4-H Newsletter March 2021
Remind App...Remember?
The Extension Office is now using the Remind app to send messages via text to 4-H families in order to communicate quickly and efficiently.ALL Teton County 4-H families should have received a text from "J. Wolery" from the Remind app inviting them to join "Teton County 4-H".If you did not receive a text, please contact the officeFamilies can also decline the invitation.We will be using this platform to send out messages about deadlines, events, etc. If you have not yet responded to the Remind app invitation, please do so as soon as possible so you can stay informed about 4-H events, deadlines and opportunities.
Add to Your Contacts
Please add 406-350-5373 to your contacts.This is the number from which you may receive text messages from the Extension iPad as well as submit livestock and other photos if you don't do so with ZSuite.Thank you!
Club Dues and 1% Fee
The following 4-H clubs and committees need to pay their dues/1% fee by April 15 or the amount will double: Challenging Champs ($319.92), Prairie Stars ($92.48), Rocky Mountain Top Shots ($53.51)and Horse Club ($73.43).Checks should be made out to Teton County 4-H Council.Thank you.
The Next 31...and Beyond
March 31 Due: Applications for Boe Brothers & Anne Wiprud Scholarships
April 5 Deadline for Swine Possession, Paperwork and Photos
April 15 Deadline for adding and/or dropping projects
April 19 Deadline for Lamb/Goat Possession, Paperwork and Photos
All scheduled activities subject to change due to COVID!
Steak or Salad?
by Karen Forseth, Ag Agent
Did you know that not all market animals have the same digestive system?The type of digestive system your market animal has will determine what you should be feeding it.Animals have nutritional requirements that must be met to do their job well.And, as market animals, their job is to grow and build muscle.Lambs, goats and cattle are known as ruminants.Ruminants have stomachs divided into four different compartments.Just to impress your friends, those compartments are known as the Reticulum, Rumen, Omasum and Abomasum.Pigs have a digestive system much like our own.Horses have a different system all together.For the sake of space, we will only discuss the market animals here.While a ruminant can extract many important nutrients from hay, pigs cannot.One way to look at feed is whether it is a concentrate or a roughage.What is the difference you ask?Simply, concentrates are low fiber while roughages are higher in fiber content.Grains, grain products and grain by-products are concentrates while hay, straw, and grass are some examples of roughages.For those members in the swine project, marshmallows are a concentrate-- just not a very nutritious one! Ruminants can digest both roughages and concentrates.While pigs can benefit from some fiber, a diet completely made up of roughages would not meet their nutritional needs.Their systems are better suited to concentrates.Cattle, on the other hand, can live on only roughages and no concentrates just fine.Think “grass-fed beef”!We add concentrates to a beef diet to increase the animal’s rate of gain.There is also a difference in the flavor of grain-fed beef vs. grass-fed beef as well.But that is a whole other article.Just a word of caution, feeding cattle a diet that contains rich hay and large amounts of concentrates can result in a potentially fatal digestive disorder known as ‘bloat’.No matter what kind of market animal you are raising, be sure to make any feed changes slowly and ask for help if you are not sure about what to feed. When you go out to feed your animal, ask yourself am I feeding roughage, concentrate or a combination of both?As for something you might eat, is salad and steak roughage, concentrate or both?
Still in Planning...
The following events are still in the planning stages.We will update you as we have finalized decisions.Please continue to check your email and your Remind texts for the latest information!
Communication Day: at this time, we are unsure of the date or format this may take.
4-H Camp: There are two sets of potential dates for camp this year but no decision has been finalized.The rest of the decisions have also not been made as to format, theme, etc.
4-H Fair: the dates for fair this year are June 21-27. Other than that, no decisions have been made as to what the Fair will look like, the theme or other details.
We will communicate details on all these events as soon as decisions are made.Thank you for your patience!
Clubs and Committees
Challenging Champs
Submitted by Amara Bodkins
The Challenging Champs 4-H Club met on February 7, 2021 at 2 pm.Nineteen members, one Cloverbud, and six leaders were present either in person or online. Tyler Ellsworth led the American Pledge and Cameron Keel led the 4-H Pledge. Secretary Amara Bodkins led roll call of who members thought would win the Super Bowl and read the last meeting minutes. Tyler moved to approve the minutes and Jessica seconded the motion. The motion carried. For our treasurer’s report we were informed that we have $3910.26. We decided to vote on paying for our 4-H sweatshirts of which the total is $1,015. Tyler moved to pay for the sweatshirts with a second from Jessica. The motion carried.
President Jersey Somerfeld informed us that we received a thank you for giving Caring Tree gifts, and she announced the dates for market swine, lamb and goats. Jersey reported on the Legislative Breakfast she attended virtually, and recommended members participate in it next year. Leader Kelsy noted that Jamie Smith from the MSU Extension Teton County office spoke on ZSuite, all its features and thenotifications it has for record books. The link was put on our Facebook page, and Kelsy recommends members use it for record books. Members then gave project reports. Annie Diekhans told us about the ambulance quilt she made for a girl, Kinlie Neuman told us her steer is doing good, and Amara Bodkins told us about the progress on her wall hanging. For new business, Jersey told us that market animal members need to take an LQA training class every two years to be eligible for county and state carcass awards. Also, 4-H members in livestock projects can request a North 40 discount card for show feed from the Extension Office.Volunteer Kristen told cooking members she is able to meet monthly to cook recipes in the 4-H book at her house and gave contact information for people interested. Our club hopes to meet in person, but members said they were okay with doing virtual meetings.
The next meeting will be March 7, 2021. Jessica moved to adjourn the meeting and Cameron seconded. Calvin Diekhans demonstrated Calvin’s Smoothie and Annie demonstrated This is Your Fortune! For our activity members made cards to send to the Benefis Teton Medical Center.
Lead On!
Market Animal project members MUST work with their animals consistently before fair so that:
- animals will load and weigh without issue
- animals are gentle and used to being handled
This is a SAFETY concern for everyone involved with fair.
Animals who do not handle well are NOT guaranteed to be allowed to show or sell!
Market Project Members Needing LQA
If your name islisted below, you MUST take an approved Livestock Quality Assurance (LQA) class before fair if you want to be eligible for county and/or state carcass awards. Keep watching ZSuite Annoucements and your email for news about the new and improved LQA coming your way!
Ariana Banner
Avery Banner
Gage Banner
McCoy Banner
Kinsey Bender
Caden Brooks
Jeff Burton
Ainsley DeBruycker
Nolan DeBruycker
Kingston Egbert
Blake Gunderson
Kale Gunderson
Dillon Harrell
Atha Johns
Annika Konen
Waverly Konen
Andrew Major
Jacob Major
Katie Major
Ledger Martin
Elexis McCann
Tessa McFarlin
Maili Miller
Nick Miller
Alexis Morris
Jorja Morris
Katy Morris
Seeley Neal
Kamri Neuman
Kinlie Neuman
Shea Ostberg
Aundra Passmore
Caleb Rammell
Hunter Rammell
Jeremiah Rammell
Cannon Stewart
McKenzie Stewart
Trent Taylor
Grace Toeckes
Jackson Toeckes
Maggie Toeckes
Mikayla Toeckes
Dylan Ulsh
Cyler Yeager
Justyce Yeager
Kyona Yeager
Rusch Yeager
Project Add/Drop
The deadline for adding or dropping projects for this 4-H year is APRIL 15.Beyond that date, you cannot add projects OR drop projects for this year.Be sure you will be able to complete any projects you have already enrolled in before deciding to add any more.Carefully determine if you will not be able to complete a project for which you have signed up before dropping it.
Scholarships
Boe Brothers and Anne Wiprud
The Boe Brothers and Anne Wiprud scholarship applications have been sent directly to high school seniors in the county.There are proposed changes to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)being reviewed that have to do with the current COVID situation. scholarship must be in the office by 5 p.m on March 31.
4-H Foundation
The 2021 MT 4-H Foundation awards over 22 scholarships annually.The deadline for applying is April 1, 2021.Complete one application to be eligible for 22 scholarships!! Apply for 4-H Foundation scholarships.Applications will no longer be accepted via hard copy.
State Awards
Each county may nominate one individual for each category to be considered for awards.Nominees may qualify for more than one category.Priority consideration will be given to volunteers who have not received a statewide award within the last five years.Nominations are DUE June 1, 2021.
Tribute to Volutneer Excellence
The Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development recognizes individuals from each 4-H District in two award categories:The Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer recognizes individuals who have served as 4-H volunteers for more than 10 years.The Volunteer of the Year recognizes individuals who have served as 4-H volunteers for less than 10 years. Each county may nominate one volunteer per category. These individuals have made an innovative change or impact on the 4-H program, positively affecting the lives of youth, and creating a standard of excellence that helps motivate others.Recipients will receive a cash award for a 4-H program, activity or event of their choice. Two letters of recommendation are required.Recipients serve as the pool to select the Montana 4-H Salute to Excellence nominees.
Hall of Fame Award
The Montana 4-H Foundation honors individuals such as community leaders, alumni, former or current directors or former or current staff for their outstanding lifetime efforts to generate opportunities for 4-H youth by giving, volunteering or community support of 4-H.Recipients will receive an individual plaque as well as included on historical plaque with the Montana 4-H Foundation.A letter of support from the county 4-H council or Extension Agent is required.
Outstanding 4-H Alumni Award
The Montana 4-H Foundation recognizes 4-H alumni who have made a significant impact on 4-H by promoting, supporting and enhancing the benefits of youth and adult involvement in the program or a specific 4-H project area.Recipients will receive a plaque.A letter of support from the county 4-H Council or Extension Agent is required.
Find Out More About Record Books
Montana 4-H Live Webinar Series
GPS & Drone Aerial Mapping
Through June 2021
Live Webinars for Virtual Club Meetings and/or In-home Learning
If you are interessted in this new offering, please let the Extension Office know ASAP. Links for webinars will be available soon.
1. Program Overview
An introduction to the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Drone Aerial Mapping techonologies and how they're used in agriculture and natural resource applications. The wide range of practical applciations provide 4-H youth and clubs with many options from which to pursure their interests and projects - from military, faming/ranching, natural resources, history, geo-spatial storytelling outdoor activities and so many more.
February 9, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
Technology needed: Participants can utilize their own handheld GPS receiver (or smartphone with apps such an OnX, Gaia, Google Maps, etc. for certain applciations) and drone (if they have them).
Webinars will be recorded an made available on the website.
3: Geocaching
Use GPS technology to find hidden treasures, historic sties and unique landscape features in your area.
March 9, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
4: Aerial Photos, maps & Compass
Use aerial photos, maps and compasses to naviate the outdoors. Photos, maps and compasses are used WITH GPS technology to explore our word.
March 23, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
Technology needed: Silva Ranger compass (or similar), local USGS topographic maps, aerial photos, Forest Service or BLM Maps, etc.
5: Google Earth
Introduction to Google Earch software/app.
April 5, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
Technology needed: computer with free Google Earch software or app installed or accessible.
6: Logging points, lines and polgyones with GPS Receiver Outside & Importing to Google Earth
From fireld to office to map of your features of interesst.
April 20, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
7: Introcution to Drones
How they're used in agriculture & natural resource applications.
May 4, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
Technology needed: a drone if you have one; otherwise this information will help you understand which type of drone or simulator to start with.
8: Drone Simulators/Drones & Aerial Imagery/Drone FAA Flight Rules & Regulations
May 18, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
9: Drone Flight Parameters & Mission Planning
Elevation, speed, pattern, overlap, timing, etc. are flight variables affecting photo coverage and eventual end map success.
June 1, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
10. Aerial Image(s) Stitching - Introduction to Microsoft Image Composite Editor
This software is used to stitch drone-collected photos together.
11. Calculating Scale for Stitched Aerial Photo/Map
Turn your large-area drone aerial map into a land management tool by calculating the scale of your aerial map.
For the Good of the Order
2021 Club Rotations
Weatherbeater Concessions-Spring Creek
Fair Project Display-Pavilion-Old Agency
Buyers' Appreciation/Meat & Greet-Prairie Stars & Challenging Champs
Fair Clean Up-Pavilion-Eager Eagles
Camp Rotary Clean Up-Eager Eagles
Calendar
March 2021
31: Boe Brothers/Anne Wiprud Scholarship Applications due
April 20201
5: Swine assessment fees, paperwork and photos due
15: Project Add/Drop Deadline
19: Lamb and goat assessment fees, paperwork and photos due
Fair Dates
The Teton County Fair is scheduled for the last full weekend in June that includes
a Sunday.
2021 June 20-25
2022 June 24-30
2023 June 19-25
2024 June 24-30
2025 June 24-29
MSU Extension Teton County
P.O. Box 130
Choteau, MT 59422
Agents:
Karen Forseth: [email protected]
Jane Wolery: [email protected]
Assistants:
Sharla Hinman & Jamie Smith [email protected]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and the Montana State University Extension Service 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. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cody Stone, Director, Extension Service, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717