Friday Forecast 4/28/2023
Dakota County 4-H Weekly Newsletter
Welcome to the Dakota County 4-H Friday Forecast
Dog Training Classes begin May 1
In-person dog training classes begin at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 1 at the Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center, 4100 220th St. West in Farmington. 2023 Dakota County 4-H Dog Training Schedule
Before attending any dog training:
All dog vaccinations must be up-to-date
$40 p/youth - $60 p/family max Project fee must be paid. (Please do not let cost be a barrier to participation. Scholarships are available for all 4H’ers. Contact Kris for more information.)
Complete and bring dog training registration form to training class.
4-H Horse Camp - June 11-14; register by May 1
Washington County 4-H has planned an exciting 3-day overnight Horse Camp June 11-14 at the Washington County Fairgrounds! Horse Camp includes 3 full days of fun, learning, team building, and lifelong friendships.
Registration is due May 1 and must be mailed to the Washington County offices. Learn more and register.
Table Runner Sewing Workshop - May 6; register by May 2
Sew a “Ten Minute Table Runner” just in time for Mother’s Day. A great project for beginners, intermediate, and advanced sewers alike.
When: Saturday, May 6; 9 a.m. - Noon
Where: Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center, 4100 220th St. W., Farmington
Who: 3rd grade and up
Cost: $5 includes fabric kit and accent buttons
Register: Register in 4Honline by May 2. Event registration user guide.
Sewing machines are available if you don't have one. There will be a tutorial on how to work the machines if needed. Choose your fabric during registration or upon arrival.
Contact Kris at kvatter@umn.edu if you have questions.
Gopher Dairy Camp 2023 - June 15-17; register by May 5
Gopher Dairy Camp is a fun 3-day workshop for youth who want to improve their dairy cattle skills. Camp is open to all youth who have completed grades 6-9 but have not yet started 10th grade. Activities include dairy fitting and showmanship workshops, dairy showmanship contest, dairy foods workshop, and fun around the Twin Cities. Gopher Dairy Camp is hosted by the Gopher Dairy Club in cooperation with the Minnesota 4-H Dairy Project Committee and the Minnesota Livestock Breeders' Association. Cost is $75/camper.
Registration due May 5. Register and learn more.
May 8 Federation Meeting: Officer Elections, Pizza & Plants
The annual election of officers will be held at the May Federation meeting on Monday, May 8th, 7 p.m. at the Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center, 4100 220th St W, Farmington. Elections are conducted by a simple majority vote of all active volunteers and enrolled members 6th grade and older.
We will be holding the annual Election of officers, enjoying pizza and having a planting experience. Please RSVP so we have enough supplies for everyone.
Just like local clubs, the Dakota County 4-H Federation has officers to take care of the county business. The Federation youth officers are President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and four At-Large positions.
All youth officers must be 7th grade or older, and have completed 2 years of 4-H membership.
Adult officers are also a part of this group. Two Adult Leader At-Large officer positions open this election, for a two-year appointment. All adult advisors and adult leaders-at-large must be 4-H screened volunteers.
The Federation sets a yearly meeting schedule, at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month, with approximately 10 meetings per year.
Any questions about how to get involved, contact Kris Vatter, kvatter@umn.edu, 651-480-7758.
YELLO-June 13-16; register by May 12;
Youth Exploring Leadership and Learning Opportunities (YELLO) is a 4-H leadership conference that prepares youth to learn and lead in their communities. YELLO is planned and facilitated by the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors. Youth will:
Build and learn skills to reach goals and plan for the future.
Explore careers, college and other topics of interest through interactive workshops.
Develop positive connections to other youth and adults through small and large groups, workshops and other interactive sessions.
Take health breaks to recharge and process learning.
When: June 13 - 16
Where: Bemidji State University (transportation available)
Who: Grades 7+
Register: Register in 4-H Online by Friday, May 12
Cost: $275. Transportation available from Dakota County Extension Office, for a fee. The Dakota County 4-H Federation supports participation and will award 50% of the registration fee if the youth agrees to work an additional malt/food stand shift, above the required shift, during the Fair.Create and think like an engineer at the Dakota County Engineering Design Challenge Kickoff - May 13
The EDC Kick-off is a workshop to build interest through hands-on engineering activities and recruit team members and volunteer coaches. This workshop will be a chance to learn more about the 2023 EDC, how to join a team or get more information on becoming an EDC Coach. The theme for this year’s Engineering Design Challenge honors the 10 year anniversary of this program: Take Your Best Shot and Celebrate!
When: Saturday, May 13; 10 a.m. - Noon
Who: Youth grades 3 and up and adult volunteers
Where: Wescott Library, 1340 Wescott Rd, Eagan, MN; Large meeting room, Basement level
Registration: Register in 4-H Online by May 10.
This event will also provide hands-on training for adults to provide support to teams as they complete the challenge. Adults who are interested should complete this form.
