Washington County 4-H Newsletter
December 4, 2025
Wildlife Wednesdays - Next date is Dec. 10
Get ready to explore the amazing world of wildlife right outside your door! Join us on Wednesday evenings for Wildlife Wednesdays, a fun and interactive virtual series where we'll dive into the fascinating lives of animals and plants with the help of wildlife experts, biologists, and Master Naturalists.
Each week, you'll discover something new and inspiring about nature—from secret animal behaviors to incredible ecosystems—all while learning how to protect and respect the environment around us. Whether you're just curious, have a love for animals, or looking for a midweek adventure, this series is your gateway to conservation knowledge and a lifelong love of nature.
Discover the wonderful world of wildlife around you with Wildlife Wednesdays! Sessions will be held virtually on Wednesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. on the following dates: Dec. 3, 10, 17; Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28; Feb, 4, 11, 25; March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 1,8. 4-H youth can earn up to four wildlife hours for participating in 4 of the virtual sessions! Let’s get started on those Wildlife hours for next year’s State Shoot! Learn more and register.
Arts-In Reunion - Jan. 3
Mark your calendars for Saturday, January 3rd from 4:00 - 8:00pm for the Arts-In Reunion at Hooley Hall.
Please bring a snack (fruit, vegetable or dessert) or beverage to share. Pizza will be ordered for dinner.
Roll out the Red Carpet! The cast of Medieval Mayhem is reuniting for a star-studded Oscar Night celebration filled with fun, food, and familiar faces. The night will include a medieval-meets-Hollywood awards ceremony (complete with a gourmet pizza feast), followed by fan-favorite acting games, a screening of our production of Medieval Mayhem, and a dance to finish the night. It's the perfect chance to relive the magic, celebrate each other's hard work, and enjoy more legendary adventure together. Lights, camera, mayhem!
Registration is due NO LATER than December 29. You won't want to miss this year's Arts-In Reunion!
Contact Megan Slater at slate187@umn.edu with any questions.
Food Revue - Feb. 7 (Registration Due Jan. 30)
Who: Washington & Ramsey County 4-H Members, grades K-13th
What: Food Revue is a county-level event where youth prepare a meal/dish (one serving), and create a table setting to go with the theme of the food item. Youth in grades 6th and above have an opportunity to earn a State Fair Trip for their respective counties!
When: Saturday, February 7, 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM
Set-up: 8:30 – 9:00 AM
Judging starts: 9:00 AM until done for both events
Exhibits must remain on display until judging is completed.
Where: Hooley Hall, Washington County Fairgrounds – 12300 North 40th St., Stillwater, MN
Contact Ann Church at churc109@umn.edu with any questions about Food Revue.
Register at https://z.umn.edu/FoodRevue26
Fair Foodie Challenge (Registration Due Jan. 30)
Challenging all 4-H chefs to show off their culinary skills for a chance to have their recipe showcased at the Washington County Fair 4-H Food Stand! The competition will take place on the same day as our annual Food Revue event scheduled for Saturday, February 7th, 2026.
Deadline to sign up is January 30th.
Who: Washington County 4-H Members, grades 6th and older. Individuals or teams of 2 may participate!
When: Saturday, February 7, 2026
Where: Hooley Hall (Washington County Fairgrounds)
Judging starts at: 9:00 am
Register and learn more at https://z.umn.edu/FairFoodieChallenge26
Creative Arts Night - Save the date - Feb. 13
Save the date! Creative Arts evening will be held on Friday, Feb. 13th from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Hooley Hall! This is a fun hands-on evening where 4-H’ers can pick from a variety of creative and fine arts projects to work on. Watch for the registration information to come in early January!
Project Area Exploration
Would you like to help 4-H’ers around Washington County get involved in a new project area this year? Maybe you remember how big the learning curve was when you first started in 4-H… If so, please respond to this super short form and help us build a network of volunteers and youth who can spread their passions through Project Talks! (After you submit your form, you will receive a link to the sheet with everyone’s responses)
Ideas for how use this resource:
- See who to invite to your club meeting to learn about a new project area
- Set up a talk exchange with another club near you
- Host an event at your farm for families who want to get into the livestock project areas
- Set up a project talk/demo event at your local library to teach new people about 4-H and how to get involved
Project Bowl - Time to form teams!
It is time to start forming Project Bowl Teams for 2026!
We currently have coaches for the following teams; Rabbit and Llama.
The Rabbit Project Bowl Team would like to invite more senior youth (grades 4th - High School) to join their team, please contact Jayleen at; Jayleen.S@gmail.com or Sara at; saradelaney2010@gmail.com if you are interested in being on the Rabbit Bowl Team!
