PDF of newsletter 

 

A Letter From the Extension Agent
 

Two months until Fair!  Can you believe it?!  I am reminded as we start the summer of the 4-H slogan, “learn by doing.”  As you enter the final stages of getting your projects ready for Fair, this slogan really comes to life.  It is the opportunity for you to get your hands dirty, test your knowledge and learn as you go.  It’s the beauty of 4-H!  Sometimes things don’t go as planned though…  you put in the wrong stitch, your animal gets sick, or your cake goes flat.  However, as 4-Hers, we also learn to persevere and work through these issues.  4-Hers are problem solvers who creatively work to develop solutions to make the best better.  You are surrounded by a community of caring adults who are dedicated to helping you succeed and are resources to help get your projects to completion.  Don’t be afraid to reach out.  Best of luck and enjoy your summer! 

 

Sincerely,

Allison Kosto, Extension Agent- MSU Extension Broadwater County

      

Broadwater County 4-H Fair

Fair is around the corner! A copy of the Fair Book is attached to this newsletter email. It can also be found here. In the Fair Book you will find the Fair schedule, classes, rules and entry instructions.  Please take the time to look through the Fair book.  Fair entries are due July 9th and are done online through FairEntry.  Enrolling in 4-H does not automatically enter you in Fair so much sure to do your entries as well.  Instructions on how to enter are on page 4 of the Fair Book.

 

Multi-County 4-H Camp

4-H Camp is June 4-7th near Monarch. Participants should have received an emailed letter with details, directions and a packing list. Counselors arrive on Monday at 1:00 pm. Campers need to be at camp by 3:00 pm on Tuesday and depart by 11:00 am on Friday. Please contact the Extension Office if there are any questions or concerns.

 

Market Rabbit & Poultry

If you plan to take market pens of poultry or rabbits to the Fair, they must be in your possession by June 25th and you are required to complete and turn in an identification form, due June 26th. Since there is no official tagging for these animals, we use a form. The form is included in this newsletter email and an online google form is available.  This form is not needed for pet rabbits or poultry, laying hens or breeding projects.  It is only necessary if you plan to take a market project to Fair and sell it through the livestock auction.

 
Market Livestock Activity Requirements 

To show and sell market livestock (including poultry and rabbits) at the Fair all 4-H members must complete seven (7) “activity points” for each market project by the Fair entry deadline. There was a major change last year that sets a limit on the number of activities that senior members (ages 14-18) can complete from their project book.  Senior members are now limited to a maximum of three activities from the book.  So if you are a senior member, then you need to plan ahead to make sure you have enough points!  The updated form is attached to this email.

Junior members (ages 8-13) can complete all seven activities from the project book or choose from a variety of other options. Both juniors and seniors can also do other activities such as attending a workshop, livestock judging, outside shows, helping a younger member or organizing a workshop. Details are on the form. The activities must be fully completed, dated and signed off by your helper. For each of these items, you should write a paragraph about what you learned in that educational experience. Please use the form to document your points. The form, books and documentation must be turned into the office by the fair entry deadline, July 9th.    No other books are due at this time.

                                                                                                                                               

 Fair T-shirts

Club leaders are in the process of collecting 4-H members t-shirt sizes. T-shirts are provided for all members through a donation from AgWest. If a non-member (parent, leader, younger sibling, etc.) would like to purchase a shirt, please contact the office. Shirts are $20 each. Orders need to be into the office and paid for by May 31st.

 

4-H Family Night – Fair Edition

There are so many questions for beginning 4-H families at Fair time…  How do I do my Fair entries?  How do I prepare for interviews?  Can I bring a buddy animal?  What do I wear?  Do I need to make a poster?  If you have some of these questions, then this event is for you! This is phase two of the new 4-H family nights, to help beginning families learn the ropes at Fair.  It will be taking place on Tuesday, July 2nd at 6:30 pm at the 4-H Building.  Please bring your record and project books along with any questions you have about Fair.  Contact the Extension Office with any questions.

 

Countywide 4-H Activities

 

Committee & Council Meetings

4-H COUNCIL:  The next meeting will be Tuesday, June 25th at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend).  Contact Karen at 406.949.4852 if you have any questions or agenda items. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.

INDOOR COMMITTEE: The next meeting will be Tuesday, June 25th at 6:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Contact Karen at 406.949.4852 if you have any questions or agenda items. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.

LIVESTOCK COMMITTEE:  The next meeting will be Tuesday, June 7th at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend).  If you have any questions or agenda items, please contact Jason Noyes at 406.949.4851. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.  

HORSE COMMITTEE: There will be a Horse Committee meeting on Thursday, June 27th at 5:00pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). If you have any questions or agenda items, please contact Jan Finn at [email protected] or phone (406) 266-4992 - home phone or (406) 521-0001 - cell phone.

