Alternatively, download a printable version of the October 2025 Cascade County 4-H Clover Connection

Thank You!

Thank you to the following people and businesses who donated to the Cascade County 4-H Program over the last month!

William Kessler

NRA Foundation

Zeller Family

4-H Registration for the 2025-2026 4-H Year Opens October 1st

The new 4-H year is here! Registration opens at midnight on October 1st. There are how-tos for the process on the Cascade County MSU Extension website4-H pages. Also, please see the reminder on page 4. If you have questions, please call the office at 406-454-6980.

4-H Volunteers

Do you know someone that would like to help with project areas of 4-H? Our county is always looking for new volunteers. Please have them contact Jenn at Jennifer.volkmar@ montana.edu

OfficeClosure

The Extension Office will be closed Monday, October 13th, in observance of Columbus Day. However, if you need assistance, the agents will still be in the office.

 

4-HAchievementNight

Come join us for an amazing night of free food, awards, a dance, and a corn hole tournament. We request that all families bring a snack or dessert. Please RSVP at the below link (must be logged into ZSuite):

https://4h.zsuite.org/event-registrations/42313

For our friends and sponsors who don't have a ZSuite account, please register using the below link: https://4h.zsuite.org/external-event-registration/42313

The event will be held at the Montana ExpoPark in the Family Living Center from 4:30pm to about 8:00pm.

4-H Shooting Sports
Leader Trainings

There are several upcoming opportunities to become a certified 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor. If you’re interested in attending any training, please let the Extension Office know and we can provide more information on registering and assistance with travel and training cost reimbursement.

  • Montana 4-H is partnering with North Dakota 4-H for an Archery Instructor Training on October 25, 2025 in Williston, ND. Pre- registration is required by October 17th. If you are interested in attending, please contact the office for more information.
  • There are three (3) trainings scheduled for the month of December. The registrations will open on October 1, 2025 at 8:00 am for all three leader trainings.
    • December 5-7, 2025 – Miles City, Montana. The following disciplines will be offered:
      • Rifle
      • Pistol
      • Archery  
      • Shotgun
      • Western Heritage – Saturday evening and Sunday.
    • December 5-6, 2025 – Belgrade, Montana. The following disciplines will be offered:
      • Rifle
      • Pistol
      • Archery
      • Coordinator
    • December 12-13, 2025 – Kalispell, Montana. The following disciplines will be offered:
      • Rifle
      • Pistol
      • Archery  
      • Shotgun
      • Muzzleloader  
      • Hunting Skills  
      • Coordinator

As of right now, we are in need of more instructors for rifle, pistol, archery, and shotgun. We would love to have you join us in teaching these disciplines.

Our Cascade County 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator can be reached at cascadecoshootingsports@gmail.com if you have any questions on what being an instructor entails or any other question on the projects.

Thank You NRA Foundation!

Cascade County 4-H Shooting Sports is excited and grateful to announce we have received an NRA grant. This grant allows us to continue supporting our program that focuses on youth development in the area of responsible use along with focusing on the principles of hunting and archery.

A huge thank you to the NRA for believing in our work and supporting our youth.

November Project Day

We are excited to announce our project days will begin November 8th. Projects goals include helping to support our members with hands on learning experience that helps you complete the project areas that you might be interested in taking or that you are currently involved in. Look for the announcement in the upcoming weeks with what will be offered.

Organizational Leader Q&A Drop-In

Organizational Leaders, Jenn has set aside Tuesday, October 28th , to be available through the day and evening to meet with clubs. She can assist with a variety of needs, including volunteer and parent engagement strategies, activity planning, or even paperwork, organization of meetings/ activities etc.. Please contact her to schedule a time or let her know if another date would work better. Jennifer.volkmar@ montana.edu.

Montana State 4-H Horse Shows Update

Congratulations to all the participants! You did a wonderful job on your projects throughout the year and it showed in how well you did at the shows. Also, thank you to all those who helped with putting it together and making sure things ran smoothly.

