PDF of Newsletter

 

A Letter From the Extension Agent
 

Can you believe we are almost halfway through the 4-H year?! Now is a great time to step back and evaluate the progress towards your goals. Are you on track to complete your goals by the end of the 4-H year? What is left to do? What other resources or help do you need to make it happen? 

Your 4-H leaders and the crew at the office are more than willing to help if you have questions or need more resources.  Don’t hesitate to ask! We want to help you succeed and no question is a dumb one!

Also don’t forget you have until May 1st to add or drop projects. If you find yourself falling behind or want to add a new challenge, it’s not too late to make changes. You can do it yourself in ZSuites or call the office and we will help you.

Sincerely,

Allison Kosto - Extension Agent, MSU Extension Broadwater County

    

 
Broadwater County 4-H Leadership Scholarships

The 4-H Council is offering scholarships to graduating seniors, up to $700. Applicants must have been active in 4-H for all four years of high school, enrolled and completed at least two projects during each year of high school, and demonstrated 4-H leadership skills. Record books must be submitted, along with the application, by April 1st to the Extension Office. The application are attached to this email or can be picked up at the Extension Office. 

 

County Contest Extravaganza– “Luck of the 4-H’ers”

County 4-H Contests are scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday, March 17th.  The exact schedule will be determined after entries are received.  This event is a fun way for you to share your knowledge, learn new skills and be recognized for your hard work.  Contests are related to communications, cooking and sewing or quilting.  You don’t have to be enrolled in a certain project to participate.  Senior members (13-18 years old) can earn a trip to compete at Montana 4-H Congress.  See page 8 for a list of county contests and descriptions so you can start preparing your entry.  The County Contest Registration book is included with the newsletter email! Registration deadline is Tuesday, March 5th by 5 pm.

 
Livestock Quality Assurance

Livestock Quality Assurance (QA) is required every other year for members who plan to exhibit market and breeding livestock (beef, sheep, swine, goat, rabbit and poultry) at the Fair. There will only be one training offered this year on Monday, March 18 at 6:30 pm at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds.  If you can’t attend the workshop or prefer to take the class online, please contact the Extension Office for your options.  Even if you are not required to attend QA this year, the class can still count the class towards one of your activity points for your market livestock activity requirements if you attend (see page 3 for more information on Market Livestock Activity Points).  

 

4-H Leaders Training

Save the date for the annual 4-H Leaders Training on Tuesday, March 26th at 6:00 pm at the Methodist Church (200 N. Cedar St, Townsend). This will replace the monthly Indoor Committee and Council meeting for March. The training is open to all leaders (club, project, and others) or parents. The focus of the training is conflict management. There will also be a taco dinner. Please RSVP to the office by Friday, March 22nd to ensure we have enough food.

 

Teen Club ‘Baby Welcome Kits’ Drive

The Teen Club is doing a service project to collect items for Options Clinic in Helena. These items will be given to moms that need help with their new babies. They are looking for neutral colored baby items: blankets, towels, washcloths, onesies, sleep sacks, socks, burp rags, diapers, wipes, pacifiers, baby shampoo, lotion, small stuffed animals, etc. Items should be simple and easy to pack into small, grocery sized bags. Please have all items delivered to the Extension Office by Friday March 15th at 5:00pm. The 4-H club who donates the most items will be treated to an Ice Cream Bar party from the Teen Club. Please see the attached flyer for details on items needed. 

 
Shiloh Rifle Raffle

Our 4-H Archery program is selling tickets for the statewide Shiloh Rifle Raffle. The drawing will be held on June 16th at the Quigley Shoot in Forsyth, and you do not need to be present to win. First prize is a $2500 gift certificate toward a Shiloh Sharps Rifle. Other prizes include a shotgun, cooler or binoculars. There will be only 1000 tickets sold statewide, and we only have 50 to sell, so hurry! Tickets are $20 per ticket or 6 for $100. Contact Jason Noyes 406.949.4851 for tickets.

