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A Letter From the Extension Agent
Volunteers are the heart of the 4-H program and I think it safe to say that we have an amazing group of volunteers here in Broadwater County 4-H!  Saying THANK YOU just isn’t enough for all of the hard work that each and every one of you do at Fair and throughout the year!  I hope that all members take the time to say thank you and offer a token of appreciation to a volunteer who has made a difference in your 4-H year.  

 

As we enter the new 4-H year, we continue to recruit new individuals to bring fresh ideas and skills into our organization.  If you are not already involved, please consider taking a leadership role.  We can’t do it without people like you!  Contact our office to see what volunteer roles might be the best fit for you.  We are looking for club leaders, project leaders and committee members.

 

Sincerely,

Allison Kosto, Extension Agent- MSU Extension Broadwater County

 

 

Broadwater County Fair Award Winners

If you won a fair award this year (Indoor or Livestock), please send a thank you note to the sponsor. All award winners were sent out emails the week after fair with the name of the sponsors for your awards. If you need help figuring out the address of the business or individual who sponsored your award, please call or email the Extension Office.  Without their generosity, we wouldn’t be able to give out these awards!

 

4-H Record Books

The most important thing to do this month is turn in your Record Book!  Submit your record books to your 4-H Club Leader by September 15th, unless your club leaders have specified an earlier date!  Record books will not be judged but will be reviewed for completeness using the criteria below.  If the record book is NOT complete, you have time to work on it and bring it up to minimum standards. Record books must be complete to be eligible for awards and are used to determine eligibility for award discs.  To have a complete record book and quality for a Gold Seal of Excellence, the following requirements must be met:

        Complete at least one project.  See 4-H Clover Project Selection Guide for specific requirements for each project.

        Identify and demonstrate work towards at least three goals for the 4-H year.

        Complete the “My 4-H Year” form followed by a Project & Financial Journal and Animal Record as applicable.  See page 2 of the newsletter for a description of the forms.

 

Secretary and Historian Books

If you are a club secretary or historian, you are eligible for the county awards!  Turn your books into your club leader or the Extension Office. Books need to be in the Extension Office by September 16th at 5:00 pm to be eligible for awards.

 

Financial Reports


All Treasurer’s (including Council, Livestock, Exchange, Teen Club and Archery) are required to complete the Yearend Financial Report.  Financial records need to be reviewed after September’s bank statement is received and will be due Tuesday, October 22nd to the office. The form is available on the website. We will also email the form out to all treasurers with instructions toward the middle of September! Please turn in COMPLETED forms, which means they have been reviewed and signed by two people already!

 
The office will close at Noon on Friday 8/30 and will be closed on Monday 9/2
 

 

Record Book Forms

Forms can be found on the county webpage on the 4-H Forms & Resources section or from the Extension Office. You can also use ZSuites to complete your record books and simply print a copy at the end of the year.

Types of Forms:

My 4-H Year: One form required each year at the front of your record book. This form summarizes your general 4-H activities & achievements. You can also record non-4-H activities.

Animal Project Journal & Financial Record: Use one form for each animal project (i.e. market lamb, breeding beef, rabbit, horse, etc.). This helps track project specific activities, feed records, financials, & health care.

Non-Animal Project Journal and Financial Record: Use one form for each indoor project (i.e. sewing, foods, leadership, leathercraft, etc.). This helps track your project specific activities & financials.

Cloverbud Record Sheet: One set per year for each Cloverbud. This is a journal of your 4-H activities. 

4-H Story: Optional. This is your opportunity to be creative & share a favorite experience from the 4-H year. This can be completed after Fair.

Record book covers are available from the office. Contact the office or club leader if you have questions.

