New Cloverbud Rule
Please read through the entire message for species variation
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:
The responsible person is in control of the animal with the cloverbud by their side.
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.
Community Service Opportunity in your Community!
Would you like to make your club more visible to the public? Would you like to help spruce up area business fronts?
We have an opportunity for you!
Area businesses are looking for 4-H Clubs and groups to plant flowers in their business front area boxes and planters.
We have businesses in each community looking for volunteers to help plant. Lyon County 4-H will provide the flowers and the acknowledgment picks, we just need you to do the planting!
Take some photos and use this opportunity for a community impact project entry at the county fair. Please plan to complete your flower arrangements by May 31, 2024.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Renae Jenniges at johnsorj@umn.edu or (507) 532-8219 ext. 3 by May 7. She will get you connected with an organization in your community!
Premium Book and Fair Registration
We are excited to release the 2024 Premium Book! We encourage you to peruse the Premium Book as you consider which projects to tackle this year.
FairEntry will be live and available to register for the fair beginning May 15, 2024. FairEntry will close on July 8, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. When choosing age divisions, select the grade that was completed in 2024. For example, if your 4-Her is currently in grade 4, they would sign up for classes in the 3-5 grade.
If you require a hard copy of this year's premium book, please contact the extension office. If you have any questions, we welcome you to reach out to any of us! It would be a pleasure to hear from you.
Summer Project workshops!
Join us for an exciting 4-H Summer Project Series Thursdays from 5-7, starting June 6 until the county fair! Youth will delve into diverse project areas, from agriculture to arts and crafts, discovering new skills and interests each week. Take home a fair exhibit every session and make this summer unforgettable with 4-H! We put a survey below to see what project areas you would like workshops in please fill it out and if you don't see something you would like feel free to reach out to us.
Look for registration in mid-May!
4-H Camp at Lake Shetek
4-H Camp is a great way to have fun outdoors and meet new friends! Camp will again be held at Shetek Lutheran Ministries on the shores of Lake Shetek; youth who completed grades 3-6 can choose one of two camp sessions (two nights/three days)
When:
Monday, June 17 at 1:00 p.m. - Wednesday, June 19 at 10:45 a.m.
Wednesday, June 19 at 1:00 p.m. - Friday, June 21 at 10:45 a.m.
This multi-county 4-H Camp located in southwest Minnesota will include educational sessions and camp activities include swimming, canoeing, kayaking, outdoor games, campfire, and more! High school-aged camp counselors will connect with campers throughout the entire camp experience.
Cost:
$150/camper. Registration fee includes meals and lodging for three days/two nights, supplies, and a camp t-shirt. Lyon County reimburses 50% of the registration fee after you attend camp
**4-H is committed to ensuring everyone can experience camp and sometimes families need financial support! Please contact your local 4-H Educator to discuss financial support. Also, Federations or clubs likely offer members support for camp fees.
Registration:
Open March 1, 2024 - May 10, 2024
Late registrations accepted until May 27, 2024 at a $175 registration fee. This does not guarantee a t-shirt.
Camp registration is handled through 4H Online, our membership database. For assistance, refer to the event registration guide at z.umn.edu/4hEvent or contact your local Extension Educator.
Bring a friend! No 4-H experience is required for 4-H camp. Not a 4-H member yet? Not wanting to enroll in the year-round 4-H program? You will still create an account (and be approved) to register for camp in 4H Online. Select “In-Person Camp/Event” club. Select any interest of your child for projects. After approval, you will be notified and can return to 4H Online to register for this event.
Ribbon Auction Scholarship
Calling all 4-H Seniors! Wouldn’t an extra $250 be awesome for your first year of college or Vocational-Technical College? Take a couple of minutes to apply for the Ribbon Auction Scholarship. All recipients must be present at the ribbon auction on August 18 to receive their scholarship.
2024 New Vision Co-op Sponsorship Program
New Vision Co-op is pleased to announce that they will be offering their 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.
Calling all youth! Join us for a summer of movement and a lifetime of skills!
The SW MN 4-H region is excited to offer SWIM—Seeing Wellness in Motion through 4-H. Youth will learn the fundamentals of swimming along with educational opportunities around health, wellness, and staying in motion. Participants are encouraged to learn skills for a lifetime that go hand in hand with healthy living options.
Who can participate?
This program is open to all youth in grades K - 12.
All youth must be able to swim a minimum of 25 yards to participate for their safety.
NOTE - this program is not intended to replace swimming lessons and we encourage youth to continue to complete their swimming lesson programs.
Where: Tracy practice dates/times will vary depending on the pool. SWIM 4-H meets may be located in Redwood Falls, Olivia, Slayton, Tyler, Tracy, Jackson, and Windom
Questions: Contact Sam Jens, Lyon County 4-H
Program resources
We have project resource books available at the Extension Office. These resources will guide you through beginning a new project and can help you further develop and elevate current projects. We have created a "library" for our resources: https://z.umn.edu/projectresources Please explore the library, and, if you would like to explore a resource, contact the office to check out the resource, or we will scan and email the resources for you so that you can make use of them. If you are interested in additional resources, please check out the 4-H Mall https://z.umn.edu/shop4H
Contact
Local Staff: Lyon County 4-H events
Sam Jens, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Lyon County
jens0593@umn.edu or 507-532-8219 ext 2
Renae Jenniges, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Lyon County
johnsorj@umn.edu or 507-532-8219 ext 3
Aimee Powers, Support Staff, Lyon County
power684@umn.edu or 507-532-8219 Ext. 1
Email: mnext-lyon@umn.edu
Website: extension.umn.edu
Location: 500 Fairgrounds Road, Marshall, MN, USA
Phone: 507-532-8219
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UofMNExt
Twitter: @UMNExt