's get this blog back on track.

Good luck to all of our Livestock Members who are going to show at this Saturday's Lee County Fair. We know each of you will do your best and come out on top!

Thanks to the HUGE turnout at Kids in the Kitchen yesterday. I think that was the most fun we've ever had at a Kids in the Kitchen. The fruit tarts we made were to die for. I'll post the recipe in a separate blog post for those of you interested. Somebody remind me to have Trent take pictures next time. Our kids were very creative when it came to placing the fruit on the tarts. We had epic scenes and silly faces and tall stacks of fruit. Since all of them disappeared so quickly, I can only assume that they were delicious. I know I thoroughly enjoyed mine. Great job kids! Don't forget that next month, we're grilling hamburgers and making homemade french fries. We'll run it similar to the pork chop contest during the fair. Each kid will get enough meat to make one patty and they'll get to spice it up the way they choose. In addition, we'll make homemade regular AND sweet potato fries. Hope to see everyone there!

We also have the 4-H Horse Club Fun Day coming up in September. According to our Facebook page, this will include events as well as activities (riding and non-riding). There will be a concession stand and a Trade Day. Some of the events scheduled are: barrel pick-up, water glass, catalogue race, simon says, apple bobbing race, egg race, panty race, it takes two race, sweet potato sack race and ride a buck. Some of the non-riding activities are cake/gift certificate walk, stick horse race, color and name your horse contest and a boot race. Come one and come all! Support your local 4-H Horse Club!

We're going to start Shooting Sports back up in September. We will have one club meeting for shotgun only and one meeting for rifle and archery. See our schedule on the right for more information. And as always, we will start at 3:30 p.m.

We are now on Facebook! Yay! You can find us by doing a search for Calhoun Fourh. Add us as a friend!

If you have anything you want to contribute to the blog, just drop us an e-mail or give us a call. We'll start to take more pictures to post! Honest!

Calhoun County 4-H

Technology club meeting

We want to know if you want to learn how to do technology? On your computer!

Madison

new technology club

Do you want to learn about technology? Come to our next technology club meeting on May , 17, 2010 at 3:30 p.m.

austin

February Kids in the Kitchen

On Wednesday, February 17th, our Kids in the Kitchen group met to make pancakes.

We had a small but very enthusiastic group. We were delighted to have YaYa back as our instructor. Maggie Rennie and Gracelyn Missman were our two chefs for the day. Logan and Lillian Missman were our official taste testers. They held up their end of the job quite well.




Here Maggie is getting ready to pour the oil into our mixing bowl. Gracelyn explained to us that there are different kinds of oil. Here, we're using vegetable oil.

Gracelyn expertly poured in the milk to our egg and oil mixture while Maggie and YaYa looked on.

Here, Maggie shows us how much easier it is to get the flour out of the bag by standing up on a chair.

Don't laugh....it works!

Maggie shows Gracelyn how to stir the mixture together. Between the two of them, we had a nice smooth batter. Way to go girls!

Due to the extremely hot griddle, Yaya took over scooping the batter out of the bowl onto the griddle. We recommend that all young kids have an adult in the kitchen to help them when making pancakes.

Look at those delicious pancakes cooking on the griddle!

Here, Gracelyn is explaining to Maggie that you have to watch for the bubbles in the batter to go "pop, pop, pop" before you flip the pancakes.

Maggie is going to show us how to expertly flip a pancake while on the griddle.

Voila! Perfect, Maggie, just perfect!

Doesn't the finished product look yummy? Can't wait to dig in!

Maggie and Gracelyn show off their finished dish. Good job girls!

Add some maple syrup and something to drink and you have a delicious meal!

Just ask Gracelyn. That smile on her face shows us just how good they really are.

Maggie appears to agree!

Can't wait til next month when we do baked chicken nuggets!

See you there!

Calhoun County 4-H

Northeast District Livestock Show

Calhoun County 4-H and FFA youth competed in the Northeast District Livestock show in Verona recently.





