Hello 4-H Families!

4-H Camp and Cloverbud Camp are coming up in a few weeks. Attached to this newsletter is a list of stuff for your camper to bring to camp.

The Marias Fair is coming up fast! Just a reminder that all members have to have five to seven activities from their project books and two of three experiences completed before fair. They need to have it checked by their leader or the Extension Office.

If you haven’t picked up your families first fair packet, please do so as soon as you can. The deadline for fair entries on FairEntry is June 15th. If you need any help or have any questions feel free to stop in the office and we can help you!

Cloverbuds will meet every Wednesday 3pm - 5pm @ The Exhibit Building until fair.

As always, please reach out if you have any questions at all!

Kim & Jackie

How to Use Livestock Feed Sheets

Glacier County Agent, Kari Lewis, has shared a couple of options to help livestock members keep a better record of the feed that they are providing for their livestock project. Whichever method is used, at the end of the month, the totals from the sheet should be transferred to the Animal Journal of the record book. Keeping good records will help you to make decisions for next year. You may want to change your start weight, your type of feed and ration, the breed of animal, etc.

Livestock Daily Feed Record

This PDF can be printed and is meant to be kept in the barn (on a clipboard, in a folder) and the feed amounts recorded each day as feed is fed and weighed.

Livestock Daily Feed Record (Excel)

This is the Excel spreadsheet of the Livestock Daily Feed Record. This can be downloaded and saved to your computer and daily weights added to the spreadsheet. There is a tab for each month which will then calculate the monthly total automatically.

4-H Camp

4-H Camp will be June 10 - 12, 2024 and transportation will be provided to Camp Kiwanis (south of Havre). It’s a wonderful experience to meet other 4-Hers, learn new skills, and have fun. The theme this year is “Sports.” The bus will leave the Toole County Courthouse @ 8:15 am. It will return on the 12th @ 2:15pm.

Kim will be riding the bus with the campers, so please reach out to her if you need anything. There is no service at camp so please leave a message on Kim’s phone if you have an emergency.

Cloverbud Camp

Cloverbud Camp will be held Thursday, June 6th 10:30am - 3:30pm @ The Marias Fair Exhibit Building. This year’s theme is carnival. Lunch will be provided. If you have not paid your $5 registration fee, please pay it before the camp or the day of the camp.

Small Animal Clinic

There will be a Small Animal Showmanship Clinic held on June 20th from 6-8pm @ The Exhibit Building. The animals that are being shown are, Dog, Cat, Rabbit, Chicken, Pocket Pet. Everyone is welcome to come! This is free to attend and there will be some snacks provided.

Marias Fair Shotgun Tournament

The Marias Fair Shotgun Tournament will be on June 29th starting at 9am held at the Shelby Trap Club. Members need to register on FairEntry by June 15th in order to compete in the tournament. 4Hers will complete their fair interview that day as well. The fee will be $10 collected with fair fees. 

Planning for fair

Check out the 2024 Fair Book at https://www.montana.edu/extension/mariasfair/mariasfairbook/ to see what potential exhibits you can take to fair! You can only enter items from projects that you are signed up for.

Marias Fair Pre- Sale Social- Help Needed

This event is an opportunity for buyers to interact with 4-H youth prior to the sale and show our appreciation. Help is needed for the Pre-Sale Social on Saturday, July 20th at the Seewald Barn. 4-H families are encouraged to help by bringing cookies/bars and/or working a shift. Donations of one dozen cookies/bars are requested, please bring to fair by Friday and contact Raylee Johnson (450-8041), Mary Anderson (450-8053), Destini Anderson (450-3218) to drop off. Cookies/bars should be in a disposable bag/container.

Members are needed to help set up, work, and tear down.

Fair Packets

Fair packets are ready for pick up in the Extension office. Camping spots are available on a first come, first serve (and paid) basis for anyone new, wanting to move spots, etc. Please review ALL materials and get registered in FairEntry early so that we have time to review your entries for accuracy, etc. PLEASE read through your packets carefully before beginning fair registration.

FairEntry must be completed and all forms turned in to the office by Friday June 14th. Again this year, premiums for every 4-H ribbon will be: Purple - $5, Blue - $4, Red - $3, and White - $2

Grace Hemmer’s Junior Leadership Project

Grace Hemmer is a Toole County Junior Leader. Her Junior Leadership Project is to sell 4-H Puravida Bracelets to raise money to get a swamp cooler for the Small Animal Barn. She is selling them for $10 each. If you would like to buy one to support 4-H, there are some available in the Extension office or get ahold of Barb Larsen (406) 460-2765 or Anna Hemmer (406) 470-1239.

