Cascade County 4-H September Newsletter

Alternatively, download a printable version of the
September 2022 Cascade County 4-H Clover Connection

Newsletter Scavenger Hunt

Everyone who emails Allyssa ([email protected]) by Friday, September 9, with a description of the page containing the glue bottle symbol above will be entered in a drawing to win a 4-H themed prize. The winner will be able to choose from multiple awesome 4-H items. Please include the description of the page you found the symbol, something you learned from the newsletter, and the name(s) of the 4-H’er(s) to be entered in the drawing.

Thank You!

Thank you to the following people and businesses who donated to the Cascade County 4-H Program over the summer!

Hotel Arvon & Celtic Cowboy
Northwest Farm Credit Services
Montana Farmers Union Insurance Agency
Zeller Family Foundation
William Kessler
Circle S 4-H Club
Tiger Butte 4-H Club
Haley Tompers
The Dr. David W. Baker Memorial Student-Science Foundation
The Nichols Family
Western Ranch Supply Co.
Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

Achievement Night

Mark your calendars! Cascade County 4-H Achievement Night is scheduled for Tuesday, October 11 at 6:00 pm in Heritage Hall at Great Falls College, MSU. Achievement Night is a great opportunity to celebrate Cascade County 4-H members and volunteers! RSVP at https://montana.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eExiR1x9mdh1lae so we know you are attending!

Cascade County 4-H Ambassador Team

The 2022/2023 Cascade County 4-H Ambassador Team was selected via interview process in May. In their short time together, the team has already attended Montana 4-H congress in July and helped with the 4-H portion of the Montana State Fair. If you would like the Ambassadors to attend a club level 4-H or community event, reach out to Allyssa at [email protected] or 406-454-6980.

Ambassador Team Members

Elizabeth Doyon, Big Sky Explorers 4-H Club – President
Emilia Doyon, Big Sky Explorers 4-H Club – Cascade 4-H Foundation Representative
Victoria Kirby, Trouble Shooters 4-H Club – Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council Representative
Kyona Yeager, Circle S 4-H Club – Publicity Chair
Seth Juhl, Ulm Pishkun 4-H Club

Office Closure

The MSU Extension – Cascade County office will be closed Monday, September 5 in observance of Labor Day.

Community, Alumni, and Volunteer Leader Awards

Cascade County 4-H awards multiple community, alumni, and volunteer leader awards at Achievement Night in October. Visit https://montana.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2cq3uVEnuMJDjym by Sunday, September 11, to make nominations. Awards open for nominations are the Friend of 4-H, Outstanding 4-H Alumni, Outstanding First Year Leader, Project Leader of the Year, and Distinguished Leader of the Year.

Friend of 4-H Awards

Two Friend of 4-H Awards are given each year, one for an individual and the other for a local business. Award recipients have gone above and beyond to support Cascade County 4-H. This award is a symbol of gratitude and commitment to a long-standing relationship with Cascade County community members and businesses to make the best better.

Outstanding Alumni Award

The Outstanding Alumni Award is given to a 4-H alum that is currently active in supporting Cascade County 4-H. This person is passionate about helping youth succeed and commits to finding ways to better the program. The award winner does not have to be an alumni of Cascade County 4-H.

Outstanding First Year Leader Award

The Outstanding First Year Leader Award is presented to a leader in their first year that has shown promise as an active, passionate, and dedicated volunteer with a “go-getter” attitude to bring innovativeness, creativity, and all-around enriched opportunities for the youth of Cascade County 4-H.

Project Leader of the Year Award

The Project Leader of the Year Award is presented to a leader that has picked up the torch for a least one project area and has made significant contributions to the opportunities and education for a specific project area. Leaders nominated for this award must have a team mindset, set goals, be inclusive to all members interested in the project, and care deeply about the success and sustainability of the project and members’ personal achievements in that project.

Distinguished Leader of the Year Award

The Distinguished Leader of the Year Award is presented to a leader that has been enrolled for two or more years in Cascade County 4-H as a volunteer. This leader is not only active in multiple areas of 4-H, but encourages and mentors other volunteers, supports 4-H members’ educational ambitions, and is an invaluable asset for Cascade County’s 4-H Program. They truly embody the “we” mentality and understand the value of working together for the betterment of the 4-H program.

Thank You, April!

MSU Extension – Cascade County Administrative Assistant, April McLean has moved on from her position in the Extension office as of August 26. April has been a friendly face in the office for 7 years, and she will be missed! Good luck to April in all her future endeavors!

Enrollment

Enrollment for the 2022/2023 4-H year will open on October 1 on ZSuite. Do not re-enroll until October 1. Returning Cascade County 4-H families will log on to their existing ZSuite account using the same email as last year. Do not create a new account. Most personal information will auto populate. All returning youth and adult volunteers will need to fill out the medical and media releases, animal waivers, and code of conduct. Please ensure the years in 4-H and years in projects sections are accurate. Keep an eye on your email inbox for a detailed enrollment email from Allyssa in late September.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and
activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status.

New Project Alert! – Astronomy

Cascade County 4-H Leaders, Chris and Brenda Canine are excited to announce that they are leading a new project this year, Astronomy! Chris and Brenda received a grant and telescope from The Dr. David W. Baker Memorial Student-Science Foundation that will be used for the project. Youth in the project will have the opportunity to learn about Astronomy through classroom instruction during Project Days, stargazing events, and a field trip after the State Fair. Sign up for the Astronomy project on ZSuite during enrollment.

Project Days

Project Days are scheduled for the first Saturday of every month, November – May, from 9:00am-12:00pm. We are currently in need of Project Day workshop leaders. If you are interested in volunteering to lead a Project Day workshop, email Allyssa at [email protected]. You do not need to be an enrolled 4-H leader to teach a Project Day workshop.

