2016 4H & FFA Tab

4-H

in focus 2015 Kittitas County

July 2016 Publication of the Daily Record

Kids n Kritters helping, teaching

Brian Myrick / Daily Record

Members of the Kids n Kritters club take their 4-H sheep for a walk on July 6. The 4-Hers practice with their animals to get ready to show them at the Kittitas County Fair.

Program teaches youth about sheep, pigs and leadership

By JULIA MORENO staff intern

C

hloe Mattson, 12, grabs her two sheep by the leash and starts walking them down the street to meet up with her neighbor and friend Faith Rotter, 12, who also has two sheep in tow.

They walk down the road to the stop sign at the end of their street and then retrace their steps.

“The sheep need to be walked to build muscle and for training,” said Alison Mattson, Chloe’s mom and a former 4-H member.

Alison remembers when her mother, longtime 4-H leader Audrey Wedin, had her walk sheep as a

child. “My mom died four years ago.

(She) must be looking over them with how well (they) walk,” she said.

On this particular day, the two girls’ younger siblings, Kaden Mattson and Jenson Rotter, join them during the walk, each also leading a pair of sheep.

“When they run and their ears are flopping, we say they look like they’re trying to fly,” Chloe said with a laugh as she starts to pick up the pace.

The children corral their eight sheep up the gravel driveway and Alison tells them to line up like they’re getting ready for a show.

“Other side, buddy,” she calls out to Jenson. “When I was showing, I

always had to tell my mom or dad what color the judge’s eyes were.”

Alison has the kids walk with the sheep in a classic figure-eight pattern, which is the preferred way to show a sheep to a judge.

“Give him your sweet smiles,” Alison said toward the end of the impromptu lesson in the middle of her driveway. “The judge they have now is the same judge I had when I was a kid, and he wants figure-eights.”

The Mattson kids put their sheep back in the small fenced-in enclosure by their house, and Rotters keep their four tied to the fence before they all head to the house to grab popsicles.

2 | 4-H in focus

The sheep bleat back and forth to each other. Faith said she named her sheep Elvis because of how much noise the sheep makes. Just before the kids walk through the front door, Alison yells: “Don’t wear shoes in my house with sheep poop on them.”

Over two decades of 4-H The Kids n Kritters 4-H club has operated since November 1990, said club founder and and longtime adult leader Dick Wedin.

“Our oldest had a year or two in 4-H, we thought we could start our own club,” Wedin said. “Do what we want to do that relates to the family and kids.”

And that’s exactly what the family did. The club focuses mainly on sheep and pigs, but it also covers leadership, foods and creative arts.

Alison is Dick Wedin’s daughter and she helps out with the club by teaching leadership skills and giving the kids lessons on how to handle their animals.

Wedin said he particularly enjoys working with kids who are just starting out.

“You see them develop over the years when they first get an animal they don’t know how to take care of it,” he said.

The kids are taught how to handle their animal as well as how to give demonstrations, which helps them with public speaking skills as well as showing their knowledge of being able to take care of an animal.

“You can tell the kids in 4-H and FFA at those senior project presentations (at Ellensburg High School),” Wedin said.

Wedin said one of the major benefits of 4-H is leadership. 4-Hers get to teach other children, which helps build their confidence.

Chloe, Wedin’s granddaughter, is secretary for the club and during the lesson at her house she showed the others how to set up their sheep in the proper stance as well as the best way to stand with the animal during a show.

Animals The club covers the whole process, from breeding the sheep to teaching the children how to care for their animals. Wedin said the kids pick out the lambs around Labor Day. The animals are selected based on the necessary criteria to show.

“But sometimes they are picked out based on cuteness,” he said with a laugh.

Club members choose two lambs or pigs as insurance in case one of them doesn’t make weight. They are only allowed to sell one at the Kittitas County Fair, he said.

They are also responsible for keeping a record book in addition to caring for their animals. The record book documents financial activities and the animal’s medical history.

Brian Myrick / Daily Record

Members of the Kids n Kritters club take their 4-H sheep for a walk on July 6.

Sometimes a child will have to learn to deal with a death, such as when an animal dies unexpectedly before the show.

