MURRAY COUNTY 4-H NEWSLETTER

A huge thank you to all who helped sell, unload, load, sort, count, or deliver fundraiser items to our customers. This year we sold a combined $92,000 to ensure our youth can attend camps, state fair, conferences, leadership conventions and so much more. We couldn't be the 4-H program we are without all of our 4-H'ers, families, and volunteers.

Strengthening Community Ties within Murray County is a project focused on making Murray County a place to stay or return to. Because entertainment options can be slim and career options limited, these 4-H’ers hosted events to show others what Murray County can offer– which has started a chain reaction of community involvement in all generations.

We are so proud of our ambassador team for receiving this award and thankful for our Murray County 4-H families and supporters!

Livestock 101 is an interactive learning opportunity for families to learn about different species and what all goes into getting them ready for county fair. Join us April 19 at the Murray County 4-H Building from 6 – 8 p.m. to listen to some of Murray County’s best livestock showmen and mentors. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Murray County Extension Office at (507)-836-6927.

Open to all ages!

Click here to register.

The Minnesota 4-H Youth Development Cloverbud policy creates a uniform set of rules for participation to maintain developmental appropriateness and safety for our youngest 4-H members. A rule related to Cloverbuds and animals has been updated.

When Cloverbuds and animals are together at a 4-H program, families may now choose one of two acceptable ways to guide and monitor involvement in non-mounted activities:

1. The responsible person is in control of the animal with the Cloverbud at their side.

2. The Cloverbud is in control of the animal with the responsible person at their side to assist or take control of the animal when needed or as directed by staff, volunteers, or show managers.

In the horse project, the second option does not apply to mounted activities. When a Cloverbud is mounted on a horse, the horse must always have a lead line and be under the control of the responsible person.

Cloverbud families may choose either option. Either way, Cloverbud exhibitions will continue to be non-competitive. Complete Cloverbud rules are found in the Cloverbud information sheet.

Please help spread the word about this rule change to Cloverbud families involved in your local programs!

Visit the University of Minnesota Extension website to check out their listing of scholarships!

All Seniors from Murray County 4-H will also have the opportunity to apply for the local Murray County 4-H Scholarship. Five $500 scholarships will be awarded each year at the annual awards banquet. Apply here : https://z.umn.edu/Murray4HScholarship2024

New Vision Co-op is pleased to announce that we will be offering our 4-H Sponsorship program again this year. The program will be the same as last year where the participants will receive the full value that they apply for, and the County Extension will receive an additional 20% on top of that total. The deadline to sign up is June 7, 2024. Attached is our flyer that you are welcome to use for advertisement. Below is the link where applicants can go to apply for the sponsorship and get more information. Please share this with the 4-H members in your county and please let me know if you have any questions. We look forward to working with you and your county again this year!

https://newvision.coop/4-h/

The Minnesota State Fair is committed to showcasing our state’s finest agriculture, and we recognize the importance of cultivating youth experiences in the livestock industry. We also understand that exhibiting at the Minnesota State Fair can stretch the family budget. Thanks to support from the Minnesota State Fair Foundation, we are proud to provide the Minnesota State Fair Beginning Exhibitor Livestock Learning Experience (BELLE) Grant! This grant program will gift $500 each to large-animal exhibitors (beef cattle, dairy cattle, goats, horse, llama, sheep or swine) and $250 each to small-animal exhibitors (poultry and rabbits) who commit to participating in the Minnesota State Fair for the first time in 2024. Up to fifteen grants will be awarded. Please note that grants will be paid to the exhibitor when participation at the Minnesota State Fair is complete and all required recaps, photos and video messages have been submitted.

Please visit this link to see requirements and to apply for this grant!

Attention horse exhibitors! There will be a horse pleasure clinic hosted at the Murray County 4-H Fairgrounds with Clinician, Kathy Johnson.

Stalling will be available, please bring your own bedding/ shavings and clean your stall (there will be no charge as long as these rules are followed). The clinic will be from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. both days, a lunch will be provided. There are camping spots available for $25/ day, and hook-up for electric is available.

