Olmsted County 4-H News

Olmsted County 4-H is holding a gear fundraiser. All proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards youth activities in the county. Order by December 2nd at z.umn.edu/Olmsted4HGearOrder

The Olmsted County Fair dates for 2027 are: July 26-August 1.

At the last Fairboard meeting, it was decided that ALL 4-H animals will be present at the Olmsted County Fair from Monday, July 26 through Sunday, August 1.

Megan will be collaborating with our species superintendents and the Fairboard to design a new schedule, including timing for the Blue Ribbon Auction, show times, and other key 4-H events like the Fashion Revue. She will share the completed schedule as soon as it is finalized.

Here are the key details confirmed so far:

• Animal Arrival: Animals may arrive on Monday, July 26, from 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM.

• In-Place Deadline: All animals must be in place by Tuesday, July 27, at 10:00 AM.

• Release Time: All animals and general exhibits will be released on Sunday, August 1, at 2:00 PM.

• Pre-Fair Shows: The Draft Horse and Open Goat shows will take place the weekend prior to the official start of the county fair.

Due to rising program expenses and reduced funding, we have updated our program reimbursement policy and process. To support as many youth as possible, reimbursements now require a two-step process with pre-approval and post-event sharing.

How It Works
Step 1: Request Pre-Approval (Before the Event)

• Submit the Pre-Event Reimbursement Request Form prior to attending your event.
• Requests submitted after an event has taken place will not be considered.
• You will receive an email verification once your form has been submitted.

Our annual Project Information Event (PIE) will March 16th from 6-7pm before the Full Council Meeting. We will be looking for youth and adults to host project tables.

The 4-H year officially ends on September 30. In order to re-enroll, your family can log in to 4HOnline and review, update, and submit the following information:

• Your family's contact and demographic information, including club, school and grade.
• Each family member's health and emergency contact information.
• Project areas of interest for this coming year.
• Parental consent required for youth participating in shooting sports/wildlife programs.

You can login to 4HOnline to complete the re-enrollment process after Sept. 15. This guide has more information.

Volunteer renewal process begins September 15
Thank you for volunteering with Minnesota 4-H in program year 2025- 2026. We hope you will join us to continue offering learning and leadership opportunities for Minnesota youth in your community!

Each year on September 15, Minnesota 4-H marks the beginning of the volunteer renewal period (in preparation for the new program year on October 1). On September 15, all volunteers who were ‘Approved’ in program year 2024 - 2025 will be moved to a ‘Not-Enrolled’ status in 4HOnline. If you completed the volunteer application and screening process or volunteer renewal process prior to Sept. 15, 2024, additional action will be needed.

If you need to renew as a volunteer, you will receive an email communication from 4-H staff with instructions for completing renewal. Please complete the renewal steps by November 15 to restore your ‘Approved’ status.

If you do not need to renew as a volunteer, you will receive an email from 4-H staff that your status will be manually updated to ‘Approved’ in 4-H Online. You will be notified by 4HOnline once this status is restored. Remember, eligibility to volunteer does not mean a commitment to volunteer! Contact your local 4-H Extension educator if you wish to discontinue your volunteer service.

Additional information about volunteer renewal is available from the 4-H Volunteer Resource Center.

If you would like to have information or photos published on the Olmsted County Minnesota 4-H Facebook page for your club, project, or other 4-H event, fill out the form below. Make sure to send any photos to mnext-olmsted@umn.edu.

Poetry Out Loud helps students build public speaking skills, confidence, and an appreciation for poetry.

SCSC hosts Minnesota's Poetry Out Loud program, offering high school students free educational resources and the opportunity to compete in a statewide poetry recitation competition.

Learn More and Register

Applications for both the Helping Hands Challenge and the Food Partner Challenge are live. These two distinct funding opportunities give 4-H members the resources to turn ideas into action and address pressing community needs. The Helping Hands Challenge offers $300 to $2,000 for broad, youth-led service projects across focus areas like STEM, environmental stewardship, arts, and mental health. The Food Partner Challenge provides $500 for youth-led groups to partner with local food shelves, food assistance programs, or community organizations to tackle food insecurity, with a focus on going beyond simple donations to create deeper, sustainable local impact. Both initiatives emphasize youth leadership, hands-on community engagement, and storytelling.

Helping Hands Challenge application
Food Partner Challenge application

Applications are due November 6th

November 17 at 6:30 pm 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.

Registration is now open to attend Club Officer Training and Olmsted's Annual Volunteer Training on 4-H Online. Clubs need to have at least 1 volunteer complete the online or in-person training. The focus of the volunteer training is 4-H Clubs and Club Management. We will go through club resource kits and hold a collaboration session for clubs present. Parents who are not screened volunteers may also attend this training.