4-H Meat Goat Judging Team I received 1st place in the Jr. Goat Judging competition. From left are C.J. Weddle, Mikayla Shelton, Julianna Cain and Todd Harrell. Harrell received High Scoring Individual Reason and Mikayla Shelton received 2nd place Overall Score Individual.

Calhoun County 4-H Meat Goat Judging Team II received 3rd place Team at the Northeast District Livestock Show. Ellen Harrell received 3rd place Overall High Score Individual. Abbigail Barefield received 3rd place High Scoring Reasons Score. Pictured from left are team members: Ellen Harrell, Abbigail Barefield and Madison Cox.

Carleigh Orr received 6th place with her Heavyweight II market goat, 2nd place with her Heavyweight III market goat, 2nd place Mediumweight II commercial doe goat, 4the place Mediumweight I commercial doe, 1st place Heavyweight II commercial doe, and Grand Champion Commercial Meat Goat Doe.

Hunter Barefield exhibited livestock at the Northeast District Livestock Show in Verona, MS. Hunter was selected to receive the 2010 Roy Cooper Sportsmanship Award. This award is in honor of Mr. Roy Cooper who as an Ag teacher who transported youth all over the state assisting them with their livestock projects. Hunter also received 7th place with his light heavyweight I market goat.

In addition, Mikayla Shelton won 1st place in Goat Showmanship, 1st place with her Mediumweight II market goat, 4th place Lightweight I market goat, 1st place Heavyweight II market goat, Champion Heavyweight market goat, 3rd place Mediumweight III commercial doe goat, and 7th place Heavyweight II commercial doe goat.

Abbigail Barefield received 4th place in Showmanship and 9th place with her Heavyweight I market goat.

Ellen Harrell received 6th place in Showmanship, 3rd place Lightweight II market goat, 3rd place Mediumweight I commercial doe goat, and 7th place Heavyweight I commercial doe goat.

Todd Harrell received 4th place with his Mediumweight II market goat, 4th place with his Mediumweight III and commercial doe.

Madison Cox received 5th place in Showmanship, 2nd place Lightweight I commercial doe goat, 4th place Lightweight I commercial doe goat, and 5th place Light Heavyweight I commercial doe.

Julianna Cain received 4th place with her Lightweight II market goat and 3rd place with her Lightweight I commercial doe goat.

C.J. Weddle received 5th place with her Lightweight II market goat, 1st place Heavyweight III market goat, 1st place Mediumweight I commercial doe, 1st place Light Heavyweight I commercial doe, 3rd place Heavyweight III commercial doe, and 5th place Heavyweight III commercial doe goat.

Congrats to all the winners! Calhoun County is so proud of all of our 4-H youth.

Calhoun County 4-H

How to Leave a Comment

If you're interested in leaving a comment on any of our blog posts, it's real easy to do. Just look for the word "comment" at the end of each blog post and click on it. Then you can simply leave your comment.

For safety sake, we are moderating all comments. Therefore, if you leave a comment and do not see it immediately, don't be alarmed. Once we've had a chance to review the comments, we will allow them to post.

We appreciate any and all feedback.

And again, if you have any stories from any events or photos of any 4-H happenings and would like to share them, just let us know.

Thanks,

Calhoun County 4-H

UPDATE RE: Congressional Awards

The State Congressional Award ceremony scheduled for February 21, 2010 has been postponed.

As soon as we have a new date, we'll let you know.

Any questions, please call.

Cahoun County 4-H

Homemade Biscuit Recipe

Here's the homemade biscuit recipe for all to enjoy.

Homemade Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 cup Crisco shortening
3/4 cup milk

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

In large bowl, cut shortening into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With a fork or spoon, pour in enough milk to form a soft dough or until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.

On a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth. Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with floured 2 inch round cutter. Place biscuits lightly touching on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12-14 biscuits.

Calhoun County 4-H

Kid's In The Kitchen January 14, 2010

On Wednesday January 14, 2010, we held our monthly Kid's In The Kitchen club meeting. At this meeting we learned how to make homemade biscuits. We had a guest helper, Ms. Maggie. But she told everyone to just call her YaYa.

