Douglas 4-H Buzz

4-H'ers wanting to exhibit a market beef (beef steer, market heifer or dairy steer) born in 2025 and at finished weight at county fair need to identify their animals in mn.4honline.com by February 17. This is a set deadline by the state of February 15 but because the 15th falls on a weekend and we are closed Monday, February 16 for Presidents' Day, the deadline is pushed back to Tuesday, February 17. Families that selected beef as a project interest received information in the mail and it's also posted to the Douglas County Extension website.

Get your market beef ear tags by completing this form before the February 9 deadline so staff can get them ready for you to pick up, don't delay. The Extension office is closed Monday, February 16!

Learn about the turkey industry by raising turkey poults to show at the 2026 Douglas County Fair. This experience is once again brought to you by Carl and Sharlene Wittenburg with support from Osakis Creamery and Douglas County 4-H for youth grades 3 and up. What's provided? Printed resources to teach you to care for and show your turkeys, five turkey poults per youth and appropriate feed. What you need to provide is space for pens, bedding, heat lamp, waterer and feeder and show attire. Cost is $ 75 to cover feed costs. Register for Turkey Trek in 4HOnline on or before the deadline of February 25.

Shooting Sports meet Sunday, February 1 at the Water Patrol Building on the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Enter fairgrounds through west gate off Co Rd 82 (near Swedberg Wood Products), the building is right there. Meeting takes place from 1- 4 p.m. and includes education session and shooting for bb/air rifle/air pistol and archery. Hope you can make it.

Are you looking for an opportunity to gain knowledge on the fundaments of showing your dog with hands-on experience? Build a greater bond between you, the handler, and your dog?

Douglas County 4-H is lucky to have a dedicated team of 4-H volunteers that offer a dog training program that kicks off in April and runs through early August. If interested, now is the time to log into 4HOnline and make sure dog is listed as a project interest for your 4-H'er(s) or call the office at 320-762-3890 and let us know you are interested. By doing this, you will be included in future mailings on the dog training program and registration links once they become available. If you don't have a dog, remember there is always an option to lease a dog from a family or friend.

Now is also a good time to print off dog ID paperwork to complete and have your veterinarian sign so you are ready to train. The state animal ID deadline is May 15 but because training begins prior to May 15, this form needs to be completed and uploaded to mn.4honline.com or turned into the Extension office prior to attending a dog training session.

If you have questions, please contact the Extension office at 320-762-3890 or email Jackie Kokett at jkokett@umn.edu.

We’re getting close to wrapping up our baby quilt service project. If you’re still finishing a quilt, that’s great—please bring it to our office by mid‑February so we can send it out for quilting and binding.

We still have a few quilt kits available for anyone who would like to participate. At our Leaders Council meeting on February 23, we’ll be labeling the quilts and assembling them with some additional fun items.

If you’d like help or need a work session, reach out to Jodi at hintz010@umn.edu and we can arrange a time to meet. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this meaningful project.

Do you have a champion or reserve champion pen sign from the county fair? If so, these are property of Douglas County 4-H and unless you have purchased your sign, we need these back to keep this fun tradition going. If you have a sign at home, please return to the Extension office at your earliest convenience!!! We appreciate your help with this so these signs are available to award winners at the 2026 Douglas County Fair. If you have questions, please contact the Extension office.

The annual 4-H Rabbit Fun Show is set to take place Sunday, April 26 at the Brandon Auditorium in Brandon. Registration starts at 10:30 a.m. and judging begins at 11:30 a.m. Cost is $ 3 per rabbit entered. Medallions awarded. There will be a food stand, door prizes and silent auction. Be sure to mark your calendar for April, you don't want to miss out!

Campers (currently grades 3-6) will experience a traditional overnight camp, including games, songs, crafts, educational programs, a reflective campfire and more! Camp will take place June 10-12 at Faith Haven Camp in Battle Lake. Teen counselors will lead campers in activities that allow them to gain knowledge and develop social skills while meeting new friends. 4-H staff and high-school-aged camp counselors are prepared and ready to deliver an exciting overnight camp for you!

Cost is $ 120 ??? but Douglas County 4-H pays half that cost for enrolled members (your cost $ 60?) payable by cash or check (payable to Douglas County 4-H) to the Extension office no later than Friday, May 9 ?! If you pay by credit card online, you will pay the full amount and your $ 60 scholarship will be paid to you after the event.

To register, visit mn.4honline.com, login, select events on the left and search for 4-H Junior Camp at Faith Haven. You may refer to this event registration guide to walk you through the process. If you need assistance, please contact Sarah Downhour at sarahu@umn.edu or Jodi Hintzen at hintz010@umn.edu.

The regional 4-H camp is scheduled for June 23-25 at the University of Minnesota Morris campus. Youth in grades 3-6 are invited to attend this unique camp experience.

Youth participate in program offerings packed with educational sessions, large and small group activities and a whole lot of fun! Youth learn new skills and make new friendships. Includes water activities, various speakers, games, evening programs and campfire!

This year's track topics to choose from include ???:

• Seeds to Survival (plant science, outdoor adventure)
• Paws, Claws & Hooves (exploring animals)
• Pop, Fizz & Boom (STEM)
• Nourish & Flourish (food & nutrition)
• Made by Me (crafts and fine arts)
• Needle & Knot (sewing & needle arts)

Cost is $ 160 but Douglas County 4-H will pay $ 80 towards this fee for enrolled Douglas County 4-H members (active status) that attend. Fee includes lodging in a secure dormitory, meals and transportation. Cash or checks payable to University of Minnesota Extension can be brought to the Extension office no later than May 1. If paying online with credit card, you will pay $ 160 and Douglas County 4-H will pay you the $ 80 scholarship after the event.

Register now for best selection in mn.4honline.com or contact the office for assistance. Registration deadline is May 2. If interested, refer to this guide on how to register for events in mn.4honline https://z.umn.edu/eventguide.

The Extension office will be closed for the holidays these dates:

• February 16 (Presidents Day)

It can be confusing as to what is available to do or learn about in the many different project areas that Minnesota 4-H offers, and how that might connect to creating an exhibit for the county fair to showcase what you learned. To discover more about a specific category check out the Douglas County 4-H project guide to learn more.

Jodi Hintzen, Extension Educator, hintz010@umn.edu

Jackie Kokett, Extension Educator, jkokett@umn.edu

Douglas County Extension

Email: mnext-douglas@umn.edu

Website: extension.umn.edu/douglas

Address: 305 8th Ave W, Alexandria, MN 56308 (Courthouse, 2nd floor)

Phone: 320-762-3890

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MNDouglasCounty4H/

Twitter: @UMNExt

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