Hello 4-H Families!

Spring is coming up soon and many areas of 4-H are gearing up! There are shooting sports competitions around the state, camp counselor applications are being accepted.

Projects can be added or dropped until May 1st. The exception to this is market beef, breeding projects and swine projects.

4-H project books and record books are in the office ready for pick up!

I am starting to plan a Project Day for April 18th so please save the date and if you would like to volunteer to teach anything, please let us know!!

As always, please let us know if you have any questions. You can stop by the office anytime! Have a great February!

Kim & Jackie

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 Farm Service Agency. They recently increased the loan limit to $10,000 and funds can be used for the purchase of animals, feed, supplies, etc. Youth between the ages of 10 and 20 are eligible. Loans are repaid annually and can be termed out for up to seven years for the purchase of breeding stock. The interest rate is currently 5.25%. Please contact Lacy Roberts or Eric Morrisett at the Glacier County FSA at 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 personal account, look on the left panel, then scroll to “Clover Academy,” and click to begin your four training modules. This training takes around an hour to complete. Each module usually takes about 15 minutes. We cannot finalize your leader status until this orientation is completed.

Livestock Committee Updates- Pre Sale Social

The Pre-Sale social will be cookies, fruit/veggies, maybe salami/cheese this year. Organization will rotate through the counties and Liberty County will be organizing for 2025 with Jaxon Buffington leading (getting trained from Destini Anderson). The meat seemed to be a lot of work to prep, cook, etc. and then there was a lot of leftovers too, so thinking try this route and see what feedback there is.

Camp Counselor Applications

Even though it’s only February, it's time to start thinking about the 2025 Multi-County 4-H Camp! 4-H members who are 4-H ages 14 (as of October 1, 2024) and will be in grades 9-12 (for the 2024-25 school year), please consider applying to be a camp counselor. It is a great learning experience and a lot of fun! 4-H Camp will be June 24-27, 2025 at the Montana Farmer's Union Camp near Highwood. Counselors will help plan the camp, will lead workshops and games and oversee the campers in their cabins. Applicants need to submit a completed application by February 7 via ZSuite including a cover letter and resume. Selected counselors will need to attend two mandatory camp counselor workshops on March 2nd and April 13th and pay a $25 fee to help offset meals and t-shirt expenses. Please contact the Extension Office with any questions.

Nanna Flesch Livestock Scholarship

Are you a new or newer 4-H member planning to take a beef, swine, goat, or sheep project? Please consider applying for the Nanna Flesch Livestock Scholarship. Applications are open now and due to the office by February 14th. Follow this link  or go to our Toole County Extension Website for the application and more information. https://www.montana.edu/extension/toole/documents/Nanna%20Flesch%20Memorial%20Scholarship .pdf

2025 Blazing Arrows Marias Fair Archery Invitational Results by Julean Hanson

Sunday, January 26th, the Shelby Blazing Arrows 4-H Archery Club hosted the Marias Fair Archery Invitational competition. We had a great turnout with 115 archers competing in the invitational from around the state.

The Four-County Marias Fair event consisted of Toole County, Glacier County, Pondera County, and Liberty County. The archer completed their archery project interview that was a skill-a-thon this year. Our 42 Blazing Arrows archers have been practicing and preparing for this competition since October when we started shooting and will continue until the Bozeman state 4-H shoot in March.

For the statewide invitational, 12 of our competitors brought home medals. For Bowhunter 9-10 Malcolm Russell took 1st and Wylie Frydenlund took 2nd. For Bowhunter 11-12 Bridger Ergenbright took 1st and Tye Gray took 3rd.

For Unlimited 9-10 Wylie Frydenlund took 2nd. For Unlimited 11-12 Bridger Ergenbright took 1st and Morgan Riphenburg took 2nd. For Unlimited 13-14 Desirae Salois took 3rd. For Unlimited 15-18 Logan Nation took 1st and Dylan Clark took 2nd. For Primitive 9-10 Hadley Ergenbright took 2nd.

For Primitive 15-18 Logan Nation took 1st.

