Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Volunteers Needed for District Public Speaking Competition

Mecklenburg County 4-H is hosting the 17-county public speaking competition for the West Central District on Wednesday, June 23. The event will be held at Berewick Elementary School in south Charlotte. Volunteers are needed to serve as room host/hostess, assist with information table, assist serving lunch, parking and data processing.

If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, contact Robbie_Furr@ncsu.edu.

A volunteer orientation will be held on Thursday, June 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the 4-H Office (1418 Armory Drive, Charlotte NC 28204).

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

15 Classrooms begin 4-H Embryology

Fifteen Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools classrooms begin their 4-H embryology adventure today. Fertilized chicken eggs have been set in each classroom and will be incubated over the next 21 days. Throughout the incubation process, the classroom students will turn the eggs, check the incubator temperature and check the incubator humidity level three times each day.

The classroom teachers are utilizing the 4-H "Hatching Classrooms" curriculum with hands-on science activities that reinforce the life cycle standard course of study science objectives.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Planting Blueberries in Mecklenburg County

The Mecklenburg County 4-H program is selling blueberry, blackberry, raspberry and muscadine plants this month to support youth program efforts in the county. But, what do you do with these plants once you get them home? I've put together some useful information to be used in planting blueberry plants.

The varieties of blueberry plants the 4-H program is selling are well adapted to our growing climate. For home planting, it is recommended that two or more varieties of blueberries be planted together to assure higher yields and better quality fruit. This is a direct result of cross-pollination.

Blueberries have a shallow root system. Therefore, only the top 6 to 12 inches of the soil needs to be prepared. You can prepare the soil in the same way you do to grow azaleas or rhododendrons. The area you choose should be well drained. Excess water should be able to drain away from blueberry plants within a few hours. The area should be free of grass and weeds. When the planting site is determined, place 1/2 bushel of composted material on top. Peat moss, leaves, bark or sawdust will do. Work the mulch into the top 8 inches of the soil within a 2 to 3 foot diameter of each plant.

Blueberry plants will grow in full shade to full sun. The more shade the plant is exposed to will result in a lower fruit production.

The plants sold by Mecklenburg County 4-H do not need to be pruned before planting. Following the first harvest season, it is normally advantageous to prune 1/3 to 1/2 of the plant. This can be accomplished by cutting back, cutting out or a combination of both. You can prune to a desired shape any time of the year. However, for minimal fruit loss it is best to prune just at the end of harvest season.

When planting your blueberries, they should be spaced 3 to 6 feet apart. Planting at three feet will give a high density planting and form a hedge quickly. Rake back an area about 3-4 inches deep. Place the plant in the center of the area and fan the roots out in all directions. Holding the plant upright, rake the soil back over the roots and pack firmly. Wet the soil sufficiently.

The root area of blueberries should always be kept moist. You can use fertilizers formulated for azaleas or rhododendrons on your blueberry plants. These plants can only tolerate small amounts of nitrogen at a time.

If you do order blueberry plants from the 4-H office, you will also receive planting guidelines similar to these listed above. If you have further questions regarding blueberry planting, please call the Mecklenburg Cooperative Extension Office at 704-336-2082 weekdays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

More information about the 4-H plant sale along with an online order form is available on our website: www.mecklenburgcounty4h.org. You can also call the 4-H Office at 704-336-2082. The deadline to place an order is October 30. The plants can be picked up at the Mecklenburg Cooperative Extension office (1418 Armory Drive, Charlotte, NC 28204) on Thursday, November 5 between 9am and 7pm or Friday, November 6 between 9am and 5pm.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

4-H Electric Curriculum Training

Would you like to introduce your 4-H’ers to “The Magic of Electricity”? The next 4-H cluster training scheduled for Tuesday, September 15 will focus on the 4-H Electric curriculum and kit. Participants in the 1.5 hour session will experience several of the FOURTEEN activities included in this curriculum, using supplies from the 4-H Electric Kit. Topics covered in the curriculum include: electrical switches, magnetism, circuits and conductors. A light meal will be served.

