FALL HARVEST DINNER

So - COOKING is a big theme this year. The leaders have planned 4 Dinner EVENTS throught the year. At each we will have our 16 members in 4 groups. Rotating thru salad, vegetables, main-dish, and dessert. Here we are 2 weeks ago planning the first dinner - a FALL HARVEST. Cindy works thru some tough salad decisions - and helps her small make good suggestions for the club to choose from.
Then Tami and a couple of the kids check out the FACS ROom kitchen to make sure it has the utinsels, serving dishes and supplies we will need to prepare dessert for 20 people next week.

Terri just isn't sure about this list!

Well, the big night arrives. Here S works with Barb on 'onions' for the chicken cacciatore. Later she and G are working to mix together the sauce for our chicken. It doesn't look so good - YET! Donna is only a LITTLE stressed out. 90 minutes to skin the chicken, brown the chicken, make the sauce and get it served for 20 people! YIKES! Barb is madly searching for something. WHatta team!

Meanwhile over in DESSERTS - B and A work on something CHOCOLATE. Yea - B-R-O-W-N-I-E-S. NICE CHOICE!

and... here is our first course team - working up a yummy salad.

and.... lets not forget the veggie crew in Kitchen #4. M is checking out the recipe with the help of "B". It's a good thing "B" is around. She was a big help on the Scavenger Hunt too! Whew - we need all the help we can muster sometimes.

As things wound down in the kitchens, and all the dishes were baking away - all the kids worked to make place cards and get tables set. I for one had NO IDEA this was really happening. What great leader-teamwork we had to get this all done!

At 7:12 - just 12 minutes after our target SIT DOWN time - we did it. Here is one table of middle-schoolers beggining to enjoy their main-course!

And - a table of Elementary kids. Not so sure that one in a gray sweatshirt thinks this is so great a taste!

The amazing t his is that we didn't serve 20 people as planned. Actually -28 people sat down and enjoyed this 3-course meal. All fresh, hot and tasty!

Here is a table full of Mom's and leaders. We even had the pleasure of Janice Fox's company from the Cooperative Extension office. We were so glad to share this with her - - - and WHEW - it came out OK!

Guess this picture should be up higher - we began with the first course - salad!

In the end - there weren't many left overs, most left with satisfied bellies and alas, the clean-up began. Whatta mess of dishes, serving bowls and preparation utinsels, pots and pans. We must heartily THANK the FACS TEACHER for letting us use this wonderful facility. We simply could not do such an event in someone's home - or even a community center.

THE THRILLS & SKILLS FALL HARVEST DINNER - -- in the end - - - -

4 groups - 4 kitchens - 3 courses - and 28 satisfied 4H'ers!

Here is to happy HEADS, HEARTS, busy HANDS and learning about good HEALTH!

Let's Get Down to BUSINESS!

Between the main course and dessert - M ran a great Business Meeting. Just once a month does the trick. Madame President keeps us up to date on upcoming events in our club and in the county 4H. WELL DONE.
Miss B does a great job of writing up minutes for each meeting and sharing with us all that we accomplish each month. THANKS!

And let's not forget our treasurer. She keeps our attendance and makes sure everyone pays their dues at each meeting..... Nicely done. .... Now -what shall we do with our KITTY this year?

Peebles Island - GeoCaching

It was a cold Saturday - but we ventured out anyway. NO MORE RAIN DATES -OK folks? We had enough of those last year. No flu either - OK? Here is Mr. "W" at our first find of the day. Took a bit of digging around - the GPS's were bouncing all over the place because of the cloud cover - but we got the job done!
The kids learned quick - those that were first timers - that many cache's only have a log. Not TERRIBLY exciting. THEN we found the ammo can. Full of good stuff to trade with. Good thing Mrs. M brought along some goodies to leave behind to replace the stash taken by the group!

And - we had a nice turnout didn't we? The weather turned a bit sunnier and was nice. AND - thanks to everyone, we didn't lose anyone over the cliffs. Even Coach "T" from school tagged along to see what this geo-caching is all about? So - will she venture out with Thrills & Skills again? We'll just have to see!

A few of us trekked on to find a 3rd cache of the day. This one was not too hard to find. Getting it out was another chore.............. um, Miss "I" what ARE you doing to that tree?

