Blue Earth County 4-H Newsletter
February 2023
Welcome to the 4-H Newsletter!
Have something to change or that you'd like to see added to the newsletter? Let Blue Earth County 4-H staff know! Please send all newsletter additions in by the 25th of each month. You can email our interim Lizz at efanders@umn.edu
Be sure to check your inbox for the 4-H Clover Update from Minnesota 4-H, which features state 4-H news, events, and opportunities.
Upcoming Dates
Feb. 11 - Shooting Sports Volunteer Certification in Redwood Falls, MN
Feb. 15 - MARKET BEEF ID DEADLINE!!!!!!!!!
Feb. 15 - Ambassador Meeting at Blue Earth County Historic Courthouse 6:00 PM
Feb. 19 - Sprouts (Cloverbud Meeting for Nicollet County and Blue Earth County 4-Hers) 3-5 PM St. Peter Community Center-Senior Citizens Room
Feb. 20 - Extension office closed for holiday
Feb. 25-26 - Southeast BLU/TEEL at Camp Victory in Zumbro Falls, MN
Feb. 26 - Individual registration deadline for Bowling 101: Project Bowl for K-4
Mar. 1 - Southeast Region 4-H Project Day Registration Due
March 13 - Tri-County Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE!
KEEP UP TO DATE BY ADDING THE BLUE EARTH COUNTY 4-H GOOGLE CALENDAR!!
FILL OUT GOOGLE FORM FOR WHEN YOUR 4-H EVENTS, CLUB MEETINGS, PROGRAMS, SERVICE EVENTS ARE
Market Beef, Market Heifer, and Dairy Steer ID DEADLINE!!
Where: This is an online event.
Remember, by February 15, 2023 you must own your market beef animal, have it tagged with a MN 4-H ear tag, and enter the animal information into 4-H Online. Please contact Elizabeth Kendall at 507-304-4142 or efanders@umn.edu with any questions.
You will need to identify all 4-H market beef projects including market steers, market heifers and dairy steers. All market beef MUST be owned, tagged with a MN 4-H ear tag, and identified by February 15, 2023. Breeding heifers, cow/calf pairs and prospect calves (steers and heifers) must be owned or leased, tagged or tattooed and identified by May 15, 2023. Please note that Cloverbuds do not need to identify beef animals at this time.
Read through the 4-H Beef Information Sheet and the Minnesota 4-H AnSci Updates for 2023 - these documents include information for identification, beef project rules, classes, State Fair participation and much more.
Get your 4-H tags and tagger from the Blue Earth County Extension Office for your market beef projects. All market beef projects will need a 4-H tag (including registered animals with breed tattoos). There are taggers available for you to check out and use. Please inquire about the return procedure.
Tag your animal and complete the Market Beef ID Worksheet (market beef steers and market heifers) or the Dairy Steer ID Worksheet to assist you in entering your market beef information into 4-H Online.
Enter your market beef identification information into 4-H Online by February 15, 2023. Use the animal ID’ing tip sheet for ease in entering your animal information. If you are unable to enter your information into 4-H Online, please bring your completed Market Beef or Dairy Steer ID worksheet to the Extension Office for assistance in entering your ID information into 4-H Online by the end of business day on February 15, 2023.
Help Us Spread the Word: Blue Earth County 4-H Summer Intern and Agriculture, Food and Natural Recourse Summer Interns!
Help us spread the word! Blue Earth County 4-H and Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources is looking to fill two summer internship positions to help us deliver fun, hands-on, engaging summer programming. (One is for 4-H, the other is for these are PAID internships with flexible hours.)
Apply here for 4-H: z.umn.edu/4HSummerIntern
Apply here for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
If you have questions about the 4-H internship, please contact Lizz at efanders@umn.edu
or Shane at sbugeja@umn.edu
Annual Livestock Meeting
- Animal ID changes and importance of meeting the FEB. 15 (market beef) and MAY 15 (other animals) deadlines. Click Here for Animal Science ID Requirements
- Animal Science Updates for 2023
- Leasing information
- Livestock Quality Assurance Certification (LQAE) dates/locations
- 4-H Information for Each Species
- Discussion on 2022 Blue Earth County Fair
- Fairground Improvements
- Change of Animal Science Interviews
- Much more!
