Hello 4-H Families!


I hope everyone had a great Christmas and is excited for the
new year!
4-H project books are available for pick up in the office. I am
waiting on a couple more books but most of them are ready!


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


Have a great January!


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 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.

Livestock Committee Updates- Pre Sale Social

The Pre-Sale social will be cookies, fruit/veggies, maybe salami/cheese this year. Organization willrotate through the counties and Liberty county will be organizing for 2025 with Jaxon Buffingtonleading (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 January, it's time to start thinking about the 2025 Multi-County 4-H Camp! 4-Hmembers who are 4-H ages 14 (as of October 1, 2024) and will be in grades 9-12 (for the 2024-25school year), please consider applying to be a camp counselor. It is a great learning experience and alot 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 theircabins. Applicants need to submit a completed application by February 7 via Zsuite including a coverletter and resume. Selected counselors will need to attend two mandatory camp counselor workshopson March 2nd and April 13th and pay a $25 fee to help offset meals and t-shirt expenses. Pleasecontact the Extension Office with any questions.

Marias Fair Archery Invitational

The Marias Fair Archery Invitational is scheduled for January 26th in Shelby at the Old Middle School.Below is a link to sign up for time slots. Entry fees are $15 per discipline, the entry deadline is January 22nd. After Jan. 22nd there is a $5 latefee per entry. https://bowscore.com/tournaments/marias-fair-invitational-2025#/Please be sure to read through all the instructions on Bowscore. All awards will be handed out at theend of the shoot. For those unable to stay until the end, the awards will be given to the CountyExtension Office.

If you have any questions please contact Brent Hanson or Wendy Wedum.

Air Rifle/Pistol Clinic and Competition

The Teton and Pondera County shooting sports coaches are holding an Air Rifle and Pistol Clinic andCompetition in Conrad on January 19th starting @ 9am. The registration sheet will be attached in theemail sent out with the newsletter. The deadline to register for this event is January 16th.

Rec Lab 2025

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

Montana 4-H Rec Lab is open to youth 13+ years old (age as of Oct. 1 , 2024). This event is ideal foryounger senior members to attend as a first-time state event. It allows them to form relationships with4-H peers from across the state, broaden their skills, and widen their network. The event has a campfeel because everything will take place in one school or location! Participants will bring air mattressesand sleeping bags to sleep on the gym floor, attend workshops all together in the school and join lotsof social and fun activities.

Registration will be through ZSuite and is set to open on February 10th and will close March 12th. Thecost will be around $100 per person. Participants will have the opportunity to pick from a list ofworkshops 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 beyour 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 bringhome motivated youth leaders.

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

Montana 4-H People Partner grants - Start Planning Now!

These grants provide incentives and financial support to groups and individuals for programs thatenhance the quality of living for people in their communities. Application Deadline: Postmarked by February 1st Each application is eligible for up to $500.

Eligibility 4-H groups and individual members may apply. Grants are also open to non-4-H youthgroups and individuals.

Applications should meet the following criteria:

  • Youth should be involved in determining, planning, conducting, and evaluating the project.
  • Project will make it possible for people to accomplish something educational and worthwhile thathelps them reach a higher quality of life.
  • There is community support and acceptance of the project, as evidence by "partners" listed in thegrant application, additional funding sources, and resource persons and agencies involved.
  • The project has lasting benefits.

If a group, club, committee, etc. is interested in applying, please chat with Kari or Lisa now to beginplanning. In recent years these projects have helped fund fleece tie blankets, herdsmanship banner inthe Rabbit/Poultry barn, wash rack project, new show ring at Seewald barn, and more. Visithttps://www.mt4hfoundation.org/grants.html for details and to see past award recipients. Projects donot have to be 4-H related, they can be for a community need that 4-Hers identify.

Youth Leadership Needed - Seewald Barn Misters

The Livestock Committee is looking for a youth to take on a leadership role of designing andimplementing an updated mister system for the Seewald barn. The current system leaks in numerousplaces and is in need of repair and/or updating. Eric Morrisett is willing to mentor a 4-Her on thisproject. If you’re interested, please reach out to Eric at eric.morrisett@yahoo.com at 406- 845-4372.

Nanna Flesch Livestock Scholarship

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

Montana Winter Fair- Ag Ambassador Competition 2025

Visit https://www.montanawinterfair.com/events/ag-ambassador-contest to register. This event isopen to ANY junior high or high school student. All components of this event except the preparedspeech may be completed remotely.

As part of the event, students are asked to tell the story of agriculture through a variety of methods.For 2025, participants should focus on the topic of Agriculture in a Changing World. The prompt isintentionally broad because we want to encourage students to be creative. Examples of topicsstudents can focus on include changes being made on their own/family farm/ranch, changes in theindustry, new technology available, etc.

The prizes awarded for the competition are as follows:

  • Prepared Speech (delivered in person): 1st Place - $150, 2nd Place - $75
  • Newspaper Article: 1st Place - $100, 2nd Place - $50
  • Radio Spot: 1st Place - $100, 2nd Place - $50
  • Social Media Posts: 1st Place - $100, 2nd Place - $50

The newspaper, radio, and social media posts will be completely virtual, but the prepared speech willbe an in-person event, to be delivered in Lewistown during the Winter Fair on January 18th.

  • Newspaper Article - completely virtual – 500-800 words, due January 12
  • Radio Spot - completely virtual – 50-60 seconds long, pre-recorded and due January 12
  • Social Media Posts - completely virtual – 3 posts on any appropriate platform, including a picture orvideo (max. 60 sec/video), and posts written using 60 words or less; due January 12
  • Prepared Speech – 7-12 minutes, delivered in person in Lewistown on the day of the competition

 

JANUARY

1st- New Years Day- Office Closed

5th- Blazing Saddles Meeting 2pm @ Ambulance Barn

8th- Cropping Seminar 8:30 @ Comfort Inn Meeting Room

8th- Cloverbuds after school- 5pm @ Elementary Cafeteria

10th- Ranching Rascals Cloverbud Meeting 3:30-4:30 @ Alissa’s house

10th- Sewing- all levels with Ashley 2:00-5:30pm Location TBD

11th- West Butte Club Meeting Location and Time TBD

12th- Kountry Kids Club Meeting 2pm @ Exhibit Building- Demonstrations

13th- Food Booth meeting 6pm @ MRE

14th- 4-H Council Meeting 6:30pm @ Extension Office

16th- Horse Committee Meeting 6pm @ MRE

19th- Pondera Air Rifle and Pistol Clinic and Competition in Conrad

20th- Office Closed- Martin Luther King Jr. Day

21st- Small Animal Committee Meeting 6pm @MRE

22nd- Cloverbuds after school-5pm @ High School Shop

22nd- Marias Fair Archery Invitational Registration Deadline

26th- Marias Fair Archery Invitational @ Old Middle School

29th- Livestock Committee Meeting 7pm @ MRE

FEBRUARY

2nd- Blazing Saddles Meeting 2pm @ Ambulance Barn

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

14th- Nanna Flesch Scholarship Due

17th- Office Closed- Presidents’ Day