What drives a 4-H Volunteer to do what they do? Quite simply, quoting Elizabeth Andrew,
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the HEART.” In relation to 4-H, they have a heart that bleeds green!
Jamie with her market lambs.
Jamie Burgess joined 4-H in 1990 with her first project in market lambs. Throughout high school she showed lambs and cattle and later ventured into projects in livestock judging, meats judging, public speaking, and automotive driving. In 2002, she was hired as the 4-H Program Assistant in Walton County. Later, she moved into other careers, but states “4-H stayed close to my heart.” Two years ago she met her current co-leader on the Walton County Fair Board who bragged about the support she was getting from 4-H with her Livestock Club. Jamie couldn’t resist any longer, she became the Livestock Club co-leader and the rest is history.
Grand Showman 1st place Beef Heifer
Due to her cooperative leadership in the Livestock Club, 4-H members showed in every showmanship class in the Walton County Fair! This was an amazing accomplishment for the club and the agriculture community. New community partners in Walton County now provide support to 4-H after seeing the immense growth of self-confidence, accomplishment, and dedication of 4-H’ers in the county. When asked how 4-H has made a difference in the lives of her 4-H’ers and the community Jamie states, “We are slowly bringing youth in agriculture back out into the spotlight. Agriculture is the backbone of America. Most of the counties in the Panhandle have strong roots in agriculture and we have a large farming community in Walton County. 4-H is a great way to draw attention to the Agriculture industry in a positive way!”
The 4-H national campaign “4-H Grows,” not only relates to growing life skills in our youth but also inspiring further development of these skills in our volunteers. Jamie credits her inspiration to keep growing to the amazing group of volunteers and youth she gets to work with. With Jamie’s uniqueness in experience she has seen challenges from all ends of the spectrum and states time restraints are by far the biggest struggle but to remember, “Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time to build a great 4-H club. Use the buddy system! Find someone you know you can work with and join forces as co-leaders. I have a great co-leader. We feed off of each other’s enthusiasm and we pick each other up when we get discouraged.”
Jamie teaching flight & kick zones to the Livestock Club.
Walton County 4-H is very fortunate to have such a dedicated and dependable volunteer serving the youth of our community. Jamie constantly volunteers her time to 4-H in all capacities and encourages her 4-H’ers to do the same. When asked what 4-H has done for her, she proudly states, “Wow! 4-H has impacted my life in so many ways. I learned responsibility, animal husbandry, and patience through my livestock projects. The judging teams taught me how to evaluate and compare and most importantly how to make an educated decision. Through public speaking and leadership activities, I gained confidence and learned how to make my voice heard as well as hear the voices of others. I met most of my closest friends through 4-H. My history in 4-H led me to my choice in careers. I currently work with my best 4-H friend at the Natural Resource Conservation Service. I get to work with farmers in my community building conservation plans to help them help the land. My own kids are now in 4-H and I am getting to watch their growth as they take on more projects. I simply can’t wait to see the adults they will become after being shaped by 4-H.”
To learn more about how you can volunteer in your own county, please contact your local extension agent. Volunteering is a time investment that will pay you back exponentially through the growth you see in the youth and program you’re affiliated with. Volunteers come in all forms from club leaders, to committee members, to over-night chaperones. Follow the links below to see how you can help 4-H expand our capacity to reach more youth, more families, and more communities through utilizing your skills, your knowledge, and your story! Come back tomorrow to read another 4-H volunteer’s story.
“When I was growing up 50 some years ago in West Gadsden County, I had no idea that the people that were a part of my everyday life would someday chart my path for the future.”
Angel (Clark) Granger showing her steer in Gadsden County, igniting a lifelong passion for 4-H.
I didn’t realize until recently just how deeply my roots are tied to 4-H. Not only does my family represent four generations of 4-H (with the addition of my granddaughter joining this year), but because there were people I took for granted that were absolutely engrained in Extension and 4-H.
I was the first child of Nelson and Karen Clark. I grew up on a farm raising cattle and goats. My grandmother was Ruby Scott Clark and everybody called me “Little Ruby” when I was growing up. She taught me how to string tobacco, garden, ride horses, drive a car, and how to make hoecake. My Granny’s best friend was Miss Elise Lafitte, County Home Demonstration Agent in Gadsden County during the 1950’s. She introduced my aunt, Shirley Clark, a now retired FCS Agent, to my uncle, Scott Clark. My cousin Bernard Clark was an Extension Agent in Gadsden County who is in the Florida 4-H Hall of Fame. My uncle Charles Rowan was an Ag Agent in Dixie and Pinellas Counties. If you read the chapter regarding Gadsden County in the book commemorating the 100 year Anniversary of 4-H in Florida, “Florida 4-H, A century of Youth Success”, you will see my Dad, my sons and me highlighted for our three generations of 4-H participation.
