The RCE/4H Office will be closed on February 13, 2023, For Lincoln’s Birthday
Registration for the 2023 County-Level 4-H Public Presentations is now Closed.
For those that are participating in this year’s County Level presentations, all registered participants should have received an email confirming the date and the location they registered for. If you are unsure if you did please contact Tanya Patrie at patrie@njaes.rutgers.edu
Please support the Sussex County 4-H Food Drive in cooperation with the Sussex County Library System to help fill local food pantries in the coming winter months.
Non-perishable food and Personal hygiene item donations may also be dropped off at the 4-H office.
We will also be collecting donations at each of our
4-H Public Presentation events.
4-H Top Chef Virtual Competition
Start off the new year with a fun 4-H event! Become a 4-H top chef and create your own cooking video using a favorite recipe! Team or individual entries allowed!
Contact the 4-H office for more info.
To register visit https://forms.gle/4UKuCcimMtkZPSen7
4th-6th Graders are invited to participate in 4-H Ag-Venture Day presented by Somerset County 4-H.
Calling all youth grades 4th- 6th to come and take on an adventure in agriculture!
February 11, 2023, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Ted Blum 4-H Center, 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Come and take on an adventure with the Somerset County 4-H Animal Science clubs! Youth in grades 4th-6th will have the opportunity to have a hands-on experience with livestock in order to learn about the agriculture industry, animal science, and the importance of sustainable agriculture. All workshops are taught by 4-H volunteers with a passion for sharing their love of agriculture with youth just like you
Cost per child $20 | Additional siblings $15
Register by February 1st. Admission limited.
More Information and Registration packet: https://4histops.org/events/ag-venture-day
SOMERSET COUNTY 4-H FURRY FRIENDS
RABBIT, CAVY, & SMALL ANIMAL SHOW
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2023
Ted Blum 4-H Center, 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Show Secretary: Sandy Bate
Email: FurryFriendsEntry@yahoo.com or
Phone: (908) 963-9715 for Day of Show Questions
Judges: Mary Stamets – Rabbit
Jim Brown – Cavy
The Complet Show packet can be found at the following link:
4-H-Furry-Friends-Small-Animal-Show-Complete-Packet-Feb-19-2023.pdf (sussex4h.org)
The S.H.A.R.K. Program is back!
Are you a 9-11 grader interested in Marine Science?
Consider attending the 4-H Scientific Hands-On Applied Research Knowledge (S.H.A.R.K.) Program!!
Developed by our own NJ 4-H County Agent Matthew Newman, 4-H S.H.A.R.K. is a program where youth gain hands-on marine science experience while living aboard a real-life research vessel!
If you’re interested and have questions, feel free to email Matt at m.newman@njaes.rutgers.edu
Be a part of the NJ 4-H Legislative Leadership Experience
Sign up for information
Attention 4-H Members in 9-12th grade
Plans are underway for the 2024 Citizenship Washington Focus conference scheduled for June 20-27, 2024.
The deadline to Apply is March 8.
Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) is National 4-H Council’s premier leadership and civic engagement experience held each summer in the Washington, DC area. It is a week-long event (Thursday – Thursday) for 4-H members in grades 9-12 (14-19 years old). The program is based on the principle that democracy requires skills and strategies that must be learned and practiced and it teaches participants to be active, responsible citizens and leaders. The program utilizes Washington, DC as a working classroom to learn about the government, citizenship, and civic engagement and provides hands-on opportunities for our teens to promote “Better Citizens Today, Better Leaders Tomorrow.”
During the CWF program week, delegates will:
•Strengthen communication, leadership, and civic engagement skills on a national level
•Understand the importance of Youth Voice and the skills necessary to make a change in their community, such as civil discourse and media literacy
•Exchange ideas, practice respect and form friendships with other youth from diverse backgrounds
•Experience hands-on learning using the historical backdrop of our nation’s capital city, Washington, DC, as their classroom
•Create a plan and work with fellow delegates to develop the steps to carry out the plan upon their return home, to make a difference in their community.
The New Jersey delegates will travel by coach bus for the week and will experience all that Washington, DC has to offer. We will join approximately 250 4-H members representing a variety of states
Information can be found on the New Jersey 4-H website at the following link: http://nj4h.rutgers.edu/citizenship/washingtonfocus/
Event Scholarships may be available. Contact the 4-H Office for more information.
The deadline to have the application turned in to the office is March 8.
