Alliance with Lonestar Silversmith

The Texas 4-H Foundation is excited to announce a new alliance with Lone Star Silversmith.

Lone Star Silversmith is a complete custom manufacturer of Rodeo and Custom Trophy buckles committed to detailed craftsmanship, quality materials, competitive pricing and excellent service. For those of you that attended 4-H Roundup, you had a chance to visit with this company in person within the Trade Show area. Following Roundup and many asking them if they had any 4-H type jewelry, they approached the Texas 4-H Program about seeking permission to create a line of 4-H jewelry using the official 4-H clover.

Lone Star Silversmith has designed a 4-H jewelry collection set which includes a ring, pendant, bangle bracelet, and earrings. Lone Star Silversmith has created this line of 4-H jewelry items that can be sold/ordered directly through Lone Star Silversmith and sold exclusively within the state of Texas. A royalty of 10% will be donated to the Texas 4-H Foundation to be used to support the efforts of Texas 4-H.

Watch the Texas 4-H Foundation website for more details at www.texas4hfoundation.org. You can visit the Lone Star Silversmith website to see samples of their current works. http://www.lonestarsilversmith.com. The 4-H line of jewelry will be released the week of December 1st. First debut of the 4-H items will be on the "Lone Star Collection" Facebook page, so be sure and LIKE their page.

Texas State Youth reining Horse Clinic

The annual Texas State Youth Reining Horse Clinic that is typically held in December will be held March 26-27, 2011. The location for the clinic will be the Somervell County Expo Center in Glen Rose, TX. Youth attending must be a 4-H member and bring a horse they want to improve in executing all basic maneuvers. The horse does not have to be a reiner. If under 18, members must pro-vide their own parental or volunteer supervision. Topics will include lateral flexion and forward momentum, circles, spins, stops, rollbacks, and lead changes. All participants will receive hands-on practice and assistance throughout the clinic. For additional information, contact Vicki Hoggett at (254) 897-9180 or hoggettranch@aol.com and/or visit www.reiningintexas.com.

PBR Offers 4-H Special Offer

PBR is offering again this year, a special rate on tickets for the Iron Cowboy Invitational
February, 19, 2011, check out the flyer at www.travis4h.com ( look under the tab "Non 4-H Events and Activities")

Clothing and Textiles Project Opportunity

Saturday, February 12, 2011
9 AM to 4:30 PM
Texas A&M Research and Extension Center (Corpus Christi)
Hwy 44 about 4 miles west of the airport Ph# 361 265-9203
$15.00 Members $20.00 Non-member
Lunch is included
For registration or more information contact: Judy Johnson jbjcjohnson@wildblue.net 361-5477221 Personal Color sessions by appointment on Sunday

Check out the flyer at www.travis4h.com for more information about this opportunity

Beekeeping Essay Contest

The Beekeeping Essay Contest is sponsored by the The Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees, Inc. For over 50 years, the American Beekeeping Federation has been serving the needs of the U.S. beekeeper. Any youth interested in participating in the contest must follow the instructions for the Texas selection process. Each State Winner, including the national winners, receives an appropriate book about honey bees, beekeeping, or honey.

• Submit entries electronically to Kyle Merten (kjmerten@ag.tamu.edu)
• For more information please visit the Beekeeping site: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/youth/beekeeping/index_youth_beekeeping.php
  
• All entries due by January 10, 2011.

Lets Say Thanks - Service Opportunity

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them. This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank you's. Thanks for taking to time to support our military!

4-H WHEP Statewide Project Training

February 12, 2011

Loy Lake Park, Denison, Grayson County

Registration is open on 4-H Connect (texas.4honline.com) for adults and youth. This one day training will take the participants through the 4-H WHEP Manual and the Texas Contests Rules and Procedures. Although the contest portion of this project will be a focus, a good deal of attention will be placed on the educational subject matter and how to better learn the material. 4-H WHEP is an excellent wildlife study course as well as a fun competitive event.

Friendly Rabbit Looking for a Good Home

A family in Austin is looking for a good home for the rabbit they acquired. If interested please email at the following address; mrs.shillington@gmail.com

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo - Ag Day!

AG4U at HLSR on March 8, 2011

Visit the Houston Livestock Show and RodeoTM on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, to experience AG4U - an action packed, fun-filled day open to all high school students that spotlights the importance of the ag industry in our daily lives. The capstone event is the Ag. Leadership Forum, a town hall style meeting, featuring professional, educational, and student leaders in the ag. community. Open to the general public, the forum is an interactive and enlightening look into what ag means to each of us.

