On the Horizon

June 4

  • Livestock Committee Meeting, Courthouse Conference Room, 6 pm

June 9

  • Beef LQA, Weatherbeater, 2 pm - open to all species

June 17

  • Last Chance All-species LQA meeting at East Slope Vet Service, 5-6:30 pm

May 23-28

  • 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships, Grand Island, Nebraska

June 25-30

  • Teton County 4-H Fair, Choteau

July 9-12

  • Montana State 4-H Congress, Bozeman

July 19

  • Teton-Cascade combined 4-H Working Ranch Horse Show, 406 Arena, Vaughn

July 20

  • Teton-Cascade combined 4-H County Horse Show, 406 Arena, Vaughn

August 15

  • Record Books Due

Record Books Due August 15, 2024

  • A complete Record Book must be submitted (electronically via Zsuite or on paper) each year inorder for 4-H members to exhibit, show or sell at next year's Fair.
  • Market Animal members must bring a working version of their Record Book to Interview Judgingwith the market animal project section (on paper) nearly complete.
  • Record books are due to your club leader no later than August 15 so they can be checked for completion.  Project forms and Record Book guidance can be found on our webpage.

 

Agent's Corner:  A Bigger, Bolder Round Robin
by Jenn Swanson

It's always good to keep things fresh, right?Well, the Livestock Committee has decided to "go big" in response to pleas from fans who enjoyed the Round Robin Showmanship contest so much that they want to be able to watchall rounds at once.Round Robin 2024 will be our very own 4-ring circus under our "big top" Weatherbeater arena.

What will be the same?The two top showmen in each age group and species (beef, swine, lamb, goat) will be invited to the Round Robin Showmanship contest.For example, in Swine, the Senior grand and reserve showmen, the Junior grand and reserve showmen, and the Pre-Junior grand and reserve showmen are eligible to compete.The top showman in each age group will receive an award belt buckle.

What will be different?Each round is divided into 2 sub-rounds so that the two same-aged exhibitors can trade animals.For example, the two pre-junior beef exhibitors will switch animals after the first sub-round so that they both get to handle both animals.When the two sub-rounds are over, exhibitors move to the next species round.And wait, there’s more....

What will give it that 4-ring circus feel?All of the species will be in the Weatherbeater arena at one time, albeit separated by barriers.Swine will show in the east end in the paneled show corral; lambs and goats will show in the middle of the Weatherbeater arena; and beef will be on the west end of the arena.Beef, Lambs, and Goats will be separated from each other by straw bale barriers.This will be exciting to watch and safety will be a top priority - we'll be pulling in adult “ring leaders” to make sure things run smoothly.

Fair ...it’s the Greatest Show in Teton County!

Agent Corner:  The most exciting part of the 4-H year is upon us!Teton County Fair!Congress!Camp!
by Shelby Jones-Dozier

 

A huge shout out goes to Jamie and JoAnn who processed 579 fair registration entries over the course of a few days.

With fair registration complete, I am actively recruiting interview judges to evaluate 4-Hers work and provide meaningful suggestions and guidance.This is a great time of year for me to meet more members of the community and see how many adults are willing to share their expertise and time to support 4-Hers. Clubs should plan to arrive at the Choteau Pavilion on Wednesday, June 26th according to the times below.Parents, please be advised to keep the volume of side conversations to a minimum.We want to ensure that the judges and youth can hear one another and have a quiet, calm environment. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

If your exhibit is not in the auction, please plan to pick up your exhibits by 1 pm on Saturday.(If your exhibit is selected for the auction, please pick it up by 1 pm and deliver it to the Weatherbeater for display in the Meat and Greet area.)Spring Creek will be leading clean-up of the pavilion which will begin at 9 am on Sunday, June 30.Any orphaned exhibits will be taken to the Extension office until July 19th, at which time they will be disposed of or taken to the local thrift shop.

Interview Judging Times

Plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to your club's time to complete entry tags

Eager Eagles                1:30 p.m.

Challenging Champs  2:15 p.m.

Spring Creek                2:45 p.m.

Old Agency                   4:00 p.m.

July is packed with opportunity and fun for 4-Hers of all ages.

For our senior 4-Hers who were 13 on October 1, 2023, consider taking part in Montana 4-H State Congress on MSU Campus July 9 - 12, 2024. Find out more about 4-H Congress.Registration for Congress is through ZSuite. Teton County 4-H Council will cover half of the total cost of registration (not including a t-shirt or sweatshirt that can be purchased during registration). Transportation to and from Bozeman will also be provided by the county. Please make sure to bring your own spending money to cover the cost of meals on the road, to and from Bozeman. As well as spending money if any last-minute supplies are needed in Bozeman.

