Washington 4-H Dairy News - 4-H Youth Development Program ...

IN THIS ISSUE
Dairy Days .................................... 2
First Impressions .......................... 3
Volunteering Brings
Many Rewards .............................. 3
4-H Dairy Endowment
Scholarships ................................ 4
Alumni Update: Tarn Mower ....... 5
Donor Spotlight:
All West/Select Sires ...................... 6
2009-2010 Dairy Donors ............. 7
Dairy Judging .............................. 8
Dairy Quiz Bowl .......................... 9
Dairy Youth Q&A .......................10
Dairy Endowment Fund .............11
2010 Dairy Conference ..............12
WASHINGTON STATE
4-H FOUNDATIO N
Published by the
Washington State 4-H Foundation and
the Dairy Advisory Committee
Washington 4-H
1
Dairy News
D A I R Y E N D O W M E N T N E W S L E T T E R • W I N T E R 2 0 1 0
WSU Dairy Club: College Students Hone
Skills, Knowledge—Reach Out to Community
By Betsy Fradd, Washington State University Extension 4-H
Learning about dairy is an ongoing
process. Whether it’s in
classes at WSU, on the family
farm, or at a conference where
knowledge flows and experience
is gained. Enter the WSU Dairy
Club. Members are passionate
about cows and the dairy industry,
and look forward to giving back to
their communities.
“The WSU Dairy Club provides
many opportunities to connect
with leaders in our industry,”
said Dairy Club President Brooke
Vanderveen, who grew up on
a 650-Holstein dairy farm in
Everson, Washington. “Guest
speakers let us know current and
future opportunities and what
changes are on the horizon.
They help us prepare for life after
college.”
Social and educational events are
planned and hosted by the club. In
the fall a dairy banquet recognizes
students, alumni, and industry
leaders who have received awards
or are being honored for their
achievement.
During Cougar Youth Weekend
each April, 4-H youth, FFA
Continued…
“Dairy Club” p. 11
WSU Dairy Club
members

Elementary Youth See Where the Milk Comes
From at Dairy Days in Chehalis
It’s an opportunity for kids to see
cows up close and learn how the
milk gets from the cow to the
grocery store. During Dairy Days,
children from kindergarten and
first grade discover how cows and
calves are fed and cared for.
“ Youth
today are
disconnected
from knowing
that food is
produced on
a farm.
”
“Youth today are
disconnected from
knowing that
food is produced
on a farm. They
think it comes
from a store and
don’t understand
the importance
of farming,” said
Gary Fredricks,
Director of Cowlitz
County Extension.
“At Dairy Days
students learn from
the farmer how
they produce healthy food and
the care they put into producing a
high quality product.”
The children visit different stations
to find out what cows eat, learn
about cow health, and get their
questions answered by local dairy
professionals.
Over two thousand children attend
the events each May in Lewis,
Clark, and Skagit counties. Dairy
Days is co-sponsored by the Dairy
Women’s Association, WSU County
Extension offices, local school
districts and county fairgrounds.
ABOVE: Pete Dykstra encourages kids to test the vacuum on the milking machine during Dairy
Days in Chehalis. BELOW: Dairy Ambassador Andrea talks with kindergarteners as she bottle
feeds a calf during Dairy Days.
We Want to Hear from You!
Submit your stories or ideas for articles to Betsy Fradd at fradd@wsu.edu or 253-445-4543.
2

First Impressions
Gary Fredricks,
Director, WSU Cowlitz County
Extension
It was my pleasure to accompany
a team of youth to the National
4-H Dairy Conference. It was
a great trip for all of us. There
were 37 states and 3 Canadian
providences represented by over
200 participants. We had several
opportunities to visit nationally
known farms and businesses
that represent the dairy industry.
Time and time again, we heard
comments on the outstanding
behavior of the group and the
shining example they exhibited.
It was great to be represented
by a state wide organization of
youth that we can be proud of,
for the high standards that they
represent. Our team of Elizabeth,
Damen, Frank, Shannon, Bridget,
and Brooke did an outstanding
job of representing Washington.
Whether you know it or not, you
are a representative for dairy 4-H.