Growing up, I never tried to figure out what Extension was or why we had 4-H, it was just always there. My 4-H Agent growing up was Dickie Bentley. She made monthly visits to Greensboro Elementary School to teach us about record books and 4-H projects. I learned about veterinary science, public speaking, and how to give a demonstration. I still have every ribbon and pin I earned.
I left high school in the eleventh grade to help save the family farm from foreclosure. I soon married my husband Anthony and we moved to Tallahassee to work. In 1985 we bought 10 acres from my Dad, and we moved back home. In 1988 my second child, Cody was born. From the time they were old enough to tote a bucket, my husband and I worked the farm with my dad and taught our sons the value of life on the farm and family traditions.
I have a 4-H Exhibitor Card that was my Dad’s for ears of corn he entered as a 4-H Exhibit, as well as pictures of him showing cattle as a
Angel still has her father’s 4-H exhibit card for corn he grew and exhibited at the fair. circa 1956
4-Her. He made sure that I had those same opportunities in 4-H. He bought steers, hogs and feed for me to show as a child, and later also for my oldest son Cole. He and proudly watched Cole work with and show his first steer in 1994.
Sadly, I lost my Dad three months later. He was only 54 and had spent his whole life trying to keep our farm going. I watched my Dad struggle every day, working as a barber, a school bus driver, and a farmer to make ends meet. He bought cheap cattle, made poor decisions regarding crops, nearly lost everything to bankruptcy and soybean disaster, but he never gave up. I vowed the day I buried my Dad that I was going to find a way to help other people like my Dad, I just never dreamed it would lead me into Extension.
Angel’s sons, Cole and Cody Granger, also grew up in the 4-H family tradition and reply on many of the skills they learned in 4-H in their jobs as civil engineers.
After dad’s death, we continued what he started by keeping the boys in 4-H. I became the livestock club leader. My husband also volunteered to keep our boys active in 4-H showing cattle, hogs, and horses, and competing in county events until they both graduated high school. Both of my sons will tell you that 4-H played a huge role in making them the men they are today. They were part of clubs that had inclusive environments, they had opportunities to meet new people and were both able to use the skills they mastered to be successful in not only their college careers, but as professional engineers today.
After my sons finished high school and started college, I decided it was time to finish my education as well. Both of my sons graduated with degrees in Civil Engineering and I graduated with a degree in Agriculture with Emphasis in Animal Science. I had dreams of
Nelson Clark showing a steer, circa late 1940’s/early 1950s
becoming an Extension Agent and working with farmers and families to help them make good decisions and have access to resources. After two years, I was hired as the 4-H Youth Development Agent in Jackson County (ironically my Granny was born and raised in Bascom, a small town in Jackson County). After a successful 32-year career with the Florida Department of State, I set out on another exciting 4-H journey. Every day I strive to honor the memory of my Dad (who would have been 76 years old this month), my Granny, and my other family members who have been part of the legacy of Extension. Most importantly, I strive to make a difference in a young person’s life just like my 4-H Agent did.
Are you part of a 4-H family tradition? If not, consider starting one today. 4-H offers a broad spectrum of projects and activities to serve a variety of interests, skills, and knowledge. Contact your local UF IFAS Extension office or visit http://florida4h.org to enroll as a youth member or adult volunteer!
The holidays are often filled with time-honored traditions that include some of our favorite meals and foods. As you celebrate, think of little changes you can make this holiday season to create healthier meals and active days. An added bonus, these small changes may help you to avoid those extra holiday pounds we all fear each year. Happy Cooking!
In the Kitchen:
• For gravies or sauces — if you are making pan gravy, first skim the fat off pan drippings. For cream or white sauces, use fat-free (skim) milk and soft tub or liquid margarine.
• For dressings or stuffing — add low-sodium broth or pan drippings with the fat skimmed off instead of lard or butter. Use herbs and spices and a whole grain bread for added flavor.
• For biscuits — use vegetable oil instead of lard or butter and fat-free (skim) milk or 1 percent buttermilk instead of regular milk.
• For greens — use skin-free smoked turkey, liquid smoke, fat-free bacon bits, or low-fat bacon instead of fatty meats.
• For sweet potato pie — mash sweet potato with orange juice concentrate, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and only one egg. Leave out the butter.
• For cakes, cookies, quick breads, and pancakes — use egg whites or egg substitute instead of whole eggs. Two egg whites can be substituted in many recipes for one whole egg.
• Use unsweetened applesauce or mashed ripe bananas instead of butter.
• Try cutting the amount of sugar listed in recipes in half.
• Use spices to add flavor such as cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg instead of salt.
• Try baked apples with cinnamon and a sprinkle of sugar instead of apple pie.
• Invite your guests to make their own parfait with colorful sliced fruit and low-fat yogurt.
