This year 30 Clayton County 4-H and FFA members weighed in 83 head for the 2024 swine derby show at the Clayton County Fair. This is up 3 youth, but down 27 head from last year. The Derby competition uses the rate-of-gain along with visual appraisal by the judge for evaluation.

There is also a non-derby division in which 4-H and FFA members can participate in Clayton County. Those pigs are not weighed in April but do need to be identified with official ear tags by May 15. The tags are available at the Extension Office in Elkader. The 2024 Clayton County Fair Swine Show will be Thursday, August 1. For more information contact the ISU Extension & Outreach Office in Elkader at 563-245-1451.

Jack Scherf of Elkader looks on as one of his derby swine pigs is tagged and weighed.

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Market Sheep and Goat Weigh-In will be May 4

Clayton County 4-H and FFA members who intend to participate in the market sheep and meat goat classes at the 2024 county fair must qualify their projects at the weigh-in on Saturday, May 4. The weigh-in will be from 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at the Clayton County Fairgrounds in National. Animals will be weighed and ear-tagged at the site.

This will also be a site to qualify for the Iowa State Fair. State fair animals will have retinal imaging done. State Fair meat goats (market and breeding does) MUST have a 4-H tag (or tattoo for does). Retinal images are required for all state fair meat goats-both market & breeding. ALL State Fair sheep must have a 4-H tag and retinal images (Market lambs, commercial & purebred breeding ewes)

For more information on county and state fair rules and guidelines contact the Clayton County Extension Office at 563-245-1451.

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Clayton County Extension Office Changes Business Hours

The Clayton County Extension Council voted at their March meeting to change the operating hours of the Extension Office. The new office hours will be Monday thru Thursday 8 am to noon and 12:30 to 4:30 pm, Fridays will be By Appointment Only beginning April 1st. The Clayton County Extension Office is located at 120 South Main Street in Elkader. Friday appointments can be made by calling 563-245-1451. As always, our website is also a great resource available 24/7 www.extension.iastate.edu/clayton

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N ew Website Launches Just in Time for the Spring Gardening Season

Home gardening information for Iowa State University and Extension and Outreach has a new home!

For almost ten years, the Horticulture and Home Pest News website was the go-to website for home gardening information from Iowa State. The thousands of articles on everything from vegetables, to lawns, to trees, to houseplants, and everything in between now can now be found on the new Yard and Garden website just launched in March of 2024..

The website now features content organized by topic area and a fresh new look that works very well on mobile devices (an important thing given 70% of all visits to the website are on mobile devices). With this change in look comes a new name and web address: https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/. All of these changes should make it even easier to find the information you are looking for from Iowa State Extension.

Click below to view the new and improved website and don’t forget to update your bookmarks (although don’t worry, even if you don’t update all your links everything from the old website will redirect you to the new one!). And while you’re there, don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter. Both of these great resources will keep you up-to-date on all things gardening in Iowa.

Additional Stories Published Online

The following news releases have been published on the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach website.

4/10/2024 Norton Named Director of Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute

Erin Norton looks forward to growing the Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute and expanding extension and outreach offerings for the Iowa wine industry.

4/9/2024 Dairy Team Webinar to Focus on Fermenting Whey to Produce Spirits

Learn how a distillery in Wisconsin is using whey, a byproduct of the cheese making industry, to produce spirits, during a May 15 webinar with the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach dairy team.

4/8/2024 Celebrate ISU Extension and Outreach Week April 15-20

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Week is April 15-20. Iowa’s 100 county extension offices will host “I Spy Cy” activities and educational events throughout the week to thank Iowans for their support of ISU Extension and Outreach throughout the state.

4/8/2024 Agronomy Workshops for Women to Be Held near Melbourne

Women landowners, farmers, conservationists and other women who are interested in learning more about agronomy can do so at upcoming sessions of Agronomy in the Field, offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

4/8/2024 Organic Agriculture Program Releases New Video Documenting Drone Use for Red Clover

A video recorded at an Iowa State University research farm shows how red clover can be seeded into hybrid rye using a drone. Learn more about this innovative process from an organic specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Extension Information

N ew Website Launches Just in Time for the Spring Gardening Season

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