• Be air aware this 4th of July! Air quality conditions may change rapidly over the next few days. It is important to pay close attention to the air quality in your area and take action, especially if you don’t feel well. You can check www.airnow.gov for real time updates where you live or where you’re traveling to.

• Avoid mosquito bites by applying an insect repellent with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 to exposed skin and clothing. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning hours, when mosquitoes that spread the West Nile virus are most active. Wear long-sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors to keep mosquitoes away from your skin. Learn more about the West Nile Virus here: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/mosquito/wnv.htm

• Whether you’re barbecuing, grilling, cooking, or eating outdoors it’s important to always keep food safety in mind. Bacteria in food multiply faster at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F, so the summer heat can pose a problem. Here are some easy things you can do to help keep everyone at your table safe from foodborne illness: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/barbecue-basics-tips-prevent-foodborne-illness

• Take steps to stay cool in the heat if you plan on being outdoors. Drink plenty of water on hot days. Do regular check-ins with loved ones, especially young children, and older adults. Avoid the hottest part of the day—if you want to be outside, stick to the cooler morning and evening hours. Stay informed about your local weather forecasts so you can plan outdoor activities safely. Pay attention to extreme heat alerts. More heat safety guidance can be found here: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/climate/heat-safety.htm

• Keep you, your loved ones, and your pets safe! Don’t swim if there is a red sign that says “Beach Closed” or where water is discolored, or has scum, foam, or dead fish. Wash off with clean water after swimming, and rinse off pets with clean water if they swim in discolored or scummy water.  Also never drink or swallow the water from a lake or a pool. Learn more here: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/water/bg-algae/resources.htm

• Social Distancing: due to the increased number of vaccinated individuals and those with immunity as a result of previous COVID-19 infections, the CDC no longer recommends staying at least 6 feet away from other people to reduce the risk of exposure.
• Quarantine: unvaccinated individuals no longer need to quarantine for 5 days after exposure to COVID-19. Instead, they should wear a mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5. Stay home if you develop symptoms and test again.
• Test to Stay: if an individual was exposed to COVID-19, they no longer need to receive a negative test to stay in school as long as they are not experiencing any symptoms.
• Contact Tracing: should be limited to high risk situations, such as hospitals and group-living settings (nursing homes, shelters, prisons).

• Birds under 4 months of age.
• Doves, pigeons, and turkeys are exempt.
• NPIP Registered flock from hatchery or breeder (paperwork must be provided).

• May 9: Weaving Patterns
• May 16: Weaving Materials
• May 23: Weaving Light

• Bean Bag Competition
• Basketball Tournament
• Silent Auction
• Bake Sale
• Food Stand

• Indoor Plant Care During Winter: February 8, 12pm – 12:30pm
• Rejuvenating Neglected Apple Trees: February 15, 12pm – 12:30pm
• Planning for a Seed Saving Vegetable Garden:February 22, 12pm – 12:30pm

• Safe operation and maintenance of farm machinery including skid steers and tractors over 20 horsepower
• Follow rules of the road for machinery and tractor safety
• Apply emergency first aid training
• Handle agriculture fires and extinguishers

• Are passionate about change in their communities
• Want to meet their congressional representatives
• Have an interest in careers in government 

• February 22
• March 22
• April 26
• May 24

• You can review the guidelines here. You can fill out the application here.
• Applications must be received by the Extension Office by March 1.
• Reading and following the directions carefully is recommended as the judges consider these criteria when scoring applications.

• State page on CWF
• 2023 CWF Information and Registration
• CWF Program Description- Accommodation Notice

The next Leaders Association Meeting is Tuesday February 7th, 6:00pm, at the STEM Innovation Center.

(2019 Technology Way, Green Bay)

Leaders Association Meeting Minutes and Agendas are available online. 

Bookmark this link to stay up-to-date on 4-H leadership: https://www.browncountywi.gov/departments/extension-brown-county/4-h-youth-development/4-h-leaders-association/

 

Go Global with 4-H International Immersion Programs in 2023

Interested in exploring all the world has to offer? If so, Wisconsin 4-H International Programs has an opportunity for you! This is your chance to learn about the world by immersing yourself in daily life as a member of a family in a different country. By participating in a homestay instead of traveling as a tourist, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the country’s culture from an insider’s perspective, evolve as a global citizen, quickly adapt to new situations and ways of communication, and develop friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.