“One thing about 4-H is teaching life skills,” he said.

“Some of these kids learn how to

handle death early on.”

Alison said it’s not only hard for the kids to lose an animal but also for the parents, too.

See Kritters, Page 4

From 11 AM- 4 PM Daily

Proudly supports of 4H and FFA groups with Elenbaas Feed programs and by being active in the livestock sale.

925-5542 I-90 Exit 106

925-5442 University Way & Alder St.

925-3525 FARM SUPPLY 925-3525

3 | 4-H in focus

FERTILIZER FUEL & PROPANE IRRIGATION 925-3378 925-3171 925-6141

KRITTERS Continued from Page 3

P R I N T | O N L I N E | TA B L E T | M O B I L E

We’ve got the scoop.

For the latest events and current local news check us out.

DailyRecordNews.com

“They’re like your pets,” she said.

But Wedin said they make a point of teaching the kids that the animals are being raised to be processed into food and to be proud they are raising “quality, wholesome food.”

“Some kids are happy to see them go,” he said with a laugh.

“Sometimes the animals can be ornery.”

And sometimes a family decides to keep an animal, Wedin said.

One family kept a sheep for more than a decade.

“There was a family who kept a goat for several years,” he said.

“Goats got personality.”

About the 4-H The 4-H year starts Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30. New members, age 8 (and in third grade) up to age 19, can enroll in a 4-H club from Oct. 1 through Feb. 1 each year. For more information on how to join 4-H, contact the Washington State University and Kittitas County Extension 4-H Program Coordinator Julie Sorensen at 509-962-7507.

— Kittitas County 4-H website

Every Labor Day Weekend

One of America’s Top 10 Professional Rodeos!

Tickets On Sale Now! Visit: www.ellensburgrodeo.com or our office at 609 N. Main St. • 800-637-2444

ly R

of the Dai

September 2-5 • 20116

1477054 AgJ16 GP

4 | 4-H in focus

Brian Myrick / Daily Record

ABOVE: Alison Mattson teachers her daughter to show sheep in her driveway earlier this month. BELOW AND RIGHT: Members of the Kids n Kritters club work with their 4-H sheep.

5 | 4-H in focus

Crafty Critters do the small stuff

Julia Moreno / Daily Record

Some of the members of Valley Crafty Critters 4-H Club pose outside of their meeting room at Western Village outside the Rodeo Arena in Ellensburg. The club teaches kids about smaller animals like rabbits, cavies, poultry and swine, along with leadership, gardening, photography and arts and crafts.

Group focuses on smaller animals, arts and crafts

By JULIA MORENO staff intern

T

he room fills with kids; a group of young girls crowds around a table in the front. Two young boys yell across the room and one chases after the other. Megan Welker, the only adult in the room, walks around the tables and talks to some of the kids, joking and laughing with them.

Despite the apparent cacophony, it’s a typical meeting of the Valley Crafty Critters 4-H Club.

The club’s goal is to teach kids about smaller animals like rabbits, guinea pigs (cavies), poultry and swine. Additionally, the club teaches leadership, gardening, photography, and arts and crafts.

Welker said she took over a little over five years ago because her son joined the club. Her 15-year-old son is interested in rabbits, pigs, arts and crafts, as well as the 4-H ‘Know Your Government’ program. He is club president this year.

“I love it,” Megan Welker said. “A lot of the kids that I’ve had, I’ve had for

a really long time, just seeing them grow into little people. ” Welker has project leaders who help assist her in teaching the kids about the different activities.

“Lately, project leaders have been moms of kids. Their kiddo wants to do pigs so they become the project leader,” she said. “We have a lot of different projects because you know a kid says ‘I want to do this,’ so I tell them, ‘OK, go find me a project leader.’”

Welker said that’s her philosophy about running the club — let the

6 | 4-H in focus

kids dictate what they want to learn throughout the year.

4-H is family Welker oversees about 39 children in the group and also has what she calls “honorary members,” younger siblings of those in the club.

Alex Bach, 9, was an honorary member before she joined her older sister Courtney this year. She said of all of the things offered in the club, she is most interested in the rabbits.

