Gratiot County 4-H MSU Extension

06/04/2026

Gratiot 4-H will once again be hosting the Friends of 4-H Breakfast during the Gratiot County Fair for Youth in the Little Red Food Booth. We are in NEED of adult and youth volunteers to help serve food Tuesday - Saturday (shifts are 7am-9:30am) July 14-18. If you are willing to lend a helping hand you can sign up at https://bit.ly/Friend4-HBreakfast26

06/04/2026

🌟 Cloverbud Day is Coming! 🌟

Calling all 4-H Cloverbuds ages 5–7—get ready for a fun-filled day at the GCFFY Fairgrounds! This special event is designed just for our youngest 4-H members to explore, create, and enjoy hands-on activities in a safe and exciting environment. Fee covers cost of t-shirt, lunch and snacks.

📅 Date: July 8th
🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Location: GCFFY Fairgrounds
💲 Cost: $15 registration (due June 20th) payment can be brought in or mailed to the Gratiot Co. MSU Extension Office.

Don’t miss out on a day full of learning, laughter, and 4-H fun!

👉 Register here: https://bit.ly/CloverbudDay2026

We are also looking for youth volunteers ages 13-19 and you can apply to be one at https://bit.ly/CloverbudDayVolunteer

06/04/2026

So many updates in the June 4-H Newsletter! Make sure you check it out!

06/03/2026

🍀🌟 Gratiot County 4-H’er of the Week 🌟🍀
Brought to you by the Gratiot County 4-H Council.

We’re excited to highlight 12 4-H youth over 12 weeks—each 4-H Youth has been nominated by a local 4-H leader! 💚 (You can catch an interview with the 4-H'er of the Week on 104.9 daily)

Meet Clare Reisterer, a proud member of the Gratiot 4-H Dairy Club and Somethin Special 4-H Club!

Clare has been involved in 4-H for 9 years and has participated in a wide variety of projects including horses, poultry, dairy, culinary arts, educational projects, collections, and more.

What inspired Clare to join 4-H was her desire to become involved in agricultural activities and events while learning new skills and exploring different opportunities. Throughout her 4-H journey, she has made countless memories, but some of her favorites are the experiences of showing her animals and spending time with friends at 4-H events.

One of the most valuable skills Clare has gained through 4-H is the confidence to meet and talk with new people. Among her many memorable experiences, attending the MSU 4-H Dairy Conference stands out as a favorite.

Clare's advice to new 4-H members is: "Go to as many events as possible and try things outside of your comfort zone."

Thank you, Clare, for being a wonderful representative of Gratiot County 4-H! We are proud of your dedication, leadership, and willingness to embrace new opportunities. 🍀💚

06/03/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Gratiot County MSU Extension Open House!

We were excited to welcome community members to learn more about the programs, services, and resources that MSU Extension provides throughout Gratiot County. Visitors had the opportunity to meet several MSU Extension educators and our 4-H Program Coordinator, who were available to answer questions and share information about the many ways Extension supports youth, families, farmers, businesses, and communities.

We appreciate everyone who stopped by, asked questions, and took the time to learn more about how MSU Extension is making a difference right here in Gratiot County. We look forward to continuing to serve and connect with our community!

06/01/2026

Come find me at the Gratiot Extension Office !! We have an open house today from 3-5 and all are welcome. Come ask questions and chat with your local extension staff. Learn all about what MSU Extension and 4-H has to offer. 219 N State Street. Alma, MI

05/28/2026

Join us Monday June 1st!! Pick up the kids from school and stop in to ask all the questions you've had about 4-H and extension! We have cookies ;) and a hands on activity for all ages!

Join us for our Gratiot MSU Extension Open House! 🌿
📅 June 1, 2026
⏰ 3:00–5:00 PM
📍 219 N State Street, Alma, MI
Come learn what Extension has to offer! Meet the 4-H Coordinator and Extension Educators, learn about our partnerships, volunteer opportunities, and programming, and get information on the upcoming millage.
Enjoy a hands-on activity while you're here!
RSVP not required, but appreciated: 📞 989-875-5233

05/27/2026

🎉⚡ Gratiot County 4-H held its very first Pokémon Fun SPIN Club meeting on Tuesday, May 26th — and what an amazing start!

We had a great group of youth join us to learn all about Pokémon and card collecting. During the meeting, members talked about how they organize their cards, what types of cards they enjoy collecting most, and how every collection is unique and special to the collector.

Did you know that Collections is a 4-H project area?!?!?

It was so much fun seeing youth connect through their shared interests, build friendships, and learn from one another. We can’t wait to see everyone back at our next meeting in a couple weeks for even more Pokémon fun! 💥🃏

05/27/2026

Shanna Smith has gone from showing livestock as a member of the Gratiot County 4-H Livestock Gang to now giving back as a leader in the community, 4-H has helped shape a lifelong passion for agriculture, leadership, and service.

The Livestock Gang may no longer be an active club, but its impact lives on. Founded by her father as an educational livestock club, it provided opportunities to learn, grow, and build lifelong skills through showing all species of livestock. During her years in 4-H, she served as a club officer and earned recognition including the Swine Award — an honor that meant so much because it reflected not only success in the show ring, but also character and work ethic in the barn.

One lesson that has stayed with her through the years is the importance of sportsmanship. Learning to be a humble winner and a gracious loser in 4-H helped shape the way she approaches life today.

Now, she continues to give back to the community by serving on the Gratiot County Fair for Youth Board of Directors and helping run the Scott Acker Classic and Foundation alongside family and friends. While she and her husband recently stepped back from serving as Swine Barn Superintendents, they are excited to begin a new chapter — watching their daughter Laynie begin her own 4-H journey in the years ahead.

“4-H shaped me in every way. I’m not afraid to persevere through hard times, and I take pride in working hard. It’s important for me to give back to my community while making new friends along the way. I’m a better person today because of the skills I learned starting as a child in 4-H.”

💚 Thank you for continuing to inspire the next generation of 4-H youth!

If you would like to share your Gratiot 4-H story of where you started and where you are now please do so at this link https://bit.ly/Gratiot4HAlumni

05/26/2026

🍀🌟 Gratiot County 4-H’er of the Week 🌟🍀
Brought to you by the Gratiot County 4-H Council.

We’re excited to highlight 12 4-H youth over 12 weeks—each 4-H Youth has been nominated by a local 4-H leader! 💚 (You can catch an interview with the 4-H'er of the Week on 104.9 daily)

👏 This week, we’re proud to spotlight Emma Verhaar!

Emma is a dedicated member of the Gratiot County Lucky Stars and has been active in 4-H for 10 years! Throughout her 4-H journey, she has participated in pig, duck, chicken, and horse projects.

Emma shares that her inspiration comes from her cousin, Lindsey Schilling, along with all of the club leaders who have encouraged and supported her over the years. She especially enjoys showing her animals and spending time with friends during weekly lessons.

One of the biggest lessons Emma has learned through 4-H is that things do not always go as planned when working with animals — they definitely have minds of their own! Through those experiences, she has gained patience, responsibility, and perseverance.

Some of Emma’s favorite 4-H memories are the fair dances during fair week, where she has made lasting friendships and unforgettable memories.

Her advice for anyone thinking about joining 4-H is: “Start with something small, find a club that feels like family, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

Thank you, Emma, for being a wonderful example of what 4-H is all about! We are proud of you!👏💚🍀