Washington County 4-H Newsletter
July 2, 2026
**Seeking 4-H Volunteers!**
Are you a family or club looking for a community service project? Consider helping us promote 4-H at the Lake Elmo Farmers Market, located at the Washington County Fairgrounds. The market operates on Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, from June through October 17 (please note there will be no market on July 4, July 25, and August 1).
We will provide promotional materials, a tent, and a table, while you bring a friendly face to answer questions about 4-H. You can participate every week, every other week, or just once a month—it's entirely up to you!
If you're interested in exploring this opportunity, please contact our office at mnext-washington@umn.edu We look forward to hearing from you!
Introduction to Arts-In! - Register by July 11
Have you ever wondered what happens at Arts-In? Are you in 6th grade+? Come check see what all the hype is about in a behind the scenes tour! Monday, July 13th.
Participants will:
See the Arts-In program in action
Eat dinner with this year's cast and directors
Take a tour-- See where Artsies eat, sleep, and work
Observe the different major areas (band, technical, and performers) as they prepare for this year's show!
Mini theater workshop
Contact Megan at slate187@umn.edu with any questions.
County Fair Food Stand Sign Up!
Washington County has a wonderful Food Stand Committee! This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year! All families are expected to volunteer time in the Food Stand during the fair. Shifts are available on all 5 days of the fair, vary in length, and type of work. Please read the instructions on the SignUp Genius so you understand the expectations. Cloverbuds must be accompanied by an adult! Clubs and designated project areas will receive financial incentives based on the number of youth and adults that sign up from each club! Sign-up here: 2026 Food Stand sign up genius! Extended family and friends can sign up too and designate their time to your club/project area!
If you know of a business that might be wiling to donate water bottles, please let us know by contacting the office at mnext-washington@umn.edu
2026 Mini Minnesota Meats registration is LIVE!
2026 Mini Minnesota Meats registration is LIVE! Sign up with your team of 3-4 4-H members grades 6-13 to participate in this popular cooking competition at this year's Washington County Fair. New this year: only the first eight teams to register will be accepted!
Teams will be given one pound of ground beef, condiments, other ingredients, a grill, and miscellaneous utensils and will have 40 minutes to prepare a dish judged on flavor, presentation, and team knowledge. Teams will compete for prizes and the title of 2026 WASHINGTON COUNTY 4-H MINI MINNESOTA MEATS CHAMPION.
View more details and sign up your team at z.umn.edu/minimeats26.
Games Schooling Show - July 6
Washington County is offering a Games Schooling Clinic on July 6th at the Washington County fairgrounds from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Register now to secure your spot! Registrations will be limited to 15 riders. If we do not have a minimum of five registrations, we will have to cancel the clinic. Tell your friends and get a chance to ride in the main arena before the County fair 4-H horse show! If you and your horse are having specific challenges, this is a great time to get some help. You will run through some of the games classes as well as drills while getting advice and tips from our experienced games clinicians on how to improve your runs. We will also be available to answer questions from parents and 4-Hers about day of show procedures, entry office procedures, rules and requirements for showing at the county fair 4-H horse show.
A few openings remain, register today at https://z.umn.edu/WashCoHorseClinic
Rabbit Project Summer Practices continue July 12
Fair season is almost here! Join us at the rabbit barn for some fun, learning, and hands-on practice with your rabbits.
Practice Dates
- Sun, July 12: 3–5 PM
- Sun, July 19: 3–5 PM
- Mon, July 20: 4–6 PM
- Sun, July 26: Practice & Cage Assembly from 3–5 PM
We'll be practicing rabbit agility, showmanship, and rabbit knowledge to help everyone feel confident and ready for the fair. Whether you're brand new to rabbits or have been showing for years, there's something for everyone!
We're also excited to announce that two brand-new agility events will be making their debut this year. Want a sneak peek? Come to practice and be among the first to try them out!
New this year: We're adding one Monday evening practice on July 20 to give members who can't usually attend Sunday practices a chance to join the fun.
