Jackson Journal
September 2023
MN State Fair Updates
State Fair Notes
4-H General Project Encampment for Jackson County is September 1 through September 3. We have 19 youth representing Jackson county in the following project areas: Bicycle, Constructed Clothing and Fashion Revue, Club Community Pride, Creative Writing, Demonstration, Crafts and Fine Arts, Food and Nutrition, Home Environment, Horticulture, Performing Arts, Pets, Purchased Clothing and Fashion Revue, and Quilting. We also had two clubs bring their Club Banners up to state - Enterprise Earners and Rost-Sioux Valley.
Congrats to all of our youth in their accomplishments and a job well done in representing Jackson County 4-H! Looking forward to seeing what projects you have in store for 2024!
Please see the buttons below for results and pictures.
Club and 4-H Member Information
Plan to Re-enroll in 4-H!
The new 4-H year begins Oct. 1. In order to remain enrolled, you will need to show your family’s intent to participate by logging in to 4-H Online and reviewing, updating and submitting the following information:
Your family's contact and demographic information, including club, school and grade.
Each family member's health and emergency contact information.
Project areas of interest for this coming year.
Parental consent required for youth participating in shooting sports/wildlife programs.
You can login to 4-H Online to complete the re-enrollment process after Sept. 15. This guide has more information.
4-H Records Deadline to Complete is November 13
4-H is not just learning by doing. It's learning by doing it, sharing it, understanding it, relating it, and using it. Record keeping encourages you to reflect on your experience so you can share it with others and learn.
You can also get paper copies at the 4-H Resource Station in the Jackson County Extension Office.
Link: https://z.umn.edu/JacksonCo4HRecords you can also find these on the Jackson Co. 4-H App.
Deadline to complete your 4-H records and turn it into the Extension Office is November 13.
Club Mailboxes and 4-H Resource Station
If you are a club leader, please stop by at least once a month to check to see if your club has any mail.
4-H Youth, if you are looking for W9's, award nominations, scholarship forms, livestock catalogs, etc stop in and find what you need! While many of these forms will be online, we wanted to provide some paper copies as well. We also have some curriculum, project development books, ear taggers, tattoo pen, and so much more for you to check out and borrow.
Not seeing what you need? Let us know and we'd be happy to find it for you and make sure it is added to this resource station. See photo below for what to look for when you stop in the office:
Don't forget to turn in your thank yous from the County Fair!!
County Fair Premium Checks
Premium Auction Checks
They will be sent out once we verify that a bidder thank you was written and that you have filled out your W9 (if you will be receiving more than $600)
What is a 1099-MISC form and when would it be provided to a 4-H member?
IRS tax form 1099-MISC is used to report income when an individual receives $600 or more in gross profit during a calendar year (not 4-H year). A 4-H member would receive a 1099 if they meet this definition.
Please take the Post Fair/ 4-H Programming Survey
Thank you all for showcasing your projects at the Jackson County Fair. If you did not participate in the County Fair, that is A-Okay because your voice still matters as we move into a new 4-H year starting in October!
Please complete this survey with feedback your family has about this year’s county fair, 4-H programming, and improvements for the 4-H program in 2023-2024.
As a reminder, constructive feedback includes identifying a problem and then offering tangible solutions to solve that problem. Excessively harsh feedback with no solutions is not actionable and will not be tolerated.
Post fair / 4-H programming survey results will be used by staff, committees, and the fair board for planning future Jackson County Fairs, Jackson County 4-H Programs, and opportunities to encourage youth voice and leadership opportunities.
Responses will be accepted until September 8, 2023.
4-H Awards and Recognition
Award Nominations are now open for the following awards. These awards are either club nominations, or self nominations for 4-H Members.
Please see the list below for links to the online forms as well as award information.
Downloadable paper copies available here: https://z.umn.edu/JacksonCoAwardPDFs or at the 4-H Resource Station in the Extension Office.
ALL NOMINATIONS/APPLICATIONS ARE DUE OCTOBER 15.
Nominations to be made by 4-H Clubs
- Businessman's Award - https://z.umn.edu/BusinessmansAwardForm
- Friend of 4-H Award - https://z.umn.edu/FriendofJackson4HAwardForm
- Adeline Rossow Award - https://z.umn.edu/AdelineRossowAward
Self Nominations for 4-H Members
- Achievement, Leadership and Citizenship Award (4-H Seniors) - https://z.umn.edu/JacksonALCAward
- Jackson County Legacy Grant Fund Application - https://z.umn.edu/JacksonLegacyGrantApp
- Dennis and Anita Whisney All-Around Award - https://z.umn.edu/WhisneyAward
- Young Achievers Award - https://z.umn.edu/YoungAchieversAward
- Ray Palmby Livestock Award - https://z.umn.edu/RayPalmbyLivestockAward
Volunteer Information
Nominations/Applications NEEDED
Advisory Committee (3 year terms) - ideally 1 adult representative from each of these clubs:
- Enterprise
- Petersburg
- Middletown
- Heron Landers
Auction Committee (2 year terms) - ideally 1 adult representative from each of these clubs:
- Delafield
- Heron Landers
- LaCrosse
- Petersburg
Please fill out this google form: https://z.umn.edu/JacksonABACNomForm if you are considering to join the committee or if you would like to nominate someone for the committee.
It is mandatory that committee members are 4-H screened volunteers as this meets the requirements of the U of M Extension for adult volunteer leadership. See here for more information: https://z.umn.edu/4Hscreenedvolinfo
Nominations are due September 11 2023 and will be voted on at the September Federation Meeting. If you wish to be on the committee you must be present at the September Federation Meeting.
