Chisago County 4-H Bi-Weekly News

Happy New Year!

I would like to remind everyone to re-enroll in 4-H Online for the 2023-2024 year! Please see the following link for help, if needed:

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QF9641ZSv1CblNAknlhWNqpMxBjJb5B_mje4FXTEscA/edit?usp=sharing

I hope you are all staying warm during this cold stretch, only a few more days before the heat wave hits us! Winter Workshop will be happening next Saturday, January 27 and if you are interested in attending, sign up soon as space is limited. I am also looking for a few volunteers to help with sign in and hall monitoring. I have a few names already, but the more the merrier! Make sure to check out all of the wonderful upcoming opportunities and as always reach out with any questions!

Have a great weekend!

Josiah

As always if you need help please contact the office. Our hours are M-F 8-4:30 pm*. Please call to make sure someone is in the office to help you, at times our schedules lead us out of the office.

*NOTE: Josiah is only in office Monday-Wednesday. He can still be reached by email (colex300@umn.edu) on Thursday and Friday.

Come join us for a morning of adventure and project learning! Youth will rotate through a series of three selected workshops to gain a deeper understanding of 4-H project areas!

Who: 4-Hers of all ages (Grades 3-12 will choose three classes to attend (one per session), Cloverbuds will participate in separate, age-appropriate activities)

When: January 27, 2024 (check-in starts at 8:30 am)

Where: Kost Evangelical Free Church (37405 Kost Trail, North Branch, MN 55056)

Fore more information and how to register, visit https://z.umn.edu/2024winterworkshop or contact the Extension Office.

A couple of weeks ago, a link to a survey was sent out regarding programming in Chisago County. Thank you to those of you who responded and shared your opinions, but I am still looking for responses!

This is your chance to let your voice be heard on what kind of programs you would like to see in your county and help me to plan programs and events that everyone can attend and enjoy!

I invite volunteers and 4-Hers alike to fill out this form to get truly rounded out feedback. Parents/Guardians, feel free to fill out this survey by asking your 4-Her the questions on the survey and fill in their answers accordingly.

This survey should take you 5-10 minutes to complete. I'll be including this survey in the next couple of newsletters to get as many responses as possible, so if you don't get around to it anytime soon, know that you will have time to do so in the future.

Chisago BB and Air Rifle/Pistol registration is open. Spring classes are Saturdays 9-11 am March 16, 23, 30 April 6, 13 in Almelund.

BB is for 3rd grade and up. Air Rifle/Pistol is for grade 6 and up after taking either 4H BB classes or having a firearms safety certificate.

Fee covers all equipment. Coaches are certified. The venue is not heated. Places are limited and youth must be 4H members.

Join into this fun and engaging learning environment for youth Kindergarten to 4th grade.

4-H members participating in the Junior LEGO Engineering season will design, engineer, build and code a LEGO model to solve a real-world challenge. An emphasis is placed on small groups and introducing how to conduct research. Teams will

What will you do in Junior LEGO Engineers?

• Build various Lego structures and a team model

• Learn about a real world problem and find a solution

• Develop basic computer programming skills

• Design a 4-H Team Poster to highlight their learning

• Form new friendships in a supportive youth centered environment

Who:

• Youth grades K-4

When:

• INFORMATIONAL MEETING: 12:00 PM at Winter Workshop, January 27

Where:

• Meeting locations will vary depending on the coach and available facilities

Cost:

• $10 per member

Contact Josiah Cole, the Chisago County Extension Educator to sign up or get more information.

It’s FREE tree time! Chisago County 4-H is partnering with Neighborhood Forest to provide free trees for 4-Hers to plant during Earth Week. Parents/guardians, sign your 4-Her up for a free tree by March 15th! Trees are set to arrive in time for Earth Day 2024. More information regarding when you can come and pick up your tree will come in the coming months! #EarthDay2024

Sign up using this link: https://www.neighborhoodforest.org/parent-registration/?school=65428

Want to learn about or show an animal, but you don't own one? Take advantage of the 4-H animal leasing program!