Cloverbuds are welcome to participate with the help of an adult.
Stay up-to-date on important dates, practices, weather, and project news by joining the Rabbit Project BAND group: https://band.us/n/aca6b51fc9s6W
Horse PDC Meeting - July 13
The Horse Project Development Committee will meet on Monday, July 13 beginning at 6:30 pm at the Stillwater Gov’t Center. Final fair planning will be the main agenda item!
Pleasure Schooling Clinic - July 20
Washington County is offering a Pleasure Schooling Clinic on July 20th at the Washington County fairgrounds from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. We are excited Tina Langness will be our expert clinician. She is an active 4-H Judge in MN, WI and IA, as well as a Professional Horsewoman through AQHA, APHA, PtHA and PHBA. She has a long career in training, showing, judging, and conducting clinics. Don't miss this amazing opportunity to ask questions and get instruction on what you can do better, but also learn what judges are looking for, how classes are scored, how deductions are determined, and what tack and equipment is required in 4-H pleasure classes. You will have the chance to run through some schooling classes; for example, get experience learning and riding a pattern class, showmanship tips, and learn the difference between Western Pleasure and Ranch Pleasure. Bring your questions. Register now to secure your spot! Deadline to register is 5 p.m. July 17th. Registrations will be limited to 15 riders. If we do not have a minimum of five registrations, we will have to cancel the clinic. Tell your friends and get a chance to ride in the main arena before the County fair 4-H horse show! We will also be available to answer questions from parents and 4-Hers about day of show procedures, entry office procedures, rules and requirements for showing at the county fair 4-H horse show.
Sign up today! https://z.umn.edu/PleasureHorseClinic
Livestock Quality Assurance & Ethics Training
If you missed Washington/Dakota’s in-person training on June 12, please find another option and get certified before the county fair!
All youth participating as a State Fair 4-H livestock exhibitor in beef, dairy, sheep, swine, poultry, rabbits, meat goat, dairy goat, and llama/alpaca must have completed Livestock Quality Assurance Training prior to the Washington County Fair. Certification is good for 3 fair seasons. To check your LQA status for 2026, log into your family account, click on member, and then click on ‘trainings’ for that member (left column). If LQA is current, it will be listed; if nothing is listed, you will need to complete the 2026 LQA training.
If you are due to be certified, there are two training options available;
Option 1 - LQA&E face-to-face Training
Participation in a face-to-face 3-hour Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics (LQA&E) training is offered in various locations around the state. This certification is valid for three fair seasons. This training is designed for 4-Hers in 6th grade and up. Typically, Level I is designed for grades 6 - 8th, and Level II is designed for grades 9th - 13. 4-Hers completing grades 6-8 may be certified in either Level I or Level II. The determination of which Level to certify at for grades 6-8 should be based on the livestock project experience the 4-Her possesses. To find in-person options, go to: LQA & E in-person options
Option 2 - YQCA online Training
4-H members have the option of completing the 1-hour online course offered via distance learning. This certification is valid for one fair season. The cost of this training is $12/child and is paid at the time of online registration with a credit card. Since training is good for one fair season, it will need to be completed annually. This is a nationally offered program, and the registration fee is utilized to upkeep the system and update the training. To access information on how to complete the YPCA course, go to: Youth for the Quality Care of Animal Instructions LQA & E Trainings promote responsible care of animals, making informed decisions in animal care, and providing safe consumer food products. Youth will receive a certificate of completion. Additional information concerning any Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics training in our county will be listed in upcoming 4-H newsletters.
Become an Livestock Auction Buyer
BUYERS ARE WINNERS TOO • By becoming a buyer, you reward a 4-Her for achieving excellence in production. YOU inspire youth to go on to greater success. • This is a PREMIUM ONLY auction, buyers do not get the animal. • Youth understand it is an honor to qualify for the 4-H Auction. This is your opportunity to help these youth celebrate their success and encourage them to greater heights of achievement. Livestock plays a major role in youth development and education. • Buyers lend support to the Washington County agricultural economy and the livestock industry. Animal agriculture is an indispensable base for the economy of Minnesota and the United States.