The deadline to register is Friday, September 11. Call the 4-H Office at 704-336-2082 or email Robbie Furr (Robbie_Furr@ncsu.edu) to register.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Mecklenburg County 4-H Centennial Golf Tournament

Mecklenburg County 4-H Centennial Golf Tournament
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Charles T. Myers Golf Course
7817 Harrisburg Rd., Charlotte, NC 28215

Shotgun Start at 1pm
Captains Choice
Closest to the Pin Contest
Longest Drive Contest
Limited to 18 teams

Team Fee: $200 includes:
-Golf cart
-Green fees
-Range Balls
-Door Prizes & Awards
-BBQ Dinner (following the tournament)

Fall / Winter 4-H Curriculum Trainings

**NEW for Fall/Winter 2009/10**
ALL trainings will take place at the 4-H office located at
1418 Armory Dr, Charlotte, NC 28204
• The cost for ALL trainings is $5 unless otherwise noted
(this cost includes one set of curriculum per site)
• ALL participants will receive 2.0 training credits
Enhance your out-of-school program with fresh ideas from 4-H!

September 15, 2009 Electricity* 6:30 PM
September 21, 2009 Workforce Development 9:30 AM/6:30 PM
October 8, 2009 Soil Solutions* 6:30PM
October 20, 2009 Be the “E” 9:30 AM/6:30 PM
(Entrepreneurship)
November 12, 2009 Holiday Crafts* 6:30 PM
November 17, 2009 Power of Wind 9:30 AM/6:30 PM
December 3, 2009 Acres of Adventure II 9:30 AM/6:30 PM
January 29, 2010 Health Rocks 9:30 AM/6:30 PM
February 9, 2010 Down to Earth 9:30 AM/6:30 PM
Horticulture

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

2009 4-H Volunteer Training Schedule

Mecklenburg County 4-H has partnered with five surrounding counties in order to offer a wide variety of training opportunities for all 4-H volunteers. This year we will offer trainings each month excluding June, July, August, and December. Each training will start at 6:30 pm with a light dinner provided. All trainings are free to attend but volunteers MUST RSVP. If you have any questions or concerns about upcoming trainings please contact your County Extension Office. The first Cluster training of 2009 will focus on Marketing your club and Centennial Celebration on January 13 at 6:30 pm. Since this year is 4-H’s 100th Anniversary we would like to give you some ideas on how we all can celebrate the occasion to its fullest.

4-H Teen Lock-In

Mecklenburg County teens and surrounding county teen 4-Hers will come together for a lock-in on January 23 at First Ward Recreation Center. Teens will meet at First Ward and proceed to the Bobcats arena were they will watch the Charlotte Bobcats take on the Phoenix Suns. The game will be followed by fun, dancing, and games at First Ward Recreation Center. The event will last from 6 pm on January 23 until 7 am on January 24. The cost is only $15. If you are between the ages 13-18 and would like to attend or know more about this event please contact your county 4-H office. You must register to attend. Mecklenburg County office number: 704-336-2082. This is going to be a fun filled evening that you wont want to miss.

Double-Dutch Clinics

Two double-dutch clinics were held on Tuesday, November 11 at Amay James and First Ward Recreation Centers.  At the clinics, youth from the recreation centers received double-dutch instruction and practiced jumping and turning skills.  Several 4-H double-dutch teams are being formed and will compete in a double-dutch competition in 2009.

New 4-H Clubs

Mecklenburg County 4-H is eager to introduce the new additions to our 4-H Club family. The first club is the Breakaway Riders. The Breakaway Riders are going to be a force to recon with at any 4-H horse competition. The club’s leaders Erin and Miranda have complied an outstanding bunch of horse enthusiast.

The second new addition is Socrates Academy. This club meets within the Socrates After school program. The club leaders Renee, LaTisha, and Nicole have a wonderful group of 4-Hers that will be using their hands to create dazzling arts and crafts.

The third addition is the GIS/GPS Teen Group. At their 1st meeting members were informed, what Geospatial technology is, how it relates to them, and what career fields can be entered with gained knowledge and skills of GIS/GPS. The group is still open for enrollment, if you are a teen age 13 to 18 and would like to attend a meeting contact the 4-H offices at 704-336-4016. Next meeting is Dec. 8th. Remember THIS IS A FREE PROGRAM.

Mecklenburg County 4-H Club Locations