 

 

Carcass Evaluation

Carcass data for beef and swine has been emailed out to members.  Goat and lamb data will be coming soon.  Winners will be recognized during Achievement Night. If you have any questions, please contact the office! There were some great quality animals this year.  Great job!                                                                                                                                                      

 
Re-Enrollment

The New 4-H year starts October 1st.  Instructions on how to enroll will be emailed out with the October newsletter.  However, it’s not too soon to start thinking about your projects!  Pick up your new 4-H Clover Project Selection Guide from your club leader.  This year’s Clover Project Selection Guide is now good for two years, so please make sure to save it this year.  Also remember, if you plan on taking a 4-H project to fair, you must be enrolled in that project.  If you know anyone interested in joining 4-H, have them contact the Extension Office.

 

SAVE THE DATE – Achievement Night

The annual Achievement Night has been set for Sunday, November 17th at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds.  We will be celebrating with a taco bar at 6:00 pm and the program will start at 6:30 pm.  Come to receive your awards and celebrate our achievements.

 

National 4-H Week

Help celebrate the 81st National 4-H Week October 6th-12th! This is a great time to tell your friends about 4-H.  Each club is encouraged to find a way to celebrate!  Here are a few ideas:

·            Put something “4-H” on every bulletin board around town or school.

·         Make a 4-H promotional video.

·         Do a service learning activity.

·         Hang 4-H flags along main street.

·         Organize a “green day” at school.

·         Do a radio PSA.

·         Announce the “4-H Club of the Day” during school announcements along with highlights and achievements of that club.

 

Support Exchange at Fall Fest

The 4-H Interstate Exchange group is excited to enter into the second year of their exchange with Bradford County, Pennsylvania. The group of 15 members and 2 chaperones from Broadwater County will be traveling to Pennsylvania in the summer of 2025. With that in mind, they continue to fundraise. Previous fundraising was used to cover expenses associated with hosting the PA group and showing them Montana. This year, funds raised will be used to cover expenses primarily associated with the cost of airline tickets. Exchange’s first fundraiser will be the weekend of Townsend’s Fall Fest on October 4-5, 2024. Exchange will have a booth selling Italian sodas and raffle tickets for big ticket items. Please swing by for a delicious Italian soda or to buy a raffle ticket. Exchange members value your support!

 

Countywide 4-H Activities


 Committee & Council Meetings

4-H COUNCIL:  The next meeting will be Tuesday, September 24 at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). There will be a closed door award session at 6:00 pm.  It is only open to designed club and Council voting delegates. 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 will not be an indoor committee meeting in September.  The next meeting is on Tuesday, September 22nd at 6:00 pm.

LIVESTOCK COMMITTEE:  The next meeting will be Tuesday, September 3rd at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). This is a good opportunity to share any feedback from the Fair.  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 is not a meeting scheduled as of now.  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: There is not a September meeting for Exchange. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Beatty at 406.490.1362 or Todd Beatty at 406.490.1361.

 

4-H Non-Animal Project Activities

 

Sewing

The next sewing workshop will be Saturday, September 14th at 9:30 am at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). If you are planning on participating in the sewing project next year, please attend! 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

 

Statewide 4-H Opportunities

 

Montana 4-H State Horse Show

REGISTRATION IS OPEN through September 2, 2024. The time has come for the Montana 4-H State Horse Show and the show is right around the corner! This year the show dates are September 20-22, 2024 at 406 Arena in Vaughn, MT.

The Montana 4-H State Horse Show is open to all 4-H members enrolled in the horse projects. You must show the horse(s) that have been declared as 4-H project horses for the current year. Each horse entered must enter 1 of the primary project classes, and then may show in any optional classes that meet the criteria based on age, level, or horse age as applicable. 

Registration is now open through Zsuites for Montana 4-H Members. Registration will close September 2nd at 11:55pm. For more information about the show, including a schedule, please visit the Montana 4-H State Horse Show website.

If you have any questions regarding the show or how to register, please contact Sadie Woller at [email protected].

WRHF Zsuites Registration Link

Thank you and we hope to see you at the show!

