The Fourcast

Once again, our 4-H community really came together to support our 4-H program through the successful fundraising efforts in partnership with Aunt Belle’s! In total, we had just over 400 items sold and will see a profit for Hubbard County of just over $3,350! A huge thank you goes out to our 4-H members for their participation in this fundraiser and their work to ensure that order totals and payments were correct!

We expect all orders to be ready for pick up at the Hubbard County Extension Office by February 10, 2026, but please keep an eye out for any changes to this as we get closer to the date! Remember that families are be responsible for picking up the orders submitted through them and delivering to the individuals who ordered the items.

Thank you for your efforts to support your club and Hubbard County 4-H through this fundraiser!

After receiving feedback from families last summer and due to the fact that 4-H Educator Brooke will be going on maternity leave this spring, there will be some updates made to the 4-H Premium Auction Fundraiser, including when the first informational meeting will take place. Even if you are not sure if your 4-H'er will be participating in this year's 4-H Premium Auction Fundraiser with their market animal(s) during the fair, it is important that you attend this first informational meeting, as attendance is the first pre-auction requirement to be met in order to participate! The date, time and location of this meeting will be shared in early February once the meeting information is finalized, so be sure to keep a close eye on your 4-H Online emails for the announcement of the required informational meeting!

As youth begin work with their 2026 market beef and dairy steer project animals, please remember to identify all 4-H market beef projects including market steers, market heifers and dairy steers in 4-H Online. These animals MUST be owned, tagged with a MN 4-H RFID ear tag (available at the Hubbard County Extension Office), and identified in 4-H Online by 11:59 pm on February 17, 2026. For more details on how to identify animals in 4-H Online, please check out this letter with included guides.

All other animals, including breeding heifers, cow/calf pairs, prospect calves (steers and heifers), dairy, dairy goats, dog, horse, llama-alpaca, meat goats, poultry (doves and pigeons), rabbits, sheep, and swine must be owned or leased, tagged or tattooed and identified in 4-H Online by May 15, 2026. While there is plenty of time to get these additional animal IDs completed, please remember that you can always get started now if you already have your animals and are ready to complete the ID process. This letter has more information and guides on the ID process for all other animals.

Please note that Cloverbuds in grades K-2 do not need to ID animals in 4-H Online, but their animals attending the fair need to meet all Board of Animal Health exhibition requirements.

All 4-H members and their families are invited to join us at the Leaders Council Meeting on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 6:30 PM at the Hubbard County Extension Office (201 Fair Ave, Park Rapids) to make your voice heard as we make important decisions that will shape our local program in the upcoming months. For those who will not be able to attend in-person, there is the option to join virtually over Zoom, and an email with meeting joining instructions will be sent to all 4-H households the day of the meeting.

Don’t know what happens at a Leaders Council meeting? At Leaders Council meetings, our 4-H youth and adult members help provide guidance and feedback for events and programming happening in 4-H. When you attend, you are able to help drive the direction of the 4-H program in Hubbard County by sharing your input and ideas!

Explore the slimy, stinky, stomach-turning world of the human body as we take a deep dive with hands-on projects that make science disgustingly tangible with topics like tooth decay, saliva, boogers, burps and farts, body odor, the digestive system, and more! Gross Science sessions are open to youth in grades 1-5 and will meet from 3:30-4:30 PM at Nevis Public School on Thursdays from January 8-29. Registration for Gross Science can be found through Nevis Community Education.

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, a second session of Gross Science will be offered beginning in late February. Be sure to check out registration information through Nevis Community Education!

Join the Hubbard County 4-H General PDC for 'Home Tweet Home' on Thursday, January 29, 2026, from 6:00-7:30 PM at the Hubbard County Extension Office (201 Fair Ave, Park Rapids) as we explore the 4-H woodworking project by building your own bluebird house with kits donated by the Mantrap Valley Conservation Club!