The Town of Newton along with the
Newton Fire department will be hosting the
Annual St. Patrick’s Parade
March 18, 2023
They invite you to register to be a Participant, including Sponsors, or volunteers. The parade steps off at 11 am on Spring St. in historic Newton, NJ! The parade will go on rain or shine. However, if there is a risk to public safety – the parade will be canceled.
The parade starts at Lower Spring St and continues down Moran Street and ends at Memory Park. Floats must enter from Woodside Ave onto Quantum Drive and must be in place by 9:30 am. Walking participants must arrive before 10:30 am. Fire Departments and First Aid Squads are to line up on Halsted Street starting at 9:30 am.
Please use the following link to access the parade registration application: Parade-application-2023.pdf (sussex4h.org).
The deadline to submit registrations to parade organizers is March 3, 2023
Horse Project Events Taking Place Soon
New Jersey State 4-H Spring Model Horse Show
April 8, 2023, 1-5 p.m. at the David C. Wood 4-H Center, 3210 Route 50, Mays Landing NJ 08330. Open to all 4-H members interested in model horses. For registration and information, contact Joe Morgan, j.filamenthead@att.net and visit here: https://nj4h.rutgers.edu/horses/model-horse-show-clinic/
New Jersey State 4-H Championship Horse Show
August 25-27, 2023 at the Gloucester County DREAM Park
https://nj4h.rutgers.edu/horses/horseshow/
4-H Animal Science Video Contest and Film Festival
New Jersey 4-H, in cooperation with the New Jersey Junior Breeder Symposium, is sponsoring the 4-H Animal Science Video Contest and Film Festival to include ALL 4-H animal project areas.
Youth may work individually or as a team to create short educational videos (3:30 minutes or less) about alpacas, cats, cattle (beef/dairy), dogs, goats, herpetology, horses, llamas, poultry, rabbits, sheep, small animals, and/or swine to enter in the 4-H Animal Science Video Contest. Youth must upload their video and media release(s) by the end of March 4 (see website for details). The videos will then be shared at the film festival in the Round House of the Rutgers Cook Campus Farm during an afternoon session of the Junior Animal Science Symposium on Saturday, March 23.
Youth of the top scoring videos will receive awards, including gift cards. Videos will be scored on educational value, creativity, clarity, pacing, and technical quality (sound, lighting, etc.) – 20 points each, total of 100. A tip sheet and a description of the judging criteria are both available on the website, along with the top scoring videos from prior years. Youth are encouraged to have fun and be creative in designing their video entries!
Details are available on our website at http://nj4h.rutgers.edu/animals/film-festival.
2023 Rutgers NJ Junior Breeder Symposium
The Rutgers Junior Breeder Symposium is scheduled for Saturday, March 25, 2023, at the George H. Cook Campus of Rutgers University. This symposium is not just for breeders, but for any youth or adult who would like to come learn! Hands-on workshops in Equine, Large Ruminant (Cattle), Small Ruminant (Sheep & Goat), Swine, Poultry, Rabbit, Cavy (Guinea Pig), Small Animals, and Beekeeping! This event is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Junior Breeder program in cooperation with Rutgers Cooperative Extension faculty and staff
Registration link can be found here:
2023 Foods Day Registration (google.com)
Room Host NEEDED!
Community Service Hours Available for Middle/High School Members
The 4-H office is looking for help individuals, Middle and High School members, to volunteer to serve as Room Hosts for our 4-H Public Presentations in-person programs.
As the Room Host, your responsibilities will be to introduce those presenting and assist them with setting up their presentation. Community service hours will be granted to those who volunteer.
Please contact Tanya Patrie at patrie@njaes.rutgers.edu for more information or to sign up. You may also use the following link to sign up to volunteer https://forms.office.com/r/DGmqG95WSd.
Club News
Support Sussex County 4-H Bunnies N Buddies & Regal Rabbits 4-H Clubs
The Kicken Chickens 4H Club is doing a Fundraiser!
Hard time finding a card? Last minute shopper? Look no further! You can pick any of the boxes below!
All boxes have 30 cards and are $30!
What a deal!
Holiday Box has 50 cards for $30
Contact your local member or the 4H Office
Thanks and BlanksAll occasions Box 1All occasions Box 2Holiday CardsKids Birthday Box
1st Annual 4-H Rhapsody in Color Music and Fine Arts Festival
Poetry x Hunger: Poetry Call from Middle and High School Youth
Do you want to help eliminate hunger and poverty through the power of your pen? NJ Arts 4-H is introducing Poetry X Hunger. Join in the Poetry X Hunger project promoted by Expressive Arts 4-H of Rutgers Cooperative Extension. If you would like to learn more about the many forms of poetry you can choose from, contact Ellen Williams, Expressive Arts 4-H Agent at williams@njaes.rutgers.edu.