For our junior 4-Hers, camp is a great opportunity to make new friends, learn new skills and spend two nights in a cabin at Camp Rotary in Neihart from July 23rd – July 25th.Registration for camp is currently open and can be completed through ZSuite.Please note that the fee for camp increases on June 8th to $70 and on June 22nd to $90. At registration campers can purchase an optional campt-shirt for an additional $14.00.

A huge shout out goes to Heather McCartney-Duty, who has volunteered as an adult camp chaperone. We are enthusiastically looking for more adult chaperones to join her!What would camp be without food?I am very excited to announce that Susan Anderson will be our camp cook assisted by Cynthia Rice.

Currently we have 24 kids registered, 14 boys and 10 girls. We need at least two male chaperones, and another female.Anyone who volunteers for camp will need to become a certified volunteer which includes a background check.It takes a few weeks to complete this process. If you or someone you know is considering volunteering, please have them contact the Extension office by Friday June 28th.

We are also in need of a camp nurse.At Camp Rotary we are approximately one hour from Great Falls, which makes accessing emergency medical services take more time.To provide our youth with the safest camp experience possible, an onsite camp nurse is an integral part of the team.If you or someone you know has an active Montana Medical License and can donate their time, please have them contact the Extension Office.

Agents Unite to Urge Clubs to Get YOur Kicks and Earn Some Dough!

Looking for a new fundraising opportunity for your 4-H club? Here’s an idea that is sure to be both lucrative and fun. Get Your Kicks at 6 is a weekly music and farmers market event coming to Choteau this summer. The fun starts on Thursday evenings at (you guessed it...) 6 pm and lasts until 8 pm at the band shell in Choteau City Park. This community festival series is sponsored by Choteau Chamber of Commerce, Choteau Lions Club, and Teton County MSU Extension.

There are three ways you could make some money for your 4-H Club. The first is to sign up as a vendor at one or more of the events. Some ideas for items to sell include root beer floats, baked goods, crafts, woodworking, leathercraft, and flower baskets. There is no fee to set up a table at the Get Your Kicks at 6 farmers market and all proceeds from your sale will go to your Club!

A second way to make money is to sign up to sell meals at an event. For example, as a Club, you could prepare tacos or other to-go plates in the Pavilion kitchen for sale to concert goers. This option would take some planning and requires cleaning the kitchen afterwards, but could offer good returns.

A third idea that requires zero preparation is to be the Park clean-up crew from 8 to 9 pm. The Extension office was awarded a grant from MSU that will allow us to offer $150 per event to a 4-H Club or local sports team that cleans up for 1 hour. (Clubs can sign up for one or more events.)

If your Club is interested, please contact the Extension office to request a date (see below).

Friday July 5thand subsequent Thursdays in July and August: July 11, 18, 25, and August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (all concerts are 6 to 8 pm; clean up is from 8 to 9 pm)

2024 4-H Club Rotation

2024 4-H Club Rotations
Club
Rotation
Club Rotation Description
Challenging Champs
Meat and Greet
and Concessions
  • The Meat and Greet is our buyer appreciation event.It takes place on Saturday June 29, 2024, from 5 to 6:30 pm, in the Weatherbeater Arena
  • Your club will set up, serve food, and clean up after the event.Available club members should be divided into two teams:
    • 4-6 p.m.Setup for the event and serve food
    • 5-7 p.m.Serve food and clean up after the event
  • Your club has the option of selling baked goods as a club fundraiser, during Fair
Old Agency
Fair Project Display
  • Projects are displayed, and decorations are put up immediately following interview judging
    • Please wait to begin until all interview judging is complete
  • Clubs decide how to best exhibit fair entries (can be by club, by project type, etc.)
    • A champions area is generally created to display the exhibits that were ranked as rosette and division winners
  • The office will supply tablecloths, easels, risers, magnets/pipes, etc.
  • No tape, nails, staples, etc. can be used on the Pavilion walls
Spring Creek
Fair Cleaning at Pavilion
  • Clubs cleaning the Pavilion following the fair may either do so on Saturday night or on Sunday following the fair and should communicate their plan with the Extension agents
  • A cleaning list will be supplied with specific details for both cleaning the Pavilion and organizing 4-H/Extension supplies
  • Depending on the number of people who assist, this assignment will take 2-4 hours