“I get to work with my rabbits,” Alex said. “It’s really fun.”

Alex said her best piece of advice for beginning rabbit owners is to be calm with the bunnies.

Her sister, Courtney, 12, who is part of the club’s executive council, said that while she also enjoys rabbits, she prefers working with the pigs.

“I love my pigs,” Courtney said with a smile and a laugh.

Welker said that most of the kids are interested in rabbits but a lot of them are involved with multiple projects.

Adele Caron, 12, is involved with Valley Crafty Critters and another club. She works with horses, dogs, and rabbits, and has been a member of Crafty Critters for four years.

“I do it because I love animals,” Caron said. “I love to compete because of the animals. It’s really fun competing.”

Hannah Henry, 12, said her favorite part of 4-H is being involved with her friends and 4-H makes her “really happy.”

“The more you hang out with

people, the more you want to hang out with these people,” Henry said.

Hannah added that 4-H is just “one, giant family.”

Courtney echoed the sentiment, adding the club is made up of “lovey ones, crazy ones, friendly ones,” who all get along pretty well.

“It isn’t all about rules, it’s about having fun with other people.

Enjoying life with animals and friends. 4-H is intoxicating,” Caron replied. “Now I’m with the crazy ones. It changes you for the better.”

Time for learning Welker said the club has a business meeting every month and meetings for each of the projects.

During those meetings, the kids learn how to handle the animals, how to take care of them and what to feed the animals. The kids with smaller livestock sometimes bring their animals to the project meetings.

While the kids who have rabbits

America’s First Name For Quality Timothy Hay & Feed Products

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF 4-H & FFA!

P.O. Box 68 Ellensburg, WA 98926 (509) 925-2827

It’s about having fun with other people. “ Enjoying life with animals and friends.

4-H is intoxicating. ” ADELE CARON, 12, A MEMBER OF THE VALLEY CRAFTY CRITTERS

don’t sell the bunnies for processing at the fair, Welker said the club plans to start a program next year that would allow rabbits bred for their meat to be sold.

“We’re trying to get it so that kids with meat bunnies can sell their bunnies and we’re trying to get it so it would encompass chickens as well,” she said.

Welker said the kids who own the smaller livestock, like rabbits, cavies and chickens, will keep their animal as a pet for as long as the animal is alive. Most of the bigger livestock,

however, is sold at the fair for meat processing.

Sometimes, however, animals don’t make it to the fair at the end of the summer.

Welker said one of the hardest things for some of the kids is dealing with the death of an animal, especially those not bred as food.

“It’s really hard for the kids because you know they get so attached,” she said. “I think that I try to let them know it’s part of owning animals, it’s just the bad part.”

Good luck at fair to all 4-H participants!

Grebb, Johnson, Reed & Wachsmith, L.L.P. CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

209 E. 5th Avenue • Ellensburg, WA 98926 | (509) 925-9876 | www.GJRW.com

7 | 4-H in focus

Rocking the robotics

Brian Myrick / Daily Record

Henry, 8, and Levi Eberhart, 11, set up their robot sumos to run through a pre-programmed battle on July 6.

Club gets children head start in computer science

By JULIA MORENO staff intern

L

ike many siblings, Levi Eberhart, 10, and his brother, Henry, 8, fight with each other. However, unlike most brothers, the two duke it out on

a mat in their family living room using robots.

The two youngsters are involved with a 4-H Club called Rockin’ Robotics.

Their mom, Jen, is the club’s leader.

While this is the first year the family has been involved in the club, they have

embraced the robot world completely.

Look around the house and you’ll see tables set up with Lego pieces that have been organized into small containers.

There are also two computers displaying the computer code language used to program the robots. The family

8 | 4-H in focus

even has a robotic vacuum cleaner.

“Those vacuums are awesome,” Jen said. “I highly suggest you get one.”

Levi and Henry participate in what they call “Robot-sumo” competitions.

Like real life sumo wrestling, the robots start in the middle of a black circular mat, facing each other.