Topics covered include: Showmanship, Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Ranch Riding, Ranch Pleasure, Trail, English Equitation, and English Pleasure.

The cost will be $130 for both days, lunch provided. Deadline to sign-up is June 1! Spots are limited, if you are interested, we would encourage registering right away for this opportunity!

Please see the brochure below for further information.

We are looking to host another community night event before spring gets done. One of our ideas was to host an event revolving around ethnic foods and their origins. We are looking to YOU for feedback on whether or not you think this would be an event you would attend. We are also open to different ideas that you may have! Check out the poll below....

Do you want to enhance your livestock evaluation and selection skills? Do you want to become better with oral reasons? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then the Minnesota 4-H Livestock Judging Camp is for you!

Presented by the University of Minnesota Livestock Judging Team and Coach Kyle Rozeboom, this camp will teach you the fundamentals of livestock judging and evaluation, provide instruction with oral reasons, and help you become more confident in livestock judging.

Please click here for further information and registration.

The lottery lamb and adopt a lamb program is now OPEN! These programs are focused on helping introduce youth to the sheep project while getting assistance from Herrig Family Hampshires and Schreier Farms.

Please complete your re-enrollment for the 2023-2024 year, visit 4-Honline to complete this task. Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the Extension staff!

Want to test your skills and knowledge in general livestock (beef, sheep, swine, and meat goat)? Check out this new opportunity to participate in a General Livestock Skill-a-Thon contest right here in Minnesota on April 13 in Redwood Falls.

4-H'ers in grades 3 - 13 are invited to attend this free event. Participants may register as a team or individually by April 1. Additional information and registration can be found here.

Wondering how to help your 4-H market animals reach a healthy rate of gain? Want to learn more on how to feed your 4-H production animal to make sure they are getting the proper nutrition for growth? Join us in learning how to determine your feeding program goals for your market or production animal from nutritionists and Extension Educators who specialize in livestock species.

This learning opportunity is available for youth grades 3 and up.

When:

Goat & Sheep: April 1, 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Cattle: April 8, 6:30 - 8 p.m.

To register, log in (or if new to 4-H to enroll), at 4-H Online.

Need activity ideas for your 4-H club? Check out our Youth Development Curriculum Library for fun, educational lesson and activity resources designed for youth workers, 4-H volunteers, and youth themselves! 86 resources and counting! More content is added every month. Current categories: Animals and livestock, civic engagement and leadership, Cloverbuds (K-2), environment and earth science, expressive arts and communication, family and consumer science, gardening and agriculture, healthy living, icebreakers, games, and reflection activities, including youth of all abilities, independent learning, outdoor adventures, STEM, and themed 4-H club agenda samples. If you have specific content you’d like to see, contact Jessica Russo at pier0239@umn.edu.

Please take a moment to download or print the 2023 - 2024 Murray County 4-H calendar.

On Friday, April 19 starting at 6 p.m. we will be hosting a livestock 101 night! This is open for new youth or families that are interested in exhibiting livestock at the Murray County Fair. Species present at this event are: beef, poultry, horse, sheep, goat, rabbits, swine, dairy, and llama/ alpaca.

We will have experienced youth at each booth presenting some basics about what prep work goes into getting that animal ready for the fair.

We will have a Google form sent out in the near future.

There will be an Ambassador outing on April 7 in Sioux Falls. Be on the lookout for updates from Kim regarding this event.

Designed for youth to explore and identify their personal aspirations for the future through interactive activities that encourage creativity, self-awareness, critical thinking, goal setting and self-discovery.

Personalized for youth in grades 7-11, session content is designed to spark curiosity and plant the seeds that will motivate youth to make plans for their personal pathway to the valued future of their choice. Youth will have the opportunity to learn about financial planning, admission processes, career exploration and more!

This web series begins Monday April 1st and continues Monday April 8th, Monday April 15th, Monday April 22nd, and Monday April 29th.

Click here to register for this learning opportunity!

Join us on Earth Day from your launching pads at home for the first session in our series as we discover rocket science! Learn how rockets are designed and how they lift into space. May the Force Be with You as we come together dressed up as our favorite Star Wars characters and blast off!

