Douglas 4-H Buzz
July, 2023 Edition
It's Not Summer Without 4-H Daycamps!
Looking for fun learning experiences for your K-3rd graders this summer (grade completed), Douglas County 4-H has you covered. We will offer five daycamps, with a variety of activities and learning opportunities. Open to 4-H members and friends, capping each camp at 20 participants.
Wednesday, July 12 - Discover Animals (Alexandria City Park)
Wednesday, July 19 - Discover Water (Legacy of the Lakes Museum)
Wednesday, July 26 - Discover Science (Brandon Lions Park)
Wednesday, August 9 - Discover Art (Lake Osagi Park)
Friday, August 18 - Discover County Fair (Douglas County Fairgrounds)
Camps run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., transportation is on your own. Youth bring their own sack lunch for noon meal. Cost is $ 5 per camp (cash or check to U of M) paid to Extension office the Monday prior to camp.
Visit mn.4honline.com, login to your profile, select events and search for daycamp of interest; you will need to register for each camp separately. For questions or assistance registering, please contact the Extension office at 320-762-3890. We hope to see you there!
Miniature Horse Clinic
Whisked Away Baking Workshop
This workshop is designed for all youth grades 3 and up on Monday, July 17 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Douglas County Administration Building located at 821 Cedar Street (park in the west parking lot.) Food can be frozen and brought to the fair as a food and nutrition exhibit. Class is free of charge but space is limited, visit mn.4honline.com to register (use this guide for assistance registering) and get ready for an exciting baking adventure!
Pie There! A Food & Nutrition Workshop
Want to learn how to make delicious pies and dig deeper into the food and nutrition project area? Join us at Country Blossom Farms in Alexandria and experience making pies from start to finish. Participants will make pies for the 4-H food stand and take raw pie crust dough home to make their own pie to exhibit at the county fair.
Mark your calendars for Thursday, July 27 from 6-9 p.m. for youth grades 4 and up. Youth need to wear long pants, bring a baseball cap, have their hair tied back and wear closed toe shoes (tennis shoes are great). There is no cost to attend. Space is limited to don't delay, visit mn.4honline.com to register. We hope to see many pies at the county fair this summer!
Livestock Quality Assurance & Ethics Training Required for State Fair Animal Science Participation!
All youth participating as a State Fair 4-H livestock exhibitor in beef, dairy, sheep, swine, poultry, rabbits, meat goat, dairy goat, and llama - alpaca must have completed a livestock quality assurance training in which there are two training options 1) a 3 hour in-person workshop (LQA&E), or 2) a 1 hour on-line training (YQCA). Youth completing either quality assurance training option will receive a certificate of completion.
· Certification is required for state fair grade/age eligible youth prior to their home county fair, the deadline for Douglas County is Monday, August 14.
· The training accommodates multi-levels of learning for all ages. The level of training required is determined by the grade/age of the youth at the time the training takes place.
Minnesota 4-H youth are required to participate in one of two training options to be eligible for participation in the Minnesota 4-H State Fair shows. Participation in the training will promote responsible care of animals, help youth make informed decisions in animal care, and ensure that 4-H members understand the commitment to providing safe food products to consumers. Douglas County is not hosting an in person training this year.
Livestock Quality Assurance & Ethics In-Person Training
Tuesday, Jul 11, 2023, 08:00 AM
1230 North Armstrong Avenue, Litchfield, MN, USA
Livestock Quality Assurance & Ethics In-Person Training
For more information or questions, please contact Miranda Kempner at lemke154@umn.edu or 320-484-4334 or Lauran Johnson at lcjohnso@umn.edu or 320-484-4334. Cost is $ 5, register at mn.4honline.com
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2023, 08:45 AM
McLeod County Fairgrounds, Century Avenue Southwest, Hutchinson, MN, USA
Douglas County 4-H at the Fair & Premium Books
County Fair Exhibit Registration
Now is the time to register what exhibits you are bringing to the fair, both animal science and static/general exhibits. Registration opens June 1 and closes on July 17. To register your exhibits, go to http://douglasmn-county.fairentry.com and log in with the same username and password as the enrollment program. For a help guide and video check out https://z.umn.edu/howguide Please refer to page 37 of the 4-H Premium Book for more information about registering county fair exhibits.