You'll gain valuable hands-on experience managing and showing animals, and you'll learn from caring adults.

Visit https://extension.umn.edu/4-h-projects/leasing-animal for more information!

Our annual fundraiser is on! Cheese sales will run through January 26, when all order forms will need to be turned in to the office. Once orders are turned, pick up for all orders is planned for the final Saturday in February, the 24th.

If you need any order forms, please contact the office!

Horse project will be starting a little earlier this year in hopes to encourage more participation and learning in the project. Our first project meeting is being held on January 16, 7:00 pm at the Chisago County Community Center in North Branch. We will be sharing our new Chisago County Horse Project Incentive Program we have put together, to continue to encourage and support the projects goals of project participation, learning and fun around horses!

Horse Drill Team will be ramping up within the next Month or so, so if you are interested in possibly joining the team, please plan on attending the Drill Team informational meeting to follow the horse project meeting on January 16. Meeting will start at approximately 7:45 after the horse project meeting.

Hope to see you at the project meeting, please like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067097543276, lots of horse project information is shared on this page.

Contact Christina Fasbender at christinafasbender@gmail.com with specific horse project questions.

Have an interest in crops and crop scouting? Join us to learn more about the plant science project bowl team and discuss meeting times and dates for practices!

Please contact Lisa Thao if you are interested at Lisathao_1@hotmail.com.

What is Horse Bowl?

• Horse Bowl is a contest (the second most attended 4H event of the year!) where teams of 3-6 youth compete to answer questions about horse care and riding. This is not a riding contest, you don't need a horse to participate.

Who is Horse Bowl for?

• 4Hers who love horses and are in grades 3 and up. We learn about horse care, nutrition, breeds, gaits, and veterinary medicine, but the program is geared specifically for grades 3+."

Join us on the following date for a fun, wood pallet project! Contact the 4-H office to register!

March 21st

• Hat Rack
• $35

4-H is searching for adults in the community to serve as judges at county fairs this summer. Adults in these roles conduct conference judging with youth in K-12th grade in a variety of 4-H project areas. This judging experience is the culmination of their project learning experience and is an opportunity for them to showcase their knowledge as well as their completed exhibit.

Judges make county fairs and other competitive events possible. To be a judge, you don't need to be a content expert, but you do need to know how to evaluate the learning that a 4-H'er has done. We will train you to do that!

The training for new judges will be on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024 at the Stearns County Service Center in Waite Park from 9:30 AM to noon. To register for the training, visit z.umn.edu/2024JudgesTraining by January 26, 2024. This training is not for livestock evaluation.

This event is sponsored and hosted by Meeker, Sherburne, Stearns, and Wright County 4-H programs.

Are you interested or already involved in the project areas of; wildlife, shooting sports, and/or outdoor adventures? If so, you are invited to attend this wildlife and outdoors project learning event. Join us and our experts as we dive into Bugs Below Zero, Falconry, Jerky Making, a Wing Bee, Owl Pellets, Snow Shoeing, Outdoor Survival and learn more about what WHEP (Wildlife Habitat Education Program) is.

Participation in this event will count towards wildlife hours needed for shooting sports participants.

SW 4-H Wildlife Event 2024 will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2024, in Redwood Falls and will run from 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m Participate for just $25, which includes all supplies and offsets cost of facilities. SW 4-H Wildlife Event 2024 is open to all interested youth in grades K and up. Youth grades Kindergarten - 2nd grade must be accompanied by a helper. Invite a friend and join us for this fun day of wildlife learning!

This event will qualify for five (5) wildlife hours for those earning them to compete in the Minnesota 4-H State Shoot Invitational held annually in September.

