Nobles County Clover Digest

Southwest Regional Dog Project Kickoff Meeting will be Wednesday, May 7th at 6 pm in the Farmers Room in the Government Building (downtown Worthington). (Please contact Anne Wagner at anmaaswag@gmail.com for a door access code.)

At this meeting, we will discuss when we will start practices so please bring your summer schedules. If you have a friend that might be interested, they are welcome to attend (4-Hers in grades 3-13 only at this time).

If you are unable to attend and would like more information, please let Anne know.

University of Minnesota Extension is pleased to announce the 2025 Andrea Ruesch 4-H Scholarship recipients. The Andrea Ruesch 4-H Scholarship was established in 2010 by the family of Andrea Ruesch, in memory of her dedication and contributions to the Minnesota 4-H program. Based on the family’s belief in positive youth development, the scholarship recipients are selected by demonstrating learning and leadership through hands-on experience, and using what they have learned to help others through youth leadership. Congratulations to Grace on being named a recipient of this scholarship!

Do you have a Cloverbud in the program looking to get more involved? The Clovers 4-H Club is hosting our next Cloverbud event. Join them to learn more about animals you could exhibit at the fair and do a craft. They will also have live animals there for you to interact with! Register Here

Date: May 5th

TIme: 6-7 pm

Location: Fairgrounds

The Nobles County Animal Science meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 28 starting at 5:30 pm in the Farmers Room at the Nobles County Government Center. All youth and adults are encouraged to attend. At this meeting we will finalize the premium book, work on bonus trip applications and review animal science updates for this year.

The April Federation meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 28 at 7:00 pm in the Farmers Room in the Nobles County Government Center.

You will need to identify all 4-H animal projects; breeding heifers, cow/calf pairs, prospect calves (steers and heifers), dairy cattle, dairy goats, dog, horse, llama-alpaca, meat goats, poultry (doves and pigeons), rabbits, sheep, and swine. Animals MUST be identified in 4-H Online by May 15, 2025. Cloverbuds do not need to identify animals at this time.

See livestock identification requirements in the following letter: Nobles All Animal Types ID Letter. Reach out to the Extension Office with any questions!

Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics training helps youth provide excellent care for their animals and ensure a high level of food safety to consumers. This in-person, 3-hour training must be taken by youth who exhibit 4-H livestock, and is required to be eligible for the Minnesota State Fair, and certifies you for three fair seasons. If you are unsure you need the training, please reach out to the Extension office.

It is free to register, and snacks will be provided. Registration closes on May 21.

https://z.umn.edu/2025RockNoblesLQAE

The level of training required is determined by the grade of the youth at the time the training takes place.

• Level 1 training: 4-H’ers grades 6-8 and first-year exhibitors in higher grades.

• Level 2 training: 4-H’ers grades 9-13 or 6-8 that previously completed Level 1.

When: Saturday, May 31 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Where: Generations (105 S Estey St, Luverne MN 56156

Ear tags for the 2025 animal ID season are now available at the Extension Office. New this year, tags are available at no cost to Nobles County 4-H members. All market beef IDs must be in 4-H Online by February 18, 2025. All other IDs are due on May 15, 2025. All distributed tags must be accounted for in 4-H Online and tags that do not show up in 4-H Online must be returned to the Extension office. To order tags ahead of time for pick up, please complete the order form.

New Vision Co-op is offering their sponsorship program. To learn more about this program, visit 4-H on the New Vision Co-op website.

Youth who completed grades 3-6 in the spring of 2025, don't miss out on this exciting summer experience! This multi-county overnight 4-H Camp in southwest Minnesota is packed with engaging educational sessions and classic camp activities, including: swimming, canoeing, kayaking, outdoor games, team-building activities, campfires, storytelling and so much more! High school-aged camp counselors will guide and connect with campers throughout their experience. Campers will stay in group cabins with peers of the same age, and all meals and snacks are included. Adjustments can be made for health and dietary needs, please include info when registering or connect with 4-H staff. https://4-hatcampshetek.4honline.com

It's time to begin thinking about forming a crop scouting team. Teams can be made up of 4-H and FFA youth in grades 6+ from one or multiple counties. We have another opportunity for youth in grades 3-5 to participate in a crop scouting experience as well as the state contest. Contact your local Extension office for help finding a team. If you don't have a team but still want to participate, we have coaches ready to coach youth across Minnesota. 4-H/FFA crop scouting registration opens on May 1, and the contest will take place Monday, July 28 at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus. Learn more and register.

Mini golf will be taken to a whole new level with the 2025 Engineering Design Challenge (EDC): Putt It Together - 4-H Mini Golf Challenge and YOU can be part of the fun! This exciting statewide event invites youth in grades 3+ to work in a team of three or more people to design and build a Rube Goldberg™ type machine that completes a 2-part task: Hit a golf ball and sink a hole in one! The goal of the EDC is to inspire creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking through engineering as youth create their machines. Individuals or families interested in being on a county team should contact your local 4-H educator. Two adult volunteers will work with each team, so everyone can be in on the fun! New this year: a “rookie” level for youth new to the challenge—they’ll be working on a machine with just five steps! The EDC showcase will be held in the 4-H Building during the Minnesota State Fair! Learn more and register.

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