Fillmore County 4-H News

• New 4-H Year began on October 1st. Remember to re-enroll.
• When re-enrolling, please enter the youth's email, if they have one, (preferably not a school email) as the member email so they also receive the information we send out.
• There will be a Livestock Open House for all families interested in livestock projects on April 11th at the Fillmore County Fairgrounds
• The April Ambassador Meeting will be on April 11th at 6pm, in Room 108 of the Extension Office
• The April Federation Meeting will be on April 11th at 7pm , in Room 108 of the Extension Office.
• There will be a 4-H Foodstand Meeting on April 22nd at 7pm at the Extension Office.
• The 4-H Horse Project will be holding a informational and year kick-off meeting on April 29th at 7 pm, in the Extension office.
• The Sheep and Goat weigh-in will be on May 2nd, at the Fairgrounds in Preston.
• The May Ambassador Meeting will be on May 9th at 6pm, in Room 108 of the Extension Office.
• The May Federation Meeting will be on May 9th at 7pm , in Room 108 of the Extension Office.
• The 2026 Fillmore County Fair will be July 20th - 26th.

This is the final reminder of the Livestock Open House Tomorrow, April 11th. We hope to see everyone there to ask questions and make connections within the Livestock Project areas.

The Livestock Open House will run from 9 am to 11 am in the west end of the big barn at the Fillmore County Fairgrounds. Everyone is invited to attend and see what opportunities there are to show livestock, meet and ask questions to the PDC members, find resources for fair and showing, and ask Alex any questions you have about 4-H.

Feel free to share this with anyone you may know who is not currently involved in 4-H. We would be happy to have new members!

The Fillmore County Fair Board is looking to fill these positions for the 2026 Fillmore County Fair.

All positions require variable hours during the week of fair 7/20/2026-7/26/2026. Hours would range between 6:00 am and 11:00 pm.

All positions are paid positions. 16 or older is the preferred age of applicants, however, any age is welcome to show interest.

If you are interested in either of the positions, please send an email to info@fillmorecountyfair.com with name, email and position you are interested in. An application will be sent to you with more information.

The Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors are excited to invite YOU to Youth Exploring Leadership and Learning Opportunities (YELLO) - an unforgettable leadership experience happening this June 9-12 at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities!

This year's theme: "Planting Seeds of Leadership"

At YELLO youth will dive into hands-on leadership activities, career exploration, service projects and inspiring workshops - all while forming lifelong friendships with peers from across Minnesota! They'll hear from nationally recognized speakers, participate in engaging field trips and through interactive activities youth will apply their leadership skills to better understand how we are all connected and have an individual impact on our communities.

SAVE $$ - Register by March 31 to get the Early Bird Price of $300!

Regular registration ($350) runs April 1 - May 1.

Secure your spot now in 4-HOnline! (Registration closes May 1)

Contact Alex at the Extension Office with Questions

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! Open to youth grades 4+. Register in 4-H Online by April 1, 2026. Medals will be awarded to the top individuals in the archery competition!

When: April 11, 2026

*Registration begins at 9am, competition begins at 10 am

*Youth are able to select what time works best for them to compete (there are time slot options)

Where: Morris Area Elementary School

Who: Youth in grades 4th-13th grade

Cost: $20 ($25 for walk-ins/late payment)

Find more details and register here:

https://extension.umn.edu/event/stevens-county-archery-invitational

You're invited to a fun show! Youth will bring their own rabbit and participate in a mock show that will help them understand how rabbits are judged, disqualifications, animal handling, and showmanship. The judge will give feedback on how to improve for the fair and present awards. Find all the info at z.umn.edu/Olmsted4HRabbitFunShow

Date

Saturday, April 25, 2026

Time

9:00 a.m. Central time

Location

Aune Hall

1508 Aune Dr. SE

Rochester, MN 55904

Contact

Megan Wilson, Extension educator

brads160@umn.edu or 507-328-6217

Date

Saturday, April 25, 2026 at the Houston County Meeting Room in Caledonia, MN.

Time

9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Central time

$5 per Youth

Registration

Register in 4-H Online.

Register accordingly:

• Grades 6-8: Take Level 1 if you are certifying for the first time. Take Level 2 if you have previously been certified.
• Grades 9-11: Certify at Level 2.
• Grades 12-13 have four options: (1) Certify at Level 2, (2) Complete an animal science class at a 2- or 4-year accredited college (and provide proof to the Extension Office), (3) assist the county in teaching their 4-H LQA&E classes, (4) submit documentation of your leadership contributions to a 4-H animal science project meeting or workshop.