Whenever you wear a 4-H shirt,
exhibit at a county fair or attend
4-H events, there are people
not in 4-H that are watching
and noticing. Your behavior
can encourage them to support
dairy 4-H activities, contribute to
programs, and even participate in
events.
Our youth are a shining example,
but my challenge to you is, can
you take it to the next level?
Do you tell people what 4-H
is and what benefits you have
received by being a member? In
a conversation, do you mention
how 4-H has helped you increase
your talents in leadership,
communication, confidence and
knowledge? Do you tell people
how 4-H serves our state as well
as their local community? It is
important to get the message
out, and all of you are our best
ambassadors. Whether you think
so or not, people listen to you and
what you have to say. A positive
comment may yield rich rewards
further down the line because you
made the effort to tell your 4-H
story.
The dairy 4-H project has a rich
history and a proud heritage in
Washington. Many of the state
leaders in the dairy industry
came from a background that
included 4-H. Some of them
have moved into key position
for agri-businesses throughout
our country and have had
a significant impact on the
dairy industry national and
internationally.
If you are not aware of what is
going on in dairy 4-H, a great
place to start is the website. It
contains information on activities
and what you can do to increase
your 4-H experience. These
opportunities can be found at:
http://4h.wsu.edu/foundation/
dairyendowment/index.html
Check out the 4-H Dairy
Endowment website for what’s
happening around the state and
how you can get involved. You
never know who will be listening
and the impact it will make!
Gary Fredricks
WSU Extension
3
Volunteering
Brings Many
Rewards
By LeAnna McMahan,
Lewis County 4-H Leader
“Because we love kids!” That was
the response that long-time 4-H
program leader Cindy Dykstra
made to the fairgoer who couldn’t
understand why we would spend
five days at the
State 4-H Fair
in Puyallup
with 21 Lewis
County Dairy
4-H’ers, aged
10–18. Long
days in the
barn, sleepless
nights, and too
much fair food
LeAnna McMahan
are all part of
the experience.
I was not raised on a dairy farm,
but my husband, Ross, was and at
the age of 23 we began farming
with his family in Randle. That
same year, before moving to the
farm, we met Curt and Suze Marsh,
well-known 4-H swine leaders, in
the Curtis Valley Cattle Club along
with Pete and Cindy Dykstra. That
started our 4-H journey!
I became a 4-H club leader in 1991,
when my son Joel joined a local
club. I knew NOTHING about 4-H
and wound up giving him the
wrong record book. When he saw
his white ribbon, he said “That’s
pretty good, considering we didn’t
know what we were doing!”
Joel showed swine for many years
and later switched to dairy. My
other children, Wade and Joyce,
were in several different projects
during their 4-H years but their
main focus was dairy. Wade was
Continued…
“Volunteering” p. 4

4-H Dairy Endowment Scholarships Provide Resources, Incentive
Congratulations to Brooke Schoenbachler and Erica Studeman on receiving Washington State 4-H Dairy Endowment
Scholarships to further their education in the dairy industry. The two $500 scholarships are given to one high school
senior and one 4-H member to continue their studies beyond high school.
Brooke Schoenbachler has grown up on her parents’ 120-cow Holstein farm in
Stanwood, where her jobs included calf management, relief milking, hay harvesting,
fieldwork, and cleaning stalls. As a member of Snohomish County Hope’s 4-H Club,
Brooke has held numerous leadership positions as well as competed in Dairy Quiz
Bowl and Dairy Judging contests on both the state and national levels. She has
attended five national conventions as a member and captain of the Washington
State Dairy Quiz Bowl Team. Brooke is also the current president of the Washington
State Junior Holstein Association and participates in the Snohomish County Dairy
Ambassador program where she gives dairy presentations to elementary school
students. Brooke is contemplating several colleges to further her passion in the dairy
business. She plans on studying how to become a manager of high-profile show
cows or focus on genetics to become part of the dairy artificial insemination industry.
Erica Studeman
Volunteering continued
fortunate to have the opportunity
to participate in dairy conference,
national dairy judging, and
national dairy bowl. The lessons
my kids learned and the friends
and contacts they made still serve
them well today.
My love of kids and desire to teach
has made 4-H a perfect fit for me.
