Shinglehouse Sew-Cooks

The Shinglehouse Sew Cooks 4-H club started their year off with great success by raising $301.00 for the Oswayo Memorial Library in Shinglehouse, during a bake sale. Baked goods were made by the 4-Hers and also baked and donated to the sale by the Friends Of the Library. All proceeds went to the library.


The club held it's annual awards and pizza party. Each 4-H member gave a presentation. Laura gave hers on the Monarch Butterfly. Shayla's was on the history of the sewing needle. Catie talked about her personal cookbook she created and also on weaving of threads for jewelry. Sarah showed us how to cut an apple to create an apple swan, along with how to fit a sheep ready for show at the fairs.

Sarah Fuller received awards for 8th year 4-H member, clothing and textile, sheep and rabbit medals, and Healthy Living. Sarah had created her own cookbook and her own wall hanging quilt.

Catie Kohl received awards for 7th year 4-H member, clothing and textile, and Personal Development. Catie had created her own cookbook and her own wall hanging quilt.

Shayla Wilhelm received awards for 3rd year 4-H member, clothing and textile, and forestry. Shayla had sewed a pillow, apron and wall hanging quilt.

Laura Wilhelm received awards for 2nd year 4-H member, clothing and textile, and Achievement. Laura had sewed several pillows and a wall hanging quilt.

Last year's officers were thanked for the job well done and new officers are: President - Shayla Wilhelm, Vice President - Catie Kohl, Treasurer - Sarah Fuller and Secretary - Laura Wilhelm.

Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity and diversity of its workforce.

State 4-H Horse Show Placings

Congratulations to our 14 Potter County riders returning from the PA State 4-H Horse Show. We are very proud of how you represented us in Harrisburg. The following exhibitors brought home ribbons, but every single one of you deserve a big pat on the back!


Hailey Brown - 10th in Low Working Hunter Ponies

Jenna Gabreski - 8th in Trail Horses, Sr. Rider and 4th in Hunter Under Saddle, Breed Type, Sr. Rider

Reese Gabreski - 6th in Western Pleasure Ponies

Alexis Morse - 9th in Hunter Under Saddle Ponies

Noell Nichols - 3rd in Yearling Geldings/Miniature Horse

Sylvia Rutkowski - 6th in Miniature Horse Driving, Junior Driver

Heather Supplee - 1st in Yearling Fillies/Haflinger and 8th in Pleasure Pony Driving

Sabrina Williams - 1st in Yearling Geldings/Miniature Horse

4-H State Achievement Day Placings

Congratulations to the following Potter County 4-H Members for their placings at 4-H State Achievement Days.


Alison Wright First Place in Poster Art, Overall
Rebekah Fair Second Place in Poster Art, Overall
Noell Nichols Third Place in Poster Art, Overall

Noah Jones First Place in Poster Art, Junior
Ethan Jones Second Place in Poster Art, Junior

Sabrina Williams First Place in Poster Art, Senior

Laura Wilhelm Honorable Mention in Photography
Shelby Baldwin Second Place in Small Animal Essay

