May
Family Newsletter - May 19, 2022
TASKS TO COMPLETE
Please pay your membership fee
As you may have noticed, shortly after you enrolled online you were approved. Monthly email reminders will be sent to families who have not paid their county fees. We continue to accept checks/cash at any time. Please pay your membership fee, county fees are used not only for programming but also towards salaries for county personnel.
Washington County has a yearly enrollment fee of $25.00 per member (youth only) or $100 max per family for 4 or more children. We ask that you please send payment to our office address listed below.
Checks should be made out to Washington County 4-H and sent to the following address:
Washington County 4-H
14949 62nd Street North
Stillwater, MN 55082
**For those using online banking, please be sure to include Washington County 4-H as checks made out to just Washington County go directly to the property tax office**
We don't want anyone to miss out so please just let us know by completing the scholarship form.
Upcoming events/activities/deadlines
2022 High School Graduates - Due June 1
Washington County 4-H would like to honor the class of 2022. An email was sent directly to your family account this past week. 4-H wants to celebrate your accomplishments by highlighting you on our Facebook page in the coming weeks.
To participate please email the following to Kathy Erf - eber0002@umn.edu no later than June 1. Thank you!
- A photo of yourself
- Include your plans after graduation
- Favorite 4-H memory
Wash. Co. 4-H Scholarships - Due June 1
It is that time of year that 4-H members going on to postsecondary education can apply for the Washington County 4-H Federation and/or Memorial Scholarship. Farm Bureau also offers a scholarship for youth whose parents are Farm Bureau members. You will find the scholarships posted at: Washington County Deadline to submit scholarships is Wednesday, June 1. Scholarship winners will be announced Sunday night at the County Fair during the Awards Ceremony.
Shooting Sports starting June 6
Shooting Sports training will begin the week of June 6! Youth who have signed up for Archery and bb will begin practicing on Monday, June 6 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the fairgrounds. Come in on the 40th street entrance, practice will take place near the grandstand area.
Trap, Rifle, and Black Powder training will take place at the Oakdale Gun Club starting on Tuesday, June 7 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. 4-H’ers participating at the Gun Club must have completed their safety training in order to participate. We also need parents to sign waivers for the Gun Club. Please complete the waiver. Completed waivers must be returned to our office no later than June 3 in order to participate! You can email them to; churc109@umn.edu or fax 651-430-6811.
Shooting Sports fees ($30 or $60 max per family) will be collected on both June 6 & June 7 for those who have not sent payment to our office. Please include 4-H enrollment fees if it applies.
Clothing and Textiles Workshop - June 20 (Registration Due June 13)
In preparation for Fashion Revue, we are having a Clothing and Textiles Workshop with the amazing team at Basic Needs! This workshop will include activities on constructed, upcycled, and purchased clothing. 4-Hers will have assistance in creating outfits from professionals that would be a great start to a fashion revue or clothing project. The thrift store, normally closed on Mondays, will be open for 4-Hers and their families from the start of the workshop until 9 pm. This amazing workshop has no cost, but if you want to make a donation to Basic Needs you are welcome to do so.
Register at https://z.umn.edu/ClothingAndTextilesWorkshop
The registration deadline is June 13th. Contact Caitlin if you have any questions.
Seeking Federation Officers - Due June 24
Would you like to take your leadership skills to the next level? We will be electing the 2022-2023 Washington County Executive Board on Monday, June 27 beginning at 7:00 pm at the Gov’t Center. The Exec Board is a leadership team similar to club officers, but on the county level. The officer team is made up of a; President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and 6 District Reps. We also have 6 adults who serve 2 year year terms. If you are interested in serving as an adult on the Board, please let Ann know at; churc109@umn.edu and you will be put on the ballot. All 4-H members and volunteers are invited to attend this Federation Meeting. We need at least one half of all the clubs ‘present’ to vote!
If you are a 4-H member who has completed 7th grade or older and would like to apply, Federation Application
What is the Washington County 4-H Federation?