 

Multi-County 4-H Camp

4-H Camp will be held on June 4-7th near Monarch. Camp registration will open in April through zsuites.  New this year we are incorporating workshop tracks into camp.  These will be in-depth workshops that will take place over the course of a day.  Proposed topics include noxious weeds, foods and nutrition, outdoor adventures and more.  Watch your emails for registration dates and information.

 

Montana 4-H State Shoot


Best of luck to our local members representing Broadwater County Shooting Sports at the State Shoot this weekend! Participating in rifle we have Cheyanne Douglas, Blake Roberts and Chayce Roberts. Participating in Archery we have Caleb Crusch, Kay Crusch, Andrew Beatty, Sawyer Harrigfeld, Addy Mosher, Kaitlyn Noyes, Codie Skillman, MaKenzie Truesdell, Teigen Volkman and Tucker Volkman! Good luck to all!

 

Project Add/Drop Deadline 

Don’t forget to add or drop projects by May 1st! You can do this online through Zsuites or through the Extension Office. Project meeting and workshop information is only sent out to the members who are currently enrolled in a project. Make sure that your project list in Zsuites is accurate so that you don’t miss out on any information! Also, remember that you are only able to enter into Fair for the projects you are enrolled in as of this deadline.

 


DID YOU KNOW?! - How To Get an Indoor Award at Fair
The Indoor Committee uses a point system to determine indoor Fair awards based on the ribbons that you receive. A purple ribbon is worth 4 points, blue is 3 points, red is 2 and white is 1.

Certificates are given to the top 4-H junior and senior exhibitor in every project (Cooking, Archery, Robotics, etc). Points are given for up to 5 entries/ribbons in every project. The more entries you do and the better you do, the more points you will get.

Medals are given in every 4-H project category for juniors and seniors. The project categories are listed both in the 4-H Clover and the Fairbook. An example of a category is “Engineering and Technology” which includes the projects Aerospace, Electric, Robotics, Small Engines, Welding and Woodworking. In this area, exhibitors receive points for the top 3 entries/ribbons in each project. All the projects in the category are added together and the exhibitor with the most points in the category will receive a medal. The more projects you do within a category, the greater the probability you will get a metal. Quality is important too!

An overall award is given to the top junior and senior indoor exhibitor. This award uses the top 3 entries/ribbons in every indoor project (including animal educational displays) for the overall award. This is another area where a greater number of indoor projects may yield a great likelihood of achieving the award. Quality is important too!

Indoor awards are a little complicated so if you have any questions, contact a member of the Indoor Committee or the Extension Office.

 

 

Countywide 4-H Activities

 

Committee & Council Meetings

4-H COUNCIL:  There is no meeting in March due to the Leaders Training.  The next meeting will be Tuesday, April 23rd at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (Flynn Building, 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: There is no meeting in March due to the Leaders Training.  The next meeting will be Tuesday, April 23rd at 6:00 pm at the Extension Office (Flynn Building, 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, March 5th 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.  

TEEN CLUB: The next Teen Club meeting will be Monday, March 25th at 5:45 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Teen Club is open to all Middle or High School aged members. If you are not currently in Teen Club, but want to find out what it is about, please come to a meeting! Please RSVP to Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852.

INTERSTATE EXCHANGE CLUB: The Interstate Exchange club will be meeting on Friday, March 1st at 8:00am at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 1st. 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

 

Market Swine Tagging

IMPORTANT:  All market hogs must be in your possession by April 15th.  Due to biosecurity measures, no tagging and weigh-in will be held.  It is your responsibility to get tags from the Extension Office to tag hogs by May 1st.  A Market Swine Form needs to be turned into the office by that date.  There is no limit to the number of hogs tagged, but only two hogs can be entered in the Fair and only one will sell. Every hog tagged must be assigned to a designated 4-H/FFA member. Fair entries must match the tagging form and all animals who are housed in the Livestock Building at Fair must be entered in the Fair. Tagging forms are  available online, or can be submitted via google form. Contact the Extension Office or Hugh Braaten at 406.439.8873 if you have any questions.