County Fair Camping and Admission Tickets!
There are opportunities to purchase admission tickets and secure a camping spot for 4-H exhibitors. These are through the Douglas County Agricultural Association and available at https://www.dcmnfair.com/p/tickets . 4-H members who exhibit at the fair and are age 11 and up receive an admission pass at the 4-H Exhibit Building Monday, or Tuesday of fair week. If you choose not to exhibit, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A PASS!
County Fair Goat T-Shirts Are Back!
Goat t-shirts are available for youth and adults who want to show their support for the goat project. Cost for each shirt is $ 17. Youth sizes available in small, medium and large. Adult sizes available are small, medium large and extra-large. All order need to be made on this form by July 30. T-shirts will be available for pickup on Monday, August 14 at the fair, please bring cash or check (payable to Douglas County 4-H) payment when you get your shirt.
Silent Auction at County Fair for Alzheimer's Research
The Working Wonders 4-H Club is sponsoring a silent auction to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Research. Please consider making an exhibit to donate. Auction items can be made by 4-H members, clubs and/or alumni! Sample auction items: fine arts and crafts, quilts, jewelry, plants, fishing lures, bench, shelf, or clothing items. Live rabbit or processed animals can be up for auction as well! For more information refer to the back of your premium book!
4-H Club Food Stand & 4-H Building Shift Schedules
Animal Science Interviews
Animal science interviews are another way for youth to share what they know about their animal science exhibit. There are two age divisions: junior (grades K-5) and senior (grades 6 and up.) 1st and 2nd place medals are awarded in each age division of each species; beef, dairy, goats, horse, poultry, rabbits, sheep and swine. Horse interview placings are assigned points to count towards high point scores. In beef, dairy, goats, poultry, rabbits, sheep and swine senior interviews, a state fair trip is awarded through the interview process, allowing youth to participate fully in a state fair animal science experience. For more information, please refer to page 42 of your premium book. Interviews are held Monday, August 14 from 1-7 p.m. in the Erickson Pavilion.
You can sign up for interviews, first come first serve basis at:
You Can Help at the County Fair!
It is all hands on deck to have a great 4-H experience at the county fair. Please check out our signup genius for opportunities to help in the exhibit building, at different animal science shows and more! It is a fabulous way to learn more about events, projects and what goes on at the county fair. There are opportunities for youth grades 3 and up all the way up to adults! To sign up or find out more about opportunities visit signup.
County Fair Market Livestock Auction & Dairy Recognition Program
Once county fair registration closes, families who have market exhibits and dairy exhibits receive information in the mail to invite potential bidders and donations, please watch your mail for more information! Sign up for the auction is through a QR code that is posted in all the barns and in the exhibit building. Deadline to sign up is Friday at 5:00 p.m.
Hiring Now for Youth Food Stand Cashiers
Help wanted! 4-H'ers entering 7th grade or higher are encouraged to apply for a cashier opportunity at the 4-H Food Stand. We are in need of enthusiastic and responsible youth to run our cash registers during the course of the fair. Training on the use of our computerized cash register system is provided prior to operations. Click here to apply!
Benefits of the cashier opportunity:
- Learn and practice customer service skills.
- Learn and practice how to properly handle money in a retail situation.
- Provide experience for future job opportunities.
- Assist in a meaningful way to raise funds for Douglas County 4-H.
- Have fun!
Details of the cashier opportunity:
- Each cashier is required to come to computer cashier training on Monday, August 7 during pre-fair cleanup and/or Saturday, August 12 TBD.
- Cashiers are required to cashier a minimum of four 4-hour shifts over the course of the fair week.
- A minimum of six cashiers are selected (maybe more.)
- A promotional t-shirt and/or cap are provided to wear during shifts and for you to keep.