Miss "T" found out - all ya had to do was dig UNDER the kids thru the BOTTOM of the tree! NICE FIND - her first......

Placemats & Meetings!

At our first meeting of the year "M" runs her first meeting. NICE JOB!
Then we moved on to sewing place mats and napkins. Mrs. Morton let us use her serger for really quick napkins. We'll use these at our 4 cooking events and meals together this year.

Here are all of our 2010 Fair items that were chosen to go to the 2011 NYS Fair. Congrats everyone!

And - we now have THREE 5th Graders. They are all psyched for the year ahead!

Dyken CampOut & Kick-Off Event

We had a really great time at Dyken for our 2010-11 Kick-Off Event. We made some kool picture frames out of things we found in the woods, got to cook our dessert over the campfire, and stay in a YURT. The adults slept under the stars (some for the first time despite years of camping) and it was just a gorgeous night for all of this. We also held elections down at the Amphitheater using flashlights! It was quite the elections. Congratulations to all the new officers!

A new member - WELCOME E!

AND - here is the yummy GOULASH recipe that everyone seemed to enjoy!

1 T olive Oil

2 lbs London Broil

1 large onion - diced FINELY - actually almost minced.

2 cloves of garlic - minced

1-1/2 cups frozen corn

1 c fresh mushrooms - MINCED beyond recognition!

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Any fresh tomatoes that need a home - dice and toss in!

2 c water

1 T paprika

2 t salt

12 oz pasta (elbow macaroni)

Grated Cheddar - as needed

Cut meat into 1" cubes, flour and brown in olive oil. When brown, remove from pot and then saute onions, garlic and mushrooms until soft. Return meat to the pot and add tomatoes, water & spices and simmer until the meat is tender. Several hours... Add water as needed, or more canned tomatoes. Remember, the pasta will soak up quite a bit of water. Then (we did this at camp) add corn and pasta and heat until pasta is tender. Enjoy with Cheese - and FIRE BISCUITS!

Kids Working Snack Bar at the Fair

Here are a few shots of the kids working the 4H Snack Bar. We had a number of first-timers.I'm not sure which shift is which - but I know we covered a lot of time and had almost everyone there. THANKS TO ALL who participated. See ya next year!

Thrills & Skills at the County Fair

Look at this - FRIENDS building Bridges! This IS what Thrills & Skills is all about! This is the Outdoor Display depicting our Bog Bridge Repair project put together for the Schagitoke Fair. We won a blue ribbon for this KIDS!
The last minute touches for the outside Fair Plot. Dad's get in on the action to help put this all together. Barb - bringing all the materials and know-how to get this put together!

And - on the inside. We made another Blue Ribbon winning display of all the community service done this year. Everything from UMCOR Health Kits for Haiti, cookies for the homeless, Christmas gifts for 5 girls living at Unity House, Bean Soup Jars to give to community 'acquaintences' for Christmas, to installing 4 blue-bird houses at Dyken Pond Environmental Center and Bog Bridge Repair project on the Taconic Crest Trail. Well Done EVERYONE!

Look at this. Hannah meets the Judge!!!! Wonder what he had to say about her Flower Press!

This is Janice Fox. The 4H Youth Coordinator for Rensselaer County Cooperative Extension of Cornell University. She thinks Bri's anorak is PRETTY SPECIAL! We think JANICE is pretty SPECIAL too. Thanks for all your help - always given with a smile - to our club!

We did BUNCHES of sewing projects. I see Eliza's apron, Grace's Anorak, Mel's skirt, Hannah's apron, and more! I think there is a quilt in there somewhere. Nicely Done! We also had 11 projects recognized as really well done that will be on display at the 2011 NYState Fair. GREAT JOB!

Here are some more sewing proejects. I see Kathleens musical pants, Eliza's cross-stitched pillow, and a BUNCH of 9-patch pillows.

Let us not forget the flowers! This display included our Dried Flower Mirrors and documentation of our forced hyacinth bulbs!

You know we aren't all about sewing and food! We also made lamps, created hiking journals (and documented 12 hikes to qualify for judging) and did woodworking - like flower presses and CD racks. Nice stuff!