Our 4-H club, the Krafty Kritters,
has had as many as 25 kids at a
time over the years. This has given
me the opportunity to watch
members grow as 4-H’ers and as
people. Examples include a quiet
and shy young lady who blossomed
into club president, running
meetings and giving high scoring
oral reasons; the quick thinking
dairy bowl contestant who started
Erica Studeman is a senior at Washington State University. She began showing
market steers and registered Herefords in Chehalis when she was 10 years old.
She soon branched out and began showing dairy heifers and continues to
show both beef and dairy cattle in open class and junior shows. She has raised,
owned, and shown three Holsteins, one Milking Shorthorn, one Jersey, ten
Polled Hereford steers, and 14 Polled Hereford Heifers as 4-H projects. Erica has
held leadership positions as the Lewis County Alternate Dairy Ambassador and
Washington State Junior Hereford Association Vice President. She is studying
to earn degrees in both mathematics and animal sciences. Upon graduation,
she intends to get a Master’s degree in education and pursue a career as a high
school math and agriculture teacher.
To find out more about the scholarships or to apply:
http://4h.wsu.edu/foundation/dairyendowment/HodgsonScholarship.pdf
out as a slow processer; and a child
who gave her first presentation in
the hallway with only the judge
present and went on to later give
a state public presentation. The
triumphs are endless.
I cherish the time I spent with
my own children over the years,
the club activities, county events,
four fairs a year and our favorite—
Cougar Youth Weekend put on by
the WSU Dairy Club.
My youngest child Joyce finished
4-H in 2005, but that did not end
my 4-H career. I continue to serve
as club and dairy leader. We work
hard, but most of all we have fun.
Sometimes it is hard to teach when
you are laughing so hard you can’t
4
Brooke Schoenbachler
talk. We make life-long friends
within our club, throughout the
state, and across the country.
My family continues to give back
to this wonderful program. All
of my children help my club
and members with their dairy
projects, from hauling animals to
critiquing presentations. Wade,
and his wife, Lindsay, have served
as officers of the WSU Dairy Club,
hosting Cougar Youth Weekend.
Joyce serves as co-leader, helping
chaperone members.
When my calendar is full of 4-H
events people may ask why I do it.
My answer is, “I love kids and they
give back more than I can ever give
them.”

Alumni Update: Tarn Mower
By Betsy Fradd, WSU Extension 4-H
Tarn Mower likes cows and dirt. As
a member of Sunshine Dairy 4-H in
Skagit County, he grew up caring
for cows and excelled in Dairy Quiz
Bowl, judging, and demonstrations.
After graduating from WSU with
a major in soil science and an
emphasis on sustainable agriculture,
Tarn went back to work on the
family farm for two years before
joining the Peace Corps to teach
agro-forestry in Africa. At age 31,
Tarn now lives in Indiana where
he thrives, working on an organic
vegetable and fruit farm, and looks
forward to starting graduate school
this winter.
Why was it important to you to join
the Peace Corps and go to Africa to
teach Agro-Forestry?
I decided I would join the Peace
Corps when I was 14 years old.
African soils are interesting, so I took
some time studying arid and tropical
soil problems at WSU. No amount
of preparation can prepare a soul
for that kind of culture shock and
changed reality, perhaps especially
for a weather-wimp mossback like
myself. Joining the Peace Corps
was important because I felt I could
do some good for other people
whose lives had changed radically
and did not have the tools, new or
traditional, to prosper. I worked with
folks who traditionally herded cattle
for their living but extreme changes
in climate and rain patterns, coupled
with hardening national borders, left
them without adequate nutrition or
a means of migrating to a new area
with more plentiful rainfall. In some
ways, I did good agro-forestry work,
mostly with women’s cooperative
groups and their gardens. In other
ways, most of the work I did was
beyond basic agricultural Extension
and I worked mostly with women’s
education and small business
development—something I did not
expect.
It seems that you’ve decided (at least
for now) to pursue a job in something
other than the dairy industry. Can you
go into why you made that choice?
Tarn Mower and young friend in
the African country of Mauritania.
