Fillmore County 4-H News

• Minnesota 4-H State Shoot is September 9th to September 13th in Alexandria, MN.
• The September Ambassador Meeting will be on September 12th at 6pm, in room 108 of the Extension office.
• The September Federation Meeting will be on September 12th at 7pm, in room 108 of the Extension office.
• The September Auction Committee meeting will be September 16th at 7pm in Room 108 of the Extension office.
• The Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show is September 17th to September 21st at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds.
• The Minnesota 4-H State Dog Show is September 26th to September 27th at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds.
• The October Ambassador Meeting will be on October 10th at 6pm, in room 108 of the Extension office.
• The October Federation Meeting will be on October 10th at 7pm, in room 108 of the Extension office.

Youth, if you want to be a Federation Officer, please attend the September Federation Meeting. If you are unable to participate in the meeting, please let Alex know, and we will get you on the slate. If you have any questions about being an officer, you can just contact Alex or look at this Federation Officer Role Description. Federation Officers are a one year term, except Treasurer, and are perfect for improving your leadership at the county level.

Adult advisors to the Executive Committee will also be elected. If you are unable to participate in the meeting, please let Alex know, and we will get you on the slate. If you have any questions about being on the Executive Committee, you can contact Alex or look at this Executive Committee Role Description. This position is a 3 year term and is a great way to volunteer and help out in the county.

To find results and photos from the 2026 Minnesota State Fair go to the MN State fair page on the U of M extension website.

Join us for the 4-H dairy tour, a unique opportunity for youth in grades 7 and up.

Youth will stay overnight in a hotel with adult chaperones and be transported via motorcoach.

During this tour, youth will have the chance to explore different dairy farms, processing facilities and careers within the dairy industry.

Audience

Youth in grades 7 and up

Cost

$150

Registration

Registration opens in 4-H Online on July 15 and closes on Sept. 21.

For assistance, refer to the 4-H Online event registration guide or contact your local Extension educator.

Thursday, October 15, 2026, 8 a.m. - Saturday, October 17, 2026, 5 p.m. CDT

St. Paul, MN

Katie Johnson, Extension educator

kwending@umn.edu

Welcome to September! I hope summer brought you a chance to unwind and relax before the start of school, crop harvesting, trips to the apple orchard, and all the other things that autumn will bring.

Now through Oct. 1, the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program is looking for volunteers who are interested in learning gardening best practices -- including growing fruit and vegetables -- and sharing that knowledge in their communities. We have many strong programs in Southeast Minnesota that are looking for more volunteers to help spread horticulture education.

Third quarter County Extension Committee meetings will begin soon for many of you. I look forward to seeing you in the weeks ahead, but first: the Minnesota State Fair is still happening for a few more days! If you have not had a chance to attend the “Great Minnesota Get Together,” there is still time to check out all that Extension offers at the Fair! While best known for our 4-H showcases, the fair offers Extension programs in many areas to enjoy. Check out options here!

Lisa Dierks
Regional Director, Southeast
dierksl@umn.edu

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!

Contact Alex at the Extension office for other scholarship opportunities.

The Fillmore County Extension Master Gardeners have put together horticulture educational kits to be used around the county. These kits are available for check out by clubs. There are 17 different kits available each with a different project. These would be great for club leaders to use at meetings or you could invite an Extension Master Gardener to your meeting to lead the project!

The kits are free to use, but supply replenishment may be needed for some kits. The easiest and quickest way to do this is to bring a check for $20 (written to: "Regents of the University of Minnesota") when you return the kit so that we can replenish those supplies. You can also replenish them yourself.

These kits are available on a first come first serve basis, and Extension Master Gardeners have priority. However, we will do our absolute best to make turn around times short so everyone can use the kit they want!

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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