- Award for the position is a flat rate of $100.
4-H Projects
4-H believes that youth learn best by doing. That's why all 4-H'ers are encouraged to participate in hands-on projects in areas like science, health, agriculture, and civic engagement. Youth can concentrate on one project area, or they can try as many as they like.
Driven by Youth Interest
Youth drive their own choices. As in the 4-H pledge, they use their:
Head to engage actively in learning.
Heart to demonstrate caring for others and their own learning.
Hands to share their experiences with others.
Health to experience success and learn to support their family, community, and world.
Project work can be overwhelming-where to begin, how to get started, what should I do are FAQ’s surrounding project work. Some project areas are easier to figure out than others. Watch this space in future newsletters for project information and ideas.
4-H Exhibits
A 4-H exhibit is something that 4-H'ers can make and show at the fair or other showcase event to demonstrate what they have learned in the project area.
Everyone eats, but not everyone makes healthy eating choices. Learn how to pick healthy foods, prepare nutritious meals and make smart food purchases. Discover the science behind making food and keeping it safe. Explore careers related to food and nutrition and more in this 4-H project area. There are many subcategories of this project area including breads, dairy foods, microwave cooking, food revue and food preservation.
Create an exhibit
While exploring the many aspects of food and nutrition and how they impact the world around us, you can create an exhibit for your county fair or showcase. These might include:
Breads:
- Educational exhibit on nutritional value of bread product
- Study of basic ingredients in quick and/or yeast breads
- Comparison of different kind of flour
- One loaf of specialty bread, or half loaf of yeast bread-(include 8 1⁄2 X 11 poster showing nutritional value, recipe and photo of the bread
Dairy Foods:
- Exhibits can include one serving of a dish with a dairy
- Product as the main ingredient (cheese, milk, cream, yogurt, ice cream, butter etc.) Include an 8 1⁄2 X 11 poster showing nutritional value, recipe and photo of the food.
- Study of nutritional value and health benefits of dairy products
- Comparison of nutrient content of different dairy products
- Can include one serving of a dish prepared in a microwave oven. Include an 8.5 X 11 poster showing nutritional value, recipe and a photo of the food, independent study of topic related to project, or educational exhibit which might address menu and diet planning, buying consumerism, safety, sanitation, storage, nutrition, science principles, etc.
- Study how microwaves work and cook food
Food & Nutrition:
- Food items such as: bars, cookies, breads, cakes or pastries (no commercial mixes)
- Gluten-Free baked goods
- Homemade meal or other homemade food
- Recipe adaptation to improve nutrition
- Cake/cupcake & cookie decorating
- Food science experiment.
- Exhibit showing food and/or kitchen safety.
- Investigate food allergen of your choice.
- Display about careers in the food industry.
- One serving of nutritious food (vegetable or fruit dish, snack, bread, dairy, etc.) Include 8 1⁄2 X 11 poster showing nutritional value, recipe, and a photo of food.
- Study of how physical fitness and/or food choices are related to disease (such as cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, etc.)
- Study of labels from similar food items, comparing important nutrient content like fat, fiber and sugar.
- Explore nutrition-related careers
Please refer to premium book for specific information about requirements in canning
- Learn about cottage food producer requirements in Minnesota
- Compare products used in food preservation
- Teach others about safe canning methods
- Suggested exhibits include one (1) jar or one (1) bag of products (see requirements for specific amounts): vegetables or fruits; jams, jellies, preserves, low-sugar spreads (no frozen); pickled products (fermented or added acid, including pickles, sauerkraut, relishes, salsa); meats, poultry and/or fish. (Fish must be in pint jars.) Must be processed in a pressure canner or dried vegetables or dried fruits, dried herbs, beef, or venison jerky.
- Exhibitors plan a full menu and create a place setting that compliments the menu
- Bring the place setting including dishes, centerpiece and table covering
- Bring a binder with a picture of the full meal along with recipe, and nutritional information and you in action preparing the meal
If you love to entertain this is a great exhibit for you. Check out this video for more information https://z.umn.edu/DC4hfoodrevueV
FOREST RESOURCES
Explore different types of trees, what forests need to grow and thrive, how to care for trees and conserve forests, and how we depend on and benefit from trees and forests in our world.