For meats and poultry (chicken and turkey):
• Trim away all of the visible fat from meats and poultry before cooking.
• Take off poultry skin before eating.
• Broil, grill, roast, poach, or boil meat, poultry, or fish instead of frying.
• Drain off any fat that appears during cooking.
• Chill meat and poultry broth until fat becomes solid. Skim off fat before using the broth.
• Skip or limit the breading on meat, poultry, or fish. Breading adds fat and calories. It will also cause the food to soak up more fat during frying.
• Choose and prepare foods without high fat sauces or gravies.
When Shopping:
• Start with a lean choice.
• The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
• The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choice.
Use the food label to help you choose
• Choose extra lean ground beef. The label should say at least “90% lean.” You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean.
• Processed meats such as hams, sausages, frankfurters, and luncheon or deli meats have added sodium. Check the ingredient and Nutrition Facts label to help limit sodium intake.
• Fresh chicken, turkey, and pork that have been enhanced with a salt-containing solution also have added sodium. Check the product label for statements such as “self-basting” or “contains up to __% of __.”
• Lower fat versions of many processed meats are available. Look on the Nutrition Facts label to choose products with less fat and saturated fat.
De-Saturate
• Use a nonstick pan with vegetable cooking oil spray or a small amount of liquid vegetable oil instead of lard, butter, shortening, or other fats that are solid at room temperature.
Enjoy the Food, Fun, Friends and Family!
Cheers to Good Health
• Quench your thirst with low-calorie options. Drink water with lemon or lime slices. Offer seltzer water with a splash of 100% fruit juice.
Be the Life of the Party
• Laugh, mingle, dance, and play games. Focus on fun and enjoy the company of others.
Give to Others
• Spend time providing foods or preparing meals for those who may need a little help. Give food to a local food bank or volunteer to serve meals at a shelter during the holiday season. Giving back is a great mood booster.
Make Exercise a Part of the Fun
• Make being active part of your holiday tradition. Have fun walking and talking with family and friends after a holiday meal. Give gifts that encourage others to practice healthy habits such as workout DVDs, running shoes, and reusable water bottles.
Enjoy the Leftovers
• Create delicious new meals with your leftovers. Add turkey to soups or salads. Use extra veggies in omelets, sandwiches, or stews. The possibilities are endless!
Be sure your family and friends enjoy the food and fun, but focus on the time together. Remember this season is all about the memories, not just the food. You will feel better and enjoy your holiday time with less worry if you focus on staying healthy this season.
Source: USDA United States Department of Agriculture – www.MyPlate.gov
The business world says that there are not enough young people with strong communication skills, work ethic, and leadership skills to fill today’s workforce pipeline. Through schoolwork, youth can gain knowledge and skills in areas like reading, writing, math and science. Working hard in school and taking advantage of all the opportunities available is very important, but it is not enough. By stepping up and doing more outside of school, it gives them a head start. Skills such as thinking skills; communication; teamwork and leadership; lifelong learning and self-direction; technology adoption and application; and professionalism and ethics are called 21st century skills (or life skills). These skills have not replaced the technical skills of doing a specific job. Rather, they are the skills necessary for almost all jobs and they are becoming more important every day.
The great news is that youth participating in 4-H are on the right path to obtaining these skills employers seek because 4-H projects, events, and activities incorporate workforce development skills regardless of the subject matter content. In fact, thousands of 4-H Alumni credit 4-H with their success in work and personal life. You can read some of their stories in our 4-H Press Room or watch the video below to learn how Commissioner of Ag Adam Putnam got his start in 4-H.
It’s never too early to start, and 4-H volunteers and parents play a critical role in helping youth gain skills and experiences through the pre-employment process. Below are ideas that will assist youth on the path to a successful career.
Career Awareness and Exploration
☐ Advise youth to read a book or do online research on six different career areas that interest them
☐ Start a job journal where they keep notes on different jobs.
☐ Have them to interview someone they know about their career.
☐ Contribute to a blog about a workforce career or skill.
☐ Take an aptitude assessment to see what types of careers might fit their interests.
☐ Coordinate a field trip for your 4-h club to a business or organization.
☐ Participate in 4-H U to explore different careers and fields of study.
21st Century Skill Development
☐ Youth can conduct a talk or demonstration on a career of interest.
☐ They can volunteer for a leadership role on a committee, club, etc.
☐ They can teach an adult coworker, family member, teacher or club leader how to apply or use a
technology to improve what they are trying to do.
☐ They can ask their teacher, parent, boss or club leader once a week (or whenever you meet) what they
can do to help out.
☐ Ask at least one question each day at school, home and work.
☐ Youth can attend a presentation on a workforce skill or topic.
☐ He/she can identify a skill area and write two goals and specific action items for improving your skill
in that area over the next six months.
Preparing for the Work World
☐ He or she can write a resume including project and work experiences and have an employer, educator
or parent review it.