2012 Potter County 4-H Club Rosters

Barnyard Buddies (Club #2018) Member Name I. Beck L. Beck A. Bryant A. Lehman P. Plumstead S. Plumstead Beyond the Horizon (Club #1003) Member Name A. Ayers C. Ayers J. Ayers N. Ayers S. Ayers B. Cormier E. Cormier Z. Comier L. Fair R. Fair S. Fair S. Fry R. Schoonover A. Wright I. Wright P. Wright S. Wright Bullseye Blasters (Club #2053) Member Name J. Anderson J. Anderson R. Anderson S. Batterson C. Boucher B. Chapell D. Chapell R. Davis D. Dunn M. Dunn D. Frame K. LePold M. McBride A. Martin I. Martin R. Martin L. Potter E. Saulter L. Stimoker B. Streich C. VanBergen J. VanBergen J. Watson Crazy Critters (Club #2082) Member Name I. Barney J. Barney S. Barney B. Barshinger D. Barshinger K. Barshinger S. Davenport C. Dexter C. Dexter H. Greene H. Greene B. Woods C. Woods D. Woods Cream of the Crop (Club #2001) Member Name D. Craft L. Rogers J. Torrey Cow Patty Kickers (Club #2040) Member Name A. Anderson J. Anderson M. Baker S. Baker K. Haskins Z. Haskins F. Kujawski R. Langworthy B. Marsiglio J. Miles G. Minich M. Murphy E. Russell D. Talkington M. Terrette Dairy Wide (Club #2002) Member Name S. Bliss J. Fillhart C. Houghtelling C. Martin R. Martin Eleven Mile Livestock (Club #2081) Member Name T. Adams M. Adams S. Cole C. Hoffman H. Hoffman M. Hoffman M. Hoffman R. Hoffman P. Prince S. Prince N. Ragosta G. West K. West M. West R. West Exchange Club (Club #2061) Member Name --------------------------------- Famous Wabbits (Club #2031) Member Name S. Baldwin T. Baldwin J. Hand A. Horning A. Lewis D. Lewis Growing Country Clovers (Club #2025) Member Name --------------------------------- Homesteaders (Club #1002) Member Name --------------------------------- Horse Feathers (Club #2016) Member Name --------------------------------- Portville Bunnie Tails (Club #2032) Member Name T. Grove T. Grove A. Phillips C. Shaw D. Shaw Potter Show Animals (Club #2019) Member Name B. Bell E. Carr A. Clower D. Clower L. Fox C. Lentz S. Lentz A. Miller M. Pesock E. Powell Shinglehouse Sew Cooks (Club #1004) Member Name S. Fuller C. Kohl L. Wilhelm S. Wilhelm Showstoppers (Club #2013) Member Name H. Brown R. Doran E. Easton J. Gabreski R. Gabreski A. Goerner K. Hemphill B. Kightlinger M. Klesa J. Landers T. Schroeder K. Siska M. Siska B. Supplee H. Supplee C. Tarabori Silver Bits (Club #2014) Member Name A. Anderson C. Anderson D. Flint E. Jones N. Jones K. Kosa W. Kosa B. Lehman R. Lehman A. Morse N. Nichols M. Ransom S. Rutkowski H. Wenrich S. Williams
The Cooperative Extension Office is pleased to report a total
of 154 members in all county 4-H clubs for the 2012 project year!

Community Garden

Penn State Extension is pleased to announce the opening of the Potter County Community Garden for 2012. Garden plots will be available to anyone who wishes to plant their own garden but may not have space. Plots will be 20’ x 35’ and there are 22 plots available on a first come, first served basis.


An initial meeting to discuss guidelines and rules and to register for a plot will be held Saturday, May 12 from 4-6PM at the Penn State Extension Office located in front of the Freeman House off of Route 872. Please call 814-274-8540 for more information or to register for the meeting. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity and the diversity of its workforce.

News about the U.S. Farm Labor Law proposal

By Paul Conner - The Daily Caller, April 27th, 2012
The U. S. Department of Labor has backed down over a proposed rule that would have applied child labor laws to youths working on family farms. They have cited public outcry for the policy reversal.
“The decision to withdraw this rule — including provisions to define the ‘parental exemption’ — was made in response to thousands of comments expressing concerns about the effect of the proposed rules on small family-owned farms,” the Department said in a press release Thursday evening. “To be clear, this regulation will not be pursued for the duration of the Obama administration.”

Had the rule gone into effect it would have drastically cut the number of jobs children would have been able to help out with on their own family farm — work which is often vital to the survival of the farm that feeds their family. It would have prohibited children under the age of 16 from operating almost all power-driven equipment, including tractors, from working with tobacco or in stockyards or livestock exchanges. Many feared that the rule would effectively kill animal shows, too.
Nor were the negative consequences of the rule limited to a simple loss of labor. Parents and young adults who had worked on family farms in younger years cited the experience as one that instilled in them discipline and a firm work ethic. Critics who decried the rule as overprotective stated that all it would accomplish is to prevent children from learning valuable skills. Children are already forbidden from doing the most dangerous work on a farm.