Top Bowhunter score was Bridger Ergenbright. Top Unlimited score was Logan Nation. Top Primitive score was Logan Nation.

The overall top score of the event was shot by Logan Nation that received a belt buckle. Blazing Arrows has about six weeks left before the state shoot in Bozeman. Then we will end the year with a fun shoot and awards in March.

Compound Bow for Sale

If anyone is in the market for a new compound bow, Dylan Clark has one available. It's a Bowtech Fanatic 3.0. It is a 60 pound bow that can be turned down to 40 pounds and will fit draw lengths of 25"-29". Dylan has shot very well with this bow, but has recently upgraded. If you have any questions, please call Dylan at 406-450-3295

Cloverbuds Explore Woodworking!

Thank you Mr. Thad White and your FFA students! We appreciate you making this happen! From donating the wood, getting the pieces all cut and ready ahead of time, to providing all the needed tools, to helping these kids assemble and build their bird house bookshelves - this was amazing!! Thank you to our awesome leaders, parents, grandparents, and junior leaders - your help was much appreciated this day!  Thank you Barb Larsen for organizing the Cloverbud group!

Photo Credit: From My Angle by Lindsey Habets

Rec Lab 2025

What is Rec Lab? “Rec Lab” stands for Recreation Lab and means that everything at this Montana 4-H state event is hands-on and fun! This event provides an opportunity for youth to enhance their leadership, communication and team building skills in an action-packed and interactive setting. Rec Lab programming is designed to provide participants with tips and tricks for being a better club, camp and community leader.

Montana 4-H Rec Lab is open to youth 13+ years old (age as of Oct. 1 , 2024). 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. The event has a camp feel because everything will take place in one school or location! Participants will bring air mattresses and sleeping bags to sleep on the gym floor, attend workshops all together in the school and join lots of social and fun activities.

Registration will be through ZSuite and is set to open on February 10th and will close March 12th. The cost will be around $100 per person. Participants will have the opportunity to pick from a list of workshops during registration. Stay tuned for a Workshop Proposal email coming your way soon! Extension Staff and volunteers: The idea of sleeping on an air mattress in a school gym may not be your idea of a fun weekend, but this is a great event for you too! The program is conducive to meeting people from around the state and exchanging ideas. You are sure to gain some great info and bring home motivated youth leaders.

Thank you to District 6 counties: Meagher, Gallatin, Park, Broadwater, Wheatland, Sweet Grass, and Lewis and Clark for planning and hosting this event.

FEBRUARY

2nd- Blazing Saddles Meeting 2pm @ Ambulance Barn

5th- West Butte Cloverbud Meeting 4pm @ High School FCS room

5th- Cloverbud Meeting after school-5pm @ Elementary Cafeteria

7th- Sewing with Ashley 2-4:30pm (Anyone can attend after school- there will  be no snacks.)

7th- Ranching Rascals Cloverbuds 3:30-4:30 @ Alissa’s house

7th- Ranching Rascals Meeting 4:30pm @ Alissa’s house

9th- Kountry Kids Meeting 1pm @ Exhibit Building- Demonstrations

9th- Kountry Kids Business Meeting 2pm @ Exhibit Building

14th- Nanna Flesch Scholarship Due

15th- End of Treatment Celebration for Grace Hemmer 12:30- 3:30 @ Shelby Carousel

17th- Office Closed- Presidents’ Day

19th- Cloverbud Meeting after school-5pm @ Elementary Cafeteria

23rd- Air Rifle and Pistol Fair Shoot in Conrad

 

MARCH

1st- West Butte Club Meeting @ Parish Hall

5th- Cloverbud Meeting after school-5pm @ Elementary Cafeteria

7th- 9th- State Shooting Sports Tournament in Bozeman

9th- Kountry Kids Meeting @ Exhibit Building (Tentative because of State Archery)

12th- West Butte Cloverbud Meeting 4pm@ Sunburst Library

12th- Rec Lab Registration Closes

15th- Livestock Committee Scholarships Due

19th- Cloverbud Meeting after school-5pm @ Elementary Cafeteria