☐ They can ask a friend, family member or adult leader to give you a practice interview, or apply to be a
summer camp counselor- part of the application includes an interview!
☐ Complete a 4-H Portfolio. The portfolio includes a resume and interview process. Top portfolios are awarded scholarships during 4-H U each year.
☐ Take an application scavenger hunt. Pick up or view multiple applications online to determine
what kinds of things are required for most applications and what the process includes.
☐ Club members can interview a human resource professional to learn about the employment process
and tips they suggest for improving your chance of success in the process
☐ They can apply for a job, trip, office or volunteer experience that requires them to go through an
application and interview process. Don’t forget they can always turn down an offer.
Work-Based Learning (Employmentor Service)
☐ They can serve as a camp counselor or a 4-H Ambassador.
☐ Club members can ask their parent for feedback on their performance with a household task or chore.
☐ Can serve as a volunteer at a business or organization.
☐ They can discuss with their current employer other career opportunities.
☐ Mentor a younger youth.
Encourage young people to start thinking about their experiences and accomplishments. They all have unique abilities, talents, skills, knowledge, and gifts. By learning to recognize the valuable skills they have gained, they can pinpoint their interests and help them to discover what types of career they may want to explore! If you are have skills you would like to share to help today’s youth become tomorrow’s workforce, visit http://florida4h.org/volunteer or contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office.
Growing up, we lived on a farm. At the age of 8, and not weighing much more than 50 pounds, my dad called me outside to a relatively small pen that he had fenced off the weekend before. He taught ag, so farming was more of a hobby for us, but this was something new. I noticed my grandpa’s old beat up blue horse trailer backed to the pen’s gate. I can remember my dad helping me climb onto the wheel well of the trailer and peek through the slats to see two yearling steers. One black and one red and white. “Which one do you want?” he asked. At the time I didn’t know that the judge always picks the black cow to win, in fact, I didn’t know there were any judges involved at all. I didn’t know why these cows were at our house about to go into a special pen. All I knew was that red cow was beautiful, and that’s the one I chose. My dad laughed and said, “He’s a haus.” So that became his name.
As it turns out, Haus was a show steer. With my dad’s help I spent a lot of cold, dark evenings after school walking that steer with fingers so numb I thought they’d break off if he jerked too hard. I learned to groom him. I learned to lead him. I learned how to feed him properly. And I learned that extra hoses and an automatic waterer were well worth the investment the next year when it cut down on the number of trips I had to make with cumbersome, sloshing, five gallon buckets of water to make sure the cows didn’t go thirsty.
I quickly fell in love with the whole idea of showing cattle, and by the Fed Cattle Show, Haus was well over 1,500 lbs. Incidentally, I hadn’t gained an ounce – in retrospect it might have had something to do with hauling those buckets of feed and water. However, I wasn’t scared. You see, as Haus grew, so did I. Not physically as I mentioned before, but my skill had grown, and so had my confidence.
For those of you who don’t know, showing cattle isn’t like other 4-H competitions where you are placed in age categories. The classes are based on animal weight in a steer show. So I walked in the ring to show with people more than twice my age. I didn’t know any better. As luck would have it, Haus not only placed first in his class, but he placed 2nd in the show as Reserve Grand Champion behind the steer everyone said was the clear favorite. What they couldn’t believe was that an eight year girl with less than a year of show experience and a white-faced red cow had beaten a sixteen year old veteran pro with a pure bread black Angus on her lead. Apparently it was a bit of a toss up between her steer and mine as to which would take the Reserve Champion spot. And as I was repeatedly told, when it’s close, the black cow always wins – no matter who’s on the lead.
From this experience I learned that it didn’t matter my age or size, I could do anything. The confidence I gained from this experience sparked a courage in me that pushed me to become a champion in poultry, livestock, and land judging, in public speaking, and in showing rabbits, chickens and hogs as well. I used each of those experiences to fuel countless other successes in life. And each time I was further building that courage. The same courage that gave me the strength of character to be honest, to show integrity when it’s not easy, and to care for others around me. It gave me the strength of character to make wise choices even when they were widely unpopular and to stand alone when it would have been easier to follow the crowd.
It certainly hasn’t always been easy. And I’ve failed a time or two. But, I continue to grow – much like the 4-H motto suggests, “To Make the Best Better”. I will be forever grateful to my mom and dad for choosing 4-H as the vehicle to start my lifelong journey toward an upstanding character. Through them and their support and guidance I came in contact with agents, volunteers, and friends from other clubs and counties who have helped me grow. Now it’s my turn and yours to inspire the next generation. How will you empower youth in your community to grow through 4-H? 4-H offers a wide range of opportunities for youth and adults- everything from animal science to aerospace. To volunteer or enroll a child in 4-H, contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org. It’s never too late to start growing character and make a positive difference!