 

 

November 1-3: 4-H Fall Leadership Training for Teen Leaders and Ambassadors

Fall Leadership Training is the annual leadership development retreat for Montana 4-H Ambassadors and Teen Leaders. The event is planned, implemented, and evaluated by the State Ambassador Officer Team. Youth will leave the weekend prepared and excited to take the knowledge and skills they have gained and apply them in their counties. It is also a great place to have youth leaders exchange ideas and create a statewide network of resources.

Learn more at the Fall Leadership Training webpage.

 

Seeking Host Families for 4-H International Youth, Academic Year 2024-25

 Montana 4-H continues to seek host families for 4-H International youth during academic year 2024-2025. Become a host and make a dream come true for our Japanese Youth this academic year! Please complete the 2024-25 AYP Host Family Application today. Contact Dave Brink at (406)822-3547 or [email protected]. Japanese youth ages 12-17 years old eagerly await the opportunity to learn about American home life and share their own experiences with your family. Host families, both 4-H and non-4-H, are needed for our AYP academic year program. Invite a youth delegate into your home for about 10 months from mid-August to June for

AYP while building lifelong friendships and gaining new perspectives on your culture too!

 

Shooting Sports Leaders Trainings

Did you know that shooting sports leaders must go through extra trainings in order to become certified? Anyone interested in becoming a shooting sports leader- please reach out to the office. There are some training courses coming up this fall, so now is a good time to start the process! Once certified, leaders only have to recertify after 7 years.

 

Here is the list of trainings scheduled for the remainder of  2024.  

•              Kalispell – August 3, 2024 – Shotgun only

•              Billings – September 13-14, 2024.  We will offer Coordinator, Archery, Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun

•              Conrad – September 20-21, 2024. We will offer Coordinator, Archery, Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun

•              Kalispell – December 6-7, 2024.  We will offer Coordinator, Archery, Rifle, Pistol, Muzzleloader, Hunting Skills, and Shotgun

•              Belgrade – December 13-14, 2024.  We will offer Coordinator, Archery, Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun

•              Havre, Circle, and Malta.  TBD.  We will offer Archery, Rifle, and Pistol

 

Other Opportunities


Montana Make It With Wool Contest

It is time to start preparing for the Make It With Wool contest to be held this 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.

 

Montana Hereford Associations Heifer Grant

The Montana Hereford Association is giving out one $1,000 grant to help 4-H and FFA members in Montana start their herd. Current 4-H or FFA members between the ages of 9-17 are eligible to apply. The application can be found on the Montana Hereford website. The deadline has been extended to October 1. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Amanda Romine at 307-629-0654 (call or text) or [email protected].

 

2024-2025 Girls Leadership Program

Girls Leadership Application Registration is Open! The application is currently open for the 2024-2025 Girls Leadership Program (GLP)! Applications are due by September 11th, 2024. The program will begin in late October and is free to participants.

The program is designed for incoming high school junior girls to foster hope for youth, pride in our rural communities, and strength and courage in leadership. Girls from all across Montana, including the sovereign tribal nations within Montana, are encouraged to apply. The program is a mix of virtual training, one-on-one mentoring, and in-person retreats.

 

GLP 2024-25 Program Dates:

Fall Retreat: Friday, October 25 – Sunday, October 27, 2024 

Virtual Training: Wednesday, December 11, 2024 | 6-7:30 p.m. 

Winter Retreat: Friday, January 24 – Sunday, January 26, 2025 

Virtual Training: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 | 6-7:30 p.m. 

Spring Retreat & Graduation: Friday, April 25 – Sunday, April 27, 2025

 

The retreats take place at a ranch 30-minutes north of Bozeman. Travel stipends are available if expenses create a barrier to participation. All retreats begin with dinner on Friday and conclude with lunch on Sunday.

 

DID YOU KNOW?! - How To Get an Indoor Award at Fair

We always seem to have some question on how the indoor awards are figured. This information was published in the Fair Edition of the newsletter, but we are publishing it again, now that fair is fresh in everyone’s memory! 

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. 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 Fairbook. An example of a category is “Engineering and Technology” which includes the projects Aerospace, Bicycle, Electricity, 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.