I fell in love with a young woman
who lives here and we decided
to build a life together. In this
area there aren’t any functioning
dairies—there are a few farms with a
couple of milk cows around, and also
a raw-milk share dairy [cooperative]
to the south. I’d like to have cows,
but I don’t have any land or any
money. Much of the countryside
around here has been contaminated
with PCBs—really nasty, pernicious
chemicals that render the soil unfit
for any kind of agriculture. So it’s a
touchy thing, getting farmland here.
Not only are most areas missing
the old topsoil, but also good land
can be toxic. I work now on a farm
that gets me outside and with my
hands in the soil—and that keeps me
happy.
What is the most fascinating part of
your job?
The most fascinating part of my job
is working outdoors in open fields
with all kinds of bugs, weeds, and
pests I’ve never known before, being
from the Northwest and all, and just
learning constantly. The weather—
hot and wet—is great for growing
mushrooms and crop pests. The soil
in the area also was highly eroded
back in the Depression, too. There
are a lot of challenges for the handson
farmer to grip—a new one every
day!
5
Do you see yourself working in the
dairy industry again at some point?
Absolutely. I would make dairy
products—ice cream, cheese,
yoghurt—in addition to having
cows. That is my goal. Just as joining
the Peace Corps took a decade, I’m
sure that this goal won’t be met in
the short term.
Is there a particular story related to
your time in 4-H dairy that you’d like
to pass along?
I had just been sworn in as a
volunteer in the Peace Corps and was
moving from my training village. I
was stuffed into a Landcruiser with
my bags and then unceremoniously
dumped in the middle of this tiny
village in front of this little mud hut.
I became surrounded by strangers
and HORDES of inquisitive children
speaking a language I was just
learning in a dialect I was unfamiliar
with. Things felt a bit bleak. It was
also 115 degrees. I just ‘shut down’
for a few hours until sunset—then,
suddenly, the air was filled with a
familiar smell, a good smell! I looked
around and couldn’t determine what
the smell was until ten minutes went
by and the village starting filling up
with the white, humped cattle of the
village. I could smell their breath—
Continued…
“Mower” p. 7

Donor Spotlight:
All West/Select Sires
All West/Select Sires, Inc. is
a farmer-owned cooperative
providing bovine genetics and
related services to Washington,
Oregon, California, Alaska,
Hawaii, Northern Idaho and
Northern Montana, as well as
British Columbia, Alberta, and
Saskatchewan. The company
has 70 employees working as
evaluators, sales staff, business
and marketing staff, and AI service
technicians. They provide a wide
range of services related to bovine
reproductive management from
analysis of secondary signs of
heat, to proper semen handling,
insemination, and even evaluation
of on-farm computer records.
Their goal is to “build better cows
throughout the world, one mating
at a time.”
For more than 75 years, All West/
Select Sires has made significant,
on-going contributions to the
Washington State 4-H Dairy
program. Their generous support
has made long-lasting, positive
impacts on state dairy judging
contests, state dairy shows, and
many local dairy events.
Karl Krangnes, a Dairy Coordinator
at All West/Select Sires, grew up on
a 45-cow registered Holstein dairy
farm in Mount Vernon where he
showed cattle at the local, state,
and national levels. It was during
his years in 4-H that he learned
how to judge cattle. Initially hired
to be an evaluator at All West/
Select Sires, Krangnes is now in
charge of Young Sire reports, the
Program for Genetic Advancement
(PGA), and Canadian sales.
Why is the Program for Genetic
Advancement so promising?
The PGA is a way of proving our
young sires. The ten cooperatives
that make up Select Sires each have
herds that participate in the PGA.
This way we get our bulls proven
throughout the Northwest and
across the whole country. We visit
these herds and get information on
the daughters of these young sires
on a yearly basis.
All West/Select Sires is now involved in
genomics. Can you explain how this
process will impact the industry?
Genomics is a new tool for our
dairymen to use. With the DNA
we can predict a bull’s ability to
transmit their genetics to their
offspring. It is another resource
to use when selecting service
sires. I think it’s going to change
the way we market bulls and it
will be a change for the farmer
with regards to the way they sell
us bulls. Genomics assists us in
selecting young sires by predicting
6
Karl Krangnes, Dairy Coordinator
at All West/Select Sires
production, type and health traits.
One of the health traits that
people look at is “productive life,”
meaning cows that are trouble-free.
