Friday Forecast 7/26/2024

Bookmark this page for all things 4-H at the Fair including the premium book, schedules, forms, links to sign up for judging time slots, exhibit guidelines and more. This page will be continually updated as new information pertaining to fair is made available. Check back often!

State Fair General Exhibit line-ups will be posted on this page on Monday, August 5 and 4-H livestock show programs will be posted here throughout the fair.

What is the premium book?

The Dakota County 4-H Premium Book is a guide for 4-H members, parents and volunteers used for planning, registering and exhibiting at the Dakota County Fair. The premium book is where you will find information on projects, class details for your projects, rules, requirements, and schedules pertaining to fair and judging other important information needed to exhibit at the county fair. It is your responsibility to follow the rules in the premium book.

Review the book to be sure your exhibit meets the necessary requirements. Exhibit entry and release times vary by project area so review the book to become familiar with these details.

4-H Fair Project Resources

First time showing at the county fair? Check out these resources:

Tell a story with a blue ribbon exhibit

Judging tips for exhibitors

4-H exhibit project pages and judging sheets

We are always looking for amazing adults to become screened volunteers for 4-H, and one of the ways these screened volunteers can assist is to chaperone our talented youth at the Minnesota State Fair. Adults, especially male identifying, are needed in both the Livestock and General Encampments. This website outlines expectations for State Fair volunteers. Questions can be directed to Jess Beissel, reed0324@umn.edu or Kris Vatter, kvatter@umn.edu.

The Federation would like to host a DJ dance for all enrolled 4-H members 6th grade and up. We are hoping this event will give youth the opportunity to have fun and meet other 4-H’ers across the county. It is casual; no need to dress up (or even shower).

It is scheduled on Saturday, August 10, 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Swine Barn show ring. There will be a DJ, root beer, snacks, and glow necklaces. All 4-H’ers wanting to attend will have enrollment verified at the entrance and given a wristband. All entrances and exits will be monitored by adult volunteers.

Saturday is a super-busy day for us all. In order for this to happen VOLUNTEER CHAPERONES are needed! Adult dance volunteer shifts count toward the State Trip reimbursement. Use this sign-up sheet by Tuesday, July 30, 4:30pm. If we do not have enough volunteers by then, staff will cancel.

Questions can be directed to Amy Bjork, amyleifeld@gmail.comor, Kris Vatter, kvatter@umn.edu.

4-H staff are thankful for our volunteers year-round, but when it comes to the Dakota County Fair, our volunteers are AMAZING! We count on both adult and youth volunteers every day. You can be a part of this crew by signing-up for these opportunities:

• General Exhibit Judging Day, Saturday, August 3
  
• Arts-In at the Fair, Friday-Sunday, August 9 - 11

Dakota County 4-H Dining Hall and Malt Stand sign-up

1. Click below to go to our invitation page on SignUp Genius:

• 4-H Dining Hall
• 4-H Outside Malt Stand

2. Sign up! Choose your spots and SignUp Genius will send you an automated confirmation and reminders.

Volunteering at the 4-H Dining Hall and Malt Stand at the Dakota County Fair

All 4-H families are expected to participate in the only annual fundraiser for Dakota County 4-H by volunteering for shifts in the Dining Hall in the 4-H Building, or Malt Stand, on the fairgrounds. This includes covering 1 youth shift for each 4-H member and 1 adult shift, per family.

What are the 4-H dining hall and malt stand?

The Dining Hall and Malt Stand are the biggest fundraiser of the year and we need your help to make them a success! The monies raised help support positive youth programming throughout the year. We have reinvested some of these funds in things like new malt machines, program supplies for outreach programming and supporting amazing experiences like overnight camp.

Working in the stands is easy with streamlined menus and food that is fast to assemble and serve. This is a great customer service experience for 4-H'ers as they learn to serve others, take orders, and keep the stands clean. You do not need any food service background.