State Shoot Registration - Due July 15
Those wanting to participate in the State Shoot in 2026 need to read the following information! To attend the State Shoot, first year attendees need 15 hours of training in the discipline they plan to participate in at the State Shoot and 8 hours of wildlife training. Second year participants need 8 hours of training behind the line and 8 hours of wildlife training.
The Minnesota State 4-H Shooting Sports & Wildlife Invitational will be held at the Alexandria Shooting Park, 6533 County Road 87 SE, Alexandria, MN on September 11-13, 2026. Additional location information can be found at alexandriashootingpark.com.
The event rules have been posted on the Minnesota 4-H website. The event rules can be found at z.umn.edu/4h-sswinvitational.
Registration process & information
Completed registration forms and checks are due to the Washington County Extension office by July 15, 2026.
The Family Information sheet can be found here: family information document.
Please complete the registration form registration form. You will need your Trainer to sign off on the registration form that you have completed your required number of training hours for your particular discipline. Ashley Schwartz (amkelly6@gmail.com) will need to sign off on Wildlife Hours!
The weekend schedule can be found on the State Shoot webpage.
Individual schedules will be sent to participating counties in late August.
Wildlife Hours
4-H youth attending the State Shoot are required to have completed 8 hours of wildlife training in the prior year.
Examples of activities that can count for full or partial hours:
Attend a club service project for habitat restoration at a local park (full hours)
Do a demonstration on deer anatomy at your 4-H club (full hours)
Go hunting (partial hours)
Plan out your pollinator garden and do a fair project on it (full hours)
Start a phenology journal and keep notes when you go hiking (partial hours unless you teach the skill to others, then you can get full hours)
The list goes on and on!
If you are taking a course that counts toward wildlife hours, be sure to bring your Wildlife Hours Tracking Form to collect an instructor signature!
Read your 2026 Washington County Fair Information/Premium Book!
The county fair is coming up quickly! The county fair is the highlight for the majority of 4-H’ers and their families! You won’t want to miss the fun, friendships and learning that the fair experience offers! Everything you need to know about the fair can be found in the 2026 Washington County Fair Information/Premium Book found here; https://z.umn.edu/WashCoPremiumBook
If you have questions, contact our office at mnext-washington@umn.edu
Judge's Assistants Needed - July 25
Being a Judge's Assistant is a great way to learn more about 4-H, and learn about interesting project areas such as aerospace, clothing, crafts, and photography. Judges assistants are needed on July 25th from 9:45 am-12:30 pm and from 12:45-4:00 pm for general projects/Dog Show and from July 29th-August 2nd for livestock. Judges Assistants help keep the project book updated with ribbon placing, help organize the projects, and make sure the judge has enough ribbons and supplies. Judges Assistant Sign up. If you have any questions please contact Ingrid Medgyesy | imedgyes@umn.edu
Vegetable judging reference
We're excited to introduce the new 4-H vegetable judging reference guide a hands-on resource designed to help youth develop confidence and skill in evaluating vegetable quality like true horticulture professionals. Filled with practical judging tips and easy-to-understand standards, the guide teaches participants how to evaluate size, shape, color, maturity, and overall quality across a variety of vegetable crops. Preparing for a county fair, judging youth will gain valuable skills in observation, decision-making, and communication. This updated guide modernizes and replaces outdated materials for vegetable judging while serving as a valuable resource for youth, volunteers, coaches, and fair judges alike. The vegetable judging reference guide is intended to be used not only for participant preparation but also as a consistent reference for judges’ books and evaluation standards at local and regional events. As a shared, up-to-date resource, the guide helps strengthen consistency, learning, and enthusiasm for plant science and agricultural education across the 4-H program.
Community Impact Recognition
Have any of your projects made a positive difference in your community? Earn recognition at the county fair for your Community Impact by showing it in your exhibit and telling the judge about it.z.umn.edu/4HCommunityImpact
This is awarded by the judge, so please mention it during your conference judging.