 

Market Livestock Activity Requirements

To sell market livestock (including poultry and rabbits) at the Broadwater County Fair all 4-H members must complete 7 “activities” for each market project by the Fair entry deadline of July 9.  There are many different activities that qualify for points.

One option is to complete seven (7) activities in your 4-H Project book.  A change made last year limits the number of project book activities that senior members (ages 14-18) can do. Senior members are limited to three book activities, but there are still many other options!  You may also choose other activities such as attending a workshop, livestock judging, outside shows, helping a younger member or organizing a workshop.  For each of these items, you should write a paragraph about what you learned during the educational experience.  These educational experiences can be in-person or virtual but must pertain directly to your specific 4-H project.  

These requirements are for market livestock ONLY.  This means it is an animal that you plan to sell in the 4-H/FFA Market Livestock Sale.  If you are not selling the animal (for example pet rabbits, breeding projects, laying hens, dairy animals, etc.), then this rule does not apply to you.

 

Dairy Goat

There will not be a workshop on Saturday, March 2nd. There will most likely be a field trip instead. Date and time of trip will be shared once confirmed. Meat goat members are welcome as well. Any member wanting to do a demonstration at one of the meetings is welcome to do so. If you have any questions, please contact Danyel Henke at 406.980.0995

 

Rabbit

The next rabbit project meeting will be Sunday, March 3rd at 3:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend) Bring your research on your rabbits. This research should cover what class, max weight, fur type, body type and 3 facts about your rabbit. If you have any questions, please contact Dannielle Douglas at 406.465.3318.

 

Pocket Pet

The first pocket pet project meeting will be Sunday, March 24th at 1:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend) If you have any questions, please contact Dannielle Douglas at 406.465.3318.

 

Poultry

The next poultry meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 24th at 3:00pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). There are two more Poultry meetings scheduled for Sundays March 24th and April 28th. If you have any questions, please contact Alice Kroeger at 406.547.4343.

 

Horse

There will be a Horse meeting on Wednesday, March 20th at 6:30pm at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds. If you have any questions, please contact Jann Finn at 406.266.4992 or Donna Richards at 406.521.0717.

 

Swine

The next Swine workshop is Monday, May 20th 6:30 pm at the Livestock Pavilion at the fairgrounds. This will be a hands-on showmanship meeting. To get the most out of this meeting you will be able to bring your pig and work it in the showring if you have basic control of it.  If you have not walked your pig outside of its pen, please don’t bring it. They don’t have to be totally broke but you need to have some control over them. There will be an opportunity for senior members to give short presentations on different aspects of daily care and show prep if they would like extra points.  If senior members would like to do this, you must talk to Hugh by April 30th to discuss topics. If you have any questions, please contact Hugh Braaten at 406.439.8873.

 

Important Market Livestock Deadlines

Swine- Posession April 15th, 2024 - ID Forms w/ Tag #s (turned in to office) May 1st, 2024
Lambs & Goats- Posession May 15th, 2024- Tagging and Weigh In (in person event) Exact date TBD (Mid/end of May)
Poultry & Rabbits- Posession June 25th, 2024- Identification Form (turned in to office) June 26th, 2024

 

4-H Non-Animal Project Activities

 

Cloverbuds

The next Cloverbuds meeting will be held on Sunday, April 21st at 3:00pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). (Note the March Cloverbud meeting is cancelled, there is a Cloverbuds activity offered during the County Contest that is scheduled that day. To register, turn in the County Contest registration form to the office by March 5th). Cloverbuds is the project for our 4-H members aged 5-7. 4-H members who are 8 can choose to take Cloverbuds as their project or to be a full 4-H member and take any of the other 4-H member and take any of the projects available. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jessica Lancello at 406.860.5355.

 

Sewing

The next sewing workshop will be Saturday, March 9th at 9:30 am at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Sewing workshops are planned for the second Saturday of the month until April. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Holland at 406.266.3473

 

Scrapbooking

There are two scrapbooking workshops scheduled for March. These will be on Tuesday, March 5th and Monday, March 25th at 6:30pm in the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). These meetings may need to be held in the backroom of the office; watch for instructions. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852.