Visit wi4hinternational.org for program dates, costs, and applications for Summer 2023. Applications are due to the Wisconsin 4-H International Programs Office by December 16th, 2022. Questions? Contact us by email at wi4hinternational@extension.wisc.edu, call 608-262-2491, or complete the brief inquiry form. 

Check out the 2022 Newsletter from the Brown County Extension Community Gardens Program.
In this issue:

• Soil Health Basics
• No-Till Soil Health
• Spciy Okra Recipie
• Planting for a Purpose Information
• Garden Closing Information

Are you a Brown County 4-H'er interested in participating in the Brown County Fair Livestock and Dairy Auction?

Youth (grades 3-13) are required to attend an Education & YQCA Meeting in order to participate.

Save the date for the upcoming Education & YQCA Meeting on January 21, 2023. Deadline to register is January 3rd.

See more information here!

In partnership with nine partner organizations, the National Audubon Society has launched an interactive free digital platform to track and understand the migration and conservation data for HUNDREDS of migratory birds!

It is time to re-enroll in 4-H Online!

2023 Educational Experiences

You can now submit your Club news and updates for publishing on our website and newsletter.

• Limit of 2 samples per farm, free of charge. Additional samples will be charged $15 per sample.
• 4-5 stalks, cut at normal chopping height, should be gathered, bundled and tagged with farm name, address, and phone number.
• Planting date, relative maturity, and hybrid must be included for each sample.
• Samples delivered the day before will not be tested.
• Nitrate testing is available for an additional $11 per sample.

• Total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days
• New COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people in the past 7 days
• The percent of staffed inpatient hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients

• New COVID-19 Cases
• New COVID-19 Hospital Admissions
• Percentage of Inpatient Hospital Beds Used by COVID-19 Patients

• Getting tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or were exposed to someone with COVID-19
• Staying home when you are sick
• Seeking treatment if you are at high risk or experiencing severe illness 

• Packages will ship for free through the U.S. Post Office
• No need to provide your social security number
• You can order a third round, even if you've already received your first two

1. New COVID-19 Cases
2. New COVID-19 Hospital Admissions
3. Percentage of Inpatient Hospital Beds Used by COVID-19 Patients

• Getting tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or were exposed to someone with COVID-19
• Staying home when you are sick and seeking treatment if you are at high risk or experiencing severe illness 

Join us for our FREE webinar series! These engaging mini-webinars are 30 minutes including Q&A. Mini-webinars are free, but registration is required.

• Pruning Apple Trees to Maximize Healthy Fruit Production
  Date/Time: Wednesday, February 23, 12:00p.m.
  Presented by: Amaya Atucha, Associate Professor/Fruit Crop   Specialist, UW-Madison
  Description: Late winter is an excellent time to prune your backyard apple trees and proper pruning helps your trees to produce high-quality apples!  Join us and learn about proper pruning techniques and how the structure of your apple tree supports healthy fruit production.
  Click here to register 

• Identification, Management and Control of Major Apple Pests
  Date/Time: Wednesday, March 2, 12:00 p.m.
  Presented by: Diana Alfuth, Horticulture Outreach Specialist, UW-Madison Division of Extension
  Description: Be prepared to combat common pests on your backyard apple trees! Join us to learn about the major insect and fungal pests that can cause damage to your apples and the timing of different management strategies to help you be successful this season!
  Click here to register 

• Growing Strawberries in Containers
  Date/Time: Wednesday, March 9, 12:00 p.m.
  Presented by: Darrin Kimbler, Agriculture Educator, UW-Madison Division of Extension
  Description: Did you know that you can grow your own fresh strawberries in containers? Join us to learn how! We will talk about what you need to know to successfully grow strawberries in containers, including selecting the right variety, soil, watering and fertilizer and how to overwinter them.
  Click here to register 

• 18 de enero @ 10:00 am via Zoom – Como importer
• 25 de enero @ 10:00 am via Zoom – Creceindo un negocio de comida en tres estapas 

• January 18 at 10:00 am via Zoom – How to import
• January 25 at 10:00 am via Zoom – Three stages of food business growth

