Cascade County 4-H Newsletter June Edition

CURRENT EDITION

Alternatively, download a printable version of the June 2023 Cascade County 4-H Clover Connection

Newsletter Drawing

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Newsletter drawing this year! The drawing will be back in September. Congratulations to the May Newsletter drawing winner, Lilly E. from the Galloping Guns 4-H Club!

Thank You!

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

Coya Williams
St. Michael’s Defense
William & Holly Kessler
Western Feed Corral
Cascade County Farm Bureau

Congratulations, Haley!

Haley Hoerner, Tiger Butte 4-H member, was awarded the Bud Dawson Livestock Scholarship from the Montana 4-H Foundation! Haley has been a member of Cascade County 4-H for 9 years and graduated from Belt High School this year.

Office Closure

The MSU Extension Cascade County office will be closed on Tuesday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. We will be open regular hours on July 3.

STARBASE STEM Careers Camp

STARBASE STEM is partnering with Pre-Employment Transition Services to offer camp at the 120th Airlift Wing in Great Falls. The camp is July 19-20, 2023. This camp will introduce students to various careers and skills in STEM, including computer-aided design, 3-D printing, coding, engineering design challenges, Principles of entrepreneurship, and more. This camp is open to high school students with disabilities. Email [email protected] or call 406-791-0806 to register.

Leaders Council Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council will be held on July 11 at 6:00 pm at the Extension Office and via WebEx.

Montana 4-H Congress

Registration is now open for Montana 4-H Congress on ZSuite! Congress will be held on the MSU Bozeman campus July 11-14. Congress is open to all youth 13 years and older as of October 1, 2022. Montana 4-H Congress provides youth from across the state an opportunity to come together on the Montana State University campus in Bozeman for four days and participate in an event like no other. Congress offers both youth and adults a venue in which to learn, be challenged, and most of all, have a great time with their peers. Montana 4-H'ers have been attending an event like Congress for decades. Congress has become an important tradition and is the signature event for the Montana 4-H Program. More information about Congress can be found at Montana 4-H Congress - Montana 4H - Montana State University Extension | Montana State University. Registration is due June 15. The Cascade 4-H Foundation has funds set aside to help offset the cost of this event. Parents are not responsible for driving their child to Bozeman for Congress.

Record Book Deadlines

It’s time to start thinking about completing your Record Books for the 2022-2023 4-H year! Record Books are an important part of 4-H that teach youth responsibility and record keeping, as well as providing youth a chance to reflect on what they did and learned in the 4-H program this year. Record Book questions can be answered by your club volunteer and youth leaders, project leaders, or by attending Record Book Office Hours.

Due Dates

June 20 – Livestock Record Book Check

July 6 – Shooting Sports Record Book Check

August 20 – Record Books due to Organizational Leaders (Leaders may require Record Books be due to them earlier)

September 1 – Narratives and Award Nominated Record Books due to Extension Office for Memorial, 25-Year Leader, and Special Achievement Awards

Special Achievement, Memorial, and 25-Year Leader Award Opportunities

Cascade County 4-H has many awards available to Cascade County 4-H members. New this year, Special Achievement awards do not require a narrative to be written. Descriptions of all available awards can be found at 4-H Record Book Awards - MSU Extension Cascade County | Montana State University.

Shooting Sports Leaders Meetings

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Shooting Sports Leaders will be on Thursday, September 7, 2023. The committee does not meet during the months of July and August.

4-H at the Montana State Fair

Registration for the 4-H portion of the Montana State Fair opened May 1! The 4-H portion of the State Fair includes static exhibits, domestic animal shows, small livestock shows, and contests in communications (public speaking), sewing, quilting, and foods. An email was sent to all enrolled families on May 1 explaining how to register for the State Fair.

4-H State Fair Event Schedule

• Monday, July 24 | 5:30pm – Harvest Building Set Up
• Tuesday, July 25 & Wednesday, July 26 | 4:00-8:00pm – Club Booth Set Up
• Thursday, July 27 | 2:00-7:00pm – Static Exhibit Interview Judging
• Thursday, July 27 | 7:00-9:00pm – Club Booth Set Up
• Monday, July 31 | 9:00-10:00am – Rabbit Show Check-In; 10:30am – Rabbit Show
• Wednesday, August 2 | 3:00pm – Fashion/ Sewing Revue & Quilt Show; 4:00pm – Communications Contest
• Thursday, August 3 | 9:00am – Poultry Check-In; 11:00am – Poultry Show
• Thursday, August 3 | 1:00pm – Cat Show; 2:00pm – Dog Show; 3:00pm – Pocket Pet Show; 4:30pm – Foods Festival; 5:30pm – Cake Decorating Challenge
• Sunday, August 6 | 9:00am-12:00pm – Harvest Building/Club Booth Clean Up