4-H in the Community

The History Museum & Research Center invites the public for a

fascinating Second Saturday program “Fashion as a Reflection of Time and Place: The Davis 4-H Clothing Collection.” Leslie Davis Burns will discuss the recently acquired Davis 4-H Collection housed in the museum's collections. This event on October 11 at 1pm in the Ozark Club event room is free and open to the public.

Leslie Davis Burns brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the topic, having built a distinguished career in fashion and academia. Her journey began in elementary school in Cut Bank, Montana, where she first developed a passion for sewing, making doll clothes and placemats. Through her 4-H club, Leslie began making clothes for herself. In high school at CM Russell High School in Great Falls, Montana, she expanded her interest in clothing construction and pattern making through a 5-month apprenticeship with Cele Forzley, a family friend who had taught clothing courses at the University of Wisconsin- Stout. Under Forzley's guidance, Leslie mastered advanced “couture” sewing and tailoring techniques.

Leslie is the daughter of John Davis,

who is the donor of one of our annual Achievement Night awards. For more information on Leslie and this event see the full article at https://www.greatfallshistorymuseum.org/events/fashion-as-a-reflection-of-time-and-place-the-davis-4-h-clothing-collection-with-leslie-burns.

National4-HWeek

National 4-H Week is celebrated annually in October, specifically from October 5-11 this year. It highlights the positive impact of 4-H youth development programs across the country.

Green Day is one of the most inspiring traditions of National 4-H Week. On this day, individuals, organizations, and landmarks across the country show their support for 4- H by wearing or displaying green. We are grateful to our community partners for helping us bring this tradition to life and for honoring the achievements and potential of today’s 4-H’ers! #4HBeyondReady

In celebration of Go Green Day during National 4-H Week, the following location(s) in your state will be illuminated in green on Monday, Oct. 6!

  • ARCH Bridge, Great Falls, MT

What’sUpwith4-H

Let us know what you are doing in 4-H in Cascade County!

We would love to have you submit photos and/or blurbs from and about events and activities you’re participating in or updates on your projects throughout the year. Show off your skills and tell us what you love about what you’re doing in 4-H!

Reminder for ZSuite Sign ups!

Welcome to a new year!

When signing up, please remember:

  • Members must complete the Member Authorization of the Family Code of Conduct Waiver to finalize enrollment, not the parent.
  • If you are signing up for Market or Breeding, you also need to sign up for a Level.
  • Make sure your years in a Level are between 1 and 3. You will not receive project books if these are not within this range.
  • If you are signing up for a Committee, please make sure that your 4-H Club is Primary, not the committee.

Organizational Leaders

  • The club attendance file will be updated by the end of October as most members will be signed up by then.

Committee Executive Boards

  • If you are a member of the executive board on a committee, please sign up as an Organizational Leader for that committee, not just a volunteer on it.

4-H Project & Member Spotlights

Entrepreneurship & Financial Literacy

4‑H programs weave entrepreneurship into many different subject areas, whether it’s learning the economics of raising and selling livestock or using computer science to develop new technology. 4‑H’s financial literacy programs teach youth to navigate the challenges of the real world, such as understanding credit cards and interest rates and saving for retirement.

In addition to these projects, 4-H also has CLOVER by 4-H. Clover is an online learning platform that empowers all young people to find their spark. It creates impactful learning experiences in partnership with 100+ top-tier universities, featuring 190+ online ineractivities for ages 5-18, interactive content, gamification and augmented reality. Use CLOVER to support Montana 4-H projects and explore new possibilities. Accessible at https://4- h.org/clover/about

The Design Your Own project is a great option if you want to do a project that isn’t currently covered by any of the other projects, such as one specifically on entrepreneurship. Design Your Own is a project you design. This means you select a topic, decide on your goals, and obtain resources and design records. The member is responsible for developing the project with advice or direction of an adult. If you have a goal of starting your own art or lawn mowing business, you can use this project to learn the necessary steps and put it into practice.

Member Spotlight: Kyree Morrison

Throughout the year, we’ll be highlighting and celebrating our members in the newsletter! This is a great way to get to know each other, share experiences, and showcase the wonderful people who make our program strong. Be on the lookout for upcoming spotlights. This month our Member Spotlight is Kyree Morrison from the Ulm Pishkun4-H Club!