If you are interested in being on the Llama Project Bowl Team, contact Jenny Bye at; jennybye@msn.com
Any interest in being General Livestock, Horse, Dairy, Poultry or Dog? We would need coaches to step up for these species and have at least 4 youth interested!
What is 4-H Project Bowl?
Project Bowl teams are made up of 3-6 youth. Each has two divisions: Junior (grades 3-8) and Senior (grades 4 through 4-H graduation). 4-H areas: dairy, dog, general livestock(includes all of the following species; beef, sheep, swine & market goat), horse, llama/alpaca, poultry, and rabbit.
Watch this 4-H Project Bowl YouTube video to learn more and see the program in action.
Why should I consider participating in Project Bowl?
Participating in Project Bowl will not only help prepare youth for County Fair Knowledge Quizzes, State Fair Interviews, etc., but many youth acknowledge how it has prepared them for many high school and college science classes!
Who coaches teams? Each team will need 2 screened 4-H volunteers to coach. Coaches will set up practice schedules with team members and work with resources to help team members prepare for the contest.
When? Project Bowl teams typically start practicing either in-person and/or virtually in the months of December or January. There are 3 Regional Competitions held in the state during the month of March 2026 dates/locations will be posted soon.) Typically the Regional Contests are an all day event, based on if the team advances to the finals.
How to prepare a team? Resources are listed on the Minnesota 4-H website under Project Bowl. Questions for the contests are taken from these resources. Regional winners advance to the 4-H State Project Bowl. Winners at the state level in dairy, general livestock, horse, and poultry go on to national contests! To learn more, go to; Minnesota Project Bowl information
Now is the time to gather your friends together, recruit a coach or two, study hard, and most of all have fun during the project bowl season! If you are interested in participating or coaching, please contact Ann @ churc109@umn.edu
Horse Tack Swap Planning Meeting - Jan.12
Washington County will be hosting a Horse Tack Swap in 2026. The Tack Swap is scheduled for March 28th. There will be a planning meeting on Monday, January 12, beginning at 6:30 pm at the Stillwater Gov’t Center. If you are interested in helping with this fundraiser, please plan to attend the meeting. A message will be left at; 651-430-6809 if the weather is inclement that evening. Any questions, email Ann@ churc109@umn.edu
Livestock PDC Meeting - Jan. 28
The January Livestock Project Development Committee will be meeting on Wednesday, January 28 beginning at 6:00 pm at the Stillwater Gov’t Center. This committee focuses mainly on the larger animal projects including, beef, dairy, goats, sheep, and swine in coordinating county fair shows, Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics Training, barn improvements, the County Fair LIvestock Auction just to name a few. If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact Ann at; churc109@umn.edu
New Family Animal Science Open House - Jan. 28
On Wednesday, January 28 there will be an 4-H Animal Science Open House from 7:30 pm - 8:15 pm at the Stillwater Gov’t Center. Livestock Committee members will be available to answer any questions families have about a specific species (beef, dairy, goat, sheep, swine, poultry and rabbit).The Open House is a ‘come and go’ format, there will not be a formal presentation. If you are interested in attending this event, please make sure to register in advance at; https://z.umn.edu/AnimalScienceOpenHouse
An email will be sent to registered families if inclement weather will impact this event!
Become a 4-H Ag Ed Leader in the Classroom!
Are you a teen with a passion for agriculture and a desire to make a difference in your community? If so, we invite you to join our 4-H Ag Ed Leader in the Classroom program and become a youth teacher, sharing your enthusiasm for agriculture with elementary age youth.
What is an 4-H Ag Ed Leader in the Classroom?
Explore ag education and gain valuable skills as a youth teacher.
Participate in online training sessions and receive supplies to teach elementary age groups about the journey of beef from the farm to our tables.
Who is Eligible?
Youth in grades 7 and up
What Will You Gain?
Skills to share and teach your passion with youth.
Learn about effective teaching methods, hands-on learning, classroom management, leadership, and communication skills.
Whether you're interested in a career as an educator or just passionate about agriculture, this experience is for you!
What is the Commitment?
Attend 4 one-hour virtual training sessions on Thursdays in February
Teach in 3 classrooms or youth groups of your choice between April 15 - May 15.
Additional Opportunities:
Participate in the annual 4-H Ag Ed Leaders retreat in November 2026 on the University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus.
Explore ag education and advocacy as a potential career path.
Participant Timeline for 2026:
February 5, 12, 19 and 26, 7-8 p.m.: Online virtual training sessions (required to view, recordings available)
April 15 - May 15: 4-H Youth Leaders teach in at least 3 classrooms
November 13-14: 4-H Ag Ed Leaders Retreat, St. Paul (optional)
Don't miss this chance to make a positive impact, enhance your leadership skills, and share your love for agriculture with the next generation! Join us in this exciting journey from field to food. Let's cultivate a love for agriculture together! If you are interested in this opportunity, please let Ann know at; churc109@umn.edu
Join the Washington County 4-H Ambassador Team!