Volunteers Needed
We are busy planning for fall and winter events and workshops. If you or someone you know has an idea or would like to share their time and talents teaching youth about a certain 4-H project area please contact the Extension Office.
4-H could also use some help with programming she is working on through a partnership with the Jackson County Library system as well as the Ambassador program. 4-H is also looking for individuals who are interested in helping restarting a wildlife and shooting sports program in Jackson County.
If you are interested, again, contact the office.
Volunteer Renewal Process begins September 15!!
Thank you for volunteering with Minnesota 4-H in program year 2022 - 2023. We hope you will join us to continue offering learning and leadership opportunities for Minnesota youth in your community!
It is mandatory that committee members are 4-H screened volunteers as this meets the requirements of the U of M Extension for adult volunteer leadership. See here for more information: https://z.umn.edu/4Hscreenedvolinfo
Each year on Sept. 15, Minnesota 4-H marks the beginning of the volunteer renewal period (in preparation for the new program year on Oct. 1). On Sept. 15, all volunteers who were ‘Approved’ in program year 2022 - 2023 will be moved to a ‘Not-Enrolled’ status in 4-H Online. If you completed the volunteer application and screening process or volunteer renewal process prior to Sept. 15, 2021, additional action will be needed.
If you need to renew as a volunteer, you will receive an email communication from 4-H staff with instructions for completing renewal. Please complete the renewal steps by Nov. 15 to restore your ‘Approved’ status.
If you do not need to renew as a volunteer, you will receive an email communication from 4-H staff with a notice that 4-H staff will manually update your status to ‘Approved’ in 4-H Online. You will receive an automated notification from 4-H Online once this status is restored. Remember, eligibility to volunteer does not mean a commitment to volunteer!
Additional information about volunteer renewal is available from the 4-H Volunteer Resource Center.
FOR SALE - Food Stand Inventory (expires soon!)
We looked at the items from previous years and many of them expire at the end of this year. Our plan is to offer them up to 4-H families for a donation to 4-H if there are no takers then they will be donated to a food shelf. The following items are what are about to expire:
- 2 - 106 oz cans of tomato sauce (suggested donation price is $6)
- 1 - 9oz can of country sausage gravy (suggested donation price is $17)
- 3 - 55 oz cans of black olives (suggested donation price is $10)
- 5 - 10oz cans of jalapeno cheese sauce (suggested donation price is $10)
Please contact the office if you wish to have these with a donation made to Jackson County 4-H.
Get Involved / Save These Dates
Jackson County Ambassador Meeting
There will be an ambassador (Grades 6-13) meeting/service project on September 11 from 5:45 pm-6:45 pm at the Extension Office in Lakefield.
Please RSVP by filling out this google form: https://z.umn.edu/JacksonCoAmbieRSVP
We need at least 5 people to attend or it will be canceled.
More information will be sent via email to ambassador aged 4-Hers.
We will be planning for 4-H week, talking about upcoming community programming like Santa's workshop, and making plans for the the new 4-H year.
Livestock Superintendent / Auction Committee Meeting
If you are a superintendent or auction committee member please fill out this survey to RSVP and provide input: https://z.umn.edu/JacksonSuper-AuctionSurvey
Advisory (6:30pm) and Federation Meeting (7:30pm) - September 18
The Jackson County 4-H Federation meets cooperates with the U of M Extension 4-H program staff to unify and strengthen the 4-H Youth Development Program. See our constitution and bylaws here: https://z.umn.edu/JacksonConstitutionBylaws
Responsibilities include:
- Providing education and otherwise supporting youth and adult volunteers in their leadership of the 4-H Youth Development Program.
- Planning, promoting, implementing, and evaluating 4-H learning and leadership experiences for the benefit of youth.
- Providing information to youth and adults about 4-H educational opportunities available on the county, regional, state, national, and international levels.
- Generating and managing funds in support of 4-H educational opportunities.
- Creating youth development guidelines and practices, in so far as they supplement and augment state and national policies.
- Supporting evaluation efforts so 4-H can effectively communicate the program’s public value, helping to create interest and public support of 4-H.
In order to hear all voices from Jackson county 4-H and meet quorum, we would love to have at least one youth and one adult representative from each club to join us at the next Federation meeting on September 18 at 7:30pm in the Multipurpose Building in Lakefield.
4-H Awards and Recognition Banquet
Location, theme, and meal are to be determined by our host clubs.
Look for RSVP postcards to come in the mail in late September or early October!
Don't forget to nominate those deserving of awards!
Jackson County Calendar!
Southwest Regional and State 4-H Programs
Stay Connected with Jackson County 4-H
Trying Something New...
If you have a smartphone, get push notifications.
- On your iPhone or Android phone, open your web browser and go to the following link: rmd.at/4hinjackco
- Follow the instructions to sign up for Remind.
- You’ll be prompted to download the mobile app.
If you don’t have a smartphone, get text notifications.
- Text the message @4hinjackco to the number 81010.
- If you’re having trouble with 81010, try texting @4hinjackco to (757) 337-4602.
- * Standard text message rates apply
Jackson County 4-H
PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE 4-H APP!
Apple App Store - https://apps.apple.com/al/app/minnesota-4-h/id1478965229
Google Play Store - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.minnesota4h.umn
Email: mnext-jackson@umn.edu
Website: extension.umn.edu/jackson
Location: 607 State Highway 86, Lakefield, MN
Phone: 507-662-5293
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacksoncountymn4h/