4-H Graduation application - Due ASAP
Washington County 4-H youth who plan to graduate out of 4-H this year (your last year of 4-H, typically one year post high school) are encouraged to complete the 2026 Graduation Application Youth who complete the Graduation Application will be recognized during the Sunday Night Awards (August 2) at County Fair. Graduation Applications are due ASAP. Please email them to Ann at; churc109@umn.edu
Champion Program
Dear Friends of 4-H,
We are excited to return to the Washington County Fair for our 26th season of the Grand Champion
Program. This program recognizes youth who receive grand champion awards during their county fair exhibition, is staffed by youth and adult volunteers, and is made possible by sponsors from the community. The Grand Champion Program has grown successfully and continues its efforts in
recognition of positive goals and inspiration.
For a tax-deductible sponsorship fee of $25, the Grand Champion 4-Her in your selected project area will receive a specially designed Champion t-shirt. The 4-H champions proudly wear their t-shirts during the county and state fairs, and often throughout the entire year. If you are interested in this opportunity to sponsor a champion, please complete the attached sponsorship form. Sponsors can request specific project areas, which are prioritized by the order received.
In return for your generosity, sponsors will receive a certificate with their award recipient’s photograph and a written thank you card. The lasting impact earning a Grand Champion has for a 4-Her is significant. Youth dedicate time to their projects, learn lifelong skills and cherish the opportunity to display their work to the community.
Thank you very much for your consideration of this request; this program and the recognition provided to 4-H youth could not be possible without the support of our 4-H community.
We appreciate you and all you do for our program!
Sincerely,
Champion Program Team
Washington County 4-H
4-H Graduates at the Fair!
Start working on your posters and sharing your 4-H memories! We are looking forward to acknowledging you at this years County Fair. We would appreciate having a poster board of you displaying pics of your 4-H memories/experiences. These posters will be on display in the 4-H building during the county fair. Please bring your poster to our office in the 4-H building on General Judging Day, Saturday, July 25 between 10-4. Or the first day of the fair.
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!
State Horse Finalists
Washington County is proud of 4-H Horse Project Members Lily Bush for being selected as a 2026 Dan Patch Finalist and Bennet Wuertz for being selected for the 2026 Youth Leadership Award!
It is a huge honor to be selected from youth around the state! The application process is intense, with portfolios, résumés, and interviews, etc.! Lily and Bennet receive trips to the State Horse Show for these Awards.
New Executive Board
Congratulations to the following youth and adults who were recently elected to serve as Exec Board Members for the coming 2026-2027 4-H year!
Aubrey Delaney -President
Theo Kruse - Vice President
Liesel Doll - Secretary
Joseph Doll - Treasurer
Youth District Reps: Wynnie Bye, Spencer Richter, David Gerboth, & Olivia Salitros
Adult Reps: Abbey Rademacher, Jayleen Stolzenburg, Sean Boll, Sara Delaney, Kim Salitros, & Laura Kruse
We have 2 open District Rep positions and a Historian position. If interested, please contact Ann at; churc109@umn.edu Any new candidates will need to be voted on at the September 28th Exec Board Meeting.
Learn about volunteering with 4-H
4-H volunteers contribute to youth thriving. They make their communities stronger and develop skills they can use in other settings. These are all great reasons to take a step to becoming a volunteer—If you’ve been thinking about volunteering but aren’t sure where to start there are steps you can take to learn more:
- Complete our volunteer interest form. The info you share will be given to 4-H staff so they can work with you to find or create a volunteer role that meets your skills, interests, and availability.
- Reach out directly to your local 4-H staff to inquire about specific volunteer opportunities in your community.
Whether you join us for one day or for multiple events, we value the impact we make together for our youth and our communities! For more information contact MN4-HVol@umn.edu.
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.
Lani Xiong (starting July 8) - STEM, New Families, Promotion, Outreach, and Project Workshops.
Contact information is listed below.