INTERSTATE EXCHANGE CLUB: Have fun hosting your Pennsylvania delegates this month! If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Beatty at 406.490.1362 or Todd Beatty at 406.490.1361.

 

4-H Animal Project Activities


Dairy Goat

The next Dairy Goat workshop is scheduled for Saturday, June 1st at 1:00 pm ( NOTE TIME CHANGE)at the Henke’s home (200 S Railroad Ave, Townsend).  Meat goat members are welcome as well. You will have an opportunity for a blood draw, going over routine maintenance and showmanship. For more information on the blood draw, go here. If you have any questions, please contact Danyel Henke at 406.980.0995

 

Rabbit

The next rabbit project meeting will be Sunday, June 2nd at 3:30 pm at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds (NOTE LOCATION CHANGE) (189 Hwy 12 E, Townsend). Please bring your animal.  If you have any questions, please contact Dannielle Douglas at 406.465.3318.

 

Pocket Pet

The next pocket pet project meeting will be Thursday June 13th at 5:00pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Please bring your animal. If you have any questions, please contact Dannielle Douglas at 406.465.3318.

 

Dog

The dog project will be meeting on Thursdays in June and July. Obedience will meet at 6:00pm and Agility at 7:00pm at the Roping Barn (Indoor barn at the Broadwater County Fairgrounds). If you have any questions, please contact Georgia Wilde at 913.837.0061

 

Horse

Riding Workshops

Horse riding practice will be on Mondays, June 10th, 17th and 24th  at 6:30 pm at the Fairgrounds. Riding practices will either be in the indoor barn or the outdoor arena, depending on weather and temperature The rest of the dates for riding practices are: July 1, 8, 15 & 22 If you have any questions or concerns, please contact either Jann Finn at 406.266.4992 or Donna Richards at 406.521.0717

 
Beef

Inviting all market and breeding beef members to a workshop on June 12th at Barry & Pam McDonald's corrals at 83 Dry Hollow Rd, Townsend. This workshop will be a 2 in 1 type deal. Starting at 5:30 pm, Samantha and John Ferrat will be available to assist members with their record books, project books and/or 7 required Activities write ups/paragraphs, and answer any project and fair questions. Then, starting at 6:00 pm, members are welcome to weigh their steers and/breeding project/s. Following the weighing of animals, Kayla McDonald will lead the group through showmanship skills and show practice. Samantha and John can be available afterwards to assist members with record books, etc as well.

If you have any questions please let us know! Samantha Ferrat (406) 949-0869 John Ferrat (406) 949-7911.

Please RSVP to Kayla M. with the halter broke status of your animal/s so that corrals can be prepared and set up accordingly. Kayla 406-570-0904.

Directions to McDonald's corrals: 83 Dry Hollow Rd, Townsend, MT 59644 and then continue on for 2.7 miles past our driveway. our corrals on the right hand side. If you get lost call Kayla.

 

4-H Non-Animal Project Activities

 

FAIR! Indoor Auction Reminder

For those in Indoor Projects this year, don’t forget that you can sell up to two items at the indoor silent auction at the fair. Start planning now! Examples of sellable indoor project items include woodworking, framed photos, quilts, leathercraft, sewing and visual arts. For more information, visit the Silent Auction webpage of our Broadwater County 4-H website.

 
Sewing

The next sewing workshop will be Saturday, June 8th at 9:30 am at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). There will also be a special sewing/quilting opportunity on Friday, May 31st at 6:30 pm (NOTE TIME CHANGE!) at the Extension Office. See the details on page 5 of this newsletter.  If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Holland at 406.266.3473

 

Hunting/Wildlife

The next workshop will be Saturday, June 1st at 3:00 pm at the Henke’s home (200 S Railroad Ave, Townsend) If you have any questions, please contact Brandon Henke at 406.980.0992

 

Shotgun

Workshops for Shotgun will be on Sundays June 2nd, 9th, 23rd and 30th at 4:00pm at the Broadwater Rod and Gun Club (96 Canton Lane, Townsend). If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Truesdell at 406.980.0640 or Todd Beatty at 406.490.1361.

 

Statewide 4-H Opportunities

 

Statewide Shooting Sports Matches

There are several shooting sports matches scheduled during the next few months. Some are in-person events and others are postal matches. Visit the Montana 4-H Shooting Sports Event page for information, registration materials and instructions, dates and deadlines! For additional information on any particular event, please contact the office.