 

Cake Decorating

Cake decorating workshops are scheduled for Fridays, March 8th and 22nd at 5:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). There will also be a workshop on April 12th.  If you have any questions, please contact Roxanne Six at 406.980.1204.

 

Woodworking

Woodworking workshops are scheduled for Tuesdays, March 12th, 19th and 26th at 6:00pm at the Cadillac Custom Cabinets shop (6 Hunters Trail, Townsend). If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Harrigfeld at 406.980.0388

 

Photography

There will be a 4-H Photography workshop on Sunday, March 10th at 1:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Please bring your camera to this workshop! The workshop will be taught by 4-H alumni, Bailey Taves. Contact Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852 with any questions.

 

.22 Rifle Workshops

The .22 rifle project will meet at the Broadwater County Rod and Gun Club Canton Range (96 Canton Lane, Townsend). The members are divided into two groups. Group A will meet the 1st and 3rd Mondays, and Group B will meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays from 6:30-8pm.   Participants must be age 9 or older to enroll in the project.  Participants will learn firearm safety (first and foremost), firearm nomenclature, shooting skills, shooting positions, and much more.  Participants will shoot almost every meeting starting after the third meeting.  Parents are encouraged, but not required, to remain on-site during the meeting. The gun club provides .22 rifles for participants that do not have a rifle, or participants can bring their own. Scopes and semi-auto rifles are prohibited. Contact John Pavao at 406.422.9590 if you have any questions.

 

Hunting/Wildlife

The next workshop will be Saturday, March 2nd at 3:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Topics will be cold weather hunting, hunter orange, mapping your hunt, ballistics and many more. If you have any questions, please contact Brandon Henke at 406.980.0992

 

Shotgun

Workshops for Shotgun will be starting in March! Watch for more information!

 

Statewide 4-H Opportunities

 

Leadership Academy Monthly Workshops

Join the Montana 4-H Leadership Academy on Sunday afternoons. The leadership academy is a network of Montana 4-H members interested in exploring and developing their own leadership skills while serving their county 4-H program in new ways. Each month the officer team members will present a different workshop topic that they have found to be important as they have grown their own leadership abilities through a virtual platform.   The workshops are on Sunday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:00pm. The final workshop is on March 10.  Registration is done online here. Click on the blue ‘register now’ button. Once registered, the zoom links will be shared monthly. 

 
Montana 4-H 2024 REC LAB – Registration Now Open!

What is Rec Lab? It sounds like a funny name for a 4-H event. Rec Lab stands for Recreation Lab and means that everything is hands-on and fun! This event is a 4-H member favorite: It provides an opportunity for youth and adults to enhance their leadership, communication, and team building skills in an action-packed and interactive setting. Rec Lab programming provides participants with tips and tricks for being a better club, camp, and community leader. The event is April 19-21 in Boulder. 

This event is ideal for younger senior members to attend as a first-time state event. It allows them to form relationships with 4-H peers from across the state, broaden their skills, and widen their network. Youth participants must be 13+ as of October 1, 2023. The registration fee is $100 if registered by April 3rd and $125 by April 10th.  Registration includes lodging, snacks, meals, t-shirts, and exciting speakers. “I Challenge You” scholarships can be applied to this event.  For registration information, workshops descritpions and more details visit the Rec lab website. 

 

4-H Congress July 9 – 12 – Save the Date!

Montana 4-H invites all members 4-H age 13 and older to the Montana 4-H Congress event on the Bozeman campus of MSU. 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. Watch for more information in the spring!

 

Montana State 4-H Shotgun Qualifier

This event is scheduled for Saturday, April 20th at Manhattan Wildlife Association and Gallatin Sporting Clays. There are multiple skeet, trap and sporting clays events scheduled. The cost is $40 per person and registration deadline is Friday, April 12th. You have to bring 200 rounds of ammunition to the event with you. For more information and a registration form, please contact the office.