The 4-H Engineering Design Challenge (EDC) is an opportunity for youth to work on a team to learn about physics and engineering while designing and building a Rube Goldberg™ type machine. A Rube Goldberg™ machine uses a series of chain-reaction steps that culminate in accomplishing a task. The goal is to encourage creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Each year a new challenge is chosen for teams to have their machines to solve. Learn more and register.
The registration deadline to form a county-wide team is June 23 and the state showcase event is Monday, August 7 in St. Cloud, MN.
2023 4-H Animal Identification Details including horse and dog
Now is the time to identify your 4-H animals for the fair. Beef breeding heifers, cow/calf pairs, prospect calves (steers and heifers), dairy, dairy goats, meat goats, dog, horse, llama-alpaca, poultry (doves and pigeons), rabbits, sheep, and swine MUST be identified in 4-H Online by May 15, 2023. All market beef should have been identified by February 15, 2023.
Refer to the MN 4-H Animal Science identification requirements table for information on ID requirements for each species. Complete the Tag Request Form to order your ear tags now to allow staff time to coordinate your tag and tagger pick up. Ear taggers are available for you to check out and use.
Contact Rachel Rezac (for swine, dairy, goat & poultry) at 651-480-7754 or reza0027@umn.edu or Jessica Beissel (for beef, sheep, rabbit) at 651-210-0762 or reed0324@umn.edu or Cherie Frandrup at 651-480-7702 or frand004@umn.edu, if you have questions.
MN State Fair Encampment Dates
Livestock Encampment - August 23-27
Static Exhibits (general) and Public Presentations Encampment - August 27-29
Horseless Horse Meetings CHANGE OF LOCATION for ALL future meetings
This program, led by youth leaders involved with the Horseless Horse and Horse projects, will allow youth to work with horses in a variety of ways while on the ground. Each session will include an education piece and hands on activities with horses.
What: Horseless Horse Project Meetings
Who: Youth 3rd grade and up; must be enrolled in 4-H Online prior to attending
Where: Behrendt's Barn, 7861 272nd St. West, Farmington
When: May 2, 16, June 6 and 20, July 18
Time: 7-8 p.m.
Registration: Register in SignUp Genius to attend each session. Participants should be enrolled in 4-H Online, signed up for the Horseless Horse project in 4-H Online. Refer to the 4-H Online enrollment for families guide for assistance.
Cost: $25 per participant; payable to Dakota County 4-H. Please mail or drop off to: Dakota County 4-H, 4100 220th Street West, Suite 101, Farmington, MN 55024 with 'HLH' noted in the memo line of your check.
Youth will be required to wear horse riding helmets when in proximity to the horses for in-person events (4-H does supply the helmets for youth to use during the practices). Dress appropriately for the weather, the barn can be chilly.
Contact Kirsten at kapeders@umn.edu if you have questions or for more information.
Hold the Dates for Arts-In
Arts-In is a summertime performing arts program for youth grades 3 and above. All participants who audition are cast in the show and will learn a 30 minute original musical during encampment. Arts-In shows are filled with singing, acting, choreography and a whole lot of creative energy and fun! The shows are performed at the Dakota County Fair and, potentially, one day at the Minnesota State Fair.
Auditions: July 11; 6-8:30 p.m.
Arts-In Encampment: July 17, 19, 20; 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; July 21; 8 a.m. - Noon
(depending on the part in the show, times and dates may vary)
Cost: $50
If you have any questions please contact Kris Vatter, kvatter@umn.edu or call 651-480-7758.
4-H Camp News
Public Safety Day Camp for Grades K-5 - June 21; register by May 24
Dakota County 4-H Day Camp will feature a public safety theme with special guests from the Farmington Fire Department and Swat Team, K-9 Unit, Dakota County Sheriff and Dakota Electric Association. Camp will also include outdoor games (weather permitting), hands-on activities, and FUN! Reserve your spot now!
Cost is $25 and includes camp t-shirt and snacks. Registration is due May 24.
Who: Youth that have completed grades K-5, June, 2023.
When: June 21, 2023
Time: Check-in: 8-8:30 a.m. Check-out: 4-4:30 p.m.
Where: Dakota County Fairgrounds, 4008 220th St. West in Farmington
Registration: Register in 4-H Online by May 24, under Events. For assistance, refer to the 4-H Online event registration guide.
Cost: $25/camper. Send payment to Dakota County 4-H, Attn: Day Camp, 4100 220th St. West, #101, Farmington, MN 55024. Checks payable to Dakota County 4-H.
Contact Kirsten at kapeders@umn.edu if you have questions.
4-H camp registration is open!
Any youth who have completed 3-8th grade (as of June 2023) is welcome to join the fun in a camp immersion experience with Dakota and Washington Counties! Participants will be engaged in campfires, wilderness challenges, outdoor adventures, crafts, making new friends, and much more!
