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The summer was an eventful one for West Feliciana 4-H. The State Horse Show was held at Deridder from July 8-11. Our parish had several youth attend and did very well!! Also, during the summer, our 4-H leadership board members attended WeLead as well as their board’s summer retreat. During these trips, the youth learned what their leadership board responsibilities entail, meet their fellow state board members, and planned the events and activities for the year. West Feliciana has eight 4-H’ers on the Food and Fitness Board, Wetland Ambassadors, Equine Ambassadors, and STEM Board.Eight 4-H’ers and one junior counselor attended LOST Camp this summer. As Summer came to an end, West Feliciana Parish 4-H’ers rolled right into a new year!
August and September brought the start of school and the start of our 4-H Club Meetings and Project Clubs. West Feliciana 4-H has nine project clubs- Junior Leaders, Horse Club, Horticulture Club, Mission Nutrition Cooking Club, Shooting Sports –Archery and Shotgun, Rabbit Club, Sewing Club, and Livestock Club. This year, during our club meetings, the youth will be participating in the Louisiana Wild Lesson Study where they will be completing different activities and crafts while learning about all aspects of Louisiana Wildlife. 4-H’ers are currently selling commodities for our annual commodity fundraiser. They are also looking forward to our fall events. We are currently preparing for many workshops including our Wetlands and Wildlife Day, Culinary Arts Contest and pet project workshops. Our Rabbit Club is getting ready to host their first rabbit show open to Southeast Region 4-H’ers. Fall is sure to be a great time for 4-H.
The drought monitor lists part of West Feliciana Parish as “abnormally dry” right now so it is a good time to think about watering trees and shrubs to help them finish strong before they go dormant for winter. Sections of the parish are drier than others so consider yourself lucky if you received rain in the last few weeks.
The Feliciana Master Gardeners used their profits from their Spring Stroll Fundraiser to buy equipment, tools, and soil for local school gardens. At the end of September, they met and organized the items and will finish with the delivery of soil on 10/1. Thankfully, Tractor Supply donated winter garden seeds, so the Feliciana Master Gardeners had extra money to fulfill special requests from teachers.
The 4-H Horticulture Club kicked off with a bang in September with their new leader, Master Gardener M’Adele Miller. The first meeting was a planning meeting to discuss projects and interests the 4-H’ers have in horticulture. They made some fun plans including creating Mother’s Day flower arrangements and working with succulents.
The Livestock/Forage Agent conducted a Pasture Monitoring and Management Field Day for 30 at Bayou Sarah Farms in St. Francisville.
This summer, the Nutrition & Community Health Agent (NCH) delivered engaging and educational programs to youth attending the West Feliciana Parks & Recreation Summer Camp. Over 30 campers participated in the “Fats of Life” session, where they learned to identify healthy and unhealthy fats. Activities included a Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fat Relay.
To reinforce healthy eating habits, campers made Red, White & Blue Parfaits and played Portion BINGO. During the Power Up with Breakfast program, 34 campers discovered the benefits of eating breakfast and picked up creative tips for making it a daily habit. The session included fun activities like the Egg Spoon Relay (using tennis balls) and the Pass the Milk Jug Challenge, promoting teamwork and movement.
The NCH Agent is one of five agents statewide serving on the Food Preservation Work Group Committee who are tasked with developing a Home Food Preservation Program. As part of this initiative, she piloted Water Bath Canning Workshops in both Luling and St. Francisville, reaching 19 participants. During these hands-on sessions, participants learned: the basic principles and step-by-step process of safe home canning, essential supplies and equipment needed for successful preservation, and the importance of using approved and tested recipes.
In September, the NCH Agent began her nutrition and school garden classes at Bains Lower Elementary, reaching 134 Pre-K and 140 Kindergarten students. The children learned the Rules & Tools of the Garden and about different types of gardens. They participated in a Garden Scavenger Hunt, where they searched for objects commonly used in gardening.
21 clients at the West Feliciana Council on Aging participated in Plan, Prepare, Protect: Hurricane Readiness Program delivered by the NCH Agent. They learned how to plan for emergency situations, including preparing food and water supplies. They identified safe foods to keep on hand and what to check for in the refrigerator and freezer in the event of a power outage. The NCH Agent encouraged them to assemble a Grab and Go Box of essential documents for quick evacuation. Participants strengthened their hurricane preparedness skills by playing Hurricane Readiness BINGO, applying key concepts learned throughout the program.
18 enthusiastic 4-H’ers gathered to explore the importance of food safety and nutrition during the September 4-H Mission Nutrition Project Club. The meeting kicked off with a fun and educational handwashing activity using a blacklight to reveal hidden “germs,” reinforcing proper hygiene practices. The NCH Agent then discussed key kitchen safety tips and demonstrated how to accurately measure both liquid and dry ingredients. Working in teams, the 4-H’ers practiced measuring liquid and dry ingredients building confidence and skills for future cooking adventures. To wrap up, the group prepared the MyPlate Salad on the Go Recipe. Not only was it simple to make, but it was also a hit with everyone—delicious and nutritious!
In addition to nutrition programming, the NCH Agent continues to support the West Feliciana Food Pantry, providing nutrition resources for food boxes that reach 300 families monthly.