Create an Exhibit
After discovering the world of trees, forests, and woodlands, you can create an exhibit for your county fair or showcase. These might include:
- Identify parts of a tree and their function with a poster
- Create a collection of leaves, seeds, needles, leaf and twigs for tree identification
- Display showing layers of the forest, renewable vs non-renewable resources
- Research and report on the forest ecosystem health
- Explore careers and opportunities in the forestry industry
- Organize or take part in a mass tree planting and how it impacts your community
- Investigate diseases that can affect trees and how to control them
- Be sure to follow local and state policies for collecting, removing and or transporting plants
FRUIT
Grow your own food! You might choose to grow your favorite fruit. Explore how to plant, water, fertilize and prune your plant and how to manage weeds, insects, and diseases.
Create an exhibit
- Once you have decided on what fruit you are going to grow or learn about you can create an exhibit for your county fair or showcase. These might include:
- Bring a display of your fruit in a clear container, 4-6 items of one fruit-strawberries, cherries, applies or 3 bunches of grapes or similar fruit. Include a card labeled with variety.
- Educational display illustrating diseases or insects and methods of control
- Display showing a comparison of several varieties of the same fruit
- Display about proper care including fertilization, harvesting and pruning of fruit tree
- Report on the uses and health benefits of the fruit you grow
For more information on preparing your fruit for exhibit check out this resource
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YB-dt4PWW4XH5QBvXjiO4Q6CAWdUTMHERzuqi8ZZCec/edit?usp=sharing
GEOLOGY
Which minerals should I eat? Which minerals are used to make cement, paint and light bulbs? Learn about materials, mythology of stones, careers and more in this 4-H project.
Create and exhibit
Once you have dug deep into the world of geology, you can create an exhibit for your county fair or showcase. These might include:
- Display of rocks, minerals or gemstones, can be displayed in an egg carton for younger members, progressing to a display case as you expand in the project. Include label with specimen name and location collected
- Rocks, minerals or fossils from within Minnesota or on a definite theme such as metamorphism, weathering, quartz, ore or theme of your choosing
- Polished rock specimen, include an unpolished specimen for comparison
- Exhibit showing the principles of geology, natural earth sciences, three main types of rock, careers in geology and more
- A model of a geological earth structure such as a mountain range, volcano, earthquake, or glacier
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Global connections project allows you to explore countries and learn about their government, history, people, and popular culture. It also allows you to further explore your own culture and traditions.
Create an exhibit
After learning about your own culture or another’s, you can create an exhibit for your county fair or showcase. These might include:
- A poster exploring your own culture. Share elements of your culture and how it differs from another culture
- A display of stamps, or coins from another country, or recipes from other cultures you have prepared for others
- An oral history interview with someone from another culture living in your community
- An exhibit of items, pictures, charts, slides, pictures, or displays that depict the heritage of your family or community
- A report on your experience traveling to another country
HEALTH & WELLNESS
In this project area study health issues or ideas associated with health and wellness. Connect fitness, motion, and athletics to a healthy lifestyle. Explore careers in the health industry.
Create and Exhibit
As you explore the many aspects of health and wellness, you can create an exhibit for your county fair or showcase. These might include:
- Research and report on health issue of your choice
- Research health resources that are available in our community
- Conduct a community project around a health issue and what you discovered
- Design a model of the human skeleton and label the bones or learn about other organs or body systems
- Explore and report on careers in the health industry
Jodi Hintzen at hintz010@umn.edu or Jackie Kokett at jkokett@umn.edu
Email: mnext-douglas@umn.edu
Website: extension.umn.edu/douglas
Location: 305 8th Ave W, Alexandria, MN, USA
Phone: 320-762-3890
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MNDouglasCounty4H/
Twitter: @UMNExt