Join Clay County 4-H for this super fun challenge of welding and/or creating your own structure from what will be found in your “Bucket of Junk”. Premiums and ribbons are earned and Demco Manufacturing is also offering additional premiums of $30 for 1st Place, $20 for the 2nd Place and $10 for 3rd place as well as plasma cut plaques. The buckets of junk will be available in March at the extension office and their availability will be announced in the Clover Notes.
The application window is now open for this year’s Master Gardener training, which will be offered 100 percent online in the fall. Applicants have from March 1 through July 1 to apply. A total of 17 educational modules will be offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, on topics that include houseplants, pollinators, vegetables, and perennial flowers. Each course module includes a book chapter, lecture video, online discussion board and a quiz.
There might be snow on the ground, but it is garden planning season. Along with garden planning, it is also an ideal time to plan for preserving garden produce, according to Renee Sweers, a local nutrition and wellness specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. ISU Extension and Outreach is offering three free virtual “Preserve the Taste of Summer” courses to help people prepare for food preservation. Each one-hour course is being offered on multiple dates, beginning Feb. 16 through June 2.
It’s a scary time for Iowans who are suddenly out of work and struggling to pay their bills. Many have never filed for unemployment before and are unsure how to access community assistance and resources. To help Iowans navigate this crisis, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s family finance program specialists are providing one-on-one financial conversations. Cynthia Needles Fletcher, a professor and extension specialist in human development and family studies, says financial educators are available to talk about options for revising a budget, prioritizing bills, paying down debt and connecting Iowans with community resources to stretch reduced incomes.
Dairy producers in the I-29 corridor and the United States have a new way of receiving information, thanks to the I-29 Moo University Dairy Consortium. Extension Dairy Specialists from each state develop the industry-specific content for the twice monthly podcast. “The [I-29 Moo U Dairy] podcast discusses current issues faced by dairy producers from economics and animal health, to forage, labor and farm programs,” said Kim Clark, Nebraska Extension Dairy Educator, and one of three regular hosts for the program.
Are you planning to continue educational opportunities following high school graduation? We encourage you to apply for scholarships sponsored by the Clay County Bankers Association.
Clay County 4-H Awards information and forms for The Diamond Clover Program, Project Area Awards, Recordkeeping Awards, and Special Recognition Essays.
There might be snow on the ground, but it is garden planning season. Along with garden planning, it is also an ideal time to plan for preserving garden produce, according to Renee Sweers, a local nutrition and wellness specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. 
It’s a scary time for Iowans who are suddenly out of work and struggling to pay their bills. Many have never filed for unemployment before and are unsure how to access community assistance and resources. 
