April 2025 Newsletter
Hello 4-H Families!
Welcome to April! The Marias Fair will be here before you knowit! Projects can be added or dropped until May 1st.
It is almost time to tag pigs! Please let us know when you aregetting pigs and we can get them tagged or get you the taggingmaterials. The deadline is April 13th. Kim will be out of town the4 -13. Kim has made arrangements with most families. Tagsare ready in the extension office and you can borrow the taggerand the snare. We will be ordering a new scale but please usethe weight that the breeder gave you as the starting weight.
Save the date for a Project Day on April 18th from 9 AM -Noon at the St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall. We willbe doing Food Safety at 9 AM, Quality Assurance at 10 AM and11 AM Annika will be bringing sheep for a demonstration. If you are unsure if you need Food Safety or Quality Assuranceplease call the office. It is a required training every two years.
As always, please let us know if you have any questions. You canstop by the office anytime!
Have a great April!
Kim & Jackie
Cloverbud Camp Save the Date
Save the Date for Cloverbud camp on June 5. This year’s theme is “To Infinity and Beyond”thIt will be held out at the fairgrounds.
Glacier County FSA Youth Loans
If you are looking for a way to finance your 4-H projects for this year, consider visiting with the FarmService Agency. They recently increased the loan limit to $10,000 and funds can be used for thepurchase of animals, feed, supplies, etc. Youth between the ages of 10 and 20 are eligible. Loans arerepaid annually and can be termed out for up to seven years for the purchase of breeding stock. Theinterest rate is currently 5.25%. Please contact Lacy Roberts or Eric Morrisett at the Glacier County FSAat 406-873-5618 ext. 2. Lacy and Eric are serving the Toole County area, as well.
New Volunteers - Clover Academy Volunteer Orientation
New volunteers will need to complete a volunteer orientation in Zsuite. Log into your personalaccount, look on the left panel, then scroll to “Clover Academy,” and click to begin your four trainingmodules. This training takes around an hour to complete. Each module usually takes about 15minutes. We cannot finalize your leader status until this orientation is completed.
Swine Weighing/Tagging
Members need to have the following information:
- Breed of pig
- Date of birth
- Beginning weight
- Breeder's name and address
Remember, fair weigh-in date is Wednesday, July 16th. Fair minimum weight is 220 pounds, maximumpayweight is 300 pounds, maximum sale participation weight is 336 pounds. As a generalization, manyof the show pig types tend to gain around 1.5 - 2.0 lbs/day while a commercial type pig can be 2.0 - 2.5lbs/day. Calculate the days until fair from when you purchase your pig to determine what anappropriate beginning start weight would be.
Breeding Projects
Members with breeding projects must submit to Kim and Jackie by April 13th. Any of the followingforms of identification on any breeding animals they plan to exhibit at fair:Bangs tag number, Scrapie tag number, Association registration tattoo, Picture of animal.The 4-Hers needs to have full possession of their project animal at this time.
New Weight Limit for Beef
The Marias Fair Livestock Committee voted to increase the maximum steer pay weight
to 1,650 pounds
which would make the maximum sale participation weight 1,848 pounds.
Attention Cat Members
There are a couple of new Marias Fair competitions in the feline department this year.
In addition to showmanship there will be a “longest whisker” and “longest tail” and
a “best costume” contest. You can’t change your cat’s whisker or tail length- No Extensions!
but you can be creative in dressing up your cat if he or she will allow it. We are
looking forward to seeing your imagination at work!
Cascade Postal Results
Good job to all those who Participated in the Cascade County Postal Shoot!
Shooting Sports
Congratulations to Kacey Wipf for taking 3rd place in the State Sub International
Jr. Pistol Shoot.
Shotgun Sign Ups
Shotgun Sign Ups will be April 24thstarting at 6pm at the Shelby Trap Club.The first day of shooting will be held on May 8th. They will meet every Thursday atthe Shelby Trap Club.The Fair shotgun shoot will be June 28th.
State Shooting Sports
Congratulations to all of the members who attended the State Shoots in Bozeman!
Public Presentation day Results
Congratulations to all of the members who attended our Public Presentation Day!
The winners are:
Pre-Juniors:
1. Hadley Ergenbright
2. Layla Blonde
3. Orion Vetch
Juniors:
1. Bridger Ergenbright
2. Grace Hemmer
3. Sam Flesch
Seniors:
1. Jadis Scarborough
2. Paxton Flesch
3. Corin Scarborough
Top Duo:Bridger Ergenbright and Desirae Salois
APRIL
4th- Ranching Rascals Cloverbud meeting - 3:30 PM
4th- Ranching Rascals Club meeting - 4:30 PM
6th- Kountry Kids Club Meeting 2pm- Exhibit Building
6th- Kountry Kids Livestock/ Quality Assurance 2:30pm- Exhibit Building
6th- Blazing Saddles Club Meeting 2pm- Ambulance Barn
6th-12th- Kim out of office
13th- Swine weigh-in deadline
13th- Camp Counselor training session 2 PM in Chester
14th- Food Booth Committee Meeting 6pm @ MRE
15th - Homesteader Series #7 Sourdough Making 6 - 8 PM - St. Luke’s Lutheran Church
16th- Cloverbuds after school- 5pm- Elementary Cafeteria
18th- Project Day - 9 AM - Noon - St. Luke’s Lutheran Church
22nd- Small Ag Committee meeting 6:30pm @ MRE
24th- Shotgun Sign Ups -6pm at the Shelby Trap Club
26th- Horse Workshop 10 AM - 2 PM - Marias Fair Exhibit Building
27th- West Butte Club Meeting
28th- Marias Fair Exhibit Building Meeting 6pm @ Exhibit Building
MAY
1st- Project Drop/ Add Deadline
2nd- Blazing Saddles Club helping with chamber dinner
4th- Lamb and Goat weigh- in deadline
15th- Fair Registration opens on FairEntry
15th- Packets ready for pickup!
26th- Holiday- Memorial Day Office Closed