Pre-registration is required by January 27 in 4-H Online and is open to all enrolled 4-H youth. There is no cost to attend.

Join the Hubbard County 4-H Livestock Project Development Committee (PDC) as they host monthly trivia events the hour prior to PDC meetings! Trivia nights will be held from 5:00-6:00 PM at the Hubbard County Extension Office (201 Fair Ave, Park Rapids, MN 56470) on February 2, March 30, May 4 and June 1, 2026, and will cover a variety of animal science trivia knowledge at each session. There is no cost to attend, and all 4-H youth members in grades 3-13 are welcome to register to attend one or all sessions throughout the year! There will be pizza and water available for those who pre-register in 4-H Online by 4:00 PM the day of each trivia event!

Be sure to join the Livestock Project Development Committee (PDC) on Monday, February 2, at 6:00 PM to discuss happenings for the livestock project area in Hubbard County 4-H! The meeting will be at the Hubbard County Extension Office (201 Fair Ave, Park Rapids), but, if you aren't able to be at the meeting in-person, members are welcome to join virtually via Zoom (joining instructions will be emailed to 4-H households the day of the meeting).

Get ready for adventures with Cloverbud Project Explorers! Each month, Cloverbuds in grades K–2 will dive into a brand-new 4-H project area—exploring topics like science, health and wellness, horticulture, and more! Every session includes hands-on, exciting lessons and activities designed especially for our youngest 4-H’ers, and will be co-led by our 4-H Ambassador youth leaders. The Cloverbud Project Explorers sessions will be held on the second Saturday of each month, October through April, from 10:30 AM–12:00 PM (noon) at the Hubbard County Extension Office (201 Fair Ave, Park Rapids). This program is a great opportunity for our youngest 4-H’ers to discover what 4-H is all about while learning new skills—you won’t want to miss it! Pre-registration is required in 4-H Online and is open to all enrolled 4-H youth in grades K–2. There is no cost to attend, and youth may register for one session or join us for all! Even if your 4-H'er missed the first few sessions, there is still room for more registrations, and we'd love to welcome them to the group of explorers!

If your 4-H'er loves building, creating and using their imagination with LEGOs? Then the LEGO Lab: Mega Makers with 4-H program is for them! At each monthly program session, youth will tackle exciting building challenges, explore STEM in a fun way as they design their own creations, and learn new skills - brick by brick. Whether they are a master builder or just starting out, all 4-H youth in grades 3-7 are welcome to register to attend! We will see what amazing things we can create together on the third Tuesday of the month from October through April from 6:00-7:00 PM at the Hubbard County Extension Office (201 Fair Ave, Park Rapids). Pre-registration for LEGO Lab: Mega Makers with 4-H is required in 4-H Online and will be open to all enrolled 4-H youth in grades 3-7.There will be no cost to attend these project days, and youth can opt to register for one or all program sessions! Even if your 4-H'er missed the first few sessions, there is still room for more registrations, and we'd love to welcome them to the group of Mega Makers!

Hubbard County 4-H has been asked to partner with Hubbard County Extension's Agriculture and Natural Resources to facilitate the youth portion of their 2026 Winter Garden College on the rescheduled February 24, 2026, date from 5:00-7:00 PM in Park Rapids, and we couldn't be more excited to join youth in grades K-8 as they explore the 'dirt on soil' as we look at soil composition and layers through hands-on activities (and snacks!) before joining the adult group for a winter sowing project! More information and registration for both the adult and youth portions of the Winter Garden College will be available soon through Park Rapids Community Education.

The application period is open for the 2027 4-H Youth in Action program, hosted by the National 4-H Council!

The 4‑H Youth in Action program amplifies the diverse stories and leadership of 4‑H youth who are making a difference in their communities every day. It is a premiere community of 4‑H'ers who are preparing for their future while showcasing how 4‑H has changed their lives and equipped them to change the lives of others.

