December 5 Archery Mandatory Safety Meeting

December 13 Horse Committee Meeting

December 19 Livestock Superintendent Meeting

January 4 Registration Deadlines

January 7 Beef Weigh In

January 10 Horse Committee Meeting

January 15-17 Citizenship Seminar

January 18 Livestock Judging Contest

January 19 Symbol of Excellence Award Ceremony

January 23 4-H Advisory Council Meeting

January 16-17 Legislative Breakfast

February 6 Goat Quality Assurance Opportunity

February 7 Horse Committee Meeting

February 17-19 Volunteer Institute

February 20 4-H Livestock Committee Meeting

When:

Mondays at 6:00PM

January 23, 2023

March 20, 2023

May 15, 2023

July 17, 2023

Sept. 18, 2023

Where:

Victor Fire Hall, 2383 Meridian Rd, Victor, MT 59875

When:

Mondays at 6:00PM

Feb. 20, 2023

April 17, 2023

June 19, 2023

August 14, 2023

Sept. 25, 2023

Oct. TBD

Where:

Victor Fire Hall, 2383 Meridian Rd, Victor, MT 59875

Welcome to Returning and New Members Alike!

It's a new 4-H year, and that means it's time to enroll in ZSuite.

Please update your profile and enrollment for the 22-23 4-H year.

Club dues can be paid by check or cash at the Extension Office.

Happy fall archers, it is time to mark your calendars!

Mandatory Safety Meeting Monday December 14, 2022 starting at 6:00 PM at Firehouse Archery in Corvallis.

Class times are 4:30, 6:00 and 7:30.

There will be 16 shooters per class, for a total of 48 archers.  

Questions?

Call or text Hope Earp at 406.961.4615

Thank you to those clubs who have completed and submitter their end of the year paperwork. If you have yet to do this please complete your end of year financials and submit them to the extension office. If you have questions regarding year end financials for 4-H clubs click the dollar sign for more information.

$

Outdoor Adventure 1

Next meeting TBD

Contact: Gabby, gabby.burns.coffee@gmail.com

Tuesday December 13, 2022 at the Hamilton House in Victor @ 6:00 pm.

Tuesday January 10, 2023 at the Hamilton House in Victor @ 6:00 pm.

Tuesday February 7, 2023 at the Hamilton House in Victor @ 6:00 pm

Tuesday March 14, 2023 at the Hamilton House in Victor @ 6:00 pm.

4-H horse members highly encouraged to attend. Members need to attend to help with planning of the Cowboy Ball dessert fundraiser. 

The horse program is working to get the dates secured for the 4-H Horse Awards Banquet which is currently planned for either Sunday January 15th or January 22nd at 4:00 pm. Please plan to attend this event. This will be a potluck, so please bring a dish to share. More details to come. For more information please reach out to Ashley Lee 406-381-3541 or ashleymlee2019@gmail.com

Judge livestock with Ravalli County 4-H. Livestock judging contests are available throughout the year and across the state. 

Join the Ravalli County 4-H Livestock Judging Team. All 4-H ages are welcome. 1st event is January 18, 2022 in Great Falls, MT.

Upcoming contests include Montana Ag Expo in Bozeman in November, KMON in Great Falls in January, Missoula County Invitational in Missoula in April, and possibly State 4-H Congress in Bozeman in July. Contact project leader Ben Meyer at 239-1213 or meyer.ben.a@gmail.com. 

Registered Nigerian Dwarf Goats for 4-H projects for sale contact Jennifer Bush travjenbush@gmail.com

Steers for sale that have been worked with. Many have been led and tied and are gentle for all stages of 4Hers and showmen. Isabelle Lowry would enjoy the opportunity to work with 4-H'ers to help them with a successful project this season. Some select heifers that would be great to show and then breed are also available for sale. 

Kimberly Lowry / Broker Associate, Licensed in MT

klowry@fayranches.com / 406.490.4323

Fay Ranches, Inc.