(Kid's In The Kitchen club members)

We seperated into three groups to give everyone a chance to participate in each step of the biscuit making process.

The next two photos show two groups mixing the ingredients.

(Martha, Madison, J.P., Ty, Wesley, YaYa, Ms. Denise, Trent)

(YaYa, DeeDee, Shannon, Emily, Maggie, James and Madison)

Here Deborah shows us how to expertly cut the shortening into the flour, as Stephanie watches on.

(Stephanie and Deborah)

The first group is measuring the flour for the biscuits.

(Madison, Barbara, J.P., Ty, and Wesley)

Our second group is now making the dough into a ball in order to roll and then cut it into biscuits.

(Deborah, Stephanie, and Joseph)

Our third group had Madison showing us how to cut the shortening into the flour.

(Madison)

Our second group is showing how to roll the leftover dough into a ball to make more biscuits. Waste not, want not!

(Joseph and Deborah)

Wesley from our first group is showing us how to roll out the dough.

(J.P., Wesley, Ty, Denise)

DeeDee and Shannon from our third group are mixing ingredients.

(DeeDee and Shannon)

J.P. shows us how to make a perfectly round (and hopefully perfect tasting) biscuit.

(J.P., Ty, and Wesley)

Group one places biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet.

(Martha, Jacquelyn, Madison, J.P., Ty, Wesley, and Denise)

DeeDee placing group threes biscuits on the ungreased cookie sheet.

(DeeDee)

What a MESS!!!

Shannon very carefully putting the biscuits in the oven to bake.

(Shannon)

Wesley helping YaYa transfer the baked biscuits to a cool cookie sheet. Watch out YaYa, don't burn your fingers!

(YaYa and Wesley)

Joseph taking the biscuits from the oven to the work table.

(Joseph)

Everyone..... DIG IN!!!

We made so many biscuits, everyone was able to have two or three.

A moment of silence (because their mouths were full) while we all enjoy our homemade biscuits.

Calhoun County 4-H

Goat Judging Pictures January 12th, 2010

On Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 we had our weekly goat judging meeting.

This meeting was after the snow days we all experienced the week before.

As you can tell, we had to be careful heading out to the barn....thanks to Mr. Jimmy Howell for scraping some of the snow off the walkway.

(Mr. Jimmy)

Of course, some of us still wanted to play anyway.

(Madison)

Mikayla showed off a goat to a future 4-H'er.

(Mikayla)

One of the goats gave Mikayla a hard time leaving the scale. However, like a pro, Mikayla got it to the pen.

(Mikayla)

Ms. LaDonna and Mikayla try to take a couple of goats to get weighed. They were having a bit of a problem, so Mikayla helped by pushing one of them along.

Madison lent moral support.

(LaDonna, Mikayla, Madison)

Here's C.J. leading another goat to the scale. She looks more than happy to lead.

(C.J.)

Whoops, C.J., better watch out!

(C.J.)

Mr. Trent is giving instructions for judging the goats. Look how attentive all the kids are. Teachers, take note.

(C.J., Ellen, Mikayla, Madison, Todd, Trent)

The kids are now applying the instructions given earlier as they feel the goats topline.

(Mikayla, C.J., Ellen, Todd, Madison)

The judging continues. Todd and Ellen exchange notes as Madison feels the rump of the goat.

(C.J., Mikayla, Madison, Todd, Ellen)

Good luck at the upcoming shows, District and Dixie Nationals!

Calhoun County 4-H

Welcome to the Calboun County 4-H Blog!

Welcome to the Calhoun County 4-H blog where you can see pictures of events, find out meeting times for clubs, check out what's new in the 4-H world and see all the upcoming events.

Please look around and leave a comment. If you have any ideas of blog posts or have any photos you'd like to share from any 4-H events, please let us know and we'll get 'em up.

Thanks,

Calhoun County 4-H