Fall Teen Leader Training

The 2022 Fall 4-H Teen Leader training will be held in Great Falls, October 21-23. This training is open to all Montana 4-H members 13 years and older as of October 1, 2022. More details will be sent out to qualifying members via email soon.

Montana 4-H Leaders Forum

The Montana 4-H Leaders Forum is back! This long-standing event is coming back February 17-19, 2023, after a five-year hiatus. The event will be held at the Double Tree in Billings. More information about the event will be available soon.

Leaders Council Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council will be held on Tuesday, September 13 at 6:00 pm via WebEx. Each Cascade County 4-H club should be sending at least one youth and one adult representative to Leaders Council meetings.

Foundation Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade 4-H Foundation is on September 27 at 7:00 pm at the Extension office and via WebEx. The original meeting date changed due to agent conflicts.

Shooting Sport Leaders Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Shooting Sports Leaders will be held on Thursday, September 1 at 6:00 pm at the Extension office. Join us if you are interested in joining the committee!

Shooting Sports Project Promotion

The Cascade County 4-H Shooting Sports Leaders Committee is in need of volunteers to man a promotional table at the Great Falls Gun Show on September 23, 24, and 25. We would love to have any members or leaders who want to promote 4-H Shooting Sports, or 4-H as a whole, to volunteer a couple hours on any of the following days, September 23 – 3:00-7:00pm, September 24 – 9:00am-6:00pm, or September 25 – 9:00am-3:00pm. Please email [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering.

Serving as a Horse or Livestock Leader

Cascade County 4-H Livestock and Horse Leaders are looking for adults to help govern the livestock and horse projects in Cascade County. Adults may enroll as a Livestock or Horse Leader from October to May. Leaders make and vote on rule and policy, plan the shows, organize educational workshops, teach, and much more! Meetings are held in January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, and November at the MSU Extension Cascade County office. Please call Rose at 406-454-6980 with any questions.

Livestock Leaders Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Livestock Leaders will be on Tuesday, September 6 at 5:30pm at the Extension office. Agenda items include nomination committee for president and secretary, discussion of 2021-2022 events, forming a budget committee, prizes, breeding project interviews, and more. The October 4 meeting will be to discuss the proposed rule changes and amend changes if necessary. There will be no voting at the October meeting. Leaders must be present at both the October and November meetings to vote on the proposed changes. The November meeting will be on November 1.

Market Animal Quota List

Please enroll your child in market animal projects by October 31, 2022, if you are planning on raising a market beef, sheep, swine, or goat for the 2023 Cascade County 4-H Livestock Show and Sale. The processing facilities limit the number of animals they can handle due to space and staff. Therefore, maximum limits are set for market animals. The limits are 30 beef, 30 sheep, 70 swine, and 30 goats. Members must be enrolled and pay enrollment dues before added to the market animal quota list. If animal quota has been filled, the 4-H member will be placed on a waiting list. 4-H members not entering the Cascade County Livestock Show may enroll in a 4-H livestock project at any time. This includes 4-H members entering the Montana State Fair or selling animals by private treaty, auction, etc. There are several ways to sell the animal:

1. Private Treaty
2. Livestock Auction Yard
3. Montana Fair
4. Cascade County 4-H Livestock Sale

4-H members can take any species as a project without the animal ever leaving home. This gives anyone interested in the project an opportunity to learn about one or more species. Please call Rose at 406-454-6980 with any questions.

Breeding Projects

Breeding projects will begin on October 1, 2022. Animals do not need to be in possession as of October 1, 2022. Contact the MSU Extension Cascade County office at 406-454-6980 if you need a new animal breeding book or have questions.

Beef Intent to Enter Form and Ear Tags

Beef Intent to Enter Forms and ear tags are available at the Extension office after October 1. Electronic copies of the Intent to Enter forms can be requested from Rose by emailing [email protected]. Steers must be in possession by January 1, 2023, and have the assigned ear tag from the Extension office in the animal’s left ear. There is a $10 entry fee for each market animal. 4-H members may intend to enter multiple animals per species. 4-H members cannot sell two hogs or two steers. 4-H members must declare specie(s), be enrolled in 4-H, and paid enrollment dues by October 31, 2022. The Beef Intent to Enter Form must include a full body photo of the animal showing the ear tag so that it can be read and is due Wednesday, January 4, 2023, to the Cascade County Extension office. Late entries will be issued a $25 late fee per animal. No entries accepted after January 11, 2023.

Rural Youth Loans

Loans are available through the Farm Service Agency (FSA). FSA provides financial assistance and business planning to help rural youth get a start on their futures. The Rural Youth Loan Program is designed to provide start-up funds to establish and operate income-producing projects of modest size in connection with participation in 4-H clubs, FFA, and similar agriculturally focused organizations. Call Janet Smith at 406-727-7580 for more information.

Junior Agriculture Loans

Loans are available by contacting the Montana Department of Agriculture. The loan program provides financial assistance through Junior Ag loans. Contact Walt Anseth at 406-444-5420 for more information, brochures, and application forms.

Horse Leaders Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Horse Leaders will be on Tuesday, September 13 at 5:30pm at the Extension office. Agenda items include nomination committee for president and secretary/treasurer, discussion of 2021-2022 events, MBHA championship, rule/policy change proposals, and more. The October 4 meeting will be to discuss the proposed rule changes and amend changes if necessary. There will be no voting at the October meeting. Leaders must be present at both the October and November meetings to vote on the proposed changes. The November meeting will be on November 1.

4-H CALENDAR

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status.