MURRAY COUNTY 4-H NEWSLETTER

picture of large group of Murray county 4-H youth

Happy Halloween!

From counting pumpkin seeds, to roasting the seeds, and a pumpkin craft, this lesson is all about pumpkins! Swing by the Murray County Fairgrounds Bingo Stand and pick up a free pumpkin for anyone in your family. Attached is the lesson. Don't be afraid to share this with anyone who may enjoy this, you do not have to be in 4-H to participate.

A big thank you to Carl Nyquist for the donation of pumpkins!https://z.umn.edu/atuu

If you participate in this opportunity, we would love to see a picture! Email the picture to thoms531@umn.edu

November 15 starting at 6 p.m.

Join us for our annual Turkey Bingo event on November 15, in the Murray County 4-H Building from 6 - 8 p.m.

There will be a free meal provided to those who attend. Turkeys and more prizes to be given away - open to all ages!

Murray County 4-H Enrollment promo image 2025

Open Now!

Yes, it's that time of year already...Re-enrollment for Murray County 4-H opens today! It allows you to update your family information, address, email, etc. This is also the time to select your primary club with the option the enroll in a secondary club (for example Horse Club or Llama/ Alpaca Club). Staff want to make sure you are getting the information you need and answer any questions you may have!

Every year, starting September 15, each youth from Cloverbud to grade 13 need to be enrolled. Families can do that by visiting https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in. Update all the info, share any new project areas you might be interested in learning about so you can receive the appropriate emails throughout the year regarding information and deadlines for those particular project areas.

Here is a 4-H Online 'Tip Sheet' for enrolling/ re-enrolling to help with the process offering step-by-step instructions.

Volunteers need to be updated every third year. You should have received a message prior to September 15 if it's your year to renew. It will include directions as well as the link https://4-h-volunteer.extension.umn.edu/welcome-or-renew/renew. If it's not your year, 4-H staff will handle the rollover for you.

Thank you for taking the time to do this - the sooner your enrollment gets completed, the less emails and reminders you will receive.

Thank you for making Murray County 4-H the best it can be!😃

Registration is open!

Attached are the flyers that will be sent home with MCC and Fulda youth grades K - 6. We would love to have your 4-H youth join us once a month for our After-School-Adventures program. Youth do not need to be a member of a 4-H community club, but do need to complete the 4-H online registration

(https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in) to participate. Youth do not need to attend MCC or Fulda Schools to participate.

Visit https://z.umn.edu/2025-2026afterschoo4HAdventures to get a flyer if your youth does not attend MCC or Fulda. Please note that each school location has different dates, so be sure to sign up for the location that best works for you.

Minnesota 4-H Project Bowl: Virtual Bowling 101
Minnesota 4-H and the state 4-H project bowl committee are committed to increasing the interest in project bowl participation, particularly from younger 4-H’ers. Therefore, they are offering a non-competitive Bowling 101 category. This document will provide the only details for this activity. There is no additional information in the Minnesota 4-H Project Bowl rules.
Details and Rules
In 2026, Bowling 101 will be held virtually! 4-H’ers will join a Zoom meeting and use the Kahoot! App to participate.
Bowling 101 is open to anyone who has one year or less of regular bowling experience, however it is recommended for grades K-5.
NEW: Participants that are age-eligible can participate in Bowling 101 and the regular Project Bowl contests. Questions offered in Bowling 101 will be generic and meant to teach about Project Bowl in general. Questions will not repeat in any of the Regional or State Project Bowl Contests.
Bowling 101 will be offered:
Grades K-2: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 from 6:30 - 7:30 PM - Register Here
Grades 3+: Wednesday, November 12 from 6:30-7:30 PM - Recommended for grades 3-5, but open to all youth interested in learning about Project Bowl who have not participated before - Register Here
Counties should not form teams. All participants should sign up as individuals. This activity is for fun and experience and is designed to give younger, inexperienced members a chance to experience bowling.
There are no references and interested participants need not study for the contest.
There will be no formal competition and no entry fee.
The Bowling 101 program is entirely virtual this year and will be using a trivia format. Bowling 101 will not follow the traditional Project Bowl Format.
Direct specific questions to Katie Johnson (kwending@umn.edu) or Randi Schwartz (schw1553@umn.edu).

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: Nov. 19, 26; 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 virtual hours of wildlife for shooting sports.

Questions? Contact Stacy Johnson or Suzanne Souza.

Learn more and register.

Murray County 4-H 2025 - 2026 Schedule of Events

Please take a moment to download or print the 2024 - 2025 Murray County 4-H calendar.

Super Sitters 2025 virtual series promotional image

We're excited to invite you to our Super Sitters virtual series this winter! Whether you're new to babysitting or looking to sharpen your skills, this engaging and interactive series will give you the tools and confidence to become a super sitter hero!