When: Monday, June 12 through Wednesday, June 14
Where: Baker Outdoor Learning Center, 4001 County Rd 24, Maple Plain, MN
Who: Youth who have completed grades 3-8
Cost: $150/camper; includes bus transportation from Dakota County Northern Service Center in West St. Paul
Camp registration is through 4-H Online Event registration system and is due May 12 or when camp is full. For registration assistance, refer to the event registration guide or contact reza0027@umn.edu.
Resident camp refund policy: If canceled before May 15, $25 cancellation fee. No refunds after May 15.
REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE OPPORTUNITIES
The Great Mystery Seed, 4-H Project Kit; sign-up by May 1
Youth in grades 3rd and up are invited to come join us virtually to discover and uncover the unknown world of seeds. We will be uncovering clues to identify a variety of seed from the different growing zones across Minnesota. Youth will use detective skills and tools to solve the Great Seed Mystery. Must be enrolled in MN 4-H and register for your kit by May 1st. There is a $5.00 fee for the kit. Learn more and register.
Youth Aspirations: Imagining and Navigating Futures in Higher Education; May 2
While many higher education preparatory programs focus on grades, test scores and financing, recent research in the field of youth development suggests that cultivating and fostering higher education aspiration may be a missing piece. Join Youth Development Specialist, Dr. Joanna Tzenis (Ramsey County) Tuesday, May 2 from 6:30-7:45 p.m. to learn how you can sustain the college and university aspirations of young people in your life while also helping them identify and strategize around emergent challenges. This 75-minute training is open to Minnesota 4-H volunteers, potential volunteers and youth leaders as part of our 2022-2023 statewide volunteer development webinar program. Learn more and register.
Choose Your 4-H Outdoor Adventure Speaker series - May 8
Join the online event each month to hear from inspiring speakers, such as professionals in the outdoor industry, authors and youth in the 4-H Program!
Movie & Discussion - We will watch a special viewing of the Emily Ford film, “A Voice for the Wild.” Emily trekked 200 miles across the Boundary Waters in the winter, raising funds for BIPOC students to explore the BWCA through No Boundaries to the Boundary Waters. We will end with a small group breakout discussion. Registration required.
4-H video production workshop
Join the Minnesota 4-H video project team for an awesome summer workshop! Youth members who have experience in video creation will come together to learn from experts in the field about story development, lighting, sound, video angles and so much more.
This workshop will include four one-hour virtual sessions, a three-day in-person immersion event and a one-day film festival. Learn more and register.
4-H choose your outdoor adventure self guided series
ANIMAL SCIENCE OPPORTUNITIES
Livestock Quality Assurance & Ethics Training - June 23
Who: Youth 6th grade and above that would take a state fair livestock trip
When: Friday, June 23 from 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: Krueger Farm, 9819 Neal Ave. So., Hastings
Cost: $5 per 4-H'er; money collected at the event
Register: Deadline to register is Tuesday, June 20.
Livestock Quality Assurance & Ethics (LQA&E) training is required of any youth 6th grade and above that would take a state fair livestock trip. It is required for youth exhibiting dairy, beef, sheep, swine, goats, llama, rabbit and poultry. Livestock Quality Assurance training helps youth provide excellent care for their food animals and ensure a high level of food safety to consumers. It is designed to enhance the educational experience of 4-H animals science projects. Training must be completed before your county fair.
Questions should be directed to Rachel Rezac, reza0027@umn.edu or Ann Church church109@umn.edu.
See the MN 4-H LQAE training page for additional training dates.
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.
First year in the 4-H program? Check out this resource to learn more!
Questions? Email Kirsten at kapeders@umn.edu.
New year brings new project workshops! Seeking instructors and ideas
Do you have a special interest or skill to share? Have an idea for a workshop or a connection for a workshop that you feel the 4-H’ers would enjoy? Let us know!!! 4-H staff are looking for volunteers to help lead new workshops this upcoming 4-H year. If you are interested in leading a workshop or have a suggestion for a great new idea please contact Kris.
Leading a 4-H club web page has launched
Resources for club leaders and volunteers leading a 4-H club have been reorganized. Explore these categories: Beginning the 4-H year, leading a 4-H club meeting (organized around a sample agenda), managing 4-H club operations, and ways to support club members. Suggest improvements to the site by using the gray “feedback” button on the right side of the screen.
We are on Instagram, give us a follow!
We have a new Instagram account! Please follow us at Dakota.County4H or connect via Facebook at DakotaCounty4H.
Dakota County 4-H Contacts
Kirsten Pederson: kapeders@umn.edu, 651-480-7722
Rachel Rezac: reza0027@umn.edu, 651-480-7754
Kris Vatter: kvatter@umn.edu; 651-480-7758
Jessica Beissel: reed0324@umn.edu; 651-480-7752
Cherie Frandrup: frand004@umn.edu, 651-480-7702
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/dakota
Location: 4100 220th Street West, Suite 101, Farmington, MN, USA
Phone: 651-480-7700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dakota.county4h