The Washington County 4-H Federation is the county-level program and policy decision-making body for the Washington County 4-H club program. The full Federation is composed of youth and adult leaders from all 4-H clubs. The Federation meets quarterly, in October, January, April, and June. The organization is guided by an Executive Board composed of eleven youth and six adult representatives. The Executive Board meets the months between Federation meetings; September, November, February, March, May.
Who is eligible to be on the Executive Board?
The Washington County 4-H Federation Constitution states that youth officers "shall be elected for a term of one year only, but any given 4-H youth leader can hold a different office or position in ensuing years, providing it is not the same office or position held in a previous year. At the June Annual Meeting, youth who have completed grades 7-12 are eligible to vote and run for office. Youth must be enrolled in the Youth Leadership project in the year in which you are a Federation officer."
What is the time commitment?
Officer candidates should consider their other time commitments when applying. Please make sure you are available to attend meetings on the fourth Monday of each month. We cannot run a meeting without officers
Ambassador Meeting - June 27th
Save the date for our next Ambassador meeting on Monday, June 27th at 6 PM at the Government Center. We will have treats, and discuss all things promotion, day camps, and County Fair! Don’t forget to stick around at 7 PM for Washington County Executive Board elections. If you have any questions reach out to Megan Slater at slate187@umn.edu.
Arts-In registration - Due July 1
County Arts-In is a performing arts and leadership experience for youth that have completed grades 7-13. Back by popular demand in 2022 - an overnight encampment! Participants will work together with talented Directors and Student Directors to put together a 30-minute musical that will be performed at the Washington County Fair and Minnesota State Fair. Those who register will choose which major they would like to participate in: performing, band, or technical. See registration form for specific dates and times of auditions, encampment, and performances. Deadline to register is July 1 with a registration fee of $70. After July 1, a $25 late fee will be applied. Please reach out to Avis Peters at avisapeters@hotmail.com or Megan Slater at slate187@umn.edu with any questions.
2022 Fashion Revue - July 21
All 4-H members are invited to participate in the 2022 4-H Fashion Revue! You do not need to be enrolled in the Clothing Project to participate in this event. Fill out this form to let us know you'd like to participate. We'll reach out as we get closer to the judging date to gather more details about your outfits.
*** NEW THIS YEAR! Judging and the fashion show will be held on the same day***
Here is the Schedule for the day:
1:00-4:00 PM - Judging (time may change depending on the number of members registered)
4:00-5:00 PM - Dinner Break
5:00-5:30 PM - Fashion Show Rehearsal at Woodbury Central Park Amphitheater
6:00-7:00 PM - Fashion show at Woodbury Central Park Amphitheater
The registration deadline is June 20th. Contact Caitlin if you have any questions.
Animal Science News
LQA & E Training (Livestock Quality Assurance & Ethics Training) June 28
Washington County 4-H will offer an in-person 3 hour LQA & E Training at the U of M (St. Paul Campus) on Tuesday, June 28 from 12:30-3:30 pm. See important information below to see who needs to attend this training! Training must be completed prior to the county fair to confirm trips to the MN State Fair.
If you plan to attend this training ($5. Will be collected at the door for supplies and snacks), you must pre-register at: Washington County LQA Training
LQA&E Training Requirements:
All youth participating as a State Fair 4-H livestock exhibitor in beef, dairy, sheep, swine, poultry, rabbits, meat goat, dairy goat, and llama must have completed livestock quality assurance training. Certification is good for 3 fair seasons. In the next few weeks, you will be able to check the Washington County 4-H website for the list of 4-H’ers who are up to date with their LQA & E training for the 2022 fair season.
If you are due to be certified, there are two training options available;
Option 1 - LQA&E face to face Training
Participation in a face to face 3-hour Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics (LQA&E) training offered in various locations around the state. This certification is valid for three fair seasons. 4-Hers completing grades 3-5 must be certified in Level 1. 4-Hers completing grades 9-13 must be certified in Level 2. 4-Hers completing grades 6-8 may be certified in either Level I or Level II. The determination of which Level to certify at for grades 6-8 should be based on the livestock project experience the 4-Her possesses. Registration for in-person training.
