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Routt County 4-H news & updates
December 15, 2023
Upcoming Events
Click here to access the Routt County 4-H Google Calendar!
Support our Routt County 4-H Scholarship Foundation, now through December 5th you can donate on our Colorado Gives Page! Donate here.

Be on the lookout for scholarship applications to be posted in February.
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The Routt County Extension Office will be closed the following Days. Please plan accordingly!
  • December 18-January 5: There is limited staff at the Extension Office, please call ahead before stopping by the office.
  • December 25: Christmas Day
  • January 1: New Year's Day
  • January 15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • February 19: Presidents' Day
January 3, January 18, January 31, February 8, February 17, 4-5:30pm, Cake Decorating Workshops in the Extension Kitchen. Cake Decorating workshops are optional, but highly encouraged for anyone interested in the project. Please click here for the full schedule.
January 8, January 16, January 24, March 4, March 13, March 19, April 2, April 10, 5:30pm, Leathercraft Workshops in the Trout Creek Room. Leathercraft workshops are optional. Please click here for the full schedule.
January 10, 6pm, County Council Meeting in the Trout Creek Room. All clubs should have 2 representative attend this meeting.
January 12-13, National Western Stock Show Trip!
All spots are filled. If you signed up, please look at your email for more information on the trip.
January 15, Cowboy Downhill 4-H Petting Zoo - Bring Routt County 4-H to the base of Mount Werner for the Cowboy Downhill. We are looking for members who want to provide their animal(s) and/or a roping demonstration set-up (ropes, dummy, etc) in exchange for a day pass to Mount Werner for the 2023-2024 ski season. Members must be present from 11am-1pm. RSVP to Tami by January 9th!
January 17, 4:30pm, Robotics Workshops begin at the Concordia Lutheran Church. Space is limited. If interested, sign-up in 4-H Online. Workshops will run bi-weekly through June.

A full list of workshops can be found on our website.
January 24, 5pm, Cloverbud Workshop - Cake Decorating in the Extension Kitchen.

Please click here for the full schedule of Cloverbud Workshops.
January 27-29, Leadership Development Conference in Denver.

More information (to be posted soon) can be found here.
January 28, 12:30-2:30pm, Steer Weigh-In at the Routt County Fairgrounds in Hayden. Cost is $5 per animal. Please have the Weigh In Form completed before arriving at the scale. You must be enrolled in Routt County 4-H with all fees paid (including any past due fees). Questions? Take a look at the handbook section that discusses spring weigh-ins.
February 11, Winter Carnival Parade - Routt County 4-H is in the Diamond Hitch Parade! Join us on foot, or a pair of skis to partake in our Diamond Hitch! Please fill out the Google Form if you would like to participate!
February 24, 5pm, Cloverbud Workshop - Sewing in the BC.

Please click here for the full schedule of Cloverbud Workshops.
March 6, 6pm, Parli Pro Training in the Hayden FFA Ag Room. All Club Officers are highly encouraged to attend this fun training taught by Eric Wellman.
Season’s greetings, 4-H families-
 
As we reflect on 2023, I want to thank you for your participation in Routt County 4-H. Like so many programs, we were set back a bit with Covid, but I felt we really turned a corner this past year with more programs and increased participation.
 
4-H is only as strong as its clubs and community, a community with many folks who make our program special. Special thanks to our community club and project leaders, 4-H Council, and Jr. Leaders for creating a program that welcomes in youth of all backgrounds and tries its best to find a fit for everyone. Many thanks to you all for participating, our incredible volunteers for putting together expanded offerings, and to Tami and Millie for coordinating it all. Thanks most of all to Routt County who supports us both financially and in principle to grow the next generation of leaders.
 
Moving into 2024, I encourage all of our 4-Hers to bring more friends into the 4-H fold. My kids’ club has added many great members in the past couple of months, and I hope all Routt County clubs are able to experience the increased energy that comes along with an influx of excited and enthusiastic kids. As we move into the New Year, we’ll continue to Make the Best Better and hope we can count on all of you to help us touch even more lives.
 
Wishing you the happiest of holidays,
Todd
Club Reports
Elk River Wranglers
December 10, 2023
The Elk River Wranglers held their December meeting. We elected officers and set our club budget.

The new officers are:
  • Jason Heid - President
  • Sammy Coleman - Vice President
  • Leela Bridgewater - Secretary
  • Ryan Becker - Treasurer
  • Charlotte Heintz - Reporter

We also made gift baskets for seniors in our community. Each club member made one or two baskets to deliver. Also club members brought something for the baskets like bread, peppermint, and signs that said Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. All the Elk River Wranglers hade so much fun creating their gift baskets and it is a community project that we have been doing for many years.

