Thanks for Meeting Us in Montana!

MSU Extension hosts NEAFCS 2016

The 2016 NEAFCS conference was a chance to Discover, Connect and Engage.  I just discovered that two months have passed since the national conference and some of my best intentions got put on the back burner as we ended up short staffed at our office.  Since returning home, I have been engaged in training for and teaching Living Life Well with Chronic Disease six-week class, hosting the Montana State 4-H Leadership Forum, teaching Powerful Tools for Caregivers six-week class, teaching StrongPeople strength training classes, attending MSU Extension annual conference and hiring new support staff, among other work and life duties and details. I am thankful to have meaningful work that I truly enjoy!  I also very much enjoyed helping host the NEAFCS 2016 conference and connecting with you.

Because our annual reports will be due soon, I hope to engage you for about five minutes in responding to a survey so we can discover some of the economic impact a national conference has on our state.  We would very much appreciate if you would take five minutes before December 1 to answer a few questions.

In addition to the survey, I wanted to offer all of you links to the materials from the in-depth session, concurrent session and Showcase of Excellence that I prepared for NEAFCS at Big Sky.  The in-depth session was on the Art of Science or the Science of Art.  In the class, we worked together to apply the scientific process to permanent marker dying.  I enjoyed teaching and appreciated tapping into the knowledge of colleagues who took the class and discovering the ways each of us uses science in our teaching.  We “let our minds wonder” and then set up experiments to test the “wonderings” or ideas. Class materials can be found here.

Showcase of Excellence

Our Showcase of Excellence was Operation Concession Intervention. Several of the Montana State University faculty were involved in this project including Carrie Ashe and Roubie Younkin. We want to encourage our colleagues across the nation in working with concession booths to upgrade the nutritional value of their food offerings.  Originally we worked with South Dakota Department of Health and received permission to modify Munch Code guidelines for use in our state.  The document is now available for you to customize for your county or state.  You can find Operation Concession Intervention materials and resources (some from University of Wyoming where I got my start in Extension) at this link.  

Demonstrating and easy grip tweezer for someone
who struggles with hand pain.

The Aging in Place with Assistive Devices class was prepared in conjunction with Dr. Sandy Bailey.  The class features a variety of devices that can make daily tasks easier for those facing changes in their abilities.  One of my personal favorites is the PenFriend, a programmable talking device for those with low vision.  A friend bought one as a gift for her mother and then programmed stickers on thermostat dials, dishwasher, washing machine/dryer settings and more, so that her mom could have the pen “read” her the instructions (from programmed stickers) on dials she can no longer see.  The weighted spoons/forks have also been popular with those who have tremors.  There are so many ways we can assist others to remain independent.  Feel free to serve and teach others with the assistive devices class resources found here. I have also included a document on “people first” language.  I encourage you to consider saying, “the person with low vision” rather than the blind man. We all strive to help others and making sure the person is first can be important.  I would be happy to review the class slides and materials with you, if you want to use them to reach audiences in your Extension coverage area.

Something I love about Extension is our willingness to share across counties, states and universities to benefit the people we serve.  I am excited to use the information I gained by attending NEAFCS to benefit the people in my county soon.  I look forward to sharing the Preserve@Home opportunity and to offering a Valentine’s special on the Five Love Languages. Just yesterday I shared information from the Happier Me! Mindfulness class.  I have also put into play some concepts from Developing a Marketing Mindset.  Since mid-September, I have reflected often on the messages from Dr. Temple Grandin with her insights on autism, livestock and animal handling and our food systems. 

MSU FCS!

You can find many of the materials I used for NEAFCS 2016 at this link. A little disclaimer, though, some of my notes may only make sense to me, but you are welcome to contact me to review or explain. As well, it may be evident that I am not letting perfectionism paralyze me.  Proofreading and improvements may be necessary before you use some of the materials, but I wanted to make the available sooner rather than later.  I trust you to use, improve and adapt materials that I have created.  If you happen to use any of the materials from my classes, please let me know at jwolery@montana.edu so that I can report the reach and impact of our cooperative efforts.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to this powerful exchange of knowledge and for the wonderful connections and camaraderie with colleagues.