Option 2 - YQCA on-line Training
4-H members have the option of completing the 1-hour online course offered via distance learning. This certification is valid for one fair season. Cost of this training is $12/child and is paid at the time of online registration with a credit card. Since training is good for one fair season, it will need to be completed annually. This is a nationally offered program and registration fee is utilized to upkeep the system and update the training The YQCA Board of Directors moved YQCA content to a new website. Directions can be found here! Please email a copy of the your completed certificate to our office.
LQA & E Trainings promote responsible care of animals, making informed decisions in animal care and providing safe consumer food products. Youth will receive a certificate of completion.
New Ranch Pleasure Horse Class
Horse Project members have received information from MN 4-H regarding the newly added Ranch Pleasure Class.
The Minnesota 4-H Horse Rulebook has been updated and Ranch Pleasure guidelines and rules have been added under the western performance section.
A Ranch Pleasure fact sheet has been developed to help answer questions. It includes links to videos to learn from and clarify the difference between Ranch Pleasure and Western Pleasure. As resources are developed they will be shared with Horse Project Members.
Open Jackpot Show
4-H’ers interested in getting their animals out to shows prior to our county fair are invited to attend the Dakota County Jackpot Show held June 17-19 in Farmington. The shows will include; beef, sheep, goats and swine. You can find more information at; https://showman.app/shows#/dakota-county-jackpot-show
FairEntry will be open from June 1 - July 1, 2022
A reminder for new families, completing animal ID's is NOT registering for the fair. You will need to pick what classes your animal will be shown in through the FairEntry registration. We will notify you if FairEntry open before June 1.
2022 Wash. Co. Fair 4-H Information Book
The 2022 Washington County Fair 4-H Information (Premium) Book has been posted on our website. Many project areas have been updated from previous years as well as exhibit suggestions! Please take time to carefully READ the Information Book as it has everything you need to know to participate in the County Fair! 4-H’ers need to let us know what projects and classes they intend to participate in at the fair. Projects need to be entered into FairEntry by July 1. FairEntry will be accepting entries after June 1. In the meantime, start thinking about the projects you will want to bring to the fair!
4-H Graduates at the Fair!
We are looking forward to acknowledging you at the County Fair!
There are a few tasks we need from you IF you choose to be recognized:
We would appreciate having a poster board of you displaying pics of your 4-H memories/experiences. These posters will be displayed in the 4-H building during the county fair. (See pic attached of previous posters.) Please bring your poster with you to General Judging Day on Saturday, July 30 between 10-4.
Please complete and return your ‘grad application’ to be recognized Sunday night at our Awards night.
Livestock & Horse Exhibitors are encouraged to fill out the attached ‘Livestock Graduation Questioner’ that will be read during your specific specie livestock/horse show. The completed Livestock Questionnaire needs to be emailed back to Ann at; churc109@umn.edu no later than Monday, July 25th. Please do not wait until the last minute.
Upcoming Events/Activities and Deadlines
Animal Science
June 28 - LQA (Livestock Quality Assurance) Washington County 4-H will offer an in-person 3 hour LQA & E Training at the U of M (St. Paul Campus) on
Tuesday, June 28 from 12:30-3:30 pm.
- July 30-31 - County Dog Show
- Aug. 3-7 - Washington County Fair (All animal shows except Dog)
Summer Camps
- June 12-15 - Washington County Horse Camp (Age 10 and up as of Jan. 1, 2022) Must have your own horse. Registration is closed
- June 13-15 - Resident Camp - Grades 3-8 at Baker Outdoor Learning Center in Maple Plain, MN Registration is closed
- June 13-17 - YELLO (Youth Exploring Leadership & Learning Opportunities) Grades 7-13 at Bemidji State University.