Respectfully submitted,

Charlotte Heintz
Elk River Wranglers Reporter
Ranch House
December 11, 2023
Ranch House's meeting was called to order at 6:30pm on December 11th. The Secretary and Treasurer reports were given. Under old business we talked about the deadline for re-enrolling in 4-H. Under new business we talked about elections that will be held in January. The meeting ended at 7pm.

November 13, 2023
Ranch House’s meeting was called to order at 6:30pm on November 13th. The Secretary and Treasurer reports were given. Under new business we talked about re-enrolling in 4-H, Achievement Night details and details of donating a tree to the Tree Auction to Auction Off for a fundraiser in December. The meeting ended at 7pm.
 
Submitted by Kelsey Stewart
Flat Top
November 12, 2023
On Sunday, November 12, 2023, Flat Top 4-H Club held their annual pot luck and meeting at South Routt Elementary School.

During the meeting we discussed club expectations and elected new club officers.
  • Emily Rossi was elected as President
  • Olivia Rossi was elected Vice President
  • Mia Cranwell was elected Secretary
  • Kacie Davis was elected Treasurer
  • Gavin Ahlgrim was elected Reporter
  • Milan Anzulewicz and Myka Cranwell were elected Council Rep
  • Jackson McElhinney was elected Council Rep alternative
  • Holden Buffetti and Milan Anzulewicz were elected Photographers
  • Allie Ahlgrim was elected Historian
Our club will be doing a canned food drive in the month of December.  We enjoyed the pot luck and look forward to the next meeting on December 10th, 2023 at 5:30 pm. Calendar committee will meet at 5:00 pm on December 10th.

Respectfully submitted by: Gavin Ahlgrim
General 4-H News
Stay up to date on all things Routt County 4-H. Follow, like and share our Facebook page(s)!
4-H Enrollment is Open!
Returning members should sign up, AND pay before December 31st to avoid a $30 late fee! Here is a LINK to how to enroll, clubs, projects and much more. Call our office with any questions - we are here to help you!
  • Interested in specific projects? Check out the sections below for project workshops!
  • Are you new to 4-H? Have questions? Mark your calendar for the New Member Dinner, March 20.
Courtesy Posts
HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS:
  • Colorado 4-H awards scholarships annually to outstanding youth who have actively engaged in Colorado 4-H clubs for at least three years. The scholarship process is open from November 1, 2023, through March 1, 2024. Scholarship recipients will be announced in May 2024. There are opportunities available for all kinds of students, including those attending CSU or other universities, trade schools or junior colleges, transfer students, and continuing students. We encourage our 4-H participants to apply. There is $49,500 available in funding this year!
  • For more information on the scholarship process and scholarships available, visit https://co4h.colostate.edu/about-us/scholarships/.  
  • If you have scholarship questions, please contact OEE_Giving@colostate.edu.
  • Check out CSU's College Connection Webinar for High School Seniors. The next webinar is all about the CSU College of Agriculture Science. Plan on attending December 6th at 10am.
  • Routt County 4-H Scholarship Applications will be posted in February.
For more information and to register, please visit the Yampatika Website (scroll down to the "Citizen Science after Dark")!
Registration for the National training Workshop is open. You can register here!

Farmer stipend applications are also available now. You can find them on the NTW website under the "stipend" page.
New Member Information
Learn more about Routt County 4-H on our WEBSITE.
  • See a list of our 4-H clubs and when they meet.
  • Learn about all the projects 4-H has to offer.
  • The Colorado 4-H WEBSITE also offers project information and record book links. Click on the area of a project of interest (word on picture square), then click on the project you want to learn more about.

March 20, 2024, 6-7pm, Mandatory New Member Dinner. Come join us as we discuss important dates, outline the importance of 4-H, and experience a fun night of interactive booths.
4-H Project Area Information
Leader Training Dates -   All workshops are tentative and may be cancelled or adjusted for reason including but not limited to low registration numbers, inclement weather, etc.
  • March 1-3, Morgan County - (Rifle, Pistol, Archery, Shotgun)
  • March 8-10, Pueblo County – (Rifle, Pistol, Archery, Shotgun, Muzzleloader, Hunting & Outdoor Skills, Western Heritage)
  • March 15-17, Weld County – (Rifle, Pistol, Archery, Shotgun)
  • March 22-24, Garfield County - (Rifle, Pistol, Archery, Shotgun, Muzzleloader, Hunting & Outdoor Skills, Western Heritage)

Project Requirements - please make sure that you are aware of the requirements for your project. You can find a complete list of the requirements on the Colorado State 4-H Website.

