4-H Newsletters

CURRENT EDITION

Alternatively, download a printable version of the November 2024 Cascade County 4-H Clover Connection

Thank You!

Thank you to the following people and businesses that donated to the Cascade County 4-H program over the last month!

Cascade County 4-H Ambassador Team

The 2024-2025 Cascade County 4-H Ambassador Team is a group of senior 4-H members who have demonstrated leadership in their club and the county. This year’s team members are Tristen Short, Kyree Morrison, Kaya Morrison and Adison Powell.  This group has already been hard at work helping at Achievement night and planning Cloverbud activities for Project Day. Some members of the ambassador group will be traveling to Billings for Leadership Training November 1-3^rd, 2024

Office Closures

The MSU Extension Cascade County Office will be closed November 11 in observance of Veteran's Day and November 28 for Thanksgiving.

Grant and Financial Opportunities

Farmers Union Insurance will be bringing back their $100.00 grant for just mentioning them on your social media Club sites in January. Watch for specifics.

If you are looking for a way to finance your 4-H projects for this year, consider visiting the Farm Service Agency. They recently increased the loan limit to $10,000 and funds can be used for the purchase of animals, feed, supplies, etc. Youth between the ages of 10 and 20 are eligible. Loans are repaid annually and can be termed out for up to seven years for the purchase of breeding stock. The interest rate is currently 5.25%. Please contact Lacy Roberts or Eric Morrisett at the Glacier County FSA at 406-873-5618 ext. 2.

Lacy Roberts

Farm Loan Manager

Farm Service Agency | Glacier County Office

One 3^rd St. NE, Cut Bank, MT, 59427

p: (406) 229-2060 | f: (855) 547-5749

e: lacy.roberts@usda.gov | w: www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Montana/index

Stay Connected with USDA:

Project Days

Project Days will be held at the MSU Extension Cascade County office on the second Saturday of the months of November-May from 9:00am-12:00pm. Project Days are a great time for youth to attend workshops in the project areas they are enrolled as well as try something new! Project Day workshops are open to all youth apart from the Cloverbud workshop which is only available to Cloverbuds. Cloverbuds are not allowed to participate in other workshops. Register for Project Days on ZSuite! The first Project Day is November 9th.  If your club or are a Leader and would like to lead a workshop contact Jenn at Jennifer.Volkmar@montana.edu

Project Day Workshops

November 11

• Horse, Beef 101, Food Preservation, Cloverbuds, Shooting Sports, New family and members meet and greet, new leader question and answer sessions,

Upcoming Project Days

December 14, January 11, February 8, March 8, April 12, May 11

Citizenship Seminar

Montana Citizenship Seminar is designed to inspire 4-H youth as they learn about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Youth delegates gain hands-on experience with the legislative process by participating in a mock legislature, create and debate bills, work with other youth from across the state, meet with elected officials, tour the capitol, and participate in a service-learning project.

Event Details

Dates & Times

January 19-21, 2025

Location

Helena, Montana

Youth Eligibility

4-H members must be 13 years of age by October 1, 2024.

Meeting Announcements

Leaders Council

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Leaders Council will be Tuesday, November 12 at 6:00 pm at the Extension Office and via WebEx. All enrolled Cascade County 4-H members and leaders are voting members of Leaders Council. Leaders, please make time to attend as your voice counts. There are many opportunities for this group to help guide our members “Beyond Ready” Check with your club leader to see if your club needs a representative to attend this meeting!

Foundation

The next meeting of the Cascade 4-H Foundation will be held on Tuesday, November 19 at the Extension Office. The annual meeting will begin at 6:00pm with the quarterly meeting to follow. There will be a potluck at this meeting, so please bring a dish to pass.

Horse Leaders

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Horse Leaders will be held on Tuesday, November 5 at 5:30pm at the Extension Office and via WebEx. Livestock Leaders

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Livestock Leaders will be held on Tuesday, November 26 at 6:00pm at the Extension Office and via WebEx.

Shooting Sports Leaders

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Shooting Sports Leaders will be on Thursday, November 7 at 6:00pm at the Extension Office. This committee is looking for volunteers to serve as committee members, instructors and volunteers Shooting Sports Coordinator, Samaria Kirby at smkirby19@gmail.com.

4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Trainings

There are multiple opportunities available to become at 4-H Certified Shooting Sports Instructor. Certified 4-H Instructors help to teach 4-H Shooting Sports disciplines to youth throughout the 4-H year. Reach out to Jenn at Jennifer.volkmar@montana.edu or 406-454-6980 if you are interested in attending a training. The Cascade 4-H Foundation has funds available to help offset the cost of attending a training.

• December 6-7 in Kalispell, MT – Rifle, Pistol, Archery, Shotgun
• December 13-14 in Belgrade MT-Rifle, Pistol and Archery

Shooting Sports is kicking off the year with Rifle on Tuesdays from now until December. Pistol is Thursday evenings now until December. Archery will begin in December and run through February. Shotgun rounds out the year starting in April and will finish in May.  If you are interested sign up on ZSuites. 

Livestock Show and Sale

Save the date! The Cascade County 4-H Livestock Show and Sale has a tentative date of July 10-13 at the Montana ExpoPark’s Livestock Pavilion.

Beef 101

Join us at the Extension office Saturday November 9th, and follow up Sunday November 10^th at the Hastings for this jam-packed weekend on how to start your beef project.  Thank you to the Hastings for hosting. Sign up on ZSuite. 

Livestock Breeding Projects

Livestock Breeding Projects have begun. If you need a new or replacement Breeding Project Book, please let Jody know at cascade@montana.edu. New Breeding Project members will receive their project book when other project books are available at the Extension Office and will be notified via email when their books are available for pick up.

Achievement Night

Congratulations to the many awards recipients who were honored at Achievement Night.  If you didn’t make it this year, plan for next. Please make sure to support the local businesses that supported us with in kind donations and prizes.  We also want to thank Shannon Newth again for being our Emcee for the evening.    

2025 Outbound Programs

December 1: Deadline for Summer 2025 Outbound Programs Application. States’ 4-H Summer Outbound programs provide American 4-H youth with the opportunity to travel to foreign countries for a month-long cultural immersion experience. Delegates live with volunteer host families and engage in experiential learning about a new way of life. Delegates experience aspects of daily life that allow them to more deeply understand both their host culture and their own culture. Our network of like-minded international partners recruit host families and plan enrichment activities.   Montana 4-H Outbound Programs - Montana 4H - Montana State University Extension | Montana State University

Montana 4-H Citizenship Seminar

January 19-21, 2025: Montana 4-H Citizenship Seminar Montana Citizenship Seminar is designed to inspire 4-H youth as they learn about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Youth delegates gain hands-on experience with the legislative process by participating in a mock legislature, create and debate bills, work with other youth from across the state, meet with elected officials, tour the capitol, and participate in a service-learning project.  Citizenship Seminar - Montana 4H - Montana State University Extension | Montana State University

On the Horizon....      

Feb. 2025

Dates TBD: Montana   4-H Volunteer Institute    

March 2025

Dates TBD: Montana 4-H State
Dates TBD: Shooting Sports Leader Training

March/April 2025

Dates TBD: Montana 4-H Rec Lab

May 2025

May 1, 2025: Youth State Award Application Due

July 2025

July 6-8, 2025: Montana 4-H Pre-Congress & Ambassador Officer Selection
July 8-11, 2025: Montana 4-H Congress Competitive and Leadership Events.
If you are interested in these please contact Jenn at Jennifer.Volkmar@montana.edu   

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.