4-H Dairy Booth

The Dairy Booth is Cascade County 4-H’s main fundraiser. Last year, our program netted over $10,000 just from the Dairy Booth. Our 4-H program runs solely from fundraised and sponsorship/donated dollars. We fundraise in order to keep costs down for our 4-H families. Enrollment cost for Cascade County 4-H has not gone up for many, many years because of this fundraiser. The Cascade 4-H Foundation is able to purchase project books and provide them free of cost to Cascade County 4-H members because of this fundraiser. Without the Dairy Booth, costs for all Cascade County 4-H activities will go up.
The Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council Operating Policy states “All 4-H members are required to participate in Council fundraising events, especially if the member wishes to participate in county-sponsored events. County-sponsored events may include County Awards, 4-H Camp, Citizenship Interviews and trips, Congress, Project Days, Livestock Judging events, Ambassadors, Exchange, Leaders Training, and any other event funded by or through a committee or Council line-item budget.”
Working in the Dairy Booth is a fun way to ensure Cascade County 4-H remains affordable to all members! Make sure to communicate with your club leader to find out when your club will be working in the Dairy Booth.

Livestock Leaders Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Livestock Leaders will be on Tuesday, June 6 at 7:00 pm. The meeting will not be in person but on WebEx. Call the Extension office for the WebEx meeting information.

4-H Livestock Show and Sale Information

The Cascade County 4-H Livestock Show and Sale will beJuly 6-8 at the Montana ExpoPark’s Livestock Pavilion inGreat Falls, MT. The agenda has been emailed but hereare some important dates and times:

• July 6: Check and weigh-in.
• July 7: Market, rabbit, and poultry classes;herdsmanship judging; breeding pen judging;breeding poster judging, and pen decoratingjudging. Market livestock preview, buyerregistration, and buyer meal at 4:00 p.m. SALESTARTS AT 5:30 P.M.
• July 9: Dairy, herdsmanship judging,showmanship, supreme breeding femaleclasses, round robin, and award presentation. BUCKLES AND PRIZES TO BE HANDED OUT ATAWARD PRESENTATION.

The large animal judge will be Marc King, MSU Extension-Sweet Grass County Agent and former MSU Livestock Judging Team coach. The small animal judge will be Martin Townsend of Malta. Martin has judged rabbit and poultry for the Marias Fair for many years.

Entry for the 2023 Cascade 4-H Livestock Show is open through ZSuite events. There will not be a form to fill out, just click and go like enrollment. Here’s a step by step.

1. Go to ZSuite Events(https://4h.zsuite.org/events)
2. Click on “2023 Livestock Show Entry”
3. Complete registration for each 4-H memberentering the show/sale
4. You may pay online with a fee (please select the“pay through ZSuite option” when registering)or you can pay with a check (make checkspayable to “Cascade 4-H Livestock Leaders” andmail to the office).
5. Note the fee for each 4-H member to enter is anonline payment of $11.12 per 4-H member thatyou will have to pay online.

Entries will close on FRIDAY, JUNE 2 AT NOON!

Catalog Entries are open for 4-H members who are planning on selling market beef, sheep, goat, swine, or poultry meat pen. Catalog entries must be submitted through Cognito. The link is https://www.cognitoforms.com/CascadeCountyLivestockLeaders/_2023LivestockSaleCatalogEntryForm. Catalog entries close on June 2! Brook Gerard is your contact for the catalog. Her cell is 406-750-1838.

4-H Livestock Auction

The auction will be both live and video sale this year which means buyers can either purchase animals at the Livestock Pavilion at the Montana ExpoPark or purchase through a video sale online on Friday, July 7.

Record Book Interviews

4-H members who are planning on showing their 4-H livestock project (market, showmanship, dairy, rabbit, poultry, and supreme breeding females) at the county 4-H livestock show MUST attend the project book review on Tuesday, June 20 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Project book review is a first come, first serve and will not begin before 5:30 p.m.

