Renville County Clover Update

January 11: Winter Achievement Banquet

January 20: Office Closed - Martin Luther King Day

January 19 - February 16: Fruit & Butter Braid Fundraiser

January 30: Deadline to turn in any t-shirt and banner designs

February 5: Ambassadors (5:30) Leader's Council (6:00)

February 16: Renville County Officer Training

February 17: Market beef ID deadline

March 28: Livestock Level Up - Let's Talk Stalk workshop (Beef, Poultry & Swine)

*Ashle will be out of the office tentatively starting the end of March through middle of June.

Join us as we come together to celebrate the hard work, growth, and achievements of our 4-H youth at this year’s Awards Banquet. This special evening recognizes project accomplishments, leadership milestones, club contributions, and the dedication of volunteers who make 4-H possible. We’ll highlight the year’s successes, honor outstanding members, and enjoy a time of fellowship with families and friends. We can’t wait to celebrate everything our 4-H community has accomplished—your commitment and passion truly make a difference!

Date: January 11

Time: 3:00 PM

Location: Renville Community Center

Please RSVP to the Extension office by January 5.

We must have at least 20 families registered to host this event.

This project area is a great way to showcase your favorite food, creativity for place settings, meal planning, and nutrition knowledge. You can make anything from a smoothie to a full course meal.

4-H Food Revue provides youth with:
An experience in planning, preparing, evaluating, and serving food
An opportunity to develop confidence in self-expression, both verbally and visually
An understanding around how to make food with respect to cultural heritage and traditions
An opportunity to publicly showcase what they have learned

Have you ever been curious about the Food Revue project area and what it all entails?
If so, then we have a newly developed resource that will help answer your questions and broaden your knowledge on this fun project area~MN 4-H Food Revue Handbook. This handbook will guide youth through seven key steps of food revue planning and preparation.

The Renville County 4-H Fruit and Butter Braid Fundraiser will start on January 19, 2026. Orders can be taken through February 16, 2026. The fruit fundraiser will include a larger selection of non-fruit items, such as nuts and cheese spreads. Last year we made almost $7,000 for Renville County 4-H.

Watch your mailbox this month for the family packets. There will be two order forms, one for the fruit, cheese and meat and a second one for the butter braids.

If your child is looking for a hands-on livestock experience this year, Renville County 4-H is excited to offer two great opportunities! Our Broiler Project provides youth with day-old chicks to raise at home while learning about animal care, nutrition, and responsibility—culminating in showing their birds at the county fair. We are also launching an Adopt-A-Pig Program for youth in grades 3 and up, giving participants the chance to work with a market hog. Throughout the season, youth will gain valuable skills in swine care, ethics, and showmanship.

After county fair, animals will be harvested, with the county keeping a portion to sell to consumers, a portion that will be donated to the Food Shelf, and each family will also get to keep a portion of the animal.

If your family is interested in participating in either the Broiler Project or the Adopt-a-Pig program, please take a few minutes to fill out the form below.

*This form isn't committing you to either program; it is to give us an idea of who is interested in participating. We will have an in-person meeting with all 4-Hers and their guardians to explain the program in depth and answer any questions you may have. If you choose to commit to the program, then your 4-Her and their guardian can sign the care agreement and provide us with the deposit that evening to secure your spot.

Families should have received an invitation for a new BAND app page. This page will serve as an extra resource for our county. This will focus on upcoming events, last-minute changes, announcements, surveys, and provide a way for adults and youth to connect throughout the county.

If you did not receive and invitation, check your spam folder, otherwise reach out to Ashle (benson18@umn.edu).

A new invitation link will be sent out this week! (1/5/2026)

Calling all creative 4-H’ers! We’re excited to launch this year’s Banner & T-Shirt Design Contest, and we want YOUR artwork to represent our county 4-H program. Members are invited to submit original designs that showcase what 4-H means to them—creativity, leadership, community, and fun. The winning design will be featured on our official county banner and this year’s 4-H t-shirt. Let your imagination shine and help us create something amazing.

Check out more information for eligibility & design specifics in the document below.

Deadline for submission is January 30.

Voting for both the banners and t-shirt design will take place in February through the newsletter and BAND app. The final day for voting will be at the Fruit & Butter Braids pick-up.

The Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors are excited to invite YOU to the 2026 regional leadership workshops: Building Leadership and Understanding (BLU): Bloom into Leadership! Youth will build important leadership skills at BLU by learning about communication and conflict. They’ll explore different ways people communicate, take a fun self-assessment to understand how they handle conflict, and discover tools to help them work better with others.

Youth will also participate in an impactful service session centered on this year’s statewide service project theme Disaster Relief and Emergency Response, where participants will step into action through hands-on activities, meaningful service projects and collection drives that make a real difference across communities in Minnesota.

