Fillmore County 4-H News

• New 4-H Year began on October 1st. Remember to re-enroll.
• When re-enrolling, please enter the youth's email, if they have one, (preferably not a school email) as the member email so they also receive the information we send out.
• Fillmore County Officer Training will be on November 22nd at 7pm, in room 108 of the Extension office.
• The Extension Office will be closed on November 27th & 28th for Thanksgiving.
• The Fillmore County 4-H Food stand Meeting will be on December 3rd at 7pm at the Extension Office.
• There will be a Federation Executive Committee meeting on December 13th at 7pm in the Extension Office Conference Room.
• The Extension Office will be closed on December 24th and 25th for Christmas.
• The Extension Office will be closed on December 31st and January 1st for New Years.
• The January Ambassador Meeting will be on January 10 at 6pm in Room 108 of the extension Office.
• The January Federation Meeting will be on January 10 at 7pm in Room 108 of the extension Office.
• The 2026 Fillmore County Fair will be July 20th - 26th.

Come learn more about being an officer for your club or the county, its quick and simple! All who are serving in an officer role for their club is encouraged to attend. Those who are interested in officer roles in the future can also attend to learn more about being an officer and being in a leadership role. Officer roles are an excellent way to gain confidence in public speaking and become a better leader.

This training will be on November 22nd at 7pm at the Extension office in Preston, Room 108.

Food and drinks will be provided. No cost to attend.

No parent would ever want their child to go without food or presents at Christmas time. Sadly, this would be the fate of many families in Fillmore County if it were not for the kind and giving nature of our citizens.

Thanks to the generosity of people like you, many local families and children receive gifts and gift cards for food during Christmas. Seeing the smiles and tears of joy from parents who received gifts for their children is always heartwarming. We would be ever so grateful if you would choose to donate to this program again this year.

Christmas in Fillmore County began with one family more than thirty years ago and now serves approximately 200 families. Thank you for making this program possible. Thank you for considering making a donation this year, and for making Christmas such a happy time for many Fillmore County families.

If you would like to be a sponsor for Christmas in Fillmore County this year, please complete the 2024 Sponsor Application letter form below and return it to:

Rural Concerns Task Force

Fillmore County Extension Office

902 Houston St NW, Suite 3

Preston MN 55965

OR

Email it to Heather Barth at hbarth@umn.edu

• The suggested gift/sponsorship amount is no less than $50 value per child. This is only a suggestion as you or your organization can determine your limits over $50. We ask that you do not go under a $50 value per child and that you keep all children within a family at equal value amounts. (Example: A nice paint set that is normally sold for $30, but on sale for $20 would be considered a $30 value. This way you can stretch your shopping dollar.)

• All sponsored gifts are to be new with tags. Although we all know that hand-me-downs are a wonderful thing, these are Christmas presents and we need to ensure that all items are unused.

• Please indicate which town you would like to bring your unwrapped gifts to. Be assured that your gifts will be distributed throughout our entire county, no matter which location you choose as your drop off point.

• If you choose to sponsor a child or children, we will match you with a family in need. You will then receive a letter telling you about the child/children you will sponsor and when we will need those gifts delivered. If you have email, please indicate on this form and we will email you your family information. If you do not have email, we will mail you a letter.

• If you are sponsoring by giving a cash donation, please know that any dollar amount will help support the children of Fillmore County. Please make checks payable to: Rural Concerns Task Force.

The Rural Concerns Task Force will again be sponsoring the Christmas in Fillmore County program in 2025.

If you are in need of this program, please complete the online application by scanning the code below or going to the webform at z.umn.edu/xmasfc.

When filling out the application, please be detailed and answer every question fully as this is how the sponsors shop for your child/children. Please keep in mind that other Fillmore County families are taking their time and money to shop for your children. We encourage you to be grateful for what you receive and do not make requests for any items over $50. Also please understand that you may not get everything or exactly what is on your list. However, the more details you do provide, the better chances are of receiving specifically requested things.

Applications must be received by DECEMBER 1st to be matched with a sponsor.

Greetings Southeastern Minnesota—

As we enter the month of November, I am grateful for all our volunteers from 4-H Club leaders to Master Gardeners and every program where the volunteers carry out the mission of Extension. I would like to thank all who step forward to serve as leaders & members of County Extension Committees, 4-H Federations/Councils and Master Gardener/Master Naturalist Program Advisory Groups across the region.

Thank you for your support of the University of Minnesota Extension. I am grateful for your partnership as we work together to address community needs.

Lisa Dierks

Regional Director, Southeast

Providing leadership to Dodge, Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Winona Counties, and the Rochester Regional Office.

If you have any questions or requests for resources to share in future newsletters, please reach out to me at dierksl@umn.edu. To learn more about a topic, click on the title of the article!

Family News Family news provides information and featured events that help families make informed decisions leading to better health and well-being.
Learn more about shopping and cooking, wellness and recovery, making your home healthier, and much more in these family-focused webinar recordings. Food business survey

Are you currently operating a food business or planning to start one in the state of Minnesota? University of Minnesota Extension wants to hear from you! The information you provide will help us develop tailored food safety programs and resources to support you in safely operating and growing your food business. The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
The survey is also available in Spanish, Hmong and Somali. Please feel free to share with your network.

Shelf Life: Webinar series for rural grocers

Discover practical strategies and fresh insights to help rural grocery stores thrive with Shelf Life, a six-part webinar series from the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships. Each session features expert speakers and actionable resources tailored to the unique challenges faced by rural grocery owners, managers, and staff. Explore all of RSDP’s rural grocery resources on the UMN Extension website.

A beginner’s guide to geocaching

Looking for something fun to do outside this fall? Try geocaching! This fun treasure hunt encourages folks of all ages to explore the outdoors, build skills and practice stewardship. It’s a great way to get outside and explore your woods!

Fall scouting for invasive plants

Fall is a beloved time of year for many Minnesotans, and for good reason! We get to enjoy the vibrant colors of maples, oaks, sumac, dogwoods, and other native trees and shrubs as they transition with the weather. But as the leaves drop, you might notice something out of place in your woods. Learn how to spot invasive species in the fall.

Video: Southeast data center development impact project

A community-University partnership in Southeast Minnesota supported by the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships is researching the water and energy use implications of data centers in their region. The goal of the project is to provide evaluation and decision-making tools for small towns to assess the potential impact of data centers and initiate conversations among stakeholders about managing the energy and water demands of data centers. Fill out this short form to receive southeast MN data center project updates

Winter webinar series for gardeners

University of Minnesota Extension is hosting a free winter webinar series for gardeners, with sessions scheduled every other Tuesday through Dec. 16. Each webinar runs from 1 to 2 p.m. and covers a different home gardening topic. Upcoming topics include:

• Nov. 4: Growing, storing, and enjoying dahlias
• Nov. 18: An introduction to rain gardens
• Dec. 2: Growing kiwiberries in MN
• Dec. 16: Climate ready integrated pest management

Save the date for the 4-H Outdoor Education Summit

The second annual 4-H Outdoor Education Summit will be held on Saturday, Nov. 22 at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel. This fun-filled day will include project workshops for K-13 youth and adult volunteers, plus it counts for up to 4 hours of wildlife hours for the 2026 Invitational. Register in 4-H Online by Nov. 18. Cost varies, depending on the session.

Alexander Coe

Fillmore County 4-H Extension Educator

902 Houston St NW # 3, Preston, MN 55965

University of Minnesota

Email: coexx049@umn.edu

Office Phone: 507-765-3896

M - F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Cell: 507-216-2999

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