4-H Newsletter - May 2025
PDF of newsletter
A Letter From the Extension Agent
This month, I’d like to recognize and congratulate our nine graduating seniors! Graduating this year is Anna Beatty who has been in 4-H for nine years in the Toston Blue Ribbon 4-H Club. From the Old Baldy Club - Kaden Bruins (1 year in 4-H), Grace Kroeger (9 years), Scarlett McDaniel (10 years) and Kaelyn Sangray (9 years). Members of the Rocky Mountain Rough Hands club are Grady Erickson (10 years), Cassidy Flynn (10 years) and Kayla McDonald (11 years). Our final graduate is Ross MacDonald, who has been a member of the Winston Eager Beavers 4-H club for ten years! All of these members have been highly active and successful with their indoor and livestock projects throughout their 4-H careers.
Congratulations to you all! We wish you the very best in your future endeavors! It has been my pleasure to work with you in the 4-H program and watch you grow into young leaders. I have no doubt you will go far in whatever you decide to do! Once again, congratulations!
Sincerely,
Allison Kosto, Extension Agent - MSU Extension Broadwater County
Market Swine Tagging
IMPORTANT: All market hogs must be in your possession by April 15th. Due to biosecurity measures, no tagging and weigh-in will be held. It is your responsibility to get tags from the Extension Office to tag hogs by May 1st. A Market Swine Form needs to be turned into the office by that date. There is no limit to the number of hogs tagged, but only two hogs can be entered in the Fair and only one will sell. Every hog tagged must be assigned to a designated 4-H/FFA member. Fair entries must match the tagging form and all animals who are housed in the Livestock Building at Fair must be entered in the Fair. Tagging forms are attached to this email, available online, or can be submitted via google form. Contact the Extension Office or Travis Volkman at 406.253.6160 if you have any questions.
Project Add/Drop Deadline
The deadline to add or drop projects is May 1st! You can do this online through Zsuites or through the Extension Office. You are only able to enter into Fair for the projects you are enrolled in as of this deadline.
Market Lambs and Meat Goats
IMPORTANT: All Market Lambs and Meat Goats must be in your possession by May 15th. Weigh-in and tagging is on Tuesday, May 20th at 6:00 pm at Galor Genetics (8393 US HWY 287, Townsend). All market lambs and goats are required to attend the tagging. If you cannot attend, then you must make arrangements for someone else to bring your animal. No exceptions. Breeding animals are welcomed to get weighed but are not required to attend. Also please be prepared to share information about your animal including breed, breeder and date of birth. If you have any questions, contact the Extension Office, Dave Merrit at 406.539.5838 or Tancy McDaniel at 406.980.0456.
Market Rabbit & Poultry
If you plan to take market pens of poultry or rabbits to the Fair, they must be in your possession by June 25th and you are required to complete and turn in an identification form, due June 25th. Since there is no official tagging for these animals, we use a form. The form is included in this newsletter email and an online google form is available . This form is not needed for pet rabbits or poultry, laying hens or breeding projects. It is only necessary if you plan to take a market project to Fair and sell it through the livestock auction.
Multi-County 4-H Camp
Camp is on June 3-6th near Monarch. Registration will open in April in ZSuites and is due May 9 along with the payment and medical forms. 4-H Camp is open to members currently in grades 3-6th. Thanks to the generous support of the 4-H Council, the cost for campers is $70 and counselors is $60. Watch your email for more information soon.
2025 Broadwater County 4-H Fair
Believe it or not, we only have 3 months until Fair! This may seem like a long time, but it will be here before we know it! A copy of the Fair Book is attached to this newsletter email. It can also be found on the Broadwater County 4-H website.. In the Fair Book, you will find the Fair schedule, classes, rules and entry instructions. Now is the time to start planning your fair entries! Online fair entries will open May 16th and close July 9th. No late entries accepted.
Fair T-shirts
Club leaders are in the process of collecting 4-H members t-shirt sizes. T-shirts are provided for all members through a donation from AgWest. If a non-member (parent, leader, younger sibling, etc.) would like to purchase a shirt, please contact the office. Shirts are $20 each. Orders need to be in and paid for by May 31st
Committee & Council Meetings
4-H COUNCIL: The next meeting will be on Tuesday, May 27th at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Please note that the date has been changed. Contact Karen at 406.949.4852 if you have any questions or agenda items. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.