What is your forecast for the dairy
industry?
Dairies are still going to get bigger.
We are going to have fewer dairy
farms, but more cows per dairy.
These dairymen use as many
services as possible with today’s
advancing technology to make
their businesses more efficient and
profitable.
What is your advice to 4-H youth who
want to pursue a dairy career?
Get involved in as many different
things as you can. There are many
opportunities out there such
as quiz bowl, judging contests,
showing cattle at local shows, and
public speaking demonstrations.
As you get older, many companies
have intern positions available.
Learn as much as you can and get
as much education as possible.

Emerald Clover
Stuart Foundation
Ruby Clover
Washington State Dairy Products
Commission
Washington State Dairy Women
Bronze Clover
All West/Select Sires
Clifford & Rosemary Bailey
Michelle & Ryan Bartelheimer
Matthew & Denise Beebe
James & Catherine Boisseranc
Charlie’s Auto Body
Chehalis Livestock Market
Daritech, Inc.
Arnold & Ronda Fohn
Scott & Vicki Furrer
Haynickers II 4-H
Steve & Elaine Johansen
Lewis County Holstein Club
Mark & Ronda Van Mersbergen—
Markwell Holsteins LLC.
Vickie Mesman—Mesman Farm
Ted & Jean Oien—Camano-Vu
Dairy Farm
Pomona Grange #12
Lynnae Rodeffer
Security State Bank
Mower continued
2009-2010 Dairy Donors
Fred & Tammi Schoenbachler—
Sildahl Farms
Snohomish County Dairy Women
Frank Swenson
The Farm Store
Garrett & Gerri Van Beek
Washington State Junior Holstein
Association
Western Poly Dome, Inc.
Whatcom County Dairy Women
Rudy & Heidi Zurcher—Zurcher
Dairy
Green Clover
Emil & Mary Anderson
Alan & Harriet Barr
Brian & Tami Behnke
Woody & Joan Bernard
Kurt Biderbost
Ted Biderbost
Joe & Rose Blake
Frank Bueler
Dale & Carol Duskin
David & Gloria Edwards
Gene Elledge
Frank & Helen Etter
Loretta Forar
Duane & Grace Green
Anna Groger
Steve Groger
Catherine Groger
the breath of cattle that had been eating grass. At that
moment I felt more at home than I had for three months
and things looked up from there.
How do you continue to make your community and world a
better place?
I try to smile more, frankly, and to be a good listener.
That seems to help other people a great deal. I
7
Carole Ann Hansen
Mark & Lynn Hereth
Heinz & Melissa Jeg—Jeg & Sons
Dairy
Martin & Agnes Korf
Michael & Betsy Madan
Ann Ottini
Mary Ottini
Darrell & Joanne Ricci—Ricci Villa
Donella Rod
Bill & Jolene Rod
Henry & Dorothy Salvadalena
Alice & William Sawyer
Robert & Juanita Scharf
Bernice Sinnema
Lester & Marie Snyder
Mrs. Don Steffen—Steffen Farms
Martin & Frances Holdener—Sun
Top Farms
Dale & Helen Surdyk
Tom Morris Ltd.
Tualco Grange #284, Inc.
Jason & Debbie VanderVeen
Anthony & Mary Vanhulle
Anna Wanser
Washington Brown Swiss
Association
Washington State Dairy
Federation
Lyle & Merri Lou Wesen
Beverly Wicks
suppose I just try to live a good life, one focused on
knowing myself and helping others and spreading the
gospels of Cream and Butter.
Anything else that would be good for others to know?
Go ahead, eat the cookie. Just have some milk with it,
too! Then it’s a health food!

Teen Dairy
Judging
Experience has
its Rewards
By Alyx, Spokane County
I’ve always dreaded the idea
of livestock judging but once I
actually start judging, it isn’t that
bad. I still may not look forward
to it now, but
learning to
organize my
thoughts and
being able to
reason will
benefit me
throughout life.
I live on
my family’s
dairy farm
Alyx in the small
community
of Elk in Spokane County. We
have been raising alfalfa hay
and Holsteins for over 30 years
and have a handful of registered
Holsteins that we show. My
grandparents live on the dairy
and my family lives just down the
road. The farm has always been my
“second home” and now I work on
the farm doing everything from
cleaning stalls, to helping with
herd health, to putting up hay in
the summer.