There are 2 Malt Managers and 2 Dining Hall Managers on duty during the fair. If you aren't sure what to do when you get to the stands, ask the outgoing volunteers what their job was and utilize the managers for help. Due to MN Department of Health guidelines, you must wear close-toed shoes, pull your hair back, and wash your hands when you start your shift and throughout your shift to keep fairgoers safe.

Screened adult volunteers needed as cashiers

If you are signing up as a SCREENED ADULT CASHIER, you will need to complete the volunteer screening process by Aug. 1. Click here for more details on Adult volunteer screening. Please complete the screening process as soon as possible to allow state staff time to process your application. Contact 4-H staff if you have questions.

If your family would like to accept up to $155 in State Event (State Fair, State Dog Show, State Horse Show, State Shoot Invitational) registration fee reimbursement per eligible youth, please read on as this WILL IMPACT YOU.

To be eligible to receive up to $155/youth state event participant, your family needs to work at least one extra shift (over and above the required shifts) in the malt stand or dining hall, per youth, to receive a reimbursement for paid state event fees. By working at least one ADDITIONAL shift (per eligible youth) in the malt stand or dining hall, families can receive a reimbursement for paid state event fees, up to $155. Dakota County 4-H membership dues must be paid to be eligible for state event reimbursement.

See page 14 of the Dakota County 4-H Premium Book for more details on reimbursement requirements.

Clothing exhibit (constructed, purchased, and upcycled) and Fashion Revue judging for all members, including Cloverbuds is before the county fair on Wednesday, July 31 at the Dakota County Extension and Conservation Center in Farmington.

4-H members exhibiting in the Clothing and Textiles project should review the clothing judging letter for more information on judging. The clothing judging letter includes a schedule and other need-to-know information. Review the schedule to be sure you are on-time for your judging.

• 8:15-8:45 a.m. - Registration for Cloverbud and grades 3 - 5
• 8:30 a.m. - Judging begins
• 9:30-10 a.m. - Registration for grades 6 and up

If youth are unable to attend judging on July 31, Constructed and Purchased exhibits can be brought to General Judging on August 3 from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. at the 4-H Building on the Dakota County Fairgrounds and receive either a blue, red or white placing.

The public Fashion Revue Show is during the Dakota County Fair on Tuesday, August 6 at 6 p.m. on the stage in the 4-H Building. Court of Honor and State Fair trip winners will be announced at this time.

Questions can be directed to Kris Vatter, kvatter@umn.edu, or 507-210-7730.

4-H county membership dues should be paid before participating in 4-H events including county and state fairs, club meeting, camps, workshops, and state events. Dues must be paid to qualify for the state event scholarship of up to $155.

Membership dues are $25/member and are paid every year. If you haven't paid dues for the 2023-24 4-H year, please submit dues now. Family Member Dues Payment Form 2023-24

Dues payments can be mailed to the Extension Office or placed in the drop box between the front doors of the Extension Office. Scholarships are available to cover dues if needed and can be requested by completing the dues payment form. Some clubs also collect dues to fund community creating activities and projects. Families should pay club dues at monthly meetings.

Contact Cherie if you are unsure if you have already paid dues for the 2023-24 4-H year.

4-H is partnering with the Minnesota Woodworkers Guild on their fall expo, and you are invited to save the date and attend this family-friendly event at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds! The day includes kid's workshops, demonstrations, prizes, and over 70 local and national woodworking retailers, tool manufacturers, lumber sellers, schools, organizations, and makers! 4-H youth and adults are needed as volunteers to assist with the maker projects. This event is free and open to the public. The Woodworkers Expo will be held on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Eco Experience Building on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Indicate your interest in volunteering at this event and learn more on the event website.

4-H youth and adults interested in woodworking are invited to become members of the Minnesota Woodworkers Guild—youth under age 22 will receive free membership! Benefits include access to classes and information, deals and discounts, contests and expertise! 4-H is partnering with the Minnesota Woodworkers Guild to support woodworking project learning opportunities! Learn more about membership.