800.238.8616 / fax 406.586.4020

Helena, MT 59722

www.fayranches.com

When:

January 7, 2022

8:00am to 12:00 noon

Where: Sutherlin Farms

415 Spooner Creek Lane

Stevensville, MT 59870

Packets with all the information will be mailed to all 4-H Beef project members.

Ravalli County Livestock Committee is now accepting superintendent applications for 2023:

Horse Superintendent

Dairy Superintendent

Join the Montana 4-H Leadership Academy workshop on Sunday afternoons in 2022 and 2023. The Leadership Academy is a network of Montana 4-H members interested in exploring and developing their own leadership skills while serving their local 4-H program in new ways. 

Local leadership groups will have an opportunity to join with members from around the state as well as the Montana 4-H Ambassador Officer team, virtually, to work on skill building, planning and mentorship. 

Each month the officer team will be presenting a different workshop topic that they found to be important as they have grown their own leadership abilities. This workshop can be paired with a local county leadership meeting to work on county projects that serve the local 4-H program and community. 

County Leadership groups should plan to meet face to face whenever possible and engage in the virtual statewide workshop together. However, participants are welcome to join the online workshop as individuals. 

This time can be viewed as a leadership club meeting. County ambassadors can aid in planning and facilitating these local workshop meetings.  All workshops are Sunday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. 

November 20: Connection with Cloverbuds

December 11: What Makes a Leader

January 8: Power of Positivity 

February 5: Tools for Facilitation

March 5: The Butterfly Effect on Leadership

Visit the webpage for complete descriptions: https://www.montana4h.org/programs/youth_leadership/academy.html

To receive the zoom meeting link and info for this workshop series please complete the short registration by clicking the "Register Now" on this montana4h.org page 

Once the form is complete an email containing the zoom meeting link for all 5 workshops will be sent automatically. 

Montana 4-H Volunteer Institute 

Billings, MT February 17-19, 2023

The Montana 4-H Volunteer Institute is open to all 4-H volunteers in Montana. Registration cost is $75 and we will be at the Double Tree Hotel downtown. The institute will be a great opportunity to learn from other volunteers and Extension Agents, network, and celebrate the accomplishment of volunteers across Montana. 

4-H Shooting Sports Trainings

• Kalispell: December 2-3, 2022
• Havre: December 9-10, 2022
• Belgrade: December 16-17, 2022
• Billings: Spring 2023
• Logan: Spring 2023

Forms can be found soon on the Montana 4-H Shooting Sports Page, will be updated soon!

Montana 4-H State Shoot: March 3-5, 2023

National 4-H Shooting Sports Championships: June 25-30, 2023

International Hosting & Exchange Opportunities for 2023-2024

Family Hosting Opportunities short-term and long term

• 13 Japanese Youth Delegates & Chaperone (~4 weeks in July/Aug)
• 2 Norwegian Youth Delegates (~4 weeks in end of June-end of July)
• 2 Japanese Youth Delegates for Academic Year Program (~Aug-June)

Outbound 2023 Summer Programs are 4 weeks (or 8 weeks - Japan only)    

·                    Argentina

·                    Costa Rica

·                    Finland

·                    Norway

·                    Romania

·                    Taiwan

·                    Korea

·                    Japan

The 2023 Montana 4-H Citizenship Seminar will take place from January 15-17, 2023 in Helena at the Delta Colonial Hotel. This citizenship-in-action seminar is designed to educate Montana youth about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  

When: The seminar will begin on Sunday, January 15 at 3:00 p.m. and end on Tuesday, January 17 sometime in the early afternoon around 1:30 p.m. 

Where: Helena, Montana – Seminar activities will take place at the Delta Colonial Hotel in conjunction with Legislative Breakfast, the Bill Hamilton Building as well as the state capitol complex. 

Eligibility: 4-H members must be 13 years of age by October 1, 2022. Delegates will also attend the Legislative Breakfast on Tuesday, January 17.  