For more information visit https://nj4h.rutgers.edu/comm/poetryxhunger/
Tufts Adventures in Veterinary Medicine
Do you know an aspiring veterinarian? Adventures in Veterinary Medicine (AVM) is a fun and engaging career exploration program for middle and high school students who are interested in pursuing a veterinary career. We invite your 4-H youth to apply to AVM and discover if this exciting career is right for them! AVM attendees will explore the wide variety of opportunities available within veterinary medicine and see first-hand what attending veterinary school is really like. Sessions include lectures by Tufts faculty and vet students, interesting laboratories, demonstrations, and hands-on activities with animals. Applications for summer 2023 are now available! For more information on the program, including dates, eligibility, and tuition please visit the AVM website or contact us at AVM@tufts.edu
Adventure awaits in Australia Summer 2024 with EF tour
This trip is open to all members age 14 and up (at the time of travel) as well as adults (anyone over 20 is considered an adult).
Come learn about the itinerary, activities, academic opportunities, and the cost of the trip at this meeting. Find meeting details below:
· Date: September 27th
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Zoom
Please register for the meeting here: https://bit.ly/460N3v8
This is not a 4-H sponsored trip and is open for anyone to attend.
It is being coordinated by Kathy Kula, 4-H Teen Council Leader, and Jefferson H.S. Teacher.
Information and Programs For Our 4-H Parents and Leaders
4-H Public Presentations NEEDS Volunteers
Caring adults are needed to volunteer to help us evaluate those 4-H youth participating in our 4-H public presentations program.
Presentations are being held on and at the following dates and places:
March 1 – Frankford Twp. School, 2 Pines Rd. Branchville (live animals allowed)
March 8 – Frankford Twp. School, 2 Pines Rd. Branchville (live animals allowed)
March 15 – High Point Regional High School, 299 Pidgeon Hill Rd, Sussex
March 22 – Kittatinny Regional High School, 77 Halsey Rd. Newton
Please use the following link to sign up to serve as a presentation judge: https://forms.office.com/r/WLfFSwuHTK, contact the 4-H office at (973) 948-3040, or email Tanya at patrie@njaes.rutgers.edu.
If you know someone who would like to serve or be a good fit to serve as a 4-H public presentation judge, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Tanya at patrie@njaes.rutgers.edu.
For any questions please contact the 4-H Office.
Sussex 4H Clubs are invited to Participate in the
1st Annual 4-H Rhapsody in Color Music and Fine Arts Festival
Rhapsody in Color 4H Music and Fine Arts Club is hosting its first Club Fundraiser at the Fairgrounds on Sunday, March 26, 2023, from 10 am to 4:30 pm. They are inviting 4-H Clubs to apply at a reduced rate of $30 per 8-foot table space prior to inviting public vendors. Space is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis. A table rental fee (which includes 2 chairs per table) is an additional $5. They will open up applications to the public on January 20th.
Link to the application form: https://forms.gle/STFnu42D3MHDsp4t5
Please let them know as soon as possible if you are interested in being a part of this special event.
Their club will have art for sale and will perform throughout the day. Simultaneously, there is another event being held in the Richard’s Building. There are collaborating with that event host as well to advertise the event, so we expect a great turnout!
Please reach out to them directly for questions and/or for more information: 4HRhapsodyinColor@gmail.com or 973-841-7189
Gardening Education Series 2023
The Science Behind How Things Grow
This horticultural education program is available to home gardeners and covers a variety of topics related to understanding the science behind how things grow. Online classroom instruction will run February 9th – May 25th, Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30 pm (2-hour lectures with question and answers session following). The program consists of 16 content expert lectures and 5 core prerecorded webinars, plus additional elective webinar content and class discussion sessions.
Lectures include the following topics: Botany, Soils, Entomology, IPM, Plant Pathology, Trees and Shrubs, Pruning, Turf, Weeds, Vegetable Production, Small Fruit, Tree Fruit, Composting, and Herbaceous Plants.
For More Information About the Program Contact
Lisa Chiariello -Program Coordinator
973-948-3040 lisa.chiariello@rutgers.edu
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