MSWF ~ Youth Conservationist Program

Youth Conservationist Program

Organizer: Elaine Ashcraft
Recipient Participants: youth between the ages of 9 - 18 years old.
Donating breeders: representing 14 different rare or minor breeds

The donating breeders select a youth to awarded their ewe based on their written essays on "why they would like to help preserve a heritage breed of sheep."
Requirements for the program are:
* They must be present at the MSWF to receive the donated ewe.
* They must exhibit and show the ewe at least twice in the receiving year:
1) a county fair or local sheep show and , 2) at their State fair.
* Also, they must either use the ewe's fleece to make a wool item, or sell the fleece to a fiber artist.
* Breed the ewe to a registered ram in the fall.
* Submit a report with pictures, to the donor breeder by April 30th of the following year.

This year's recipient of the Bluefaced Leicester yearling ewe is eleven year old Nick Wenger 'Wen-Crest Farm' in Pennsylvania. The yearling Bluefaced Leicester ewe he received was donated by Brenda Lelli 'Beechtree Farm', and the ewe is Beechtrees 'Carron'.
This summer, Nick and Carron will be joining three other previous Bluefaced Leicester YCP recipients from Pennsylvania, to educate, promote, and exhibit their Bluefaced Leicester's at their local Fairs, and their State Farm Show.
We look forward to hearing from Nick during the summer months about his 4-H and Show experiences with Carron.

Brenda Lelli, Nick Wenger, and Beechtrees 'Carron'
Youth Conservationist Program Awards ceremony
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 ~ during the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

For more information on the Youth conservationist program contact

Elaine Ashcraft at: 740-622-1573, tankewe@tusco.net