Winona is hosting Youth Officer Training & Volunteer Training on Thursday, November 5th at Lewiston Altura Highschool if you are unable to attend Olmsted's training. More information can be found at z.umn.edu/WinonaOfficerTraining

Horse Project will be meeting on November 2 at the Olmsted County Fairboard Office at 5:30 pm for our monthly meeting.

Join us on November 10 for rabbit agility open practice! All youth are welcome to come and go as they please during the two hours. Multiple rabbits are allowed. All rabbits must have a harness and be over 6 months old to participate.

Questions about rabbit agility? Contact Tara Booth 507-244-0487

Join us at the 4-H rabbit meeting on November 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Olmsted County Fair Board office in Rochester.

Our next beef project meeting will be December 7 at 6:30pm at the Fair Board office.

The Blue Ribbon Auction Committee will be meeting Monday, November 30 at 5:30 pm and the Animal Science Committee will be meeting at 6:30 pm. Both meetings will be in the Fairboard Office (1402 Fairgrounds Ave SE, Rochester, MN 55904).

Building Leadership and Understanding (BLU) is an engaging leadership skill-builder designed for youth in grades 6-10. Planned and led by the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors, BLU brings together hands-on activities, team-building challenges, and meaningful conversations that help young people discover their strengths and grow their leadership skills.

Feb. 6-7 at Concordia Language Villages, Bemidji
Feb. 6-7 at Camp Victory, Zumbro Falls
Feb. 13-14 at Camp Courage, Maple Lake
Feb. 20-21 at Long Lake Conservation Center, Palisade

The Aggregate, curated by Extension Educator Mary Nesberg in partnership with the Olmsted SWCD, is your go-to hub for regional news and events.

Subscribe today to get expert local insights on:

• Row Crops: Field management, soil health, diverse crops, and local research updates

• Livestock: Grazing practices, forage management, and animal care

• Native Gardens: Pollinator habitat, weed management, and yard care

Click here to view the latest edition of The Aggregate

Click here to subscribe to The Aggregate

Grab your virtual passport and get ready for a 5-week journey around the world! Join us Nov. 17 through Dec. 8 from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. as we explore agriculture in Turkey, Ghana, and Mexico. Discover unique crops, farming practices, foods, and traditions while participating in hands-on activities, meeting guest speakers, and connecting with Minnesota 4-H Agriculture Ambassadors. No passport needed—just bring your curiosity and sense of adventure! Registration deadline: Nov. 5. Learn more and register.

Youth in grades 3 - 5 are invited to join 4-H Science Sprouts for three fun, 30-minute virtual plant science STEM adventures! Explore pumpkins, wheat, and indoor gardening through hands-on activities while connecting with youth from across Minnesota. Virtual sessions will take place Oct. 26, Nov. 23 and Dec. 28 from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Registration is open throughout the program, so it’s never too late to join! Youth registered by Oct. 15 will receive a special supply kit in the mail. Come curious. Get growing. Explore plant science! Learn more and register.

Pack your virtual bags and get ready for a four-week adventure around the world! Join us Nov. 10 through Dec. 8 as we explore agriculture in Turkey, Ghana and Mexico and discover how geography, culture, climate and traditions shape the way food is grown and produced around the globe.

Each week, you’ll dive into a new global agriculture adventure, exploring unique crops, farming practices, foods, traditions and the people behind agriculture in each country. Along the way, you’ll hear from guest speakers, take part in hands-on activities and connect with Minnesota 4-H Agriculture Ambassadors who will help bring each country to life.

Throughout the series, participants will:

• Explore agriculture in three different countries
• Discover crops, foods, and farming traditions
• Hear from guest speakers and agriculture experts
• Participate in hands-on activities
• Connect with Minnesota 4-H Agriculture Ambassadors
• Experience it all from home!

During Quarter 1, Megan worked with youth on different craft projects like Perler beads, air-dry clay, canvas painting, macrame keychains, and bead tapestries.

In October, Leah worked with the youth at Bonner Elementary as they became Science Superstars!

See an event you would like to participate in through 4-H? Bring your proposal to our Executive Board or Full Council meetings to request funding for the event.

If you are not receiving communications from the Extension office, please check your spam or junk folder. Mark messages from the following email addresses as “Not Spam” or move them to your inbox to ensure future emails are delivered correctly.

• Megan Wilson - brads160@umn.edu
• Leah Rognes - rogne112@umn.edu
• Melissa Solem - ruck0092@umn.edu
• Smore - mnext-olmsted@umn.edu

Email: mnext-olmsted@umn.edu
Website: extension.umn.edu/olmsted
Location: 1421 3rd Avenue SE, Rochester, MN, USA
Phone: 507-328-6214
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Olmsted4H