Along with all the work 365
days of the year, I also get many
opportunities to show, participate
in leadership events, and judge
livestock. I’ve never really loved
judging animals at the fair or
attending various dairy judging
days, but I participate in as many as
I can. Not only is it fun to get out
and socialize with other youth, but
judging animals teaches me many
life skills. Being able to pick four
Continued…
“Judging” p. 9
Andrea, Emily, Abby, and Aaron visit Sunshine Genetics during their
trip to the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.
2010 Dairy Judging: Madison, WI
By Andrea
As part of the judging trip my first two days in Madison consisted
of traveling to multiple dairy farms in the area judging groups of
cows and heifers for practice. One very famous farm we visited was
the Hoard’s Dairy. Another thing we did was the actual judging
contest. Although I was extremely nervous, I soon found out
that it wasn’t too scary being down on the “colored shavings.” I
found this part of the trip interesting because it tested what we
have learned over the past year of judging around the state and
working with our coaches. Apparently we learned a lot because
the Washington State Team placed 9th out of 30 teams. The final
event that I really enjoyed and would have to be my favorite part
of the trip was getting to experience the World Dairy Expo. At expo
I got to see the Grand Champion Jersey, Ayrshire, and Milking
Shorthorn for this year as well as many other fabulous cows from
around the country from all the breeds of dairy cattle.
At first I was hesitant to go on the trip given the rumors that I had
heard. With five sets of reasons and having to be quiet for seven
hours straight, who wouldn’t be scared? But I have to say that this
trip is one of the most worthwhile things I have ever done in my
entire 4-H career. It is a lot of work and takes dedication but, in
the long run, the reasons aren’t that bad and you get the chance to
build lasting friendships with your teammates. Plus, it’s fun!
By being a part of the Washington State Dairy Judging team I have
been able to explore my passion for dairy cattle and the dairy
industry. I have been shown many career pathways and ways of
farming by getting to see a different part of the country. I would
not have the insight on the dairy industry if I had not been given
the opportunity to be a part of such an educational experience.
8

2010 Dairy Quiz Bowl
By Marcy, Snohomish County
I was honored to compete in the 4-H National Quiz
Bowl Competition in Louisville, Kentucky, November
4−9. I have been in dairy 4-H for six years and loved
every minute of it. I have been around cows most of
my life because my grandpa owns a dairy farm. I show
Holstein cows at fairs and local shows. What I like
about 4-H is that there’s more to it than just showing.
There’s Quiz Bowl, judging and many more fun
activities. When I learned that I had made the team
for nationals, we practiced for seven
months until the competition.
“ I’m really
glad that I
had three
awesome
teammates to
work with in
competition.
”
Judging continued
Our team consisted of Amanda,
Whatcom County; Jennifer, Thurston
County; Kathryn, Snohomish County;
and me. The written test was difficult.
It had questions such as, “Where in
the body would you find most of the
phosphorus reserves?” The studying I
did before we left came in handy!
On competition day we were in
the holding room at 8 am. At 8:30
we competed against the Michigan
team and won. We would have lost,
but Amanda answered a question, giving us a bonus
question. Our next round was against Ohio (who
went on to win the whole competition) and we
lost. Because we lost, we moved down a bracket and
competed against Tennessee. We worked hard and
won that round. In our final round, we lost to North
Carolina. I’m really glad that I had three awesome
heifers apart and give reasons why
I chose them the way I did, teaches
me how to organize my thoughts.
I may think this is pointless right
now as a 15 year old, but when I’m
16 and have to pick out a car, I will
know how to put my thoughts in
order, and narrow things down to
which car I want to purchase.
Being able to successfully place a
class of Holsteins will help me out
with my own herd. Now that I have
an eye for judging cattle, I know
a good cow from a bad one. It has
helped me decide which cows I
want to keep to improve the herd
and which ones could be culled. If
we didn’t cull out the poorer cows
in our herd, we would just have a
so-so commercial herd. We want
our cows, as representatives of the
Holstein breed, to have the best
genetics possible.
