Teen Summer Opportunity

Horticultural Science Summer Institute
July 7th-12th, 2013

High school-aged youth (rising sophomores, juniors and seniors) are invited to apply to a weeklong, residential horticultural experience on the campus of NC State University. Youth will have hands-on opportunities to explore a broad range of horticultural possibilities from breeding better fruits and vegetables, growing a diverse selection of woody ornamentals, lengthening the life of cut flowers, learning sustainable production practices, climbing trees, designing landscapes and delving into tools that enhance our understanding of plant growth. Participants will visit a variety of horticultural businesses, eat delicious local food, explore campus, watch garden films, and arrange flowers.  Youth will also be introduced to career possibilities, college-making decisions and leadership development.

The cost of the institute will be $500 with a $150 deposit due upon application acceptance. Many meals (but not all) included. Please fill out the online application and have a non-family member submit one letter of recommendation to liz_driscoll@ncsu.edu or Liz Driscoll, 218 Kilgore Hall, Campus Box 7609, Raleigh, NC 27695

Click here to submit an application! Applications due by May 22, 2013 at 5:00PM.
http://go.ncsu.edu/hssi 

Draft Schedule (Please see attached last year's schedule)
Sunday, July 7thAfternoon Registration (Tentatively Bragaw Hall), Cookout and Keynote opening                               

Monday, July 8th
Ornamental Plants (visit to JC Raulston, plant identification, plant propagation, cut flowers, nursery) Evening activities: team-building, campus exploration 

Tuesday, July 9th
Vegetables (vegetable production, breeding, food safety, farm tour) Evening: garden movie screening

Wednesday, July 10th
Veggies and local foods (fruit production, tasting, grafting, food systems, farmer’s market) Evening: Floral design 

Thursday, July 11th
Landscape Design and Consumer Horticulture (landscape design, treen-climbing, rain gardens) Evening: Cookout, games, presentation editing 

Friday, July 13th
Career reflections, college decisions, Parent luncheon

For more information visit: http://cals.ncsu.edu/hort_sci/extension/YouthSummerInstitute.php

4-H Fruit Plant Sale

Ordering for the Watauga County 4-H Fruit Plant Sale is now open.   Proceeds help support youth programs in Watauga County.  Supplies are available at a first-come first ordered basis.

Plants available include blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, and heritage apple trees. The plants are bare root, which means they do not come in potted soil.  This allows the plant to be sold at a lower cost.  For those who do not want bare root plants, we have two varieties of blueberries in 1 gallon containers.   

For an order form, come by the Cooperative Extension office at 971 West King Street, call 264-3061 
or download here

Orders are due by March 25

Explore Horses

Love horses?  Explore the wonderful world of horses through 4-H.  Horse groups are forming.  Target meeting dates are the 2nd Thursday and 4th Tuesday of the month.  
You do not have to own a horse to learn more about horses.  Many opportunities exist through the 4-H Horse program, from horse bowls to artistic competitions.  The NC 4-H Horse program has a list of opportunities through the 4-H horse program.   See the NC 4-H Horse facebook here.
  Be sure to check in to confirm the date and time by calling 264-3061 or email karee_mackey@ncsu.edu

Raise a Turkey

Wanting to "adopt" a turkey?  Here is a program for 4-H'ers to receive a baby turkey, raise it, then show it at the NC State Fair.  

The 2013 Youth Market Turkey Show is gearing up for another fun and exciting year!!
Limited numbers of turkey poults are available on a first come, first serve basis.  The date to Commit and get your name in is March 1.
Turkey pickup will be June 13th and 14^th, time TBA, with the turkey check in on Oct. 10^th and the show taking place on Oct. 18^th

If you have questions, see details HERE.

Rural Youth Loan Program

Calling all entrepreneurs.  Maybe you want to raise livestock or grow and sell vegetables or flowers.   Maybe you need equipment to be able to do your project.   If you have some great ideas for starting an agricultural income-producing project, there is a resource that might be helpful for you.  Start-up funds are available to 10-21 year olds through the FSA (Farm Service Agency) Rural Youth Loan program.  To find out more, click here, or see the FSA office, which is in the same building as Cooperative Extension.  

Teen Opportunity

4-H Congress

June 22-25

13 year olds and older 4-H participants

Join in the annual state event with over 600 youth, volunteers and agents from across the state. Meet 4-H’ers from every county in the state, attend workshops, fun activities, see NC State, experience dorm life, and more.  Learn more things you can do in 4-H.  Leadership tract and citizenship/civics tract.
See video HERE (last year's)
Register by May 20

for other teen events, see here

4-H Presentations

4-H Presentations 2013

4-H participants are encouraged to experience speaking in public, in front of an audience.  This can be done by sharing at a club meeting or other informal opportunities, or by formally participating in the 4-H Presentation competition program.

See here for more information on presentations and to see some on video! 

Let us know by March 18 if you want to give a presentation at the local level.

Local presentations:  Evening of March 28 (tentative); an alternate date for scheduling conflicts can be arranged

Those who qualify at the county level are eligible for district competition.

District Activity Day:

Saturday, April 27;  Competition starts 10:30 am;  Haywood Community College

State Competition:  Saturday, June 22, Raleigh