See Robots, Page 10

Flying Box Ranch Linda Henderson

Rafter B Ranch Larry & Bart Bland

3M Ranch Bill & Mary Suebert

BRANDS OF KITTITAS COUNTY

9M Ranch Kevin & Becky McDowell

Flying A Matthew Anderson

Scott & Kay Shelton Shelton Corrals • Honest Cut Meats

Trinity Farms

Standing W Ranch Eldon & Chloe Weidenbach

Mark & Carrie Anderson & Family 2 Generations

Bill Haberman & Sons 3 Generations

9 | 4-H in focus

McManamy Family

1489015

Flying M Ranch Carl & Teri Michael

ROBOTS Continued from Page 8 Following a five-second wait, the robots rush forward and begin pushing each other to the white lined edge of the mat.

There are sensors that give the robot the ability to differentiate between black and white so the robots don’t go over the white line, Levi said. Additionally, the robot has an ultrasonic detection, which allows the robot to know where objects are and helps it detect the opposing robot.

Levi picks up his robot and points to a plastic grey colored “brick,” which he calls the brains of the robot. When he pushes one of the four buttons on the brick, it can go through the different programs he and his brother have created.

“Try mine out Levi,” Jen said. “I created a program and I want to see how it will run.”

Jen said the 4-Hers could figure out how to program their robots by looking online, but the members like to figure it out themselves. Levi and Henry

sometimes look up YouTube videos to figure out how to program some of the maneuvers.

Henry has programmed his robot to make sounds while it “wrestles.”

“I programmed it to say ‘oh no’ over and over again,” he said with a grin.

“We think there’s a way to program your own voice but we don’t know how to do that yet.”

Levi’s robot has a Lego scoop on the front of it to help push the robots to the edge of the mat.

So far the scoop hasn’t worked in his favor but Jen said she’s sure Levi and his brother will tinker with the robots until they find a good defense before they compete at the 4-H fair next month.

“These kids can program and assemble a robot in 15 minutes,” she said. “It would take me hours to do what they do.”

Coding the robots The robots used by the kids in the club aren’t remote controlled so all of the robot’s abilities must be programmed beforehand, Levi said.

The robots are made completely

44 YEARS

Brian Myrick / Daily Record

Henry and Levi Eberhart get help from their mother as they use laptops to program battle routines for their robot sumos.

hardware

1488617

out of Lego Mindstorm sets, which include “the brick,” wheels, plastic pieces to create scoops, and gears among other things. For the competition, the robots must fit in a 10-inch by 10-inch box, weigh less than two pounds and can only contain Lego parts, Jen said.

Henry joked that while the club members have size limits, his mom’s robot vacuum doesn’t have such limitations.

Levi and his brother have their own robot called an EV3, which, according to Levi, is not “sumo condition”

10 | 4-H in focus

because it is remote controlled.

“It could be ready by the time the competition rolls around,” Jen said.

“Yesterday, he decided he wanted to do this so he programmed and assembled it in a day.”

Levi said he programmed the robot to make a sound when it falls to the floor, which is a high-pitched alert.

“It takes a lot of brain power,” Jen said about coding the robots. She and her husband are also learning how to program so they can help other kids in the club with their robots.

Brian Myrick Daily Record

A robot sumo uses sensors to detect the edge of the battle space.

ELLENSBURG TIRE CENTER Ready Mix Concrete

We Offer Small Town Fast Friendly Service

Sand & Gravel • Ecology Blocks • Crushed Rock Dump Truck Service • W.S.D.O.T. Approved Aggregate

Cont. Reg. #ELLENSCP255DP

933-7050 • 1-800-736-7289

925-1044 400 W. University Way • Ellensburg

11 | 4-H in focus

1313893 4-H15 MW

2121 Hwy. 97 • Ellensburg www.ellensburgcement.com

Shooting for nationals

Brian Myrick / Daily Record

Grant Hollar, 16, takes careful aim with an air pistol during a practice session at the Kittitas Valley Rifle and Pistol Club on July 6.

Local teen competes in nationwide 4-H shooting competition

By JULIA MORENO staff intern

S

ixteen-year-old Grant Hollar stands sideways, one hand resting on his left hip, above his belt buckle, the other hanging down by his right thigh. He looks down, his camo hat pulled down a little over his eyes

and breathes in and out. He raises his right arm up toward the target, pauses to steady his air pistol and shoots.