Building Leadership and Understanding (BLU) is a youth-led workshop for youth in grades 6 and up that strengthens leadership, communication, and relationship skills. BLU will be hosted in five different locations; four overnight and one, single-day experiences:

• Jan. 31-Feb. 1 - Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade

• Feb. 7-8 - Camp Victory in Zumbro Falls

• Feb. 7-8 - Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji

• Feb. 21-22 - Camp Friendship in Annandale

• Feb. 28 - Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall

To learn more about BLU and register visit z.umn.edu/4-HBLU.

This position is designed to provide meaningful professional youth development work experience for the undergrad student intern working alongside Extension Educator(s). An intern will be assigned projects or focus areas determined by program needs and if applicable meets the requirements of their degree program in order to meet internship course credit requirements. The intern will work with their supervisor to set goals, establish a plan to meet desired outcomes, and review progress throughout the internship.

The job is posted and is open until filled. If you are interested, please contact the Extension Office.

Renville County 4-H will be hiring a Food Stand manager for during the 2026 County Fair.

This individual will be responsible for making sure that things flow smoothly during the week of county fair in our food stand. We are still working on creating a job description for this position, and we should have it ready to go by our March newsletter.

If there is anyone that comes to mind, or if you are interested, please let Theresa or Ashle know by emailing or calling us at the office: mnext-renville@umn.edu or 320-523-3713.

Minnesota 4-H is hiring an Interim 4-H Program Associate for Renville County. An Interim 4-H Program Associate manages the day-to-day coordination and delivery of local 4-H programming during a vacancy due to FMLA. This temporary position starts March 25, 2026. More information on this position can be found here. Please send interest to Kate Holland, 4-H Interim Hires and Onboarding Coordinator, at kharring@umn.edu. Applications will be reviewed as submitted for consideration.

*At this time, they are looking to fill this position at 40 hours per week.

Be sure to share any fun events that your club does.

To get it in the following months update, please get it to the office by the last Wednesday of the month.

Please see below the agenda template for January and February. These are still a work in progress and will get more specific as the months go on.

Please make a copy of this document by:

1. Clicking the file on the top left-hand corner of the screen.
2. Find "Make a copy" (should be the third one from the top) and click on it.
3. Name your document and save it into the folder you wish to save it to.

If you have any issues, please let Ashle know!

Minnesota 4-H has an awesome Volunteer Resource Center for 4-H volunteers. Take a second and check it out.

Under the "Lead a Club" picture, you will find a lot of resources to help you plan your club meetings and fun activities.

Click on the link below:

Club Leader Toolkit

Happy New Year! January brings a fresh start and a great opportunity to reflect on our goals for the year ahead. As we settle back into routines after the holidays, this is a wonderful time for youth to set intentions, explore new project areas, and think about how they want to grow in 4-H this year.

This month, we encourage families to review project options, update enrollment information, and start planning for upcoming events and learning opportunities. Whether your youth is returning to a favorite project or trying something new, now is the time to ask questions, set goals, and build excitement for the year ahead.

As we kick off the New Year, here are some important updates, tips, and reminders for January:

1. Welcome to the New Year!

• It’s time to set new goals for your 4-H year! Take a moment to reflect on last year’s achievements and think about what you want to accomplish in the coming months. This could include new projects, leadership roles, or expanding your skills.

2. Club Officer Training

• For those stepping into new officer roles, don't forget that Officer Training is coming up soon. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn how to run meetings, plan events, and be the best leader you can be. Be sure to attend, get involved, and start off your role with confidence.

3. January 4-H Projects: Let’s Get Creative

• Now is the perfect time to dive into your 4-H projects. Whether it’s raising animals, growing plants, crafting, or exploring STEM, start planning and setting goals for your project. Make sure you’re gathering any necessary supplies and tracking your progress.

4. Record Books

• A gentle reminder: Don’t let your 4-H record books slide. Begin documenting your activities and accomplishments. This is not only a great way to reflect on your work, but it is also a key part of the 4-H experience.

5. Upcoming Events and Deadlines

• Keep an eye on the calendar for any upcoming county or state events. There are often contests, workshops, and fundraisers that can give you a chance to shine. Mark the important dates and be ready to sign up early.

6. Winter Activities

• January might be cold outside, but it’s a great time to stay warm with indoor 4-H activities. Try out new crafts, do some indoor gardening, or take part in virtual events. There’s always something exciting happening in the 4-H community.

7. Volunteer & Community Service

• This month, think about how you can give back to your community. Consider organizing a volunteer project or taking part in a local community service event. It’s a great way to demonstrate leadership and make a positive impact.

8. Stay Connected

• Be sure to follow us on social media, check your emails for updates, and keep in touch with your club leaders. Staying connected with your 4-H family is key to success and having fun throughout the year.

9. Keep the 4-H Spirit Alive

• Remember, 4-H is all about learning by doing, so keep that spirit of curiosity and enthusiasm alive. No matter what project or leadership role you’re in, embrace the opportunity to grow, try new things, and have fun!

We are also grateful for the continued support of our volunteers and families. Your time, encouragement, and dedication make meaningful learning experiences possible for our youth. As we look ahead, we are excited to offer programs that focus on leadership, hands-on learning, and connection within our community.

Happy New Year and Happy 4-H-ing! 🎉