2017 DSF Market Project Livestock Tagging Dates:
May 6- 9:00 am-11:00 am- Sussex County- REC (no cattle)
May 6- 9:00 am- 11:00 am- NCC- Cook Farm
May 13- 9:00 am-11:00 am- Kent County- DSF
May 19- 6:00 pm-9:00 pm- Kent County- DSF- Livestock Show
May 23- 5:00 pm- 8:00 pm- Kent County- DSF- FINAL TAGGING
NEW THIS YEAR- FEEDER CALVES WILL HAVE TO BE TAGGED TO EXHIBIT AT 2017 DSF!!!
2017 DSF Swine Show Changes: ***NEW SPLIT SHOW FORMAT***
First half of week- Market, Showmanship and Barrow Show
- Saturday July 22nd
- Weigh in and barn meeting will remain on Saturday
- Showmanship will start at 4 PM Saturday (if you are using a breed pig for showmanship you are allowed to bring that in with the market pigs before Saturday at 8 am
- Sunday July 23rd
- Market Show will start at 8 am (about 2 hours long) after the market show they will take a break and start the barrow show
- After barrow show they will notify the animals going to auction
- Start preparing for remaining hogs to exit and breed pigs to enter
- Monday July 24th
- The ones going to auction will stay until the end of the fair. Exhibitors whose pigs are not going to auction will need to make arrangements for the pigs to be shipped out between 12 am- 9 am.
- It is imperative that you have a plan for where your market animal is headed if it does not make the Junior Livestock Auction before you ever arrive at the fair!!
Second Half of the week- Jr & Open Breed Show
- Monday July, 24th
- 12 am-9am breed pigs may enter while the market is leaving
- Crossbred gilts will be weighed in at 9 am
- Jr and Open Breed Show will start at 4 pm
- Wednesday July 26th
- Exhibitors of breed animals may remove up to 12/3 of their breed animals from 12 am- 6 pm.
Exhibitors of all market animals should send buyer letters to potential buyers prior to the start of the 2017 DSF. It is not the Fair’s nor the Junior Livestock Auction’s responsibility to provide buyers for you. Follow up thank you notes are critically important as well.
FYI for 2017- Maryland State Fair will require RFID tags for cattle and hog exhibitors- it is not clear yet if they will require RFID for Maryland County Fairs
DPI Offers College Scholarships
DPI is accepting applications for its 2017 College Scholarship Program. Applications are being accepted for undergraduate and graduate scholarships that are available in the amount of $1,500 or more.
Undergraduate applicants must be a Delmarva resident and a student in good standing at any accredited, degree-granting institution in the United States or in the case of graduating high school seniors, accepted to an accredited, degree-granting institution within the United States. Individuals must have an academic major in a subject matter relevant to Delmarva’s chicken industry and be planning a career in a segment of this industry. An official transcript must accompany each application.
Graduate student applications must meet the above criteria, with the exception of Delmarva residency. In addition, the individual must be engaged in research that positively could benefit Delmarva’s chicken industry.
Although an applicant is not required to have a family member of a family business that is a member of DPI, membership in DPI would be a deciding factor when applicants are otherwise evenly matched. Previous recipients, if still eligible, may reapply.
Applications must be completed and received at the following address on or before 4:30 pm on April 3, 2017: DPI College Scholarship Program, 16686 County Seat Highway, Georgetown, DE 19947. Applications and additional scholarship information are available from the DPI website at www.dpichicken.org or by sending inquiries to morrow@dpichicken.com.
2017 Spring 4-H/FFA Dairy Show
The Spring 4-H and FFA Dairy Show will be held on April 1, 2017 at the Delaware State Fairgrounds. Entries are due to 4-H volunteer Charmayne Busker by March 3, 2017. The show is open to all Delmarva Residents who are owners or lessors of Holstein, Jersey, Ayrshire, Guernsey and Brown Swiss cattle. The show will include both a Junior Division (age 21 & under as of January 1, 2017) and an Open Division which will run concurrently. For show information and an entry form please visit the state 4-H website http://extension.udel.edu/4h/projects-activities-for-members/4-h-animal-science/
We are always looking for additional show sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring the 2017 show, please contact Charmayne by March 3 to be featured on the Spring Show T-shirt.
Delaware Livestock Exposition Benefit Dinner Catered by Mission BBQ
March 11th
Mark your calendar for the 2017 Delaware Livestock Exposition, October 14-15 at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington. The show is a junior breeding show for beef cattle, sheep, swine, and Boer goats and is open to exhibitors from across the country. Entry and registration information is available via our new website at www.delawarelivestockexpo.com Premiums are paid to the top placing animals in each class. Sponsors and donors support the Expo financially however we still need your help too! This show has returned over $225,000 in premiums to our young livestock exhibitors.
The show committee is hosting a benefit dinner and auction catered by Mission BBQ on Saturday, March 11th in the Dover building on the Delaware State Fairgrounds. Tickets are $30 each and are available for purchase at the Kent County Extension office beginning in February. Please email Susan Garey truehart@udel.edu or Kristin Cook kristin@udel.edu to reserve yours now. All proceeds are used towards Livestock Exposition premiums and expenses. We are also actively looking for donations of unique items for our silent and live auctions that evening. Please join us for a fun filled evening to support our livestock youth!
Delaware Pork Producers Annual Dinner- March 18th
The Delaware Pork Producers Association will be holding their annual dinner and banquet on Saturday, March 18th at the Felton Fire Hall. Dinner will be served family style beginning at 6:30pm. The menu will consist of Felton’s famous fried oysters, delicious pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, dumplings, green beans, dessert and beverages. Tickets are $25 for adults, $12.50 for children ages 6-12 and free for children 5 and under. Please call Karen Tigner at (302)632-4250 for more information or to purchase dinner tickets. The Delaware Pork Producers Association has graciously provided support to Delaware 4-H Livestock programs for many years.
