Newton County Newsletter
4-H Youth Development
Thank you for a successful fair!
I could not be more grateful for all of our Newton County 4-H members, volunteers, and leaders. Each of you plays such an important role in helping this program grow.
Newton County continues to amaze me every day with the incredible support shown to our youth. Thank you for pledging your head, heart, hands, and health to the Newton County 4-H program—and for making this year’s fair such a success!
Ever Grateful,
Mercedes Murphy
End of Fair Reminders:
- Make sure to send out thank you cards to the individuals who sponsored your banners/trophies, auction buyers, leaders, 4-H Council members, and the Newton County Fair Board. If you need thank you cards or contact information, please stop by the office.
- Please make sure to pick up projects left after the fair, as well as projects that have returned from the Indiana State Fair. Please have your projects picked up by September 8. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
JOIN THE CLUB!
2026-2027 4-H Online Enrollment
It is that time again! 4-H Online enrollment will open in the fall for Mini 4-H Members K-2nd and 4-H Members in 3rd-12th grade. Families will be able to access the online system to enroll their youth in the Newton County 4-H program. New families will create a family profile and add youth into 4-H, returning families will use the same login information as 2026.
Website: v2.4honline.com
4-H Night at the Fair
Congrats to all of our graduating members!! We can’t wait to see what you do!
Farm Bureau Legacy Award: Bailey LaFlech
Ritter Spirit Award: Kyra McGraw
Outstanding 4-H Member: Addyson Farmer
Outstanding Junior Leader: Wyatt Harris
Periscope Cover: Addyson Farmer
Newton County Friend of 4-H: Danielle Sands
Indiana State Fair Results
Use this link to look at the Indiana State Fair Results for 4-H Projects:
Indiana State Fair 4-H Results
Ag & Natural Resources
ISA Lambing school 2026
Featuring:
- Everything you need to be prepared for the lambing season
- How to troubleshoot problem births
- When to call a vet
- Hands-on practice
- Dystocia simulators
- Extension experts and vet as instructors
Registration form can be found on the ISA website or at: https://bit.ly/4yZ00VL
Storm Damage - UAV Assistance
Recent storms have caused damage to trees, buildings, crops, and other property throughout the area. Purdue Extension may be able to assist with aerial documentation of storm-affected properties using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV/drone). Many of the Ag and Natural Resource Extension Educators in NWI are licensed drone pilots. Please reach out if you need this service.
Needs Assessment - Livestock
Purdue Extension is going through a transition, and as part of that transition I will have more opportunities to focus on livestock. I want to make sure that the programs that will be developed meet the needs of livestock producers, families, youth, and others in our area. Please fill out this form so that I can know what the highest priorities are.
https://tinyurl.com/LivestockNeeds
I am looking for one farmer who has previously or still relies on corn as a major cash crop but has diversified (organic, horticultural, agroforestry, livestock grazing, 3rd cash crops, perennial crops, etc.) and would be willing to have a tour of their farm for the Diverse Corn Belt Project later this summer. If this sounds like something that you’d be interested in, please reach out to our office or reed258@purdue.edu.
Featured Animal Problem: Lice
Description: Lice are small, wingless parasites that live on livestock and feed on blood, hair, or skin debris. They are most common during late fall and winter, when animals have thick winter coats. Licestock lice are species specific, meaning you won't get lice from your animals.
Symptoms: Heavy infestations can cause irritation, poor weight gain, and general unthriftiness. Otherwise, look for excessive scratching, licking, biting, and rubbed off hair/wood, or anemia. Lice can be confirmed by parting the hair/wool and closely examining the hair coat.
Contributing Factors: Lice populations tend to increase when animals are experiencing cold weather, poor nutrition, internal parasites, disease, or other stressors. They spread primarily through direct animal-to-animal contact.
Prevention and Treatment: Pay particular attention to animals with a low BCS or rough coat. Check new animals or returning animals before putting them in the herd. Lice are easy to treat and there are a variety of insecticide sprays, dusts, and pour-ons available in most farm stores.
Link: https://extension-store.montana.edu/montguides/management-of-lice-on-livestock
Featured Weed: Palmer Amaranth
Identification: Palmer amaranth is a hairless-stemmed pigweed that can be difficult to distinguish from waterhemp when young. Look for broad, oval-to-diamond-shaped leaves and leaf petioles that can be longer than the leaf blade. Mature plants develop long, thick seedheads, sometimes with branches more than 3 feet long. Palmer amaranth inflorescences tend to be thicker (up to 1” in diameter) than those of waterhemp .
Location and Timing: It is an annual weed that emerges from seed each spring and can continue emerging throughout the growing season because it prefers warm soil. It can be found in crops as well as fences, roadsides and non-crop areas.
Concerns: It is a particularly aggressive weed because of its rapid growth, high competitiveness, and ability to develop herbicide resistance. Plants can grow more than 3 inches per day once established. Uncontrolled plants can cause significant yield loss and produce large quantities of seed which stay viable for years.
Control: Scout fields regularly and control plants before they produce seed. Use effective preemergence herbicides followed by timely post-emergence applications. Postemergence treatments should target plants less than 3 inches tall. Use multiple effective herbicide groups and incorporate cultural and mechanical control methods when possible.
Extension Event Calendar
September
1 4-H Council Meeting, 6:30 pm, Newton County Government Center
7 Labor Day, Extension Office Closed
12 Indiana Sheep Association Lambing Academy, 8:00 am, Sheep Unit, West Lafayette
15 4-H Youth Staff Conference
21 Extension Master Gardener Meeting, 5:30 pm, Newton County Government Center
22 All Day Purdue Training, Educators will be out of office
23-24 ANR Educator Retreat
25-27 Pun'kin Palooza at the Fairgrounds
27-30 National 4-H Dairy Conference
October
5-10 National 4-H Week
12 Columbus Day, Extension Office closed
19 Extension Master Gardener Meeting, 5:30 pm, Newton County Government Center