MURRAY COUNTY 4-H NEWSLETTER

May 15, 2024, for beef, dairy, dairy goat, dog, horse, llama - alpaca, meat goat, poultry, rabbit, sheep and swine.

Please stop by the office if you need tags, they are free!

We will allow a first come first serve basis to choose your item, we prefer to not have any repeats. Please fill out the selection on how many bales you will need and which type of bale you would like. If you would like to send a drawing to Kim or Mallory, it really helps the fair board with getting the bales set up. Decorating can begin on Monday, August 12 or Tuesday, August 13 before the fair. Bale decorations need to be removed after the fair by Sunday Aug 18

4-H camp is a great way to have fun outdoors and meet new friends! This multi-county 4-H camp will be held in southwest Minnesota on the shores of Lake Shetek at Shetek Lutheran Ministries. There will be educational sessions and camp activities, including swimming, canoeing, kayaking, outdoor games, campfire and more.

High school-aged camp counselors will connect with campers throughout the entire camp experience.

Youth who have completed grades 3-6 can choose one of two camp sessions (three days/two nights):

• Camp session 1: Monday, June 17 at 1 p.m. - Wednesday, June 19 at 10:45 a.m.
• Camp session 2: Wednesday, June 19 at 1 p.m. - Friday, June 21 at 10:45 a.m.

Audience

Grades 3-6 (completed as of June 2024)

Cost

• $150 - Register March 1-May 10.
• $175 - Register May 11-27; a camp t-shirt is not guaranteed.

Registration fee includes meals and lodging for three days/two nights, supplies and a camp t-shirt. Remember that Murray County 4-H pays 75% of this event per youth due to the outstanding fundraising our families do each year.

Kim has an amazing summer planned for youth who would like to participate in the Murray County 4-H Summer Day Camp sessions! With 11 great events to attend, there is something for everyone in grades K - 13 to do!

Check out the line-up here!

Registered kids get TWO FREE games of bowling per day this spring/ summer.

Please check out www.kidsbowlfree.com and select the Tracy Lanes location to sign up!

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.

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!

Click here to apply for the New Vision Co-op Scholarship.

2024 High School graduates that have been a Murray County 4-H member for at least four years are eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted by October 1, 2024. Scholarships will be awarded at the Fall Annual Awards Banquet.

Please click here to apply.

There will be two $500 scholarships awarded for 2024. The application deadline is May 1, 2024, by 11:59 p.m.

Please click here to see requirements and further details for this scholarship.

The Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association is offering two $500 scholarships for postsecondary students.

Please see the links below to apply!

2024 Reid Mason Scholarship

2024 Dennis Bottem Scholarship

Consider attending this year’s Ag Academy: Passion to Career in Mankato. Join 4-H, as well as our partners at FFA, for Ag Academy: Passion to Career– a unique opportunity for youth in grades 7-11. This 3-day, 2-night camp runs from June 20-22, and is held at Minnesota State University (MSU) and South Central College (SCC), Mankato, Minn.

At this camp, youth will have the chance to explore different careers in agriculture, food and natural resources while experiencing a college campus. In addition, college professors and industry leaders will provide hands-on learning experiences on topics like animals, communications and more.

Learn more and register.

Registration deadline: May 31.

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! Contact Jody Jackels if you are interested in signing up.

Please see the brochure below for further information.

Interested in learning more about working with your llama or alpaca in the show ring? We are excited to offer you an opportunity to gain experience in llama-alpaca obstacles and showmanship. Bring your llama or alpaca and share a day of learning with us!

The Minnesota 4-H Llama-Alpaca Committee volunteers will work with you to increase your knowledge and skills when working with your animal.

If you don’t have a llama or alpaca to bring, come to watch and learn.

Snacks and lunch will be provided.

Cost: $15/ person (youth or adult) - $45 cap per immediate family

Please register by May 3 in 4-H Online!

Check out this link for further information.

Youth in grades 3+ are invited to the SW MN 4-H Dog Program kick-off meeting at the Farmers Room in the basement of the Nobles County Government Center (315 10th St. Worthington MN 56187). This meeting will take place on May 7 at 6:00 pm. Expectations and the summer training schedule will be discussed at this meeting.

Ready to dive into the world of plants? Join us for an exciting soybean growing experience with our 4-H sensational soybean kits!

These kits are perfect for youth in grades 3+ who are eager to get their hands dirty and learn about agriculture. When you sign up, you'll receive a self-guided soybean kit containing everything you need (except the bucket and soil) to grow soybeans.

As part of this experience, you can:

• Grow anywhere: No matter where you live, you can join in. Our user-friendly kit makes soybean growing accessible to all.
• Discover Minnesota's soybeans: Explore how soybeans thrive in Minnesota's rich agricultural landscape. Throughout the summer, learn from local farmers about cultivation techniques and farming practices.
• Explore soybean uses: Soybeans are incredibly versatile, from food to biofuels. Discover the variety of ways they impact our daily lives.
• Experiment with soil: Test different soil types and watch soybeans grow before your eyes. This hands-on experience deepens your understanding of plant growth and soil dynamics.

Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity!

Learn more and register here.

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!

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.

May 15, 2024, for beef, dairy, dairy goat, dog, horse, llama - alpaca, meat goat, poultry, rabbit, sheep and swine.

There will not be an Ambassador meeting in the month of May.

Kim will keep members posted throughout the summer months on when their next meeting will be.

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:

• May 10 - Registration closes for youth and chaperones.

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.

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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