·         Carbon County 4-H Archery 3D Shoot – June 23rd (registration form attached)

 
4-H Congress July 9 – 12 

Registration is now open through Zsuites for Congress. Montana 4-H Congress is open to youth that are 13+ (4-H age). This is your Ticket to Leadership! This year’s event will be held July 9-12th on the Bozeman campus of MSU. Registration closes on June 15th and the cost is $240. Help with the cost of Congress can be requested through the Broadwater County 4-H Council utilizing the Mike Ferrrat Memorial Fund. 

Congress provides youth from cross the state an opportunity to come together on campus in Bozeman for four days and participate in an event like no other. Congress offers both youth and adults a venue in which to learn, be challenged, and most of all, have a great time with their peers. Montana 4-H'ers have been attending an event like Congress for decades. Congress has become an important tradition and is the signature event for the Montana 4-H Program.  Congress' purpose is to provide a safe and fun environment for youth to experience all that 4-H Congress has to offer including contests, workshops, entertainment, social events, and much more. An itinerary and informational flier is attached to this email. 

 

Seeking Montana 4-H Foundation Youth Representatives

We are seeking dedicated and engaged youth applicants to serve on the Montana 4-H Foundation Board of Directors. You must be at least 14 by October 1 of the current 4-H year and be enrolled as a 4-H member the following year. The position is for youth who are enrolled/active 4-H members during their year of service, which will start at the July annual meeting. Learn more and apply by June 15, 2024. 

 

4-H and Open Horse Show Opportunity

Members in your county are invited to the Rockin’ the Project 4-H and Open Horse Show to be held Saturday, July 20 in Billings, MT.

An entry form with additional event information is attached to this email. Questions can be directed to Yellowstone County 4-H leaders Rhonda at 406-598-6999 or Kayla at 307-251-4931.

 

4-H Hosting Opportunities

Our state has the unique opportunity for youth and families to grow and experience another culture by hosting an international delegate through the 2024 Summer and Academic Year International Exchange Programs with States’ 4-H! We are seeking host families with a youth within 3-4 years of age and same gender of the youth delegate. 

Short-term Summer Hosting Opportunities (~4 weeks):  

·Japanese Delegation in MT July 22-August 17, 2024: We have 16 female and male youth, ranging from 12-17 years of age, and 1 adult chaperone to match with host families. 2024 Summer Host Family Application is available online.

Academic Year Program (AYP) Hosting Opportunities (~10 months):

·~mid-August 2024 to mid-June 2025: We have 1 Korean and 1 Japanese youth to match with a host family. 2024-25 AYP Host Family Application can be found here.  

Specific information on the ages of both the short-term and the AYP youth can be shared with families who have a strong interest in hosting!  Contact Christine at [email protected]  or 406.994.3504 for more information.

 

Other Opportunities

 

The Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp

The Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp on July 14-19 is now taking registrations. For 38 years, the Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp has provided youth an opportunity to study in an outdoor classroom. Campers learn about forests, streams, soils, geology, rangeland, wildlife, and recreation and spend half-day rafting the Clark Fork River's Alberton Gorge. In between the field sessions, professionals who volunteer from various natural resources-based agencies and industries, specialty evening programs, guest speakers, and hands-on learning through discovery and campfires provide for a lasting summer camp experience.

More information about the camp can be found on the MSU Forestry website . 

There are many scholarship opportunities available to cover camp fees and/or transportation costs.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact Christina Oppegard, Camp Director, at MSU Extension Forestry (406) 243-2773 [email protected].  

 

Montana Columbia Sheep Breeders Association- Starter Flock Program

The Montana Columbia Sheep Breeders Association is excited to offer a starter flock program to youth ages 11 – 16 interested in raising registered Columbia Sheep. Selected recipients receive a gift of 4 registered ewes to begin their adventure. With the help of family and the guidance of a nowledgeable sponsor member of the association, this program is a stepping stone towards success for our young breeders.  Information and application is available at the Montana Columbia Sheep Breeders website. Applications must be postmarked no later than August 1.

 

American Quarter Horse Association Youth Excellence Seminar

The Youth Excellence Seminar, or what is more fondly known as YES is a 3 day educational and fun-filled conference that welcomes equine-loving youth ages 10 to 18. Some fun and educational activities we have are listening to inspiring speakers, leadership development workshops, making new friends from all across the US, a community service activity, and so much more. This year, YES will be held from July 9-11 in Amarillo, TX. Our theme is "We're All In". Which for us is the celebration of what makes each youth member unique, from the color of their horse or the class they ride in, is the community they all value. A community that embraces diverse backgrounds and interests, treats everyone with respect, and provides a welcoming atmosphere in a place where all members thrive.

Registration and Hotel Accommodations have been posted and can be found on the YES AQHA page.