Any youth hoping to exhibit livestock with 4-H at the Minnesota State Fair must complete livestock quality assurance training.

Livestock Quality Assurance training helps youth provide excellent care for their animals and ensures a high level of food safety for consumers.

A three-hour in-person LQA&E workshop includes ethics and is valid for three years.

Youth who complete either one of these training options will receive a certificate of completion.

Read the full Minnesota Youth Livestock Quality Assurance Policy for more information.

Do you have youth in your county who are interested in engineer design? Here's an opportunity to get them involved in the 2026 Minnesota 4-H Engineering Design Challenge!

Help us by promoting this webinar to families in your county. We encourage them to participate in the webinar to learn more so they are prepared to gather a team. In 2026, each team will create a machine that completes a two-part task: Win a carnival game every time and show the crowd you’ve won! Build a Rube Goldberg™-style machine, work as a team, and bring your engineering ideas to life!

Social media:

Step right up! Join us for the 2026 Minnesota 4-H Engineering Design Challenge kickoff! This year’s theme? Midway Madness! Design a Rube Goldberg™ machine that can win a carnival game every time and celebrate the win! An informational webinar will take place on April 29 from 5 to 5:45 p.m. Learn more and register.

Registration deadline: April 28.

Ready to launch your future? Join Major General (Retired) Timothy A. Sejba as he shares how his journey—from a University of Minnesota, Duluth student to a top leader in the U.S. Space Forcer, took him to the forefront of space operations. Discover how curiosity, STEM, and leadership can take you beyond ready!

Registration deadline: May 1.

Learn more and register.

Calling all youth interested in fish, fishing and exploring Minnesota's wonderful world of water! Join 4-H to learn about the fish and waterways of Minnesota. In this new series, we will hear from experts that celebrate Minnesota's long tradition of fishing.

Learn about lakes, rivers, the Great Lakes and native fish in this webinar series held on Tuesdays from April 28 to June 2, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. via Zoom.

Audience

Youth in grades K and up

Cost

Free

Registration

Register in 4-H Online.

Accommodations

University of Minnesota Extension is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. To request accommodations for persons with disabilities, reach out to the event contact two weeks before the start of the event. Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.

Language

This offering is delivered in English. Interpreter services may be available with an advance request.

Spring has arrived after several rounds of snow, followed by 70s, followed by snow….

While we patiently await the arrival of spring flowers, this is perfect weather for boiling sap into syrup. Across Minnesota, people enjoy the tradition of making maple syrup. Many people tap a few trees for fun and a homemade treat; others tap thousands of trees and produce maple syrup as a part of a business. Read more about how you can make homemade maple syrup.

Spring is also when the Master Naturalist Program offers its annual conference, “Gathering Partners”. The event, open to members and non-members, will be hosted in St Peter in May and is a favorite for friends of Minnesota’s natural resources. Attendees include volunteers, landowners, environmental educators, participatory scientists, advocates, and anyone curious about the natural world. If you or someone you know has a passion for nature, this is an exceptional learning opportunity. Click here to learn more and register.

We continue to seek public members for County Extension Committee (CEC) positions in Houston, Olmsted, and Wabasha County. If you know someone who may be interested in serving on a CEC, please share my contact information.

Have a wonderful Spring!

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!

This scholarship is intended for an active, enrolled 4-H member from one of the following Minnesota Counties: Olmsted, Fillmore, Goodhue, Mower, Wabasha, & Winona. Youth eligible to apply are high school seniors (class of 2026) or college freshman pursuing a secondary education at a two year or four-year college majoring in animal science, agriculture, or environmental science. Youth should demonstrate involvement in 4-H and be active in their school and community and show scholastic proficiency. Youth are not able to be awarded the scholarship twice, although they can apply for it more than once.

About the Scholarship.

As of June 2025 the Foodstand Committee has started a scholarship program to encourage youth involvement on the Committee. One hundred percent of youth in the county are eligible, pending they meet the following requirements:

· Are active on the Foodstand Committee with multiple years on the committee.

· Display leadership skills within the committee and food stand.

· Dedicate time to attend meetings.

· Help with food stand set up and take down.

· Provide extra support in the food stand above and beyond a scheduled four-hour shift.

Youth in grades 7 through the youth’s last eligible year in 4-H who have had longevity with the committee and met the above requirements would be eligible for $200 per year of involvement, with a maximum of $1000 if involved all years from grades 7 through post-high school.

Our goal is to grow future leaders who come back to our program as alumni and support the 4-H Program.

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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