4-H
Feature Business of the Week: 4-H
Written By: Kim Woodring
4-H (MSU Extension Toole County)
226 1st St. S. #106
Shelby, MT 59474
406-424-8350
kimberly.woodring1@montana.edu
www.montana.edu/extension/toole/
Everyone knows that 4-H is historically about working with livestock such as pigs, steers, goats, or sheep, but not everyone in the community lives on a farm or has attainable land for housing livestock. We are seeing an increase in indoor projects, such as robotics and archery. These are projects that everyone can do and are low cost to participate.
4-H is a youth program The Toole County 4-H program has grown to one hundred twenty members. 4-H is a youth development organization that provides hands-on learning experiences to help young people develop skills in leadership, citizenship, and life. The name “4-H” represents the organization’s commitment to the development of the Head, Heart, Hands, and Health of its participants, which are the four H’s in the program pledge.
-Head: Managing, thinking
-Heart: Relating, caring
-Hands: Giving, working
-Health: Being, living
4-H is supported by cooperative extension systems in each state and is active in rural, urban and suburban communities. It aims to equip young people with skills and confidence they need to thrive in their personal and professional lives.
Agent Kim Woodring and admin, Jackie Stratton, have been attending local trade shows and school events to get information out about 4-H. The most popular projects are robotics, archery, and livestock projects.
Our robotics program has really blossomed with the help of our wonderful leader, Barb Larsen, and a few local grants to obtain more tablets and lego kits. The youth members build the lego kits and then program the robots with their tablets. There are so many options of what to build and it is so fun to see what they decide and how they program the robots.
The archery program, led by Brent & Julean Hanson has thirty-six members. They have two different shooting times to accommodate all the members. They are adding new leaders as well.
The livestock program is combined with the Four County Marias Fair and they average around 70 steers, 60 hogs, 20 sheep and 15 goats. The Marias Fair has another record sale with half a million-dollar sale with only 94 animals.
We started new enrollment this year with an Open House at the Extension Office. Families interested in 4-H were invited to stop by and ask questions about 4-H, get more information, and sign up for 4-H.
At the end of the year, we celebrated our 4-H members and all of their hard work through the year with our annual Achievement Day. This year we decided to host a dinner for the families and the volunteers. This was a great way to celebrate the end of the year and for the 4-H members to get to know each other.
To learn more about 4-H please visit the Toole County Extension office located in the basement of the Toole County Courthouse. The new 4-H year begins in October and will be starting new member enrollments and re-enrollments after October 1st.
Written By: Shane Adams
With the Fair Season upon us, I asked Kim if she would like to write a feature on 4-H, as I thought it's a great and fitting time to highlight this great organization with the upcoming fair. Please visit Marias Fair 4-H facebook page for the 4-H Calendar of events this week during the fair. I'll be assisting 4-H this wednesday for the Chicken Judging, I offered if they needed any help I’d be willing to do so. Within 2 hours of offering I got a call asking if I would do the judging! Looking forward to being around some chickens again…. Back in Miles City I sold a bunch of eggs from my flock…
https://www.facebook.com/MariasFair4H
I have worked with Kim on other projects where her line of work and the Chambers overlap, Kim and Jackie, are always willing, eager and helpful to help out. Such as the Farmers Market. I was asked a few months ago by Lorette Carter if I would be interested in filling in on her role for the farmers market going forward, since she is retired now. Kim, Jackie, and Lorette ran that event in the past years. The Chamber assumed Lorette’s role now, our first Farmers Market was last week. We split up the responsibilities and everything is working great. Stop down to see us during the Farmers Market. Every Thursday from now through Sept 12 at City Park, 4-6 PM.
