4-H Newsletter September 2026

Teton County Happenings

• Sep 1:Horse Club Re-visioning Session #1, 4 - 5 pm, Skinner Residence
• Sep 9:Horse Club Re-visioning Session #2, 4 - 5 pm, Teton Courthouse Conf Room
• Sep 29:Shooting Sports Sign Up Meeting, 7 pm, Rocky Mountain Rifle Club
• Oct 5:Livestock Committee Meeting, 6 pm, Teton Courthouse Conf Room
• Oct 6:Shooting Sports practice begins
• Oct 16:Teton County 4-H Youth Ambassador Application Due
• Oct 30:Club Treasurer’s books due by 5 pm (Friday) at the Extension Office
• Nov 1:4-H Re-enrollment Deadline for returning youth and adult volunteers
• Nov 2:4-H Council Meeting 6 PM, Fairfield School Media Center

Statewide 4-H Events

• Sep 12-14:MT 4-H Working Ranch Horse Finals at the 406 Arena in Vaughn, MT
• Sep 25-28:State Horse Show at the 406 Arena in Vaughn, MT
• Oct 5-11:National 4-H Week - the theme is “Beyond Ready”!
• Nov 6-8:4-H Fall Teen Leadership Training in Billings, MT

• Record Books are due to your club leaders in August. After review at the club level, each club can put forward their top three books per age division for quality judging at the county level.

• Need help with your 2025-2026 Record Book?

  Come to the Extension Office and we will work with you one on one to complete your record book.Please call the Extension Office to schedule a time so that we can give you the attention you need.

• Teton County 4-H Policy: A complete Record Book must be submitted (electronically via Zsuite or on paper) each year in order for 4-H members to exhibit, show or sell at next year's Fair.A variance request will need to be submitted before June 1, 2027 if you were unable to complete your Record Book by your Club’s due date.

2026 Carcass Award Winners

Key Updates for 2026-2027 4-H Year

Adult volunteers:

• 4-H Council will pay dues for all adult volunteers who do not have children enrolled in 4-H (in any club)

• In-person New Volunteer Certification Training will be scheduled in November. Alternatively adults may complete virtual new volunteer certification at any time.
• Contact the Extension Office for details (406-466-2491)

Required to get credit for completing the 4-H year (helpful for scholarships!)

• Attend at least 3 official club meetings
• Attend at least 1 club service event
• Participate in at least 1 county event (for example, Communications Day, 4-H Fair, 4-H Camp)
• Complete and turn in yearly 4-H Record Book by your county’s due date

To sell a market animal at the Teton County 4-H Fair

• Be enrolled in Teton County 4-H market animal project
• Attend at least 1 mandaory meeting:
  • Youth members: attend at least 1 in-person, Teton County Livestock Quality Assurance (“LQA”) event
  • Parent members:attend the mandatory pre-Fair parent preparation meeting
• Bring your 4-H record book with the animal project pages nearly completed to the market animal interview on Wednesday of Fair week
• Complete and turn in your yearly 4-H Record Book

National 4-H Week October 5-11, 2026

Monday, October 5th

On Monday of National 4-H Week, Go GREENDAY and show your 4-H Spirit! Wear a green hat, clothing, face paint-anything green goes and RECRUIT A FRIEND!

Thursday, October 8th

Thankful Thursday, October 8th is a day to recognize all 4-H’ers who are doing good and making positive impact by helping their communities and beyond. Share your own story or celebrate someone who is making a difference-another 4-H’er, volunteer or educator.

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING 4-H!

Send us your pictures! We’d love to see how you’re celebrating 4-H week and share some of your moments in the October Newsletter. Send them to our email, teton@montana.edu, text them to 406-350-5373 OR add them to the 4-H album in PhotoCircle

Click Here or go to https://join.photocircleapp.com/VB7XMFX4BX to see the Fair Photo Album

Ready to start your rabbit project?

Rabbit and Hutch For Sale

• Asking $125. He’ll come with a 3' x 8' long cage with two floors and 3 hinged doors on the top. Call Emma McGraw at 406-836-0625 for more information

Free Bunnies

• Call Roberta at 406-590-1375 for more information

Free Rabbit Hutch

• Free Rabbit Hutch to good home!

  80' long x 46" deep x 2.5-3' tall. Solid floor but could be changed to a wire slotted bottom easily.

  Call Jack at 406-466-5240 for more information

Shooting Sports Updates

Mandatory Shooting Sports Sign Up -Tuesday, September 29

Teton County Shooting Sportswill have a pistol, rifle and Western Heritage meeting on Tuesday September 29, at 7 p.m. at the Rocky Mountain Rifle Club at 144 5th Lane NE, Fairfield.Archery will hold its organizational meeting in December or January- stay tuned!

This meeting mandatory for parents and for members interested in pistol, rifle and/or Western Heritage shooting sports. Remember to bring a checkbook or cash as dues and fees will need to be paid that evening.

If you have questions about dues, fees, age requirements, or if attending presents a problem for your family, please call Brian Bedord with questions at 406-590-9092 before September 29.

Shooting practice begins on Tuesday, October 6.

To be eligible to shoot on October 6, ZSuite enrollment needs to be complete, and all release forms signed.Contact the Extension Office if you need assistance with enrollment.

Update for 26-27 4-H year: All Teton County 4-H Youth Shooters will need to enroll in a club (see pg 5) in ZSuite and select shooting sports discipline as a project.Please contact the Extension Office if you have questions or need assistance with enrollment 406-466-2491.