Extension development and Minnesota 4-H offer several scholarships for college-bound 4-H youth, as well as a workforce training scholarship for an adult 4-H alumni or volunteer. Over $20,000 is awarded annually through a competitive application process. Minnesota 4-H scholarship online applications are now available. Applications require two letters of recommendation, with one being from an Extension educator. Review each application for specific details on eligibility and application deadlines.

Minnesota 4-H scholarships, grants and awards

If a 4-H member is unable to participate in the conference judging process by himself/herself due to a disability or injury, the 4-H member and/or the member’s immediate family must request permission for a conference judging assistant to be with the 4-H member during the conference judging of the member’s general exhibits. Arrangements and approval for a conference judging assistant must be made with 4-H staff prior to the beginning of the judging process. For more information, review 4-H Competitive Events: Judging Experiences for Youth with Disabilities or Injuries.

If you have a youth with special needs or disabilities, please complete the 4-H Judging Accommodations Request form and return it to the Dakota County Extension Office no later than July 8.

Please contact 4-H staff at kvatter@umn.edu for more information.

New for 2024:

MN 4-H introduces recognition for youth making a difference in their community and sharing their story through project(s) and exhibit(s).

Judges at local and state showcases will place a recognition sticker on each exhibit where the 4-H’er clearly articulates how their efforts made a positive community impact. Exhibitors will be asked, “Has your project made a positive difference in your community? And if so, how?”

Exhibits and presentations may demonstrate the youth’s community impact efforts through:

• Direct Service: Involves face-to-face interactions with the people, animals, or environment being served - such as distributing meals or cleaning up a park.
• Indirect Service: Involves benefiting a cause or group, but there isn’t direct contact with those that benefit - such as fundraising or knitting blankets.
• Advocacy: Involves researching issues of public interest and then encouraging action or promoting awareness - such as promoting mindfulness practices to a school curriculum committee, collecting water quality data for a community organization.

More info can be found at: z.umn.edu/4HCommunityImpact

Monday, July 29 - Animal Science night: Livestock interviews, barn clean-up and set-up

Monday, July 29 - Oversized exhibit drop-off in the 4-H Building

Wednesday, July 31 - Clothing (constructed and purchased) and Fashion Revue judging

Saturday, Aug. 3 - General Exhibit judging in the 4-H Building

Sunday, Aug. 18 - 4-H Dog Show Judging

Additional judging and fair related dates will be announced as dates are confirmed.

Minnesota State Fair - August 22-September 2

4-H Livestock Encampment at the MN State Fair - August 21-25

4-H General exhibit/Public Presentation Encampment at the MN State Fair - August 29-31

MN 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational - September 6-8

MN 4-H State Horse Show - September 13-16

MN 4-H State Dog Show - September 21-22

Livestock Encampment - August 21-25

Static Exhibits (general) and Public Presentations Encampment - August 29-31

Are you ready to show your horse at the next level? The NW district horse show is a great opportunity to test your skills and compete with 4-H members from other counties! The show will take place on August 31 in Wilkin County. Open to 4-H members who have completed grades 3 and up. Register in 4-H Online by August 12. Learn more.

We have a new Instagram account! Please follow us at Dakota.County4H or connect via Facebook at DakotaCounty4H.

If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please email Cherie to unsubscribe.

• Jessica Beissel: reed0324@umn.edu, 651-480-7752

• Kirsten Pederson: kapeders@umn.edu, 651-480-7722

• Rachel Rezac: reza0027@umn.edu, 651-480-7754

• Kris Vatter: kvatter@umn.edu, 651-480-7758
  

• Cherie Frandrup: frand004@umn.edu, 651-480-7702
  

Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/dakota
Location: 4100 220th Street West, Suite 101, Farmington, MN, USA
Phone: 651-480-7700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dakota.county4h