• Elizabeth-Photography
• Leo-Shooting Sports
• Haylee-Sewing a Drawstring Bag
• Casey-Marbles his rabbit
• Eric-Chickens
• Aly-Edited Photos with Effects
• Helena-Model Horses
• Ashlynn-Flowers
• Alyssa-Macramé

• Tubing at Kewaunee Winter Park on January 16th
• February Club Meeting on the 20th: Half of the meeting will be making blankets to donate to children who have experienced abuse and the other half will be a Royal Icing Demonstration. 
• March Club Meeting on the 12th
• Creative Arts Festival on March 19th
• Game Day Event on April 2nd

• Projectmania on January 9th
• Tubing at Kewaunee Winter Park on January 16th

• review current curriculum available for this project
• develop a list of most common project skills
• develop a list of suggested activities to provide a path through project learning using the project skill list

This month our 4-H club held its meeting at the Lawrence Town Hall.  To kick off the meeting, each member shared their name and what they entered in the fair.  After that, club members nominated members for officer positions and put together a rough schedule for the year ahead.  Then, for the club picnic, each member got a pre-packaged meal to enjoy and eat together.  To top it off, there was ice cream for dessert.  It was a great way to kick off a new 4-H year.
 
Submitted by Elizabeth Gerrits

Submitted By: Carlie Smits - Wrightstown 4H

We started our  September 12th Wrightstown 4H meeting at 4pm. We started by installing the new officers into their rolls.  President Madison Wiese called the meeting to order.  We then went through the agenda and followed with some fun activities.  We did an activity to teach everyone how to make a motion and a speed meeting activity to meet other members in the group.  We ended the meeting with build your own ice cream sundaes.  While eating our sundaes we talked about what roles and activities the older youth could lead throughout the year.

At 3pm the younger Cloverbud members participated in a fun meet and greet with Chris Clover and Chris worked with the younger members on the 4H pledge.

Our next meeting is Sunday, October 10th.

Brown County Library's Book Club Kits make it easy for everyone in your book club to get a copy of next month’s book! Each kit has seven to 10 copies of the same title, so you can distribute them among book club members. The kits include adult fiction and adult nonfiction titles that appeal to a wide audience, along with a discussion guide to spark conversation. Book Club Kits can be placed on hold and sent to any library location for pickup. Book Club Kits check out for 35 days.

To browse available titles or reserve a kit, please visit Kit Keeper, the library’s online reservation system for Book Club Kits. 

Ben Brown (Friendly Fields 4-H Club), Alyssa Ostrenga (Lost Dauphin 4-H Club), and Riley VanZeeland (Suamico Beavertails 4-H Club) were recently recognized as the recipients of the Wisconsin 4-H Key Award.  The Key Award is presented annually to 4-H members who have grown in the 4-H program to be strong leaders, lived out the 4-H mission “to make the best better” and shown their dedication to living out the 4-H pledge of their head to clearer thinking, their hands to larger service, their hearts to greater loyalty and their health to better living.  These three young people have made their clubs, their communities and their countries better places, and are very deserving of the Wisconsin 4-H Key Award.  Please join us in congratulating them.

The State Extension office has educational resources and teaching tools that are available to YOU, as a club or project.  To learn more, visit the PYD Media Collection website to see what is available. You will find displays, skillathons, learning lab kits, interactive CD ROMs, DVDs, and more. Project materials currently include horse, dairy, livestock, small animal, and some arts. 4-H approved volunteers may request materials and have items sent directly to them. 
 
There is no cost to order materials for Extension-sponsored programs. Non-Extension user groups must pay for outbound and return postage plus a $10 handling fee.

To learn more about the PYD Media Collection, see lists of materials by project area, and find out how to request materials, visit the website. Contact Monica Lobenstein, Learning Resources Specialist, monica.lobenstein@wisc.edu or 715-896-0377, with questions.

Brown County 4-H is excited to welcome Jon Hill to the 4-H team, as the new 4-H Program Educator.  You may recognize Jon from his time with Brown County 4-H as the STEM Outreach Coordinator.  Jon began in his new role on Monday, August 9th.  We are excited to be fully staffed and working as a team to support all Brown County 4-H programming!
 
You will see Jon at the Brown County Fair next week. When you see him, come up and introduce yourself, the club you are with and share a little about you!