For more information and to register visit: z.umn.edu/SW-MN4HWildlifeDay2024 or https://sw4-hwinterwildlifeevent.4honline.com/

Hosted by Isanti and Chisago County 4-H, B-BOP is a livestock learning overnight for youth in grades three through six. Sessions will be offered in dog, general livestock (beef, dairy, sheep & swine,) goat, horse, llama, poultry and rabbit. Sessions are filled on a first come first served basis. We will attempt to fill first choices for species, but first choices are not guaranteed.

We will also be offering Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics (LQA&E) during B-BOP. You do not have to attend B-BOP to attend LQA&E. Please note that LQA&E is required for all youth sixth grade and up if they would like to show an animal at the State fair or NE Livestock show. For more information on LQA&E visit the event page.

Audience

• Youth in grades three through six from Isanti or Chisago County.

Cost

• $20.00 if you register by January 26th. $30.00 if you register by February 9th.
• LQA&E is free for youth from Isanti and Chisago counties, and $5.00 for youth outside of those counties.

Registration

• Register via 4-H Online. Deadline to register is February 9th.

There are two leadership workshops being offered this February! Building Leadership and Understanding (BLU) is a youth-led workshop for youth in grades 6-9 that strengthens leadership, communication, and relationship skills. Teens Engaged in Emerging Leadership (TEEL) is for youth in grades 10+ who want to boost their leadership skills. Becoming better leaders all while having a great time.

This year’s theme is "3, 2, 1, Blast off into Leadership!" Youth will learn about communication skills and the intake of information through engaging activities and discussions.

BLU & TEEL will be hosted in Annandale and is an overnight experience:

• Feb. 17-18-BLU & TEEL at Camp Friendship, Annandale

BLU/TEEL Transportation Options:

• Three routes available:

• Northern route, includes stops in:

• Duluth, Barnum, Moose Lake, Hinckley, Mora, Milaca

• South/East Twin Cities route, includes stops in:

• Farmington, Eden Prairie, Cologne, Howard Lake

• North Twin Cities route, includes stops in:

• Maplewood, Andover, Maple Grove

• Sign-up here for transportation to BLU/TEEL at Camp Friendship

To learn more about BLU and register visit z.umn.edu/4-HBLU and to learn more about TEEL and register visit z.umn.edu/4-HTEEL.

Registration for the 2024 BLU & TEEL workshops is now open! Building Leadership & Understanding (BLU) is a leadership workshop focused on building leadership skills and developing an understanding of others. The experience is planned and facilitated by the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors for emerging and developing youth leaders in grades 6 - 9. Teens Engaged in Emerging Leadership (TEEL), is a companion experience to BLU. TEEL is a leadership workshop focused on developing and advancing skills for youth leaders in grades 10 and up, and is facilitated by recent alumni and advanced 4-H youth leaders. We rely on a team of volunteer chaperones to help make these experiences possible.

BLU & TEEL are being held at Camp Friendship in Annandale, MN on February 17 and 18, 2024.

Chaperones perform a variety of roles that help make BLU & TEEL possible. You can read more about the Chaperone Role here. If you would like to apply to be a chaperone, please submit an application using this form. Or, if you have any questions, please feel free to connect with the 4-H office. The deadline to apply to be a chaperone is Friday, January 19th.

Are you or someone you know a registered nurse looking for a fun summer opportunity? Consider volunteering at East Central Camp as our camp nurse! East Central Camp will take place on June 24-26 at Timber Bay Camp & Retreat Center, 18955 Woodland Road, Onamia, MN.

If interested, or if you have any questions contact the Chisago County Extension Office for more information!

Looking for something to do this fall/winter? Check out the document below!

Explore the wonderful world of animal science through hands-on activities and guest speakers. We’ll learn about beef cattle, swine, horses and chickens from industry professionals as we tour their facilities. Sessions will be held on Saturdays in January (20 and 27). After each lesson, youth can work on at-home activities. Then, email a picture of your child(ren) with their completed project to mohrh002@umn.edu!