INDOOR COMMITTEE: The next meeting will be on Tuesday, May 27th at 6:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Please note that the date has been changed. Contact Karen at 406.949.4852 if you have any questions or agenda items. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.
LIVESTOCK COMMITTEE: The next meeting will be Tuesday, May 6th at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). If you have any questions or agenda items, please contact Jason Noyes at 406.949.4851. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.
HORSE COMMITTEE: There is currently no meeting scheduled. If you have any questions, please contact Jan Finn at [email protected] or phone (406) 266-4992 - home phone or (406) 521-0001 - cell phone.
INTERSTATE EXCHANGE CLUB: The next meeting will be Monday, May 26th at 6:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend).Please watch for the May meeting date. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Beatty at 406.490.1362 or Todd Beatty at 406.490.1361.
TEEN CLUB: The next meeting is not scheduled yet Teen Club is open to all Middle or High School aged members. If you are not currently in Teen Club, but want to find out what it is about, please come to a meeting! Please RSVP to Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852.
4-H Animal Project Activities
Market Livestock Activity Requirements
To sell market livestock (including poultry and rabbits) at the Broadwater County Fair all 4-H members must complete 7 “activities” for each market project by the Fair entry deadline. There are many different activities that qualify for points.
One option for junior members (ages 8-13) is to complete seven (7) activities in your 4-H Project book. Senior members (ages 14-18) are limited to three book activities, but there are still many other options! You may also choose other activities such as attending a workshop, livestock judging, outside shows, helping a younger member or organizing a workshop. For each of these items, you should write a paragraph about what you learned during the educational experience. These educational experiences can be in-person or virtual but must pertain directly to your specific 4-H project.
These requirements are for market livestock ONLY. This means it is an animal that you plan to sell in the 4-H/FFA Market Livestock Sale. If you are not selling the animal (for example pet rabbits, breeding projects, laying hens, dairy animals, etc.), then this rule does not apply to you.
Important Market Livestock Deadlines
Lambs & Goats: Posession - May 15th, 2025, Tagging and Weigh In (in person event)
-May 20th, 2025
Poultry & Rabbits: Posession -June 25th, 2025, Identification Form (turned in to office)
-June 25th, 2025
Dog
The dog project will be meeting on Wednesday evenings from 6:00-8:00pm at the fairgrounds (189 US Hwy 12 E, Townsend). If you have any questions, please contact Georgia Wilde at 913.837.0061.
Horse
Horse Identification Form and Vaccination Records:
Members are required to complete a Horse Identification Form for every horse that you are using for a 4-H Horse project. It is attached to the newsletter email. The Horse ID form is due to the Extension Office on May 1. Also included with the ID form is the vaccination form. It is due by the first riding practice or May 1st, whichever is first. Make it easy on yourself and turn both in at the same time! If you need to change horses after May 1st, then you need to submit a new ID form along with a statement (written or electronic) of why you are changing horses.
Horse Helmet Policy:
4-H Non-Animal Project Activities
All members are required to view the Helmet Safety video once during their Junior
aged years and again when they become a Senior aged 4-H member. This video can be
viewed in the office by appointment only. There is also a Helmet Policy Form that
must be signed EVERY year. This is also due by the first riding practice. A copy of
this form is attached to the newsletter email.
Riding Workshops
Riding practices are scheduled for May 12th and 19th at 6:30 pm at the Fairgrounds. If you have any questions, please contact Jann Finn at 406.266.4992 or Donna Richards at 406.521.0717.
Rabbit
The next rabbit workshop will be held on Sunday, May 4th at 3:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). We will be going over rabbit breeds. No rabbits at this meeting please. Rabbit workshops are planned to be held monthly on the first Sundays at 3:30 pm. If you have any questions, please contact Dannielle Douglas at 406.465.3318.