“Losing that work ethic — it’s so hard to pick this up later in life,” said Cherokee County, Kansas Farm Bureau president Jeff Clark. “There’s other ways to learn how to farm, but it’s so hard. You can learn so much more working on the farm when you’re 12, 13, 14 years old.”
The Department of Labor was also under pressure from members of Congress who represented rural districts where farming is a vital part of the economy. The attempt to apply the restrictive child labor laws to children working on family farms was especially bizarre when one considers that the USA has a current national health care crisis stemming from childhood obesity. Preventing a segment of the childhood population who are working actively outdoors and learning vital skills for their future from doing so resonated as problematic with both politicians and the broader public.

“I am pleased to hear the Obama Administration is finally backing away from its absurd 85-page proposal to block youth from participating in family farm activities and ultimately undermine the very fabric of rural America, but I will continue working to ensure this overreaching proposal is completely and permanently put to rest,” said Sen. John Thune, Republican from South Dakota. “The Obama DOL’s youth farm labor rule is a perfect example of what happens when government gets too big.”

Local Youth Attend 4-H Teen Retreat Weekend

Sixty area youth travelled to Krislund Camp & Conference Center in Madisonburg, Centre County from March 23-25 to participate in a 4-H Teen Retreat. Highlights of the weekend included presentations by the PA State 4-H Council members and workshops focusing on Parliamentary Procedure, and the Art of Writing Thank-You Notes. The keynote address, “Juggling Elephants,” addressed balancing all the responsibilities in our lives and was presented by Todd Musig of Salt Lake City, Utah. Saturday night’s program culminated with a magic show and hypnosis act performed by seventeen year old Corby Smith, a 4-H member from Centre County. Local 4-H members who attended (pictured above) are: Back L to R- Karli Haskins, Brelynn Marsiglio, Nick Ayers, Joey Hand, Zach Haskins, Front L to R- Alexis Horning, Shelby Baldwin and Shelby Baker.

Two Additional Entry Placings

Congratulations goes to Heather Greene for her first place finish in the 4-H Textiles- Quilt division and Sarah Fuller for her second place finish in 4-H Clothing for her blouse. We apologize for missing these placings for Farm Show! Congratulations to both of you!

Great Week for Potter County 4-H Members at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show

Potter County had a great showing at the 2012 PA Farm Show with 59 4-H entries in the family living sections, club members meeting the Secretary of Agriculture and singing at the Opening ceremonies, working the state 4-H booth, presenting at the Penn State College of Agriculture booth, competing in the state Farm Safety Quiz Bowl, showing in the market swine classes and being honored with a Farm Show Scholarship.

The Cow Patty Kickers 4-H club had a meet-and-greet with the Secretary of Agriculture, George Greig, and then sang How I Love My America to the audience of hundreds at the Farm Show Opening Ceremony. Those singing were Evie Russell, Mira Terrette, Ashley Anderson, Shelby Baker, Jacob Anderson, Marissa Baker, Marcus Murphy, David Talkington and Frances Kujawski. This same group also worked the state 4-H booth in the Family Living section.

On Wednesday, the Potter County Farm Safety Quiz team competed and took fourth place honors statewide. Team members Jenna Gabreski, Rachel Eller, Bryan Supplee, and Heather Supplee, all from the Showstoppers 4-H Club, answered questions on Farm Safety in two separate rounds against some tough Quiz Bowl competitors.

Lauren and Rebekah Fair were asked to present a session on entomology because of their experience with the bug collecting and identification project. The girls did a one hour workshop on Thursday at the Penn State College of Ag booth.

Two Silver Bits 4-H Horse and Pony Club members showed in the Market Hog classes placing as follows - Noelle Nichols placed 6th in the Division 8 Crossbred Hog class and Kourtney Kosa placed 5th in the Division 11 Crossbred Hog class. Both girls are students at Northern Potter High School.

Alumni 4-H member Kristen Hayman was one of 26 students who received a $3,500 scholarship from the Pennsylvania Farm Show Scholarship Foundation on Tuesday, January 10. Kris is a Junior at Penn State University majoring in Animal Science. Agriculture Secretary, George Greig, presented the awards.

Thirteen members from three clubs submitted entries in the family living division. Submitting entries were from Beyond the Horizons 4-H club- Lauren Fair, Rebekah Fair, Sarah Fair, Robert Schoonover, Alison Wright, Isaac Wright, Peter Wright and Sarah Wright; from Shinglehouse Sew Cooks- Shayla Wilhelm, Catherine Kohl and Sarah Fuller; Crazy Critters- Hannah Greene and Heather Greene.

