Pine County 4-H Update

Alexis Triebenbach started as the part-time Interim Program Associate for Pine County 4-H on October 19th. She will be in the office once a week and available by email the rest of the week through the end of November. She will work with club leaders on charters and other communications. Regional 4-H staff will continue to work with programs and committees.

Alexis is available by email at trieb029@umn.edu. Please reach out to either Alexis or mnext-pine@umn.edu for any 4-H related questions.

Please note the upcoming changes to the Extension Office Schedule:

• The Extension office will be closed on Mondays for the next few weeks. Staff will be reachable by email at mnext-pine@umn.edu.

The new 4-H program year officially kicks off Oct. 1! Youth need to be re-enrolled each year in order to fully participate in 4-H activities.

Here are a few important tips for getting the most out of the enrollment process:

• Ensure youth are listed in the correct club - changing clubs is A-OK! To ensure you're getting accurate information, double check that the club listed for each youth is the correct one.
• Add or delete project areas - think of the project list like areas of interest. Staff use these lists to ensure you get information about the things you may be interested in. Example: if you don't want to miss out on Dog Training in the spring, make sure you select the Dog project during enrollment.
• Update important health information - please ensure that information about allergies, dietary needs, and health conditions is accurate. This information is password protected, but staff uses it to ensure everyone's safety and provide the best instruction techniques. If you have questions or concerns about this information, please reach out to the extension office.
• Answer demographic questions - please consider answering all demographic questions for your youth and family. Staff uses this information as a group across 4-H, not individually. Accurate demographic information helps ensure we comply with State and Federal laws.

Find the 4-H enrollment site, a user guide, and more information at z.umn.edu/join4h. If you have questions, or prefer paper copies, please contact Joanna at 320-591-1651 or jgechas@umn.edu.

Join us Monday, November 9 at 6 pm for a 4-H livestock meeting. This event is open to all Cloverbuds, youth, and families who currently participate or want to participate in showing beef, dairy, dairy goat, meat goat, poultry, rabbit, sheep, or swine.

It will be held at the Hinckley Community Room (106 1st Street S.E., Hinckley, MN 55037).

We will talk about education and showcase opportunities for the coming year. Snacks will be provided!

Keep an eye on the mail! Information on the annual 4-H cheese fundraiser has been mailed out. If you have not received your fundraising materials by now, please reach out to the extension office ASAP!

We are looking forward to partnering with Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery again this year for our cheese sale.

Order forms and payment are due at the Extension Office by Nov. 13 at 4:30 p.m.

Orders can be placed in the Pine County Courthouse drop box or delivered to the Extension office.

Cheese delivery will be Friday, Dec. 11 from 3:30pm - 6:00pm at the Hinckley Community Center. More information, including order forms, can be found on the Extension website.

Make your voice heard! The Pine County Community Extension Committee is looking for two students, preferably one junior and one senior, that would serve as youth liaison from September 2026 to August 2027. Youth liaisons would attend committee meetings, offer feedback to adult committee members, and provide suggestions for the direction of Extension offerings in Pine County. For more information and to apply, visit z.umn.edu/PineCECInterest

Pack your virtual bags and get ready for a four-week adventure around the world! Each week from November 10th to December 8th, youth grades 6-8 (older are welcome to participate) are able to dive into unique agricultural practices from Turkey, Ghana, and Mexico all from the comfort of their own home. This series is free to attend, and is held virtually.

The registration deadline is November 5th. For more information or to register, please visit this link:

Explorers in Agriculture link

Calling all aspiring babysitters! Do you know what it takes to be a Superhero in babysitting? Join us and find out. We will cover the basics of child care, ages and stages of development, basic first aid, and how to promote your new upcoming babysitting business. This training will be coming to you, virtually, on the following dates in November: November 16, 17, 23, and 24, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. This program is open to youth in 4th grade and up.

Deadline to register is November 16th through 4-H Online.

Want to keep up to date with Pine County 4-H? There are a few ways to stay up to date.

1. Visit our county web events calendar anytime to see what is coming up.
2. If you use Google Calendar, subscribe to our Pine County Google calendar to see all our 4-H events in the same place as your other activities.
3. You can also view our Pine County Google calendar without subscribing.

Email: sodendah@umn.edu
Website: extension.umn.edu/local/pine
Location: 635 Northridge Drive Northwest, Pine City, MN, USA
Phone: 320-591-1654