Dates: Nov, 11, 18, 25 & Dec. 2, 9, 16

Time: 5:45 to 7 p.m.

Who: Youth in grades 4+

Cost: Absolutely free!

Each session will be packed with useful tips, engaging activities, and practical knowledge to help you succeed in caring for younger children safely and responsibly. Don’t miss out—become the sitter every family wants!

Learn more and register.

Crystalyx Tub promotional flyer from Chandler Feed

Looking for a way to support Local?

Chandler Feed has selected Murray County 4-H as the recipient of Crystalyx Cares and will donate $2 from every tub sold from September 1 - November 1.

Coming this fall: 4-H Science Sprouts: Pick your own adventure

This fall, invite youth in your county to join 4-H Science Sprouts: Pick your own adventure. This fun, hands-on virtual learning opportunity is geared towards youth in grades 3-5 (but open to K-13 youth interested in participating).

Youth will explore plant science through the fall harvest with three 30-minute virtual sessions held on the fourth Monday of October, November, and December. Each session will feature exciting, hands-on experiments with apples, pumpkins or squash, and potatoes—plus the chance to connect with youth from across Minnesota!

Sessions will be held on the following dates from 5:30 to 6 p.m.:

Nov. 24 - Pumpkin and squash Monday
Dec. 22 - Potato circuit Monday

Youth who register by Oct. 9 will receive a special kit with supplies for the activities.

Encourage families to sign up soon for their adventure in plant science!

Learn more and register.

Can download on Apple or Android Devices!

We have an app available that provides easy access to all things Murray County 4-H and Fair season!

Please take the time to download and utilize for access to show programs, stalling survey, Foodstand menu and so much more!

Available in the Apple App Store or Google Play! Search 'Minnesota 4-H' to download!

Are you stepping into a role supporting 4-H clubs next year? Do you want to learn alongside other volunteers and receive quality resources and tools to support your club? Then, plan to attend our new club leader orientation webinar.

This 75-minute online training is open to Minnesota 4-H volunteers, potential volunteers and youth leaders as part of our statewide volunteer development webinar program. While the content is geared towards new club leaders, anyone providing leadership and support to a 4-H members' experience will benefit from the material.

Session offerings

For flexibility, we have two available dates to choose from. The content will be the same for both sessions.

Thursday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.

During the session, you will gain

An overview of club volunteer roles and how to build a volunteer team.
An understanding of the nuts and bolts of 4-H clubs.
Strategies to design the essential elements for thriving clubs.
Resources to use and next steps that can support you in the growth of your 4-H club.

For questions or to gain more information, reach out to your local Extension educator or contact Jeremy Freeman, volunteer systems director, at jeremyf@umn.edu.

https://umn.zoom.us/meeting/register/SPqTxWoHSUmzuNPXpuzBrQ#/registration

4-H Scholarships

With a new year, that means new scholarship opportunities are available for high school seniors and college students. Please take the time to check out the scholarship site, to learn about upcoming opportunities this spring.

Activity ideas for your Club!

Need activity ideas for your 4-H club? Check out our Youth Development Curriculum Library for fun, educational lesson and activity resources designed for youth workers, 4-H volunteers, and youth themselves! 86 resources and counting! More content is added every month. Current categories: Animals and livestock, civic engagement and leadership, Cloverbuds (K - 2), environment and earth science, expressive arts and communication, family and consumer science, gardening and agriculture, healthy living, icebreakers, games, and reflection activities, including youth of all abilities, independent learning, outdoor adventures, STEM, and themed 4-H club agenda samples. If you have specific content you’d like to see, contact Jessica Russo at pier0239@umn.edu.

Become a Murray County 4-H Ambassador!

Join the Murray County 4-H Ambassadors! We meet typically once a month for leadership opportunities, youth engagement, ambassador outings, and service projects. Youth in grades 8 and up are invited to join the Murray County 4-H Ambassadors. Fill out the attached link

https://z.umn.edu/MCAmbassador

Ambassadors will meet on Sunday, November 2, from 1 - 3 pm at the Murray County Courts Building. We will be creating our ambassador spotlights as well as kicking off our leadership project with grant dollars from Jeff Boerboom/Pioneer Seed/ Corteva.

Looking to volunteer with Murray County 4-H?

Contact the Extension staff at (507)-836-6927

We would love to see the positive impact you could make in our program!

We would like to welcome Candice Conway, who joined as a volunteer to spend more time with her son Dylan, who is part of our after-school programming at MCC. Candice and Dylan have been joining us for years at our community events. Dylan was so excited to finally be big enough to join Murray County 4-H.