Serve on a 4-H Committee this 4-H Year!

Sign up for committees ​on Zsuite at https://4h.zsuite.org/event-registrations/52955 if already signed into Zsuite and https://4h.zsuite.org/external-event-registration/52955 if signed out.

In addition to clicking on the links above, you can also email (teton@montana.edu), text (406-350-5373)

or call (406-466-2491) to sign up for committees.

2026-27 Teen 4-H Ambassador Program

Ready to take your 4-H experience to thenext level?

The Teton County 4-H Teen Ambassador Program is a great opportunity for teen members to grow their leadership skills, represent 4-H, help plan county activities, and make a difference in their community. Ambassadors attend leadership training, serve on a county 4-H committee, support events such as Communications Day and Fair, and gain valuable experience for scholarships, resumes, and future careers.

Applications for the 2026-27 program are due October 16, 2026. If you enjoy leadership, service, and helping younger members succeed, consider becoming a Teen Ambassador this year! Contact the Extension Office for more information.

Link to updated Teton Co website: https://www.montana.edu/extension/teton/4HAmbassador.html

School Service Learning Requirements

• If your school has service learning requirements, please talk to local school administrators about how to record your service learning hours and let our office know. We are happy to complete paperwork, etc., but can only do so if we know your school's requirements and you prompt us via email, text, call, to do so. Many 4-H events would qualify as service learning!

Is your 4-H age 13 and up?

What is my 4-H age?Your 4-H age is how old you are on October 1, 2026.

Online Application for First time : https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/dheEwd4X8E

Apply By October 16, 2026

Sign up and start the new 4-H year!

Re-enrollment for returning 4-H youth and adults begins on October 1 (on ZSuite) and must be completed before Sunday, November 1. If you need help with online enrollment, please call the office no later than 3 pm on Friday, October 30. Club leader(s) will have Clover Selection project guides for members to get more information on projects.

“What are the perks of enrolling NOW (before November 1!)”:

• Project books will be paid for and ordered for you
  • The first project book order will be placed in late October
  • A second project book order will be placed in early December

“What happens if I re-enroll after the deadline of Nov 1?”:

• Complete a variance request form, stating why you were unable to re-enroll by December 1
• Order and pay for your own project books
• Pay a $25 per member late fee

Need Accommodation?

4-H strives to meet our members at their own levels of interest, capacity and capability.If a 4-H member requires accommodations – ranging from food allergies to wheelchair accessibility to sign language interpreters and more – we will gladly try to make those accommodations. We rely upon the members and their families to request these accommodations. To make such a request, please do so in writing or verbally and let us know that you or your child needs accommodations. We are happy to work with you to adapt the 4-H program to fit your needs.

We Welcome All

Montana State University Extension is committed to ensuring the civil rights of its clients, employees and volunteers. Every client, volunteer and employee must be treated fairly and equitably, with dignity and respect regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, veterans’ status, sexual orientation, citizenship, and marital or family status. We broaden our outreach when we are open to a diversity of ideas, cultures, experiences and backgrounds. Not only are our lives enriched, but we also build healthier communities for learning and living. MSU Extension and 4-H are pleased to partner with you to achieve the important goals of equity and fairness to all.

“NA” Toasting Only

It is 4-H policy that when parents/volunteers are at a 4-H event, and will be working with 4-H youth, the adult must refrain from purchasing, consuming or having consumed alcohol.

2026 Teton County 4-H CampJuly 11 - 13

4-H Camp is only possible when adult volunteers donate their time and talents.In summer of 2027, five adults have stepped forward to commit to making Teton County 4-H Camp possible at Camp Rotary.

VOLUNTEERS:

• Camp Director: Laura Toeckes
• Camp Nurse: Tammy Townsend
• Camp Nutrition: Laura L.N. Toeckes & Kelsy Diekhans
• Adult Chaperone: Susan Snyder

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

To make camp possible, we still need two more adult volunteers: one male and one female.

The application for Teen Camp Counselors will open in January. Preference will be given to teens who have applied for and are serving as Teton County Teen Ambassadors for the 26-27 4-H year.

Teens, 4-H age 13 and up may apply.

Camp planning meetings will begin in February 2027 and will take place once a month.

Camp Counselor set up at Camp Rotary will begin on Saturday, July 10. All other campers will arrive on Sunday, July 11 and will go home on Tuesday, July 13.

Contact Us!  MSU Extension Teton County

• Mailing Address:  PO Box 130, Choteau, MT 59422
• Phone:  466-2491/2492 (phone/voicemail)
• Email:  teton@montana.edu (send club minutes, most questions/issues)
• Text only:  406-530-5373 (checked M-F, 8-5)
• https://teton.msuextension.org/
• https://www.facebook.com/TetonCoExt
• http://montana4h.org/

Mark Your Calendar

Fair Dates

The Teton County Fair is scheduled for the last full weekend in June that includes a Sunday.

2027    June 23-26

Camp Dates

2027   July 11-13 @Camp Rotary

4-H Congress Dates, Bozeman

2027   July 14-16

Agents:

Shelby Wolff shelby.jonesdozier@montana.edu
Jenn Swanson  jenn.swanson@montana.edu

Assistants:

Danae Isakson and Jamie Smith  teton@montana.edu

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and the Montana State University Extension Service prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cody Stone, Director, Extension Service, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717