Chaperones: Each delegate must have a designated (adult) chaperone. Counties may combine with other counties to reach a desired 1:10 ratio of adults to youth. Chaperones will be asked to participate in the seminar by acting as lobbyists during the legislative process. Any adults with special skills or interests please email c.sommersaustin@montana.edu if you would like to assist in any way. 

Accommodations: Each individual/county must make their own guest room reservations. A block of rooms is reserved at the Delta Colonial Hotel (2301 Colonial Drive, Helena) under 'Montana 4-H Citizenship Seminar' by calling (406) 443-2100. The block will be open from November 28, 2022 – January 1, 2023. The rate is $107.00 per room plus tax (single/double occupancy) or $123.00 per room plus tax (triple/quad occupancy). 

Fee: There is a $85 registration fee per youth and adult to offset the seminar program costs. The Montana 4-H Foundation contributes $3,000. The program fee includes all meals for both Montana Citizenship Seminar and the Legislative Breakfast. 

Registration: Youth and adults log into your ZSuite Profile and register under Events starting November 28, 2022 – January 2, 2023. Please check with your county office to confirm the amount before paying.  

Transportation: Transportation to and from the seminar and shuttling youth delegates between activities is the county’s responsibility.  

Legislative Bill: Each delegate is expected to sponsor one “bill” suitable for the 4-H Legislature. This should be submitted, electronically, to Christine Sommers-Austin c.sommersaustin@montana.edu by January 2, 2023. The bills will be reviewed and grouped by topic area into committees prior to the seminar. Please see the template included with this email and in the ZSuite registration for information on how to write a bill.  

Service Project: Each delegate and county will have the opportunity to contribute to a service project that is yet to be determined.  

History Bowl: Each delegate will have the opportunity to compete in the Montana History Bowl. The first round of the History Bowl will be a written form given on Sunday, January 15 during the seminar's check-in to determine the participates who will compete in the second and final rounds throughout the event.  

Checklist: Please complete the following by the January 1 and January 2, 2023 deadlines 

_____ Reserve your hotel room by January 1, 2023 or earlier

_____ Registration through ZSuite by January 2, 2023 or earlier

_____ Check with your county office to confirm amount before paying

_____ Email your mock legislative bill to c.sommersaustin@montana.edu by January 2, 2023 or earlier

Thank you. We look forward to a phenomenal experience learning and growing with all of you!

• Contact Christine Sommers-Austin at c.sommersaustin@montana.edu or 406-994-3504 with questions and/or comments.

• Application for Youth Speaker due on November 27
• $50 county donation received by January 4 (Invoice can be found here: https://montanansfor4h.wixsite.com/legislativebreakfast/registration
• Registration deadline in ZSuite is January 4
• Practice Dinner: Monday, January 16 & Breakfast: Tuesday, January 17 in Helena
• ***Please Note if you have youth that register for Citizenship Seminar event, they DO NOT need to register for legislative breakfast, it is already included.***

The 19th Biennial Montanans for 4-H Legislative Breakfast is fast approaching and it is imperative that we get the word out to members, volunteers, and 4-H advocates.

The Legislative Breakfast is a statewide Montana 4-H event hosted by The Montanans for 4-H. This event depends on local county participation to bring informed youth and adult participants together with state legislators to communicate the impact 4-H has on their community and our state. This event is open to active 4-H members and volunteers that are interested in citizenship and sharing positive information about 4-H with statewide lawmakers. Participants will also be encouraged to contact legislators prior to the event and personally invite them to attend the breakfast.

The event includes a breakfast with legislators Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 6:30 AM and a practice dinner and training workshop Monday, January 16, 2023 at 6:00 PM. Both events will take place in the ballrooms at the Delta Hotels Helena Colonial Inn in Helena, MT.

Participants are highly encouraged to attend the Monday evening dinner as this event serves as a practice run for the Legislative Breakfast. A workshop hosted by the Ambassador Officer team will follow the dinner for youth participants to practice their communication skills when speaking with their legislators.