Youth have the opportunity to sign up for individual sessions or all four sessions, depending on their interest. All youth in grades K-3 are invited to attend these sessions and must complete 4-H online enrollment. Sessions will be held via Zoom from 10-10:30 a.m.; links will be provided once registration is complete.

Registration is free and can be completed here.. You only need to register once and can attend any or all sessions. For assistance, read this guide or contact Kelly Dahlke at dahlk124@umn.edu .

Discover how gravity influences plant growth and observe roots in action! Join us for an exciting winter series of 4-H Science Sprouts. This opportunity is open to youth in grades 3+ who are interested in plants and science. Online sessions will take place Jan. 22, Feb. 26, and March 25 from 5 to 5:30 p.m. Throughout this series, we'll explore how gravity affects plant life and delve into the fascinating world of root growth. We'll cover agronomy and horticulture topics tailored to the season using STEM. While there's no cost for the program, we'll share a list of optional supplies for those who want to try hands-on experiments at home. We'll send the list out a week before each gathering. Let's explore the wonders of science together in this engaging winter series!

Learn more and register.

Let's Talk about Mental Health is a 5-session series designed to provide a safe place for youth to have important conversations about mental health and wellbeing. This series demonstrates to youth that they are valued and welcomed by 4-H, and gives all youth the tools to be supportive and effective. The curriculum was created by Minnesota 4-H leaders in equity alongside local Extension educators.

Sessions include:

• Let's talk about mental health
• Words and culture matter
• A walk in their shoes (panel discussion with youth and adults impacted by mental health)
• What can I do?
• World cafe

Youth will be able to connect, share, and hear from facilitators in a safe and supportive environment online Jan. 23, 30, and Feb. 6 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Youth can register online through 4HOnline events.

Have you ever looked out your window and wondered about the animals that share the same environment as you do? How do they stay warm in the winter? Why do some of our winged friends fly south when the weather changes and some hang around? Discover the wonderful world of wildlife around you with Wildlife Wednesdays! Join us, virtually, as we explore and uncover the fascinating lives of the wildlife.

Sessions are held virtually on Wednesdays from 7 pm - 8pm on the following dates: January 31; February 7, 21, 28 ; March 6, 13, 20, 27; April 3, 10, 17 and 24

For more information: https://z.umn.edu/WildlifeWednesdaysWinter2024

Youth in grades 3+ are invited to an exploratory learning series featuring dairy cattle and goat (meat and dairy). This is a 5-session virtual series where youth can expect fun, interactive lessons, at-home challenges, and group reflection supported by 4-H members, volunteers, and staff.

The series will kick off on Feb 5.

Learn more and register.

Ambassador Meeting:

• First Monday of the Month
• 6:00 pm
• Chisago County Community Center

Management Board:

• First Monday of the Month
• Immediately following Ambassadors Meeting, ~7:00 pm
• Chisago County Community Center

Fair Board Meetings:

• 4th Monday of the Month
• 7:00 pm
• Chisago County Fairgrounds/Chisago Lake Town Hall

Livestock Committee:

• 4th Tuesday of the Month
• 6:30 pm
• Chisago County Community Center

• January 20 - Plant Science Project Bowl First Meeting
  
• January 22 - Ambassador's Meeting
• January 23 - Livestock PDC Meeting
• January 26 - Cheese Order Forms due in office
• January 27 - Winter Workshop
• February 5 - Management Board Meeting
• February 5 - Ambassador Meeting
• February 9 - LQA & E
• February 9-10 - B-BOP

1. Read the newsletter!
2. Links to calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r/week? tab=rc,

• https://extension.umn.edu/local/chisago/events?local_program=3416

1. Chisago County 4-H Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/chisago

Email: colex300@umn.edu
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/chisago
Location: 38814 Third Avenue, North Branch, MN, 55056
Phone: 651-277-0150
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chisago4H

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chisagocounty.4h/

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