Important Shooting Sports Dates -
  • May 1 - Project Add/Drop/Change Date
  • July 6 - Completion Weekend Registration Due
  • July 10 - FairEntry Registration Due
  • July - Completion Weekend
  • July 27 - Exhibit Day
Project Dates - check out the following links for important project dates!
  • Cattle - please note, the Winter Weigh-in date has been moved to January 28th
  • Swine - please note, the Spring Weigh-in date has been moved to May 5th
  • Sheep - please note, the Spring Weigh-in date has been moved to May 5th
  • Goat - please note, the Spring Weigh-in date has been moved to May 5th
  • Horse
  • Poultry
  • Rabbit
  • Dog
Livestock Dates -
  • January 28- Beef Weigh-In
  • April 24 - Meat Quality Assurance
  • May 1 - Project Add/Drop/Change Date
  • May 1 - Horse and Dog IDs Due
  • May 5 - Sheep/Goat/Swine Weigh-In
  • June 1 - Market (Beef, Swine, Sheep, Goat) Animal IDs Due
  • June 2024 - NW Colorado Expo in Grand County
  • July 1 - Breeding Animal (Cattle, Swine, Sheep, Goat, Poultry, Rabbit) IDs Due
  • July 10 - Market Poultry/Rabbit Animal IDs Due
  • July 10 - FairEntry Registration Due
  • August 7 - Fair Set-Up Day
  • August 9-17 - Routt County Fair
  • August 18 - Fair Break-Down Day
  • September 17 - Record Books Due to the Extension Office
Project Workshops - Click on the following links to see the tentative schedule for the following workshops. All members must be fully Enrolled in Routt County 4-H before attending these workshops.
  • Cake Decorating, 4:00 pm - Starting January 3rd
  • Leathercraft, 5:30pm - Starting January 8th
  • Team Robotics, 4:30pm - Starting January 17th. Please note, workshops have been moved to Wednesday Evenings.
  • Vet Science, 6:30pm - Starting April 1st
  • Gardening - information on Workshops to be posted soon!
  • Beekeeping - information on Workshops to be posted soon!
Project Requirements - please make sure that you are aware of the requirements for your project. You can find a complete list of the requirements on the Colorado State 4-H Website.
Important Dates -
  • May 1 - Project Add/Drop/Change Date
  • July 10 - FairEntry Registration Due
  • July 27 - Exhibit Day
Routt County 4-H Leadership Opportunities
Routt County Exchange Group - Are you interested in traveling to experience the 4-H Atmosphere in a different state? Are you interested in hosting a 4-H member from a different state to show them around our area? Any Senior age 4-H member is encouraged to look into the Routt County Exchange Program. Meet lifelong friends while getting to experience another part of our country. This is a two year program with one week each year dedicated to the group.
Interested or have more questions? Email Shari.

Leadership Development Conference will be January 27-29 (Saturday-Monday), in Denver. More info to come soon.

District Retreat will be April 5th-7th, in Glenwood Springs. More info to come soon.

2024 4-H National Conference will be April 19-24 in Arlington Virginia. This event is open to Senior 4-H Members from 15-19 years old. Please let Tami know if you would like to be nominated to attend the National Conference. For more information, click here!
Leaders
THANK YOU all for the help that you pour into our Routt County 4-H youth each and every year. We could not do what we do without all of you!


4-H Enrollment is Open!
  • Please Re-Enroll as a leader ASAP!
  • Encourage returning members to sign up (and pay) before December 31st to avoid a $30 late fee!
Routt County 4-H Cloverbuds
What is a Cloverbud? Cloverbuds are members from 5-7 years old who are not quite ready to participate in many of the projects and activities that the rest of the older 4-H members participate in.

What can Cloverbuds do? The Cloverbud program is focused on participation, teamwork, and learning (not so much on competition). Several of our clubs host Cloverbud events during their regular monthly meetings, and our Routt County 4-H Junior Leaders host 5 Cloverbud workshops throughout the spring and summer to get our youngest members excited about 4-H.

Enrollment - $15/Cloverbud Member
Here is a LINK to how to enroll, and much more. Cloverbud members are not required to attend monthly meetings, but any member wanting to join the Cloverbud workshops must be enrolled as a Cloverbud member. Call our office with any questions - we are here to help you!

Cloverbud Workshops- See a list of workshops here.
Routt County CSU Extension - 4-H