Another good reason to learn
how to judge a class of cows is
being able to verbally express
my ideas and this may help me
in a future job. If you’re like
me and don’t know what you
want to do when you grow up,
you may end up judging cows
professionally or working with a
9
Members of the 2010 Invitational Dairy Quiz Bowl team from Washington
state included (top row) Marcy, Snohomish; Jennifer, Rochester;
Amanda, Nooksack; and (bottom row) Coach Colleen DeJong,
Monroe; Coach Michelle Bartelheimer, Snohomish; and Kathryn,
Monroe.
teammates to work with in competition. Since we
were done competing, we looked around the Expo
(North American International Livestock Exposition).
The next day we went to the Kentucky Horse Park
where retired racehorses go. We were able to tour
the grounds, barns and museum, and meet a couple
of former Kentucky Derby champions – including a
descendent of Seattle Slew. The museum was packed
with fascinating information and amazing artifacts.
Monday we went to Mammoth Caves where we
saw awesome rock formations and had a really cool
Continued…
“Quiz Bowl” p. 11
company that grades bulls or cows
on their performance. Or, you
might have a job interview and
your speaking skills from 4-H and
livestock judging will give you the
confidence to make it through the
interview and possibly give you
the edge and land the job!
As a youth, I strongly believe that
we need to step up to the plate
and do hard things. Take as many
opportunities as you can get to
participate in dairy judging, 4-H
events, and leadership positions.
We are the future for America’s
dairy industry.

Q&A: How do you choose names for your calves?
Samantha, 15, Clark County
I like fun names. I named
mine C.O.W. because I
thought that was cute. And
I also named one Annabelle
because I watched a movie
when I was younger named
Annabelle’s Wish and named
her after that cow.
Becca, 12, Snohomish
County
I look around and think of
something in nature. My
current cow is named Cherry.
I was looking at cherry trees
and the pretty pink blossoms.
My cow is sweet, so that fit.
I had a feisty calf before, so I
named that one Chili Pepper.
Anthony, 13, Lewis County
At our farm we look at the
mother’s name first and use
the first letter of her name.
I go through all the names I
think would fit, take a look
at the calf, and look at her
markings and narrow down
the possibilities. We have a
heifer named Mancha which
is Spanish for “spot.” My
grandpa gave it a nickname of Target. A heifer
from a different mother is named Lilly because the
cow reminded me of a friend in my science class.
We Want to Hear from You!
10
Brook, 15, Wahkiakum
County
We have 20 registered
Holsteins. We take the first
letter in the name of the
calf’s mother and see what
works. Lately, though, I’ve
wanted to get into some
hard core names like Echo,
Edance, or Extravaganza. We
decided on Echo because it fit
the prefix.
Juliana, 11, Skagit County
I named my calf Tulip
because she had a blaze on
her head that looked like
a tulip. The year before I
named another calf Danielle
after a friend of mine. And
another time I named one
Hershey because she was
brownish like the chocolate.
Zach, 10, Lewis County
Our Jersey came with the
name YoYo but I would have
named her that anyway
because she has the coloring
of a grey and black yo-yo.
I also named a Holstein
Gabriella because she’s
grumpy like a girl named
Gabriella in the movie High
School Musical…also, because
the top of her head is brown
and has a little black to it and she has brown eyes
just like Gabriella in the movie.
Submit your stories or ideas for articles to Betsy Fradd at fradd@wsu.edu or 253-445-4543.

Your Support
is Vital and
Appreciated
The Dairy Endowment Fund was
established by a group of dairy
youth advocates to provide
ongoing financial support for
youth development, regardless
of the economic climate of
the dairy industry. Dairy Cattle
Judging, Dairy Quiz Bowl, and
Dairy Conference are just three
of the state and national 4-H
dairy events supported by the
fund. The fund also supports
two scholarships for college
plus travel scholarships for youth to participate in national dairy-related
educational events.