Who: Youth in grades 3 -8

Launching Dates: April 22 and 29 we will Zoom and learn.

On May 4th we will gather at a galaxy near you!

Time for this date will be determined.

Time: 7 pm - 8 pm

Cost: Each participant will receive a kit with starter supplies for our virtual sessions. The cost per kit is $20 (check with your local Extension Office for scholarship opportunities)

Checks should be made to Lyon County 4-H, and mailed to 500 Fairgrounds Road, Marshall MN 56258

*Space is limited to 50 participants - sign up soon!

Register here: 2024 Rockets Away! - Google Forms

Deadline to register is April 15. For more information contact Brian McNeill, Regional Extension Educator at mcnei006@umn.edu, Sam Jens, Lyon County 4-H Extension Educator at jens0593@umn.edu, or Suzanne Souza, Big Stone County 4-H Local Extension Educator at souza004@umn.edu.

Zoom in on your camera skills with youth across the southwest region! Youth in grades K-13 will learn from experts and participate in a photo challenge. Register in 4-H Online by April 22: https://2024sw-photography.4honline.com.

We're excited to bring youth from across the state to southwest Minnesota to focus on learning and leading in 4-H and beyond!

Watch for official announcements on the Minnesota 4-H Facebook and Instagram channels and check out this summary of upcoming dates/deadlines:

• April 1 - Registration opens for youth and chaperones.
• May 10 - Registration closes for youth and chaperones.

Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program provides those who work with beef cattle the opportunity to learn more about best management practices, herd health and animal stewardship. The program's goal is to create a better-quality beef supply and increase consumer confidence.

Producers need to participate in only one training option to become BQA certified. Only one person from each operation is required to be certified to ensure the entire operation follows the BQA standards. However, everyone who handles and manages fed cattle is encouraged to become BQA certified. Certification is good for three years.

April 9, 2024 - BQA Online Training - Register Here

The National 4‑H Conference is the pinnacle experience in 4‑H civic engagement, providing the opportunity for young people to connect, learn, engage, lead and impact their communities, nation and world.

This year Lindsey Hause was selected as a Minnesota Representative! Sophia Gaul, who attended last year, was asked back as a Youth Team Leader. Encourage your 4-H'ers to reach out to Lindsey or Sophia to learn all about their experiences.

Find more information on the National 4-H Conference website.

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!

This series of wonder and wander will bring to youth conservation knowledge and the start of lifelong respect for the environment around us.

Sessions will be held virtually, 7 - 8 p.m., on Wednesdays from January 31 to April 24, except February 14.

Go here to register for this FREE event!

WHEP is a hands-on environmental education program dedicated to teaching wildlife and fisheries habitat management to youth. It provides participants an opportunity to test their wildlife knowledge in a friendly competition in teams of 3 - 4 similarly aged individuals, led by a local 4-H volunteer coach.

Explore science-based career opportunities in environmental and agricultural science, chemistry, engineering and more! University on the Prairie immerses youth entering grades 7 through one-year post-high school in hands-on activities that show what you can do with science education.

You will conduct experiments, participate in hands-on labs and learn new skills from professionals working in science fields. You will increase your understanding of science and discover what potential career options interest you the most.

All University on the Prairie activities take place in the classrooms, labs and the great outdoors at the University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center (SWROC) facilities.

Check-in is at 8 a.m. The program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on June 24 and 25.

Register here if interested in signing up for this opportunity.

Terri Campbell is our newest Murray County 4-H volunteer!

Terri has been helping with Murray County 4-H and really enjoys seeing her granddaughter getting involved in all that 4-H has to offer.

Thank you for your willingness to give back!

Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development

University of Minnesota Extension, Murray County

📍2848 BROADWAY AVE ☎️(507)-836-1144 ✉️hausek@umn.edu

SLAYTON, MN 56172

Administrative Assistant, Murray County Extension

📍2848 Broadway Ave ☎️ 507-836-6927 ✉ carl5049@umn.edu

Slayton, MN 56172

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