Olmsted County 4-H News
January 2023
Notes from Kristina
Upcoming Council Meeting: Reminder: all clubs need to be represented at our 3 full council meetings (September, January 22, and March 20). These meetings are less than an hour and include important decisions for all clubs to be a part of and understand our 4-H program and vision at a county level. The January 22 meeting will take place at 6:30 pm as part of the Project Information Event (see below) and will include a vote on a bylaw change. The proposal is to amend Article D - Meeting schedule by changing "The annual meeting will be held in September at 7 pm on the third Monday" to August instead.
Please join us for a Project Information Event (PIE) on January 22 from 5-8 pm! This is an opportunity for 4-H'ers to come together to learn about other project areas. We will have interactive activities, snacks, prizes, and people to answer your questions. All ages are welcome!
If you're interested in being part of a project bowl team and you haven't connected with one yet, please contact the office!
Notes from our County Extension Committee:
What is a County Extension Committee? Extension Committees exist in every county and are responsible for learning about and advocating for Extension Programming and assisting in identifying community needs where Extension could be of service. Extension includes: SNAP-Ed, 4-H, Master Gardeners, Agriculture, and much more! This committee also makes recommendations for our county budget (including staffing) and submits them annually to the county board.
Thank you to Judy Plank who just finished her 2nd consecutive term on the committee!
We need committee members: The Olmsted CEC is seeking 2 public members for appointment. Currently, 4-H families are not represented as committee members, so please consider this opportunity! Appointments to the committee are for a 3-year term & members can serve up to 2 terms. Meetings are only 4 times a year. If you have questions or are interested, please reach out to Lisa Dierks, our Extension Regional Director, at dierksl@umn.edu.
Recommend someone for Olmsted County Farm Family of the Year: Every year the Extension Committee votes on the Farm Family of the Year, which is recognized at the county fair and at Farm Fest. Nominated farm families must be involved in their community, reside in Olmsted County, and be involved in a farming/agriculture operation. If you have nominations, please send them to mnext-olmsted@umn.edu
Olmsted and neighboring counties are currently in the process of interviewing candidates. If you know a college-aged young adult interested in assisting with day camps, county fair experiences, etc, (4-H experience not required), please encourage them to apply soon!
Citizenship & Leadership Opportunties
*Youth attending BLU and TEEL are eligible to be reimbursed for half the program fee by Olmsted County 4-H. To apply, complete the reimbursement form. You can access it at: z.umn.edu/OlmstedReimbursement
Youth in grades 9+ can now register for Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF), a summer, DC-area experience! Minnesota 4-H will attend CWF June 25 - 30 (this does not include travel dates). Register in 4HOnline today! Youth attending are eligible for a reimbursement or $250/year for national trips from Olmsted County Funds.
Horse Project Opportunities
Horseless Horse Round Up virtual series - (Grades 3+) - This group will meet once a month in a virtual setting statewide, and supplemental material will be provided for youth to further explore each topic. The first session is January 24, register by January 17. Learn more and register.
Save the date for an Olmsted County 4-H Horse Fun Show on July 9 at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds!
Shooting Sports & Wildlife Opportunities
Air Rifle Practice - This discipline is open to youth in grades 4+. Practices are happening at Aune Hall (the Olmsted County 4-H Building) on the following Sundays: January 22, February 5 and 19, March 5 and 19, April 2 and 23, and May 7 and 21. Registration will be open until January 20 in 4HOnline.
For more information on our Shooting Sports Program, visit our website.
Note: Participation in this series counts towards wildlife hours for State Shoot Eligibility
Upcoming Virtual Animal Science and Agronomy Opportunities
4-H Animal Discover: Dog & Poultry (Grades 3+): This 5-session virtual series kicks off on February 6. Youth can expect fun, interactive lessons, at-home challenges, and group reflection. Learn more and register
Minnesota 4-H Science Sprouts: Winter Series (Grades 3+): This online series will take place on January 16, February 20, and March 20. Sign-up by January 9 to ensure you receive supplies and the list of materials for the experiment. You may participate in one or all sessions. January's session will include an experiment about making multi-colored plants with food coloring. Learn more and register
Virtual Plant Science Trivia Nights: Join this statewide offering to learn more about plant science knowledge while playing interactive, virtual games. Trivia nights will take place on the second Thursday of the month from January - March from 7-7:30 pm to have fun - no experience necessary! January will include a plant science Kahoot! Learn more and register
Farm Service Agency loans available for Youth - The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers loans for individual young people to start and operate income-producing projects of modest size in connection to their participation in 4-H clubs, FFA, a Tribal youth group, or similar agricultural youth organization. Projects financed with an FSA youth loan need to provide an opportunity for the young person to acquire experience and education in agriculture-related skills. For more information on loan purposes and project requirements, visit the FSA website or contact your local FSA office.
4-H at the Olmsted County Fair!
Did you know the Olmsted County Fair is 204 days away? To support your family’s project learning and involvement at the fair, our 4-H fair webpage is now live! z.umn.edu/AllAboutFair will be updated with all information shared via mail, emails, etc. You can also find a list of helpful documents on the Olmsted County Extension homepage, under "4-H at the Olmsted County Fair". In our monthly newsletter, we will continue to highlight various deadlines, resources, and information so your family feels prepared for the 2023 fair!
If you are planning to show Market Beef or Dairy Steers this summer, you must ID your animal in 4HOnline by February 15. Check out the above link for more information on this process and getting ear tags.
Read the full article for information on getting projects started and to mark your calendars with important dates and opportunities. Come to our Project Information Event (above) to learn about all project areas and opportunities!
Key deadlines to mark on your calendars:
- February 15 - Animal ID - Market Beef & Dairy Steer
- May 15 - Animal ID - All species
- June 15 - FairEntry registration - Registration for all non-livestock project and registration for the livestock classes you want to participate in. Please note if you are showing an animal, you must ID the animal AND register for classes in FairEntry.
Information for Youth and Adult Club Leaders
To always find a summary of recently shared Information for Youth and Adult Club Leaders, quick links, and club leader FAQs, visit our webpage article.
- New member resources for club leaders - If you are looking for resources to share with new members and inquiries, check this google folder. Let us know what things you would like to share and we will continue to add to this.
- Apply for a Helping Hands Grant - Helping Hands awards fund worthy youth development programs or projects that encourage partnerships with supportive adults, local businesses, and non-profit organizations. Projects can focus on leadership, service, citizenship, brick and mortar, and other new and creative ideas. Last year, the Creative Clovers 4-H Club received a grant to assist with a Mystery Snail Clean-up Service Learning Project. Average awards are between $200 and $2,000. If interested, please connect with Kristina. Learn more about previous grants and apply here. Applications are due February 15.
- Similar to last month, the newsletter is being sent to only re-enrolled families! Make sure to remind your club to re-enroll if they haven't done so yet. The Olmsted County 4-H Newsletter is sent on the first of each month, so if someone didn't receive it, have them contact the office and we'll figure out why.
Contact Information
Email: mnext-olmsted@umn.edu
Website: extension.umn.edu/olmsted
Location: 1421 3rd Avenue Southeast, Rochester, MN, USA
Phone: 507-328-6214
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Olmsted4H
Contact Information
Email: mnext-olmsted@umn.edu
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/olmsted
Location: 1421 3rd Avenue Southeast, Rochester, MN, USA
Phone: 507-328-6214
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Olmsted4H