For additional information please contact Lizz Kendall at efanders@umn.edu
Cloverbuds - Join the Nicollet County Sprouts!
We have been invited to participate in a unique club in Nicollet County; the Sprouts Club is designed specifically for our K-2 grade members (which we call Cloverbuds members)! All Cloverbuds--regardless of which clubs they attend--are welcome at any time. We especially love new members! Join us on Sunday, December 18th for our next meeting, time and location TBD. Please RSVP to Michelle so we can plan for supplies. Learn more about The Sprouts and visit the schedule for the year now! Contact club leader Michele Vogel for more information: 507-217-1977 or michele_rist@yahoo.com
Southeast Regional 4-H Project Day
When: Saturday, March 18, 9:00 am-2:00 pm
Where: Byron High School, Byron, MN
Many exciting sessions to choose from including Woodworking, Cloverbud Activities, Photography and MORE! Don't miss your opportunity to take part in this great day! Registration deadline is Wednesday, March 1.
For more information and to register, visit z.umn.edu/SEProjectDay
Virtual Bowling 101
Shooting Sports and Wildlife
If you would like to be a volunteer for Blue Earth County Shooting Sports, there are some certifications you can attend.
- Saturday, February 11th in Redwood Falls, MN
- Saturday, April 15th in Roseau, MN
- Saturday, April 29th in Palisade, MN
Click HERE to learn more.
Update your information in 4-H Online to re-enroll
Minnesota 4-H previously announced that 4-H members would be continuously enrolled in the program until they aged or opted out. Minnesota 4-H is adding a step to ensure we have current information for all 4-H’ers.
In order to enroll for this upcoming year, 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.
You can log in to 4-H Online here to complete the re-enrollment process. This guide has more information. If you have any questions about re-enrolling or any other aspect of 4-H involvement, contact your local 4-H staff.
Looking for workshop leaders
Do you have a special interest or skill to share like cake/cookie decorating, cooking, art, shop/mechanical sciences, photography, or sewing? 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. If you have an interest in leading a workshop or have a suggestion of a great new idea please contact our office!
Severe Weather
Reminder of Special Insurance for Club Activities
It's the season for sledding and other outdoor winter activities. Just a reminder that all winter activities carry a little more risk than our typical club meetings and they require additional activities insurance.
Please apply for this insurance in advance, estimating the number of youth, volunteers AND parents (not usually covered by UMN insurance). After the event you can report your actual numbers. Submit all paperwork to Kelly. It typically costs $8 for the entire club--which can be paid by the club or federation. Please contact Kelly at the extension office (507-304-4325) to sign your club up for special insurance.
Also, here are the guidelines for each of these activities:
Winter activities (ice fishing, skiing downhill/cross country and snowboarding)
Prohibited winter activities: sledding behind a motorized vehicle, snowmobiling, laser tag, etc.
Acceptable when conducted by another group (liability is passed to the other group): bonfires, bounce houses, go karts, hockey, sleigh rides, water parks, etc.
Save the Date for 4-H CAMP!
Apply to be a camp counselor!
Apply to be a Camp Counselor for 4-H Camp at Camp Patterson! Counselors are the heart of 4-H summer camp - they provide active, hands-on fun, facilitate programming, lead cabin activities, and supervise all aspects of the campers’ day.
Camp Counselors (grades 9+) apply at: z.umn.edu/PattersonCounselor
NEW IN 2023 youth in grades 7-8 can apply to be Junior Camp Counselors at z.umn.edu/PattersonJC
Deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
Extension Office closed for the holiday
The Extension Office will be closed on Monday, February 20th for the President's Day holiday.
Lizz Kendall, Interim 4-H Program Associate
Email: efanders@umn.edu
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/blue-earth
Location: 204 South 5th Street, Mankato, MN, USA
Phone: 507-304-4325
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BEC4H