 

National Food Challenge

The National Food Challenge is scheduled for October 1, 2024 in Dallas Texas. This challenge provides a place for youth to compete at the national level. Additionally, the event helps youth develop and exhibit nutrition, healthy food preparation, food safety, communication, and teamwork skills through culinary experience. National Food Challenge participants learn to prepare safe and nutritious foods and make healthy decisions which may decrease their risk of chronic disease now and in the future.

Attendees at the National 4-H Food Challenge will experience unique learning experiences while participating in the program. Learning experiences will focus on, but not be limited to, nutrition, food purchasing, food preparation, food safety, and careers. These experiences will occur through presentations by professionals, self-guided tours, educational resources and displays, and hands-on engagement with food preparation.

Registration fee is $125.00 and entries are due by August 12th. If you are interested in more information, please contact the office. 

 
Sewing/Quilting Community Service Opportunity

The Broadwater County Fair Board has asked the 4-H sewing and quilting members to help out with a project! This can also be a community service project for any other 4-H member who has some sewing and quilting experience! Come and help Friday May 31st at 6:30 pm at the Extension Office. Note this is a time change from what was posted last month. Bring pins, and a sewing machine if you have it! Contact Sarah Holland at 406.266.3473 for more information.

 
Registration Open for MFU Camp at Arrowpeak

Registration is now open for MFU Camp at Arrowpeak, with several camps running over the summer months. The popular camps are low-cost and feature learning about agriculture and cooperatives. Several seasonal staff positions also are open for MFU Summer Camps at Arrowpeak, visit the employment page for more details. 

There are multile dates for Mini-Junior, Junior and Senior Teen aged kids. For more information on camp dates, deadlines and fees, visit the MFU Camp website. 

 

Montana Make It With Wool Contest

It is time to start preparing for the Make It With Wool contest to be held the Fall. Get out your favorite pattern and start hunting for that perfect wool fabric. Wouldn’t it be great to make a wool outfit for the contest and then already have an outfit finished for your sewing project next 4-H year?  Entry forms are due by October 1. There is also a Quilt/Applique Project/Afghan Contest this year. The fabric or yarn needs to be at least 60% wool. Contact the office for more information.

 

2024 National 4-H Forestry Invitational – West Virginia

The 2024 National 4-H Forestry Invitational will be July 21 – 24, 2024 at Jackson's Mill State 4-H Conference Center in Weston, WV!  We are inviting your state to send a 4-H forestry team to compete, interact with youth from across the country, and have fun!  If your state has never competed in the Forestry Invitational, 2024 would be an excellent opportunity to get your state involved in this exciting and challenging 4-H event! 

This is the 44th year of this 4H Forestry event.  The competition is open to one team of three or four senior 4-H members.  Individual 4Hers representing your state are welcome to attend if a full team is not available.  Team selection is determined by your state.  If you do not have a state contest, consider assembling a team from interested 4Hers.  Not having a state forestry contest should not deter young people from attending this national 4-H event.

Learn More:

One way to find out more about the Invitational is to explore our web site.  

The Handbook and all of the training material necessary for a team to compete in the Invitational is available on the webpage.  There are also slide shows and photographs from past competitions.  Team members and coaches should use this web site to prepare for the Invitational.  It contains all the information needed to train for Invitational events.  Leaders, coaches, and team members can download the Invitational Handbook and training reference materials from the site.

Cost of Attending:

With our sponsors the Invitational Committee plans to cover the cost of each state team members lodging and meal expenses for the duration of the event (this is not yet finalized but is the working plan).  Coaches, chaperones, and guests will have to cover this cost themselves.  The 2023 per person cost was approximately $190 for the week, the 2024 costs are being determined.  This includes all meals and lodging from Sunday evening through Thursday morning.  Breakfast will not be served on Thursday morning.  A small travel stipend will also be available for teams.  

Invitational Events:

There are eight distinct sections to the Invitational competition:

Tree Identification                                Topographic Map Interpretation

Forest Evaluation                                  Forestry Bowl

Tree Measurement                               Forest Health

Compass and Pacing                             Forestry Written Examination

 

Educational programs enhance the 4-Her experience at the Invitational.  Participants learn about related natural resource topics, forestry careers, and interact with experienced forestry specialists from many states and professional backgrounds.

Participation Encouraged:

The Invitational Committee encourages participation from all states and territories.  A state 4-H forestry contest can be as complex or as simple as you desire.  Some state forestry contests mimic the Invitational events, but that is not necessary.  The important point is we would like to see your state represented at the Invitational.

Send an Observer:

If your state is not familiar with the Invitational, the Committee encourages you to send an observer.  Funds are available to help offset travel expenses and room and board.  This is a great way to find out more about the Invitational and experience the fun and excitement of this national competition.  For more information on this opportunity please contact me directly.

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