Dairy Goat/Meat Goat
The next meeting will be held Saturday, May 3rd at 1:00 pm at the Henke’s house (200 S Railroad Ave, Townsend) This workshop will cover showmanship for both types of goats. You can bring your goat to this workshop if you would like. If you have any questions, please contact Danyel Henke at 406.980.0995.
Poultry
The next workshop is scheduled for Saturday May 17th at 4:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Various poultry topics will be covered to help support member’s projects and prepare for Fair. Please let Alice know if any members would like to use this time to present to the group. If you have any questions, please contact Alice Kroeger at 406.547.4343.
Swine
The May meeting will be held on Thursday, May 15th at 6:30pm at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds (189 US HWY 12 E, Townsend). If you have any questions, contact Travis Volkman at 406.253.6160.
4-H Non Animal Workshops
Baking/Cooking
There will be a workshop on Saturday May 10th at 8:00am at Deep Creek Pizza (415 Broadway, Townsend). This workshop will be a tour of the restaurant, learning about running a food service company and food safety and labeling. You will also learn about pizza dough, tips on doughs in general and how to scale recipes for restaurant use. You will even have a chance to make your own small pizza for $5. Please RSVP to Jennifer Beatty at 406.490.1362 by 5:00pm on Friday, May 9th.
Woodworking
There is a field trip workshop planned for Friday May 16th at 2:00 pm at Marks Lumber Mill (30 Lump Gulch Road, Clancy MT). Please get ahold of Daniel if you are planning on attending this tour, so travel arrangements can be verified. There are also workshops planned starting in June. These will be the 10th and 24th at 6:00 pm at Cadilac Custom Cabinets Shop (6 Hunters Trail, Townsend). Please contact Daniel Harrigfeld at 406.980.0388 for any questions.
Sewing
The next sewing workshop will be Saturday, May 17th at 9:30 am at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). If you are planning on participating in the sewing project next year, please attend! Sewing workshops are planned for the second Saturday of the month until April. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Holland at 406.266.3473
.22 Rifle
The group has been divided into two shooting groups. Group A will meet on the first and third Mondays, Group B will meet on the second and fourth Thursdays at 6:30pm at the Broadwater Rod and Gun Club (96 Canton Lane, Townsend). For May: Group A meets on the 5th and 19th and Group B meets on the 8th and 22nd. If you do not know which group you are in please contact John Pavao. If you have any questions, please contact John Pavao at 406.422.9590.
Cloverbuds
The last meeting of the year will be on Sunday May 18th at 3:00pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). If you have any questions please contact Jessica Lancello at 406.860.5355.
Shotgun
Shotgun workshops will be held on: the 4th and 18th at 4:00 pm at the Broadwater Rod and Gun Club Canton Range (96 Canton Lane, Townsend). The shotgun program is planning on using SportsYou for updates. The code to join the shotgun group is YCXY-KMZK. If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Truesdell at 406.980.0640 or Todd Beatty at 406.490.1361.
Statewide 4-H Opportunities
Statewide 4-H Shooting Sports Matches
There are several shooting sports matches remaining. Visit the Montana 4-H Shooting Sports Event page for information, registration materials and instructions, dates and deadlines! For additional information on any particular event, please contact the office.
· Logan - Saturday, May 3, 2025 Shotgun Qualifier [email protected]
· Livingston - Sunday, 5/18/2025 Archery Qualifier [email protected] & [email protected]
Carbon County 4-H 3D Archery Shoot
Carbon County Archery Club would like to invite all active 4-H archery members to our 3D archery range on June 22nd, 2025 in Joliet! We have twenty, 3D targets set on a wooded walking course at our outdoor range. Target ranges are from 5 to 50 yards. Each target has 2 stakes per target, 1 for the youth division and 1 for both the Junior and Senior division. 8am & 10am Shoot times. BBQ Lunch and Awards following the conclusion of the 10am shoot time. Registration is done online. Register before May 31st for a t-shirt. Late registrations will be accepted.
MONTANA 4-H CONGRESS UPDATE
4-H for LIFE isn’t just a theme—it’s a call to adventure! It’s all about the journey of growth, leadership, and endless possibilities that 4-H gives you, now and into the future. LIFE stands for Leadership In Future Endeavors, and that’s exactly what 4-H helps you build—skills and experiences that will set you up for success long after you’ve left the 4-H community.