- June 22-24 - Archery Camp in Ramsey County
- July 11-14 - Washington County Day Camps at Hooley Hall - Grades K-6
Performing Arts
- July 10 - County Arts-In Auditions
- July 17-20 - County Arts-In Encampment
Fashion Revue Date Set
- July 21 - Fashion Revue - NEW this year! Judging and show will take place on the same day. More details in the next newsletter.
Youth enrollment and animal ID deadline
- May 16, 2022
Washington County Fair
- July 1 - County fair registration deadline. All projects/animals need to be entered in FairEntry by this date.
- July 30 - 4-H General/Static project judging (Saturday)
- July 30-31 - County 4-H Dog Show
- Aug. 3-7 - Washington County Fair
Promotion Committee
Do you want to help share 4-H with families in our county? Well, we are starting a Promotion Committee for Washington County 4-H to do just that! This committee aims to bring together individuals who are passionate about 4-H and want to help spread the word about the program to others within our community. Some of the things this group COULD do include:
~Find and attend events that we could promote our program
~Create and distribute information about the 4-H to families in our communities
~Help organize and promote already existing promotional events and materials
~Find new ways to connect with new families
We want to see who has interest before setting a meeting date. If you have any interest in learning more about this brand new group, whether or not you choose to join, please fill out the survey at https://z.umn.edu/WashingtonCountyPromotionCommittee. If you know someone else who may be interested, we encourage you to share the survey with them or let Caitlin Rademacher know, and she can reach out. If you have any questions, please send them to Caitlin at crademac@umn.edu.
Volunteer & Club Leader Helpful Resouces
Check out this state page for helpful resources!
https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/4-h-volunteer/
Apply to be a 4-H screened volunteer
WCMG Plant Sale and Garden Expo
Sunday, May 22, 2022
Building B, Washington County Fairgrounds
Plant Sale: 11 am to 3 pm
Diagnostic Clinic & Garden Expo: 10 am to 3 pm
After a 2-year hiatus, the Washington County Master Gardeners Plant Sale is back! This is the perfect opportunity to pick up annuals and perennials grown by local Master Gardener Volunteers. The Plant Sale will have MN Seed Trial winners, native and prairie plants, monarch and pollinator plants, grasses, shade plants, heirloom tomatoes, herbs and vegetables, and community-favorite flowers.
Get advice from Master Gardener Volunteers. Bring your family and bring your wagons!
Cash, Checks, and Credit Cards Accepted.
Thank you!
Many thanks to all the new families that attended the County Fair Orientation held on May 13 Festival. Please do not hesitate to call our office with your questions! We are excited to have you a part of our program!
Congratulations to our Performing Arts Night winners!
We have a talented crew here in Washington County! A big thank you to our Ambassadors, Abbey Rademacher and Kassidy Kalka for emceeing, and the many volunteers that worked behind the scenes to make this event a success. Can’t wait to see the talent in 2023!
Share the Fun
1st Place: St. Croix Clovers
2nd Place: Happy Hornets
One Act Play
St. Croix Clovers
Talent:
Jr. Champion: Matteo Guitierrez
Jr. Reserve Champion: Katie Matvick
Sr. Champion: Gianna Cooper
Sr. Reserve Champion: Henry Richter
Outstanding Performers:
Mary Margaret Foley
Rebecca Vazac
Maggie Vazac
Remember you must re-enroll yearly!
Washington County Extension website - the place to find information!
- Current and past Family Newsletters
- County Animal ID letters
- News articles about our larger ongoing project areas
- Events calendar
- County club map with contacts
- County Fair information as it becomes available
- Much more
Ann Church
Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
(651) 430-6809
churc109@umn.edu
Megan Slater
Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
(651) 430-6805
slate187@umn.edu
Caitlin Rademacher
Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
(651) 430-6807
Kathy Erf
Principal Office & Administrative Specialist
(651) 430-6800
eber0002@umn.edu
Washington County 4-H
14949 62nd Street North
Stillwater, MN 55082
(We are located in the Stillwater Government Center)
Office hours - Please call ahead as staff hours do vary.
8:00am-4:30pm (Monday-Thursday)
Friday by appointment
651-430-6800 or mnext-washington@umn.edu