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  • Iowa State University Extension & Outreach: Mitchell County

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County News

4-H State Conference Logo
April 23, 2013

Every June, over 1000 teenagers converge on the campus of Iowa State University for 3 days full of speakers, workshops, mixers, dances, a banquet, and community service activities.

April 23, 2013

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Mitchell County is excited to announce a new discipline in our Safety in Shooting Sports program.  MaryJo Burkgren recently completed certification for muzzleloader instruction at the Iowa 4-H Centerand will be our instructor for the 4-H muzzleloader program.  

 

MaryJo is excited to share with youth how to safely handle and shoot a muzzleloader.  She will be holding a “Muzzleloader Find Out” day on Sunday, May 5th, beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the Mitchell County Conservation OutdoorRange located by the entrance to Spring Park.  She will furnish all equipment and supplies that areneeded.  Mitchell County youth ages 12 years old and up are invited to attend with aparent(s) to learn more about this project area.  Please contact the Mitchell County Extension officeat 641-732-5574 to sign up by May 3rdso we can plan accordingly.

 

Ken Gerk and David Goodale also attended the 4-H Safety & Education in Shooting Sports training and were certified in the Shot Gun discipline.  They will be helping MaryJo at the Trap Range this summer withthe 4-H shotgun program which will be held on Friday evenings starting May 17th.  The program is for youth ages 11 years and older.  Youth need their Hunters Education certificate to participate in this program.  There will be a Hunters Education class offered for youth who want to participate but do not have their certificate yet on Sat.,May 11th.   Those interested in participating in the 4-H shooting sports program and/or taking the Hunters Ed class can contact the Extension office to sign up.   

 

4-H uses shooting sports to teach positive youth development, self-confidence, personal discipline, responsibility, teamwork, self-esteem,  and sportsmanship.  The 4-H program providesa positive experience for youth and promotes a safe and ethical use of firearms.

 

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach programs are available to all without regard to race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, 3280 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.  Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating.

April 11, 2013

Osage, Iowa – After an extended dry period in Iowa, recent rains remind us this is a good time for beef and dairy farmers with open lots and cow yards to evaluate if runoff from their cattle yards affects waters below the yard.

As part of the Water Quality Initiative for Small Iowa Beef and Dairy Feedlot Operations, a cooperative education and outreach program, the Iowa DNR has made water quality testing kits available through twenty Iowa State University Extension and Outreach County Offices. These kits help producers evaluate the impact of potential feedlot runoff from their livestock operation.  In addition to the test kits, resource materials for dairy and beef operations are made available through the Small Feedlot and Dairy Operations Web page at Iowa State University, http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/immag/smallfeedlotsdairy.html.

These kits are quick and simple to use, are free, and the program is confidential.  The only person that knows the results of the ammonia test is the livestock producer.  The test kits come with an instructional video and a fact sheet on water quality impacts. These materials, used in conjunction with the self assessment worksheets and producer guides available on the above web page, can help a livestock producer determine if their manure control structures are operating correctly and can guide producers to cost-effective ways to change control structures or management practices to protect water quality.  

The time to inspect and test is during or shortly after a rainfall, when water is running off the cattle yard.  The water quality testing kit is available from the Mitchell County Extension office.  Please contact the Mitchell County Extension by calling 641-732-5574 to determine the availability of the kit for use on your farm.

Educational and testing materials are part of the Water Quality Initiative for Small Iowa Beef and Dairy Feedlot Operations, a two-year plan to provide resources for farmers with small or mid-sized open lots. Partners in the project include the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa State Dairy Association, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has provided partial funding through a Section 319 grant.

October 24, 2011

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