The Youth in Action program is based on the story that a young person can articulate the impact 4-H has made on their lives and how 4-H has inspired them to take positive actions to improve the lives of others. The application has some great guiding questions for youth to consider when applying, and applicants can check out the Youth in Action website to read about past applicants, including 2026 winner Antonio Becker from Morrison County, and finalists Laura Mohapatra from Blue Earth County and Seamus Schwaba from Winona County!

Applicants must be:

• A 4-H member/recent alum of any type of 4-H program in the US.
• At least 14 by April 13, 2026, and should not have turned 20 before Jan. 5, 2026.

National 4-H Council is offering the following webinars to learn more:

• March 4 at 6 p.m. (Central time): Webinar for applicants/parents.

4-H is offering an opportunity for youth to get feedback on their applications if they submit them here by March 22. Youth will receive feedback by March 30, and then have time to submit their applications by April 13.

Are you passionate about livestock and 4-H? Do you have ideas about the 4-H animal science experience? If you said “YES!,” apply to be on the animal science ambassador team! Applications are open January 12-February 6, 2026 to enrolled youth who are 8th grade and above. Application can be found at: https:/z.umn.edu/AniSciAmbie

Taste the adventure! ✈️ Join Tasty Traditions on February 28 for a hands-on cooking experience for youth in grades 6-12. We'll be celebrating African-American History Month with incredible African continent dishes. Space is limited, so register soon! Link to register: https://z.umn.edu/TastyTraditions2026 if you are a 4-H member. If enrolling in 4-H Online is not working, you may use this mobile-friendly form (no login required): z.umn.edu/4h-mobile-enroll.

Come test your skills with archery where you will have the opportunity to showcase your archery and wildlife skills and learn from peers, coaches, and volunteers in a positive environment! This invitational will take place on April 11, 2026, at the Morris Area Elementary School. Registration is open to youth grades 4+ in 4-H Online and is due by April 1, 2026. The cost to register is $20 ($25 for walk-ins or late registrations). Medals will be awarded to the top individuals in the archery competition!

Find more details and to register, visit extension.umn.edu/event/stevens-county-archery-invitational. For questions, please connect with Stevens County 4-H Extension Staff at next-stevens@umn.edu or call the Stevens County Extension Office at (320) 208-6575

Are you new, or newer, to the 4-H Livestock Project or want to explore a new species this year in 4-H? Check out the 'Barn Buddy' Mentor Program with Hubbard County 4-H!

The Barn Buddy Mentor Program allows 4-H youth who are new(er) to the Livestock Project to jumpstart their 4-H Livestock Project journey in any species and to dive into knowledge and skill development in order to have a positive experience from selecting an animal to work with all the way to showing at the fair! 4-H youth in the Barn Buddy Mentor Program will be paired with an experienced 4-H youth or alumni member to receive one-on-one support and guidance in their species of interest. Youth participating in the Barn Buddy Mentor Program can expect to get hands-on experiences as they learn about animal care, showmanship skills, and project management. To request a barn buddy, please complete this short survey!

If your family is looking for more opportunities with 4-H, be sure to check out the January 4-H Clover Update Newsletter! It’s filled with additional regional and state-wide program opportunities open to 4-H’ers. As you think about registering for regional or state-wide programs, don’t forget to apply for scholarships to cover 50% or more of the registration fee as well as to reimburse mileage for families carpooling!

The decision to cancel a planned 4-H activity or meeting is no simple matter. The safety and well-being of 4-H members, volunteers and Extension employees is always our top priority!

In general, 4-H programs, activities, meetings and outings will be cancelled if

• The outdoor wind chill is -20 Fahrenheit or lower,
• Travel advisories are in place due to ice, snow or visibility,
• Local area schools are cancelled or released early

In the event that there is a cancellation with 4-H, it will be communicated to all enrolled families through an e-blast message via 4-H Online and the Hubbard County Extension Facebook Page.