Agriculture

Here are some tips to help over the holidays and if you want more information go online to the government websites listed.

Celebrate on a budget

The holidays can be expensive, but you don’t have to break the bank to celebrate. Taking a few minutes to plan your holiday spending can help you avoid taking on debt. Start by creating a holiday spending plan, keep track of what you spend, avoid impulse purchases, and leave the credit cards at home.  www.consumerfinance.gov/plan-your-spending-to-avoid-holiday-debt/

The skills taught throughout 4-H prepare youth for community involvement, with the idea that good leaders give back to their community in a variety ways.

Community service, through 4-H involves service learning in which youth learn a skill or skills and apply it to a service project. This traditional approach to service applies to clubs at the county level, and for some youth, can lead to the national conference and/or the 4-H Congress.

The big news out of the Kentucky Farm Bureau meeting last week is that farm cash receipts are likely to exceed $5 billion for the first time, up from $4.4 billion in 2010.  With improvement in returns in corn, soybeans, wheat, cattle, horses, hogs and dairy, net farm income is expected to rebound back above $1 billion in 2011, compared to $780 million in 2010.

The topic for the 2012 beekeeping essay, sponsored by the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees, Inc., is “The results of honey bee pollination in my community.” Active 4-H youth can compete to win three awards, at amounts of $750, $500 or $250. 4-H’ers are encouraged to consider the scope of plants, food crops, trees, habitats and animals that are positively affected by honeybee pollination.