The day will be filled with activities including:

- ag identification contest

- video contest

- workshops

- career and education fair

- complimentary lunch and hospitality area

- electronic scavenger hunt

- Ag Leadership Forum

- door prizes

Register Online www.rodeohouston.com - click "EVENTS" then "AG4U"

- registration deadline - 2/2/11

- open to all high school students on a first come, first served basis

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Video Challenge

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo - Video Challenge - Extension of Deadline to Feb. 1, 2011

DON'T MISS OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN $500!!!

TAKE THE AG AWARENESS VIDEO CHALLENGE!

I mean seriously....what part of your life do we NOT owe appreciation to agriculture!?!

Girls - do you leave home without makeup?? Do you love the latest fashion statements? Say thanks to agriculture!

Guys - do you go many hours without a "growing boy" size meal? Say thanks to agriculture!

Do you or your family members take medicine when you are ill? Say thanks to agriculture!

Are you thankful for that can of RAID when you spot a Texas Sized Tree Roach??? Say thanks to agriculture!

Check out this YouTube Video for inspiration!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4vvPPNyQ5g

Did you know this year, each American farm family will feed 155 people? Neither did consumers in many major U.S. cities. See their reactions to learning this fact -- and then see how grateful they became for America's farm families. This holiday season, don't forget to thank America's farmers.

For more information and to enter the Video Challenge click on: http://www.rodeohouston.com/events/agricultural-awareness.aspx

For further questions, contact Elise Sartwelle at 713-868-1111 or 281-660-3669 ElsieMae99@aol.com for support, advice, assistance and to help you with any questions.

GOOD LUCK!!

Johnson County 4-H Family in Need of Assistance

A Johnson County 4-H family endured a tragic event this weekend. On Saturday morning, the Mathis Family's home in the Mansfield area burned completely to the ground. This family consists of Chris (father), Amber (mother), Morgan, J.W., William, Sydney (children), and Michelle (aunt). They were left with nothing after the fire, so they need help in starting over during the next few months. The following donations will be the most beneficial to the family at this time:

-- Donate a gift card to Wal-mart, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Department stores, etc.
-- Make a monetary donation with your check made out to the Chris and Amber Mathis Fire Fund.

Please send any donations to the Johnson County Extension Office at 1 N. Main, Ste 309, Cleburne, TX 76033. All donations will be deposited into the Fire Fund or given to the Mathis family as soon as they come in.

2011 Teen Retreat

Travis County 4-H will pay for an adult to attend and chaperone. (Must be an approved 4-H Volunteer)

For 4-H’ers 13-19, this weekend retreat is a great opportunity to gain valuable leadership skills while building your 4-H network of friends from across the state! Texas Teen Retreat is scheduled for January 7-9, 2011 at the Texas 4-H Conference Center in Brownwood. It is designed to build leadership and life skills in youth to help them become productive leaders in their 4-H clubs. Our unique theme this year is “Leaders 4 Life!” an in depth look at this new project. Participants will see, learn, and get some hands on practice in components of the project! There will also be an exciting service learning slash team building activity sure to capture the attention of all. Teen Retreat participants will be equipped to return to their counties and lead activities with afterschool programs, 4-H clubs, Youth Boards, and more!

Come to Teen Retreat 2011 to get more in depth training in the Leaders 4 Life project and contest. You will leave equipped to make plans for implementation the program in your county!
Registration fee for Texas Teen Retreat is $100.00 per youth & $65.00 per Adult Chaperone.
Registration will be conducted on 4-H Connect. For more information on Texas Teen Retreat, please contact the Travis County Extension Office at 512-854-9600 or email Cory at cmtalley2ag.tamu.edu

Registration will be conducted via 4-H Connect starting November 15th and it will remain open through December 20th.

Academic Eligibility Forms for TCYS and Fort Worth

If you plan to exhibit a youth fair or livestock project at the Travis County Youth Show or a livestock project at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, you need to have an academic eligibility form completed by your school. All of the livestock shows adhere to the UIL guidelines so each participant must have a form turned into the Extension Office by Wednesday, January 12th, 2011.

This is for all public, private and homeschool youth. Please remember that January 12th is the deadline. You may turn them in as soon as your school completes the form. It is best that the school fax the form to the Extension Office.

The forms may be found at travis4h.com - look under the tab "4-H Livestock and Animal Information"

Lanier FFA Poinsettia Sale

The Lanier Horticulture Department will be holding its annual Poinsettia Sale. Check out the flyer on the 4-H website: www.travis4h.com - It is listed under the tab "Non 4-H Events/Activities"