If you're in grades 7-13, we want you to join the Washington County 4-H Ambassador Team. The Ambassadors meet once a month at the Washington County Government Center and plan Cloverbud Workshops, Service Projects, Social events - all while building their leadership skills and having fun! Reach out to Megan at slate187@umn.edu with any questions!
Washington County Library Craft & Hobby
Learn, make, and create with Craft & Hobby!
We are excited to announce that Washington County Library now offers access to the online learning platform Craft & Hobby! This tool offers creative classes and inspiration for makers of all ages and skill levels.
Craft & Hobby features thousands of on-demand video classes across categories like sewing, knitting, photography, paper crafts, painting, woodworking, cake decorating, and more. Classes are taught by experienced instructors who guide you through each technique with clear, step-by-step instructions.
Craft & Hobby is available to all Washington County Library cardholders. If you have a library card from outside Washington County, please check with your local library — they may also offer access to this resource.
To get started with Craft & Hobby:
- Click the Craft & Hobby link in this post or on our Research & Learn page. (You must use this link to log in.)
- Sign in with your library card number.
If you have questions about Craft & Hobby, ask a librarian at your local branch. We can’t wait to see what you create next!
Healthy Living from Washington County
Check out this resource on ‘How to be Winter Ready’ for useful winter tips! #WinterReady | Ready.gov
Shooting Sports Trainers needed!
As our Shooting Sports Program continues to grow, we are in need of additional Trainers! We would welcome new Trainers in these disciplines: BB gun/Pellet Rifle, Archery, .22 Rifle, and Trap! Training for the 4-H youth begins the first week of June - end of August. Archery and BB/Pellet training takes place on the Washington County fairgrounds. Archery, .22, Trap and Black Powder take place at the Oakdale Gun Club.
To become a 4-H Certified Trainer, you must first become a 4-H screened volunteer:
Steps to become a 4-H screened volunteer
Once you have completed your screening process, 4-H Shooting Sports Trainers are required to complete 4-H certification to become Trainers. Pre-work is completed before attending an in-person training. Training is held throughout fall and spring months in various locations around the state. For more information go to; How to become a Certified Shooting Sports Trainer Registration fees are paid by our 4-H program.
We are also in need of adult(s) to oversee the Wildlife Project that is required for those attending the State Shoot. Each county is required to present a Wildlife Project at the State Shoot. This does not need to be an elaborate project.
If you are interested in helping with the Shooting Sports Program in anyway, please contact Ann at; churc109@umn.edu
WINTER WEATHER Program Cancellation policy
The decision to cancel a planned activity is no simple matter. The safety and well-being of 4-H members, volunteers and Extension employees is the top priority.
4-H programs, activities and outings should be prepared to modify programming as needed in extreme cold weather.
Outdoor wind chill of 20 degrees below 0 Fahrenheit or lower.
The following will be considered when deciding whether to cancel a meeting or program:
The ability to safely operate vehicles (ice, snow, visibility)
Total predicted snowfall
Predicted temperature and wind chill factor
Schools are canceled
Emails will be sent to those who pre-registered for a county event being cancelled. Club Leaders should also notify members if club events are being cancelled.
Families and youth
University of Minnesota Extension works across the lifespan. We create and support positive non-formal learning opportunities for youth. We foster resilient, healthy and secure futures for families and seniors. Extension works with Minnesotans to make informed decisions leading to better health and well-being. Learn more at: https://extension.umn.edu/working-youth/contacts-families-and-youth
Food, health and nutrition
University of Minnesota Extension improves food literacy, physical activity, food safety and healthy food access for Minnesotans and the food service industry. Learn more at: https://extension.umn.edu/food-health-and-nutrition
Yard and garden
The best plants and gardening practices for Minnesota gardeners, homeowners and hobbyists to grow healthy lawns, landscapes and gardens. Learn more at: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden
Roles of Local Youth Educators
Ann Church - Livestock (Beef, Dairy, Llama, Sheep, Swine, Poultry, Rabbit), Horse, Shooting Sports, Federation, Community Clubs, Fair, Charters and Finance, Foods & Creative Arts projects and Food Stand.
Megan Slater - Youth Teaching Youth, Ambassadors, Performing Arts, Overnight/Day Camps, Dog, Goat, Cloverbud workshops.
Ashton Kulesa - STEM, New Families, Promotion, Outreach, Fashion Revue and Project Workshops.
Contact information is listed below.