Q: How long have you been involved in Forage/4-H?

A: 4 years

Q: What inspired you to join?

A: To get to know more people in my community.

Q: Favorite project(s) or activities you’ve enjoyed?

A: Ambassador, Archery, 4-H camp

Q: Interests or hobbies outside of 4-H:

A: Work, hanging out with friends

Q: A fun fact about you (something people may not know):

A: I've worked at Mtn View Co-op for a year and a half.

Q: Your favorite memory or experience so far:

A: 4-H camp, every year I’ve gone has been so amazing and so fun and I’m so grateful.

Q: Future goals or dreams:

A: I want to go to school and become a surgical tech and stay in leadership roles as I go.

Scholarships and Other Financial Opportunities

Farm Service Agency (FSA) Youth Loans

FSA makes loans to individual young persons to start and operate income-producing projects of modest size in connection with their participation in 4-H, FFA, tribal youth group, or similar agricultural youth organization. The project being financed with an FSA Youth Loan needs to provide an opportunity for the young person to acquire experience and education in agriculture-related skills. Call the Great Falls FSA office at (406) 727-7580 for more information.

Montana Department of Agriculture
Junior Agriculture Loans

The Montana Junior Agriculture Loan Program was developed to assist and encourage members of agricultural youth organizations in financing agricultural projects. Projects can involve crop and livestock production, custom farming, marketing and distribution, processing, and other financially feasible activities. Loans are made from the assets of the Agricultural Finance Program. Program support and technical assistance are provided by the MSU Extension Service, Montana agricultural educators, and private financial institutions. Visit https://agr.mt.gov/Topics/E-G/Grants-Pages/Junior-Agriculture-Loans for more information.

Russell Country Federal Credit Union

Russell Country Federal Credit has developed a program to assist youth and young adults from 8-19 years of age, who are actively participating in 4-H to learn financial responsibility and good saving habits. Visit https://www.russellcountryfcu.org/4-h-suite/ for more information.

Montana Farmers Union 4-H Sentence Grant

Montana Farmers Union is awarding $100 grants to 4-H clubs to further their project work. All you need to do is submit one sentence on how you would use the funds! Apply at montanafarmersunion.com

Montana 4-H Foundation Grants

The Montana 4-H Foundation supports 4-H initiatives that focus on healthy living, citizenship, leadership, science, engineering, and technology. The mission of the Montana 4-H Foundation is to "help 4-H youth by raising private funds, managing financial resources and partnering with the MSU Extension Service to fund educational opportunities for Montana 4-H youth, volunteer leaders, and staff."

Montana 4-H grants provide opportunities for youth and adults to strengthen their skills and maximize their positive impacts on the communities in which they live. Grants - MONTANA 4-H FOUNDATION

Meetings & Important Notices

Horse Leaders Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Horse Leaders will be on Tuesday, October 7th at 5:30 pm at the Extension Office. The meeting will also be virtual via WebEx.

Shooting Sports Leaders Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Shooting Sports Leaders Committee will be held on Thursday, October 2nd at 6:00pm at the Extension Office.

Leaders’ Council Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Leaders’ Council will be on Tuesday, November 11th at 6:00 pm at the Extension Office.

Foundation Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Foundation will be on Tuesday, November 18th at 6:00pm at the Extension office.

Livestock Leaders Meeting

The next meeting of the Cascade County 4-H Livestock Leaders will be on Tuesday, October 7th at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office.

Important Dates

OCTOBER

1 - Enrollment opens for the 2025- 2026 4-H year

1 - Registration for Air Pistol, Air Rifle, BB Gun, Western Heritage, and Hunting & Wildlife Instruction

2 - Shooting Sports Leaders Meeting

7 - Horse Leaders Meeting 5:30

7 - Livestock Leaders Meeting 7:00

NOVEMBER

4 - Horse Leaders Meeting 5:30

4 - Livestock Leaders Meeting 7:00

6 - Shooting Sports Leaders Meeting

8 - Project Day

11 - Leaders’ Council Meeting

18 - Foundation Meeting

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension 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.