Genetic Edge Showpig Sale
The Genetic Edge Sale will be held on Saturday March 25 at the Eugene Dill Riding Arena at 2408 Still Rd. in Wyoming, DE. Preview will begin at 9:00 a.m., there will be a short seminar at 11:00 a.m. and the auction will begin at 12 noon. Lunch will be available on site. If you have any questions, please contact John Tigner at 242-4315, Karen Tigner 632-4250 or tignerfarms@yahoo.com
Champion Drive Auction
The Champion Drive Auction is being held at the Queen Anne’s County Fairgrounds (Dulin Clark Rd. Centreville, MD) on April 1, 2017. Preview will be 11:00 am-1:00 pm with the auction beginning at 1:00 pm. Club goats consigned by Erica Willing, lambs consigned by the Warren Family and purebred and crossbred show pigs consigned by Double K Showpigs, Burnite Mill Farm Showpigs, P and K Acres and Hayfield Acres will be sold. For more information please contact Amanda Fabi 302-382-5443 or Kayla Kemp 302-531-6973.
Dairy Project Groups- Delaware Holstein Association Annual Tour and Meeting March 25th
The Delaware Holstein Association will be holding their annual meeting on Saturday, March 25th and welcome youth dairy project participants. It will be hosted by the Knutsen Family at G&S Dairy on Prospect Church Road beginning at 10:00 am. The luncheon and business meeting will follow at the Harrington Fire House beginning at 12:30 pm. The Holstein Association is also pleased to announce that the 2017 Delaware Dairy Princess Contest will be held in conjunction with the meeting this year! For more information on the annual meeting please contact Charmayne Busker cpbusker@gmail.com. If you would like to be a contestant in the Dairy Princess Contest please contact:
Laura Emerson Greer, email: lauraleegreer@gmail.com or phone (302)-893-7258.
2017 YOUTH CONSERVATIONIST PROGRAM- Win a Heritage Breed Ewe
Sponsored by the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival
Youth interested in applying for the 2017 Youth Conservationist Program
* Must be between 9 and 18 years old.
*Submit an application postmarked by April 1, 2017 that includes:
An essay which introduces you, your experience with animals. If for any reason, the animal is not being kept at your own home, explain, in detail where it will reside and what exactly your responsibilities will be. Your essay should explain your interest in sheep, and answer the question: “Why I would like to help preserve a heritage breed of sheep.”
Each applicant must include a letter of recommendation from their 4-H Advisor, FFA Advisor, veterinarian, teacher or clergy. The total application/essay should be no more than 2 pages in length. The applicant should indicate if they wish to be considered for a particular breed or for any of the breeds available. The application must include address, phone and if available, email address. Interested young people should contact Elaine for an updated list of breeds available, then submit their letter of application/essay to:
Elaine Ashcraft, 46118 CR 58 Coshocton, OH 43812
740.622.1573 tankewe_cr58@yahoo.com
please note the underscore between tankewe and cr58!
ALL ESSAYS MUST BE MAILED, EMAILED ESSAYS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!
Requirements if selected:
- Must be present to receive the ewe at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival on Sunday
May 7, 2017.
- Must exhibit the ewe at least twice in 2017 at: 1) a county fair or local sheep show and 2) the State Fair in the state where the recipient lives.
- Must breed the ewe to a registered ram (of her breed) in the fall of 2017, should consult the donor breeder for their recommendations.
- Must either use the ewe’s fleece to personally make a wool item or sell the fleece to a spinner, felter or weaver.
- Must submit an article the following Feb/Mar to their local newspaper covering their year and including information concerning the next year’s YCP program.
- Must submit a one to two page report, with pictures, to the Donor Breeder by April 30, 2017 and provide a scrapbook to be used at the Maryland Festival which is then given back to the youth.
Any questions please contact Elaine Ashcraft 46118 CR 58 Coshocton, Ohio 43812
1-740-622-1573 tankewe_cr58@yahoo.com
please note the underscore between tankewe and cr58!
Donors choose the recipients from the essays submitted by the youth.
Delaware 4-H Equine Art Contest- Entries Due April 17th
Calling all young artists! With categories encompassing painting, pastels, charcoals, photography, pencil, pen and ink and even crayons and markers for younger youth there is something for everyone in the Delaware 4-H Equine Art Contest. Entries are due to county
offices on or before April 17, 2017 and will be put on display for the month of May at Chick’s retail store in Harrington, Delaware. Contest guidelines and entry information is posted on the State 4-H website.
Harness Racing Camp Coming June 17-21, 2017!
The Harness Horse Youth Foundation, Harrington Raceway and University of Delaware Cooperative Extension are pleased to be partnering once again to hold a 5 day-4 night harness racing camp for youth ages 12-14. The Harness Horse Youth Foundation is a charitable 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing young people and their families educational opportunities with harness horses, in order to foster the next generation of participants and fans. Harness racing camp gives youth an opportunity to experience working with, caring for and driving harness racing ponies while interacting with industry professionals and learning to work together. Camp will begin on Saturday morning, June 17 and end on Wednesday evening, June 21. That evening, Harrington Raceway will feature campers participating in televised races on Harrington’s track with well-known drivers as their racing partners.
Campers will reside in the state police barracks on the Delaware State Fairgrounds for the duration of the camp. The camp fee is $150 per participant which includes all meals and camp expenses. Camp attendance is limited in order to provide proper supervision for this intensive and fun learning experience! Registration information and applications can be found on the HHYF website http://www.hhyf.org/schedule-applications