Silent Auction donations needed

Every club is asked to donate an item or a basket for the annual Silent Auction in the Exhibit Building that supports a needed 4-H related cause. We are always willing to accept other donations from parents or friends of 4-H. Items can be dropped off on Clean-Up Day (July 13) or on Wednesday, July 17.

Livestock showmanship practice

There will be a 4-H livestock showmanship practice Saturday, June 29th at 4 pm at Chris and Lacy Roberts ranch west of Kevin. Members are encouraged to bring their livestock animals and show equipment. Please RSVP to Lacy if you are coming and will be bringing an animal, 406-209-5378. They're at 205 Nepstad Road, Kevin, MT. All are welcome, they just need a head count for dinner. Beef brisket will be provided, please bring a salad or side dish.

Marias Fair Food Booth Stadium Cups & Contest

4-H families, get ready to snag a piece of Marias Fair history! For the first time ever, the beloved 4-H Food Booth will be offering limited edition stadium cups featuring the iconic booth logo. With only 200 cups available, these are sure to become a coveted collector’s item. Grab yours early at the Fair before they are gone!

For a look ahead to 2025- we are excited to announce an artwork contest open to all 4-H members. The winning design will be showcases on next year’s Stadium Cup edition. Start brainstorming your mist creative fair-themed art and get those talented hands ready! More details on submissions will be coming soon. Between this year’s limited cups and next year’s artwork celebration, the 4-H Food Booth is the place to make new memories!

Glacier County 4-H Project Day

All 4-H members are invited to participate in Glacier County’s Project Day. Registration is available on Z-Suite.

NILE Merit Heifer Program Application Open

Applications are now being accepted for the 2024-2025 year. The NILE Merit Heifer Program is a live animal scholarship. Recipients receive a heifer calf to help them get a start in the beef cattle business and gain knowledge about the beef industry. During the program participants are responsible for caretaking, record keeping, breeding, and brining the heifer back to the NILE Stock Show as a bred heifer to compete for honors such as top showmanship, top heifer, and top herdsmanship.

Program participants are chosen based on merit, future goals, and ability to care for the animal. 4-H or FFA members who are 12-16 years old may apply. Applicants are not limited to Montana residents.

Applications and a link to the YouTube video must be submitted via email to shelby@thenile.org no later than June 30th. Find out more at https://thenile.org/events/livestock/nile-merit-heifer-program/ or by visiting with current NILE Merit heifer recipient, Janae Roberts. 

JUNE

6th- Cloverbud Camp 10:30am - 3:30pm @ Exhibit Building

6th- Ranching Rascals Chicken Club Meeting @ Amy Smith’s House

10th-12th- 4-H Camp

10th- 4-H Camp bus leaves Shelby Courthouse @ 8:15am

12th- 4-H Camp bus returns to the Shelby Courthouse @ 2:15pm

12th- Cloverbuds 3pm - 5pm @ Exhibit Building

13th- Chicken Club members (Not Cloverbuds) 3pm - 5pm @ Exhibit Building

15th- Fair Entry Registration Deadline - All forms/payments due

17th- Glacier County 4-H Summer Project Day 11:30am -5pm @ First Presbyterian Church

18th- 4-H Council Meeting 6pm @ Toole County Extension Office

19th- Cloverbuds 3pm - 5pm @ Exhibit Building

19th- Livestock Committee Meeting 6pm @ Seewald Barn

20th- Ranching Rascals Chicken Club Meeting @ Amy Smith’s House

20th- Chicken Club members (Not Cloverbuds) 3pm - 5pm @ Exhibit Building

20th- Small Animal Showmanship Clinic 6pm - 7:30pm @ Exhibit Building

26th- Cloverbuds 3pm - 5pm @ Exhibit Building

27th- Chicken Club members (Not Cloverbuds) 3pm- 5pm @ Exhibit Buidling

27th- Fashion Revue @ Exhibit Building - Cloverbuds will start at 4pm, older members to follow

29th- Marias Fair Shotgun Tournament 9am @ Shelby Trap Club 

JULY

3rd- Cloverbuds after school - 5pm @ Exhibit Building

3rd- Ranching Rascals Chicken Club Meeting @ Amy Smith’s House

4th- Holiday- Office Closed

11th- Ranching Rascals Chicken Club Meeting @ Amy Smith’s House

13th- 4-H Pre- Fair Clean-up Day 8am @ Marias Fairgrounds

13th- Food Safety Training following clean-up day

13th- Small Animal member meeting 10am in Rabbit Barn

16th- Working Ranch Horse Clinic 10am @ Remington’s

17th-21st- Marias Fair

31st- Carcass Awards @ Ambulance Barn