Placings were as follows:

Best of Show-Alison Wright- 4-H Crafts- Drawing
Best of Show- Lauren Fair- 4-H Opportunities- Entomology

First Place
Isaac Wright- 4-H Food & Nutrition- Oatmeal Muffins
Shayla Wilhelm- 4-H Textiles- Apron
Rebekah Fair- 4-H Textiles- Stitched Item
Rebekah Fair- 4-H Textile Art- Crochet & Knitting
Sarah Wright- 4-H Textile Art- Crochet & Knitting
Alison Wright- 4-H Sketchbook- Painting
Rebekah Fair- 4-H Sketchbook- Drawing
Rebekah Fair- 4-H Opportunities- Entomology
Lauren Fair- 4-H Opportunities- Entomology
Isaac Wright- 4-H Opportunities- Wildlife is All Around Us- 4
Peter Wright- 4-H Opportunities- Outdoor Adventures

Second Place
Alison Wright- 4-H Food & Nutrition- Snickerdoodles
Hannah Greene- Clothing Open- Crochet Children’s Garment
Alison Wright- 4-H Textile Art- Crochet
Heather Greene- 4-H Textile Art- Crochet & Knitting
Lauren Fair- Crafts Youth- Cloth Toy
Alison Wright- 4-H Opportunities- PA 4-H Centennial Poster
Peter Wright- 4-H Opportunities- Club 3D Display
Lauren Fair- Hobbies- Photography- Color-Altered Image

Third Place
Catherine Kohl- 4-H Textile- Blouse
Heather Greene- 4-H Textile Art- Crochet & Knitting
Rebekah Fair- 4-H Sketchbook- Painting
Rebekah Fair- 4-H Sketchbook- Sculpture
Heather Greene- 4-H Opportunities- Learning About Horses
Rebekah Fair- 4-H Opportunities- PA 4-H Centennial Poster

Fourth Place
Rebekah Fair- Hobbies- Photography- Black and White- Domestic Animals
Lauren Fair- Hobbies- Photography- Black and White- Wild Animals
Rebekah Fair- Hobbies- Photography- Color- Wild Animals

Fifth Place
Lauren Fair- Hobbies- Photography- Black and White- Domestic Animals
Rebekah Fair- Hobbies- Photography- Black and White- Wild Animals
Lauren Fair- Hobbies- Photography- Black and White- Critter

Potter 4-H Club to Sing at Farm Show

Please join us in congratulating the Cow Patty Kickers 4-H club from Roulette. They have been chosen to sing at the Opening Ceremony of the Farm Show this Saturday, January 7th in Harrisburg. The club submitted a demo CD in December and was selected from multiple entries across the state. Cow Patty Kickers includes Ashley Anderson, Jacob Anderson, Marissa Baker, Shelby Baker, Marcus Murphy, Frances Kujawski, Evie Russell, David Talkington, and Mira Terrette.

In addition to performing in front of hundreds of Farm Show attendees, the nine member group will have a meet-and-greet with the Secretary of Ag and the Governor at 9AM. Coverage of the Farm Show Opening Ceremonies is handled by PCN- Pennsylvania Cable Network - and will be aired at 2PM on Saturday, January 7th.

Best wishes to the Cow Patty Kickers as they represent us all at the Farm Show this Saturday!

59 4-H Farm Show Entries from Potter County

Potter County sent a record number of entries to the 96th annual Farm Show this year, 59! Well done to the following 4-Hers for submitting their projects:
Shayla Wilhelm- Shinglehouse Sew Cooks
Catie Kohl- Shinglehouse Sew Cooks
Sarah Fuller- Shinglehouse Sew Cooks
Rebekah Fair- Beyond the Horizons
Lauren Fair- Beyond the Horizons
Sarah Fair- Beyond the Horizons
Hannah Greene- Crazy Critters
Heather Greene- Crazy Critters
Alison Wright- Beyond the Horizons
Isaac Wright- Beyond the Horizons
Petter Wright- Beyond the Horizons
Sarah Wright- Beyond the Horizons
Robert Schoonover- Beyond the Horizons

Thank you to all of you for taking the time to complete projects for the Farm Show!