It’s an action he repeats multiple times nearly every day. The Ellensburg resident has been shooting guns for much of his life, and competitively for the last four years.

Hollar, in fact, is such a good shot

that he recently competed in a national 4-H shooting competition and placed 29th out of 63. His father, Bret, who is a 4-H leader and his coach, said each state brought their very best so it was the “63 best air pistols shooters from around (the nation).”

At the nationals, Grant competed in three air pistol events — single

12 | 4-H in focus

shot-rapid fire, silhouette (animal silhouettes are different distances and different sizes), and slow-fire bullseye, which is 40 shots in 50 minutes.

The single-shot rapid fire was something new for Grant, who didn’t have much of an opportunity to practice for the event. The shooters had 20 seconds to prepare their gun, come

ready for seven seconds, and then shoot at a moving target that only faces the shooter for three-seconds.

“Not every small county has a way of getting turning targets to practice on,” Bret said. “Nationals has the money to put the system together. It was a learning curve.”

Grant said an air pistol shoots pellets at the target with compressed air and is non lethal. There are different types of air pistols used in competitions. He owns two of his own guns and a family friend loans a gun to him.

The Washington State 4-H sponsored his $165 entry fee. A $500 Kittitas County 4-H Council award and $1,000 raised during a Mule Deer Foundation banquet helped pay for his travel expenses.

Practice makes perfect Hollar said he spends about 10 hours a week practicing for the shooting sport competitions, which are air pistol, air rifle, shotgun and archery.

Brian Myrick / Daily Record

See Nationals, Page 14

Hollar recently won a 4-H state championship for air pistol shooting.

The Helpful Hardware Place!

HARDWARE & PLUMBING

We proudly support our local 4-H kids!

Over 70 Years of Serving Kittitas County

Your hard work & helpfulness will pay off!

2550 Hungry Jct. Rd. Ellensburg, WA 98926 Phone: 509-962-8133 Fax: 509-962-4443 Email: no9hay@elltel.net

925-2961

310 N. Pearl • Ellensburg 1313907 4H15 MW

13 | 4-H in focus

1488623

NATIONALS Continued from Page 13 Grant said the hardest thing about shooting is practicing and keeping his schoolwork in balance.

“It all just takes time,” Grant said. “I have more fun shooting shotgun but I excel in air pistol.”

The long hours of hard work have paid off.

He’s won state the past two years, “technically three but he was too young,” Bret said.

Grant said he didn’t win state the first time he competed because he wasn’t old enough under the rules, even though he outscored the senior who won state that year.

Grant also is involved with 4-H leadership. He is part of the 4-H club called On Target. He is the County Ambassador for the local 4-H program, active with the Kittitas 4-H Teen Committee and is the Washington State 4-H Shooting Sports Delegate.

He said he plans to run for the 4-H State Ambassador position this fall.

Grant said he also helps the younger members of On Target by teaching them how to handle gun equipment. He and his father are working toward increasing interest in the club.

Brian Myrick / Daily Record

Grant said he helps the younger members of the On Target 4-H Club by teaching them how to properly handle equipment. He and his father are working toward increasing interest in the club.

much more than just st a feed store ore

Proud Supporters of 4-H and FFA!

FROM WESTERN CLOTHING TO LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT, YOU’LLL FIND IT AT OLD MILL COUNTRY STORE RE

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK O

500 W. THIRD AVE.

509-925-5397

962-7770 14 | 4-H in focus

200 E. Mountain View Avenue Ellensburg 1488539

KELLEHER MOTOR COMPANY PAN

2015

KING RANCH

“Our family serving your family since 1911”

602 N. Pearl Street | Ellensburg, WA | 509-925-1911

www.kellehermotors.com 15 | 4-H in focus

1488529

Introducing our newest bedroom collection...

the Industrial Suite in Chestnut finish See it in our showroom today!

4th & Main • Ellensburg, WA • 509-925-9828 • 800-992-9828

fitterersfurniture.com Always free delivery in the heart of Washington State • Open Monday thru Saturday 16 | 4-H in focus