 

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.

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.

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.

 
Shooting Sports Events

There are tons of statewide shooting sports events happening! To keep up to date with these opportunities, please visit the State Shooting Sports website. They update regularly with newly added events. See the box above for information on some of the upcoming events.

 

Other Opportunities


Chatcolab Northwest Leadership Laboratory

Grounded in experiential learning, fostered by small group connections, fueled by spontaneous creativity, and enriched by a profound history of cultivating leadership in a recreational setting, Chatcolab offers a distinctive experience. Participants return home revitalized, with new ideas, and equipped with newfound skills.

Chatcolab is for both adults and youth who are interested in leadership training, recreation, community building, making the world a better place, escaping from the daily routine – all within a summer camp setting! The date for the program is June 15th-20th at Twinlow Retreat Center in Rathdrum, Idaho. Early bird registration is $375 for adults and $325 for adults 12 and under.  Regular rates are $450 and $350.  First time participants automatically get a $100 if registered by April 1st.  Registration includes a cabin bed, meals, program, most supplies and a unique experience you will not find anywhere else. Learn more at the Chatco Lab website.

 

MontanaFair Junior Livestock Show 

The event will be August 9th-17th in Billings. Animals participating in this show must be tagged on the following dates: The final tagging is for Swine, Sheep and Goats on Saturday, May 4th from 8:00-Noon. Tagging events are at the Public Auction Yard in Billings. For more information, contact the Extension Office.

 

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 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.

 

MAPS Media Institute – Intro to Filmmaking Workshop

MAPS Media Institute is collaborating with STOKE on a 2-day, hands on film workshop for Townsend youth. Led by MAPS artist-instructors, STOKE youth will experience a crash course in filmmaking fundamentals, including storyboarding, camera operation, shot composition, lighting, audio, and interview skills. They will directly apply their new skills and film material to a 2-minute promo video spotlighting STOKE’s mission and inspiring community programs. This workshop is free and open to youth ages 14+. Workshop will be held March 8th and 9th from 9am-4pm at the Lodge of Townsend (131 S Spruce St, Townsend). Any questions or to sign-up, contact Amanda Domino at 406.459.7379.

 

Junior Ag Loans Available Through the Montana Department of Agriculture

For over 40 years, Montana youth have participated in the Montana Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Junior Agriculture Loan Program. Young people under 21 years of age, active in Montana agriculture, are eligible for loans up to $8,500 and are encouraged to apply. 

“With the average age of farmers and ranchers being nearly 60 years old, it’s important we do what we can to encourage the next generation to stay involved in agriculture,” said Director Christy Clark. “The Junior Ag Loan Program is a great way for young producers to access financing for a project they are passionate about.” 

The Montana Junior Agriculture Loan Program was developed to assist rural youth in developing or expanding agribusiness projects. Projects can involve crop and livestock production, custom farming, marketing and distribution, processing, and other financially feasible activities. 

Program benefits can far exceed the actual loan for active participant. Many young men and women unable to secure conventional financing due to age, or inadequate collateral or have used the program to establish financing experience and to advance their project’s monetary value. 

Applications for the program and other information, can be found on the Department’s website.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is serving Montana Agriculture and growing prosperity under the Big Sky. 

 

Virtual Career Fair

Have you ever thought about being a midwife, a wildlife refuge manager, a wildlife fire fighter, fly fishing guide, a wildlife biologist, an airplane mechanic, how about a film producer or going into sports medicine? Then this event is for YOU! Join us to explore a variety of career options and get your questions answered about what degree do you need, should you do an internship, what you need to do in high school to get ready for a career and much more! We will hear from the Peterson Farm Brothers as they entertain and remind why following our dreams the best decision ever! We will have door prizes and lots of fun to be had throughout the evening. Join us March 19 at 6pm (MST) for a fun evening of exploring careers.  For more information and to register for this free event visit the Wyoming 4-H website. 

 

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.