Please include an invitation to participate in this event in county newsletters and correspondences with families and volunteers. The event is open to all 4-H members and volunteers of all ages. 4-H members must be chaperoned by an adult.

Registration

Registration is required to participate in this event. The deadline to register for the event is January 4, 2023. Registration can be found in ZSuites.

The cost to attend the Breakfast is $30 (this fee is subject to change based on negotiations with the Hotel).

The cost to attend the Monday night dinner is $25. It is highly encouraged in order to be prepared for the breakfast event.

Lodging arrangements are to be made by the participants. There is a block of rooms reserved under “Montanans for 4-H Legislative Breakfast” at the Delta Hotel for $103 plus tax for a double queen. Also at the Fairfield Inn under “Mary Beth Walsh” for $124 plus tax.

This information can be found on the registration page.

County Council/Foundation Support

The Montanans for 4-H Committee requests a donation from each county of $50 to cover the cost of the meal and a ‘thank you for supporting 4-H’ gift for legislators and invited guests. Please download the county invoice here and return the completed form and payment to the Committee Treasurer by no later than January 4, 2023 deadline. Download Invoice here. 

Youth Speakers

The committee is looking for youth speakers to share their "4-H: An Opportunity for All" story with legislators and guests at the breakfast. To be considered for this opportunity members should complete the very short application with a 2 minute video here by Sunday, November 27, 2022. Application form here. 

We would appreciate it if county agents and or volunteers can encourage members they feel could fill this role to apply. We are looking for two speakers, one age 10-12 and one age 13-16. This is a tight turn around and we appreciate your help in finding a youth speaker that can share the impacts of Montana 4-H firsthand.

Youth speakers are required to attend both the Monday night dinner and breakfast in person and be able to speak to a group of approximately 400 people for 3-5 minutes.

• We appreciate your efforts in sharing this event information with your 4-H community. Please feel free to reach out to the committee with any questions. 

Mini Horse as a Formal 4-H Project

• Ohio Curriculum is now online
• Members do not need to be enrolled in regular Horsemanship classes to participate in the Small Equine Project

Record Book Resources

• Montana4h.org>Resources>Record Books
• https://montana4h.org/projects/support/record_books/index.html
• Updating video links
• Working on a video for using Record Book tools in ZSuite



Montana 4-H REC Lab

March 17-19, 2023 and will be held in Culbertson, MT hosted by District 4 counties. The theme is 4-H Rendezvous! Visit the Montana 4-H REC Lab Page for the latest information.

November: Native America Heritage Month

• Share any photos or celebrations with Christine at christine.hodges1@montana.edu

The annual conference for MPPC will be on Thursday, January 19, 2023 at the Great Fall Civic Center (2 Park Dr S, Great Falls, MT). SOE winners will be recognized and awarded at the lunch on January 19, 2023.

There will also be the first annual Montana Small Pork Producer Conference on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at the Montana ExpoPark’s Family and Living Center. The conference is a collaboration between MSU Extension and MPPC to bring education on raising hogs, marketing, genetics, veterinarian care, pork protein, pork nutrition, etc. and is possible through the MSU Extension Innovation Grant. The conference is geared toward Montanans who have a small hog production, 4-H hog breeding project, FFA SAE hog project, Extension agents, FFA advisors, and anyone interested in small pork production. All agents are welcome to attend! Invited speakers and topics are:

• Randy Shipley; Shipley Swine Genetics
• TS Laurens; Redneck Meats
• Anna Forseth, DVM; National Pork Producers
• Jared Long; Long’s Livestock
• Central Avenue Meats
• Discounts Meats
• Pork appetizer stations by local Montana chefs

Kimberly Richardson

MSU Extension Agent

Agriculture, Horticulture and Natural Resources

Vacant

MSU Extension Agent

4-H Youth Development

Taylor Edmunds

Administrative Assistant

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. 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 of Extension, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717.