There are as many reasons to give to the Dairy Endowment as there are
kids enrolled in 4-H. But when it comes right down to it, investing in the
Dairy Endowment is making an investment in the future. Your one-time
gift, or a pledge spread out over a few years, will help prepare the dairy
youth of today to be the industry’s leaders tomorrow. Checks payable
to the Washington State 4-H Foundation may be mailed to Washington
State 4-H Foundation, 7612 Pioneer Way E, Puyallup, WA 98371-4998.
http://4h.wsu.edu/foundation/dairyendowment/pledgecard.pdf
Dairy Club continued
members, and the community are
invited to WSU in Pullman to learn
proper cow handling procedures.
Workshops led by Dairy Club
members and WSU professors teach
youth the unique qualities of a
dairy cow and they learn fitting
and showing techniques through
hands-on demonstrations. Oneon-one
assistance from Dairy Club
members help these visiting youth
become more confident in their
showmanship ability.
WSU Dairy Club Advisor Dr. Larry
Fox is optimistic about the future
of jobs in the industry. “Dairies are
getting bigger. Twenty years ago the
only opportunity was to take over
the family farm. Now, you can get
employed in middle management as
a herd manager, or as a consultant in
many areas including feed, breeding,
genetics, pharmaceuticals, supply,
and data records,” said Fox, who has
been with the club for 25 years.
As part of its service component, the
group organizes the Ag Olympics
where non-ag students are invited to
discover the fun of farm life. Straw
bale tossing, hand milking, cowpie
making, and a calf relay are a
few of the activities where students
can experience that one-of-a-kind
farm feeling. A holiday party and
bowling nights are extra occasions to
socialize with other cow-enamored
friends.
Field trips to local dairies provide
students with personal coaching on
dairy judging. Club members also
represent WSU at annual meetings
11
Quiz Bowl continued
tour. Then it was on to Lincoln’s
birthplace, and Lincoln’s boyhood
home. The house itself was
actually his neighbor’s house, but
the property was his childhood
home. Because Kentucky is
currently going through a drought,
the stream where Lincoln nearly
drowned was dry. We explored the
stream and found lots of fossils.
On our last day we toured
Churchill Downs. The horses were
amazing, the grounds were huge,
and the interactive museum was
really intriguing. I had an amazing
time in Kentucky and I would love
to go again. The chance to see a
different part of the country, try
new experiences, meet people from
around the country, and bond
with fellow Washington 4H’ers was
something I will always treasure.
of the Dairy Federation, the
Washington Holstein Association,
and the American Dairy Science
Association.
Students who choose to continue in
the dairy industry value tradition.
“We know how hard dairy farmers
work to put milk on the tables in our
communities,” said Vanderveen, who
plans on becoming a high school
animal sciences teacher. “Being a
member of the dairy industry is an
honor and very rewarding.”
To find out more about the
WSU Dairy Club visit:
http://www.ansci.wsu.edu/
Clubs/dairy/index.html

4-H Youth Development Program
Washington State 4-H Foundation
2606 W. Pioneer Way
Puyallup, WA 98371-4998
Phone: 253-445-4570
Fax: 263-445-4587
E-mail: 4-hfound@wsu.edu
www.4h.wsu.edu/foundation
By Brooke Schoenbachler
While attending the 2010 Dairy
Conference, I enjoyed touring the
ABS facility in Wisconsin as well
as meeting new friends from other
states, but World Dairy Expo was
my favorite event! Watching the
shows throughout the day and
walking through the many barns
filled with thousands of elite show
cows was fantastic.
Dairy Conference has never-ending
learning experiences. Something
that struck me was that no matter
which state you go to, there will
always be dairy farms. I thought it
was really interesting to chat with
the youth from other states about
their farms, and compare different
practices and management plans.
For example, a large number of
Midwest farms have tie stall barns,
whereas Washington farms have
free stalls. Wisconsin farms also
have different styles and set-ups
to cope with their more extreme
weather conditions, compared
to what we have in western
Washington.
I highly recommend that youth
12
NONPROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PULLMAN, WA
PERMIT NO. 1
2010 Dairy Conference: Madison, WI, September 20-24, 2010
Frank, Elizabeth, Brooke, Brittany, Shannon, and Damen at the 2010 National Dairy
Conference in Madison, Wisconsin.
apply to go to Dairy Conference.
Not only are you educated on
countless dairy industry topics,
you also learn better leadership
and communication skills, and
have an amazing time while
participating.