Each project book must contain:

• Project book
• 4-H Record Book Activities and Learning Experiences Summary 2023
• 4-H Animal Project Journal
• My 4-H Year
• Self-Determined Form (if applicable)
• Cascade County Breeding Project Record Book (if applicable)
• Absentee Interview Judging Form 2023 (if applicable)

4-H members who do not have their project books reviewed will not be allowed to show or sell. Project books must be up-to-date. Those showing in the supreme breeding female classes must bring in their up-to-date Cascade County Breeding Project Record Book. Those who are unavailable to be at the project book review on June 20 must fill out an absentee form and bring the absentee form with your project book, 4-H Record Book Activities and Learning Experiences Summary 2023, 4-H Animal Project Journal, and My 4-H Year to the Cascade County Extension office by Monday, June 19 by 5:00 p.m.

Buyer thank you cards

Will be provided by the 4-H Livestock Leaders at the show. Please grab your picture between the market classes and sale preview on July 7.

Breeding Project Books

Completed breeding project books are due to the Extension office on August 1. 4-H members who entered a breeding project book will also interview with 3 judges in August. 4-H members entered in a supreme breeding female class MUST bring their up-to-date breeding project book to the record book review on June 20.

Other Show and Sale information:

• Scrapie tags are required for all sheep and goat projects (breeding and market) at the County Show. Tags are available at the Extension office or through the animal breeder.
• Health certificates are not required for the county livestock show. Livestock will be checked by a veterinarian at the weigh-in. The veterinarian inspection fee is $2 per animal and included on the livestock entry registration through ZSuite Events.
• Market Beef projects need to bring a brand inspection and a bill of sale to the weigh-in.
• Work with your animals! Animals that are safe to handle have been worked with. This requirement is strictly enforced for the safety of the 4-H member, fellow 4-H members, and supporters watching the County Show.
• If you are using a MEDICATION on your market animal, you must follow dosage and length of withdrawal time. Consult the Livestock Code of Ethics as defined in the Cascade County 4-H Livestock Rule Book.
• No hog joggers are allowed at the show.
• The livestock leaders ask each club to bring a minimum of 2 pig boards (or hurdles) to the show. Please mark your name and/or club name on each item to insure your item is returned to you.

Horse Leaders Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Horse Leaders will be on Tuesday, May 6 at 7:00 pm. The meeting will not be in person but on WebEx. Call the Extension office for the WebEx meeting information.

Horse ID Cards

All Horse Projects shown by 4-H members in 4-H classes must be owned by the member or member’s immediate family, or member must have access to the project horse(s). All project horse(s) must be declared by June 1 to the MSU Cascade County Extension office through electronic submission (ZSuite Event) and indicate enrolled projects. The horse(s) must be in the primary care of the 4-H member from June 1 through mid-September. Please go to ZSuite Events and register your horse(s) by going to the “Horse ID Card.” Horse ID cards are due June 1, 2023.

Horse Assessments

4-H members enrolled in horse projects are required to complete assessments in order to complete the project year. Projects requiring assessments are Horsemanship (English and Western, Colt to Maturity, Green Horse, Working Ranch Horse, and Horseless Horse.) Assessment forms are in the project manual and are available at the Cascade County Extension office. You may also email Rose at [email protected] for forms. Assessment for first-year project riders and horseless horse members must be conducted by an enrolled Cascade County 4-H Horse Leader. Assessments for riders previously enrolled in a horse project may do a self-assessment or be assessed by an enrolled Cascade County 4-H Horse Leader. A member must compete at the same project level as enrolled in the county and for which he/she has been assessed. To pass assessment and before leader signs off, member must satisfactorily demonstrate a minimum of 80% of the items on the assessment form to show competence of skills, show knowledge and understanding of skills and safe practices, show learning progression indicating skill will be achieved in current season, and exhibit that they can safely perform requirements.

Horse assessment due dates are

• June 1: Horsemanship and horseless horse assessments due
• July 1: Working Ranch horse assessments due
• August 10: Colt to Maturity and Green Horse assessments due

Horseless Horse Practices

Practices are open to all enrolled in horse projects. Riding will be the second and fourth Sunday of the month at Brook Gerard’s home at 256 Ulm Vaughn Rd, Great Fall, MT 59404. Weather and ground permitting.

Working Ranch Horse Practices

Lisa Jassen is hosting working ranch horse practices at the Neversweat Ranch (376 US Hwy 87, Belt, MT 59412) on June 5, 19, and 26 from 5:30-8:30 pm. Cattle available on June 5 and at another practice.

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.