WHAT PARTICPANTS CAN EXPECT FROM 4-H CONGRESS:
• Make connections with peers, both youth and adult from across Montana.
• Learn by doing - Get practical experience through hands-on activities and competitions.
• Discover fresh ideas from workshops and national speakers that will fuel your future success.
• Build your network of mentors and friends who will cheer you on.
• Set yourself up for success— Participate in workshops that open doors to new careers
This event is the cornerstone of Montana 4-H’s Beyond Ready initiative which prepares young people for the challenges and opportunities of the future by helping them build the skills needed to be healthy, productive, and engaged.
Congress is open to all members 4-H age 13-19! Registration will open May 1 and close June 15.
We will also be looking for a county chaperone to attend Congress with our members. Chaperone numbers will depend on the number of members going from our county! If you are interested in possibly helping chaperone this event, please contact the office!
More information can be found on the Montana 4-H Congress web site.
Beyond the Beartooths Livestock Judging Camp
Carbon and Stillwater County are excited to be hosting a state-wide judging camp May 23-25th at the Red Lodge Fairgrounds. Registration will open April 2nd.
We are bringing in two experienced collegiate coaches, Jesse Henson from Auburn University and Sierra Meyers from Linn-Benton Community College. This camp will be full of hands-on learning for members and coaches!
There will be a contest on Sunday May 25th. This contest is open to all 4-H and FFA members, not just to those who attended the camp. More information will be coming out. Please see the flier attached to the newsletter email.
McCone County 4-H Jackpot
It's Jackpot Time in McCone County!
We’re excited to kick off planning for our Annual McCone County Jackpot Show — open to all active 4-H and FFA members! This year’s market animal classes include:
✅ Market Hog
✅ Market Lamb
✅ Market Goat
✅ Market Beef
✅ Heifer Class
NEW for 2025: Mini Market Beef Class!
Register now using the Showman App – it's live and ready to go!
Date: Saturday, June 22nd
Weigh-Ins: 8:30 AM | Show Begins: 10:00 AM
Location: McCone County Fairgrounds
For more info: [email protected] or 406 485.2605
Rimrock Sheep & Goat Show
This is a goat and lamb jackpot for all Montana 4-H and FFA members. The show is on June 7th, with weigh in from 7-8 am at the Metra Park Super Barn. Entries are due by May 23rd, but late entries will be accepted with an additional fee. If you are interested, contact the office for more information.
State 4-H Horse Shows
The dates have been set for the state horse shows. The Working Ranch Horse Finals will be September 12-14th and the State Horse Show will be September 26-28th at the 406 Arena in Vaughn MT. Watch for registration information as we get closer to the dates!
Montana 4-H Foundation- Youth Representative Application
The Montana 4-H Foundation is seeking dedicated and engaged youth applicants to serve on the Montana 4-H Foundation Board of Directors. You must be at least 14 by October 1 of the current 4-H year and be enrolled as a 4-H member the following year. The position is for youth who are enrolled/active 4-H members during their year of service, which will start at the July annual meeting. Application is due June 1, 2025.
MontanaFair Junior Livestock Show
The event will be August 8th-16th in Billings. Animals participating in this show must be tagged on the following dates: Swine/Sheep/Goat on Saturday, May 3rd from 8:00-11:00 am. Both tagging events are at the Public Auction Yard in Billings. For more information, contact the Extension Office.
International Exchange Programs
HOST FAMILIES NEEDED!
2025 Inbound Delegates
• 20 Japanese delegates (July 21 to August 18, 2025)
These are 18 youth, 12-18 years old and 2 adult chaperones
• 2 Norwegian delegates (June 25 to July 19, 2025)
These are 14-18 years old OR one adult chaperone
• 2 Academic Year Program (AYP) Students
Students from Japan or South Korea that need to be hosted for one academic year (August 2025-June 2026) and enrolled in a public school
For more information about the various inbound programs and hosting a delegate, please visit the State 4-H Exchange website to begin an application.
For more information or support materials contact:
Dave Brink
Interim MT4-HIEP Coordinator
(406) 822-3545