Please use the following link to schedule your preferred time: 
https://donate.communityblood.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/33999 
Be sure to pay close attention to the tabs labeled WB - Whole Blood and 70 - Double Red (known as "Power Red" with the American Red Cross) when scheduling your appointment.  

We are excited to welcome the Community Blood Center and their mobile crew to City Hall to collect these life saving donations. Please feel free to reach out to me at kala.lardinois@greenbaywi.gov with questions or for scheduling assistance.  

All presenting donors between August 30 - Sept. 5 are eligible to win one of more than 300 prizes, including $10 and $15 Kwik Trip gas cards and CBC gifts!

As always, our drives are open to the public, please feel free to pass the word along to your family and friends!

One of the more common questions directed to the Horticulture Help Desk is how to deal with the dreaded Japanese beetle. Even though they have been a significant pest in the general Green Bay area for years, it always seems they are popping up in new places, causing great concern for residents.

View full article for additional information...

Here at Extension Brown County, we receive many questions throughout the year related to pruning trees, shrubs and evergreens. Proper pruning can be of real benefit to your plants, but improperly done can cause injury to plants! First, you need to ask yourself what you hope to accomplish through pruning and then understand proper techniques and the best timing for the job. 

View full article for additional information...

There is a sense that spring is arriving soon. Now is a good time to consider doing a soil sample for your home landscape or wildlife food plot.
 
Soil testing is important since it can provide critical information to determine what your nutrient needs are but will also give you other useful information such as soil pH and organic matter content. The test results will also outline recommendations to remedy any insufficiencies that may be found. These recommendations will allow you to apply fertilizers containing the needed nutrients in the correct amounts. Many times, gardeners simply apply a “balanced” fertilizer containing Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (10-10-10 for example) but you may not need all of these nutrients in your garden. It is so important to only apply what is needed in the amount necessary to help reduce excess nutrient pollution of our local waterways.

View full article for additional information...

• Brown County Health & Human Services
• Brown County Emergency Management
• De Pere Health Department
• Oneida Nation Community Health Services

Project Recovery is an outreach program working with individuals, families, and communities impacted by COVID-19 throughout the state of Wisconsin. Trained outreach workers provide community-based support and education to help farmers, farmworkers, and their communities cope during this stressful time.

1-833-FARM-HELP (1-833-327-6435) is the farmer crisis hotline, it is put in place to help anyone experiencing stress related to the pandemic (toll-free).

View full article for additional details...

Thank you to WFRV Local 5 for the wonderful news story that highlighted the Brown County Community Gardens Program.  Check it out on their website by clicking here! 

For more information on the program, click here to be directed to the Community Gardens webpage. 

As we all face these unpredictable times, our friends at KidsGardening created and shared these ‘tried and true’ plant-based activities that are joyful for any age and don’t involve any screen time. The national nonprofit reaches close to half of a million educators, parents and volunteers with free online gardening educational resources and activities. Click here for fun gardening with kids ideas!

When the Victory Garden Manual was first written in 1943, it was pretty easy to come up with reasons to grow your own vegetables. It was wartime and food was scarce. The food that was available might not have been the freshest or healthiest. Statistics say that in 1943, nearly 40% of all fruits and vegetables grown in the U.S. were grown in-home and community victory gardens. That’s impressive!

Now, as National Garden Bureau celebrates its 100th anniversary (1920-2020), it seems timely to reintroduce the concept of victory gardening with quick and easy steps to plan and grow your own vegetable garden.

We are calling it, Victory Garden 2.0!

All credit goes to the author of this book, James H. Burdett. Mr. Burdett founded the National Garden Bureau in 1920 as a way to enlist horticultural writers and broadcasters in the noble effort of mass education to create a population of gardeners. In the process, he improved the lives of citizens both in wartime and in times of peace. Click here for more information.

• Google Translate – a service that instantly translates words used on a web page into over 100 other possible languages.
• Site Search – a search service that can help you quickly find what you need on the Brown County website.
• Email Alerts – sign up for a notification email whenever new content has been posted for Brown County news, events and updates.
• Responsive technology – the website’s content adapts to suit the individual needs of the site visitor.
• Social Media Page – Stay connected with all of Brown County’s social media activity across all agencies (Neville Museum, NEW Zoo, Parks, Brown County Library, etc.).