Leadership and Liaisons

As a chair of just one subcommittee planning for the NEAFCS 2016 conference, I have admired our two co-liaisons Tara Andrews and Sheila Friedrich.  I think it takes some true dedication (and bravery) to volunteer for the co-liaison positions.  Tara and Sheila are coordinating with the national team to prepare an NEAFCS conference.  I took a little time recently to catch up with Tara and Sheila, and to interview them about the conference-planning experience.

Tara M. Andrews

MSU Extension Cluster County

1010 Main St.

Miles City, MT 59301

406-874-3370 Office

406-852-0020 Cell

It’s quite an undertaking to be co-liaisons for NEAFCS annual conference.  What made you interested and decide to take on the project?

Tara:  The reason having the National meeting in Montana appealed to me, first, and foremost, because I really wanted to show off Montana, MSU and our Extension Service and the professionals in our state. We have great programming that is very diverse in our state. I was also ready to take on a new challenge in my career and this definitely fit the bill. Early in my Extension career, we hosted the NAE4-HA Conference in Billings, Montana, and it really brought the Montana agents together as a cohesive group. Because we are a small system, in terms of employees, it takes all of us to pitch in and work together to do something so big.

Sheila Friedrich

MSU Extension Sheridan County 

100 West Laurel Avenue

Plentywood, Montana  59254

(406) 765-3406

sfriedrich@montana.edu

Sheila:  I was excited about the prospect of having an NEAFCS Conference in Montana and showing off our state and Montana State University.  It was with Tara’s urging that I decided to jump on board.  We knew we would work well together and thought it would be a fun and rewarding experience.

How long have you been with Montana State University Extension?

Tara: This is my 25^th year with MSU Extension.

Sheila: I started my job with MSU Extension on December 2, 1981, so almost 35 years.

How many NEAFCS conferences have you attended?

Tara: have attended four NEAFCS conferences, and some of my most impactful programming came from ideas that got sparked during a NEAFCS conference.

Sheila: I have attended conferences in Wichita, Kansas, Providence, Rhode Island, Lexington, Kentucky and the last I attended was the conference at the Greenbrier in West Virginia.

Any standout learning experiences or memories from other conferences to share?

Tara:  When the NEAFCS meeting was in Denver I went to session on kids cooking and brought it back to our community with some variations. We offer our Chef School to second and third graders.  It is taught by our 4-H teens and we use the FCS room at the high school. The kids make an entire meal and then sit down and eat it. We work on nutrition, cooking skills, manners and food safety. I think we are in our eighth year and we offer 2 to 3, two-week sessions a year.  They always fill within the first few days after the announcement.

Sheila:  In Kentucky, I went on a tour to the University Butcher Shop.  They have a great facility for teaching and meat processing.  The morning we went they had harvested hogs and we got to see various parts of the inside of a hog.  It was very interesting.  And, of course, the beautiful Greenbrier Resort will always be a great memory -- such an amazing property in a beautiful state.

What value do you find from attending?

Tara:  The value of attending the National Conference is the range of ideas you come home with and, of course, meeting colleagues from other states and learning about their programming.

Sheila:  Getting new program ideas and networking with colleagues from all over the U.S.  At the past couple of conferences, it has been a great pleasure to get to know the National Officers, National Board and Cindy and Jody from the National Office.

What do you think will be unique about the Montana conference experience?

Tara:  I think the Montana experience will be unique because of the beautiful environment, and the chance to enjoy the outdoors in a lovely and breath taking location. We hope to give a relaxing Western flair to the entire meeting.

Sheila:  Location, location, location.  Big Sky is in a beautiful area of Montana.  Our Welcome Event promises to be unique and very fun.  The list of in-depth sessions is diverse and will provide opportunities to check out the Montana lifestyle.

To mix business with pleasure, if attendees have time to DISCOVER any