Eager Eagles
Prairie Stars
Fair Facilities Management
and Greeter Scheduling
  • Arrange Pavilion greeters (work with Extension to determine schedule)
  • Plan and provide hospitality for judges at Pavilion during interview judging
    • Work with Extension to arrange budget/payment/times
    • Hospitality for judges varies depending on the time of judging
      • Could include a light snack (bars, fruit) and water or a light meal
  • Manage the physical facilities at the Weatherbeater and Pavilion 
    • Daily loading of paper towels, soap, toilet paper, dumping garbage, sweeping off bleachers, keeping areas clean and tidy, cleaning cement pad
    • Water spray bottles should be used to keep dust down
    • Managing inside and outside areas for cleanliness, safety, traffic, etc.   
      • Safety announcements can be made prior to and during the fair 

Eager Eagles 
Prairie Stars
Camp Rotary Cleaning
  • The Rotarians set the date for cleaning at Camp Rotary
    • As a user of Camp Rotary, Teton County is expected to participate
  • The Extension Office will forward information as it is received about the cleaning event
  • This assignment generally requires a smaller group of people with 4-10 able to complete the task
    • It is best to take gloves (cleaning and work), buckets, and rags.
    • Wear comfortable shoes and cleaning clothes.

2024 Teton County 4-H Fair Schedule

Tentative Schedule (final schedule released June 1)

2024 Teton County 4-H Fair Livestock Member Duty Roster

Set Up Duty
Clean Up Duty

Teton County 4-H Camp 2024-July 23-25

Registration now open in ZSuite

4-H Camp Registration
Registration Date
4-H Members
Non-4-H Members
Until May 24
$45
$90
May 25-June 7
$60
$105
June 8-June 21
$70
$115
June 22-July 5
$90
$135

There will be an option camp t-shirt available to campers for an additional $14.
4-H Camp Counselors:  $25 registration fee and t-shirt provided.
Adult volunteers: No fee and t-shirt provided.

 

Club Commotion

Eager Eagles

On Tuesday, May 28th the Eager Eagles/Prairie Stars hosted “Soup Supper” at the United Church of Christ in Fairfield.This is something the church puts on the last Tuesday of each month.Different groups host.The club asked for May.The club was able to keep the proceeds of the free will offering of $134.

Opportunity for 4-H Youth

The Life Enrichment Director for the long-term care facility at Benefis Teton Medical Center would like to invite 4-H members to share their projects with residents.A variety of projects would be suitable from all types of crafts to small animals that have been vaccinated.The residents love to meet 4-Hers and talk about their projects.

If interested, please contact Cheryl Woods at cherylwoods@benefis.org or 406-868-0286

Montana 4-H International Programs:  Hosting

Montana families have the opportunity to host and positively impact an international youth this Summer 2024 and Academic Year 2024 - 2025. The host family will help select which delegate best matches with their family.

Summer 2024: July 22 - August 17

16 Japanese females and males ages 12 - 17

Apply to host for Summer 2024

Academic Year 2024 - 2025: ~10 months, arriving in August

1 Korean youth age 15 - 18

1 Japanese youth age 15 - 18

Apply to host for 2024-2025 Academic Year

Have further questions? Contact Christine at c.sommersaustin@montana.edu or 406.994.3504

Montana 4-H Congress 2024

THEME UPDATE COMING SOON!

Join the event that links Montana 4-H'ers together! There will be something for everyone one at Montana 4-H Congress July 9-12, 2024. We are sure this will be the highlight of your 4-H year. If you aren’t sure what 4-H Congress is all about, just ask one of the many Montana 4-Hers that have been coming to congress year after year. The only complaint most have is they don’t want to go home!

 

What do you do at 4-H Congress?

 

  • Enjoy social time like dances, teambuilding games and crowd-pleasing sessions with lots of laughs.
  • Participate in one of the 13 state level contests. If you are interested in competing make sure you are aware of your counties dates, deadlines and policies for participation in a state level contest. Learn More about these contests.
  • Opportunity to choose from variety of hands-on workshops delivered by MSU faculty, community organizations and other top-notch presenters giving you lots of ideas for your own future and how you can have an impact on your community.
  • Give your hands to larger service by being part of a statewide service project giving back to those that have given to us.
  • Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for schedule updates, new details coming every day!
  • ​​​​​​​Register in 4h.Zsuite

 

MSU Extension Teton County

Fair Dates

The Teton County Fair is scheduled for the last full weekend in June that includes a Sunday.

2024    June 24-30
2025    June 24-29
2026    June 22-28

Camp Dates

2024   July 22-26

4-H Congress Dates, Bozeman

2024   July 9-12

 

MSU Extension Teton County
P.O. Box 130
Choteau, MT 59422
406-466-2491


Agents:

Shelby Jones-Dozier shelby.jonesdozier@montana.edu
Jenn Swanson  jenn.swanson@montana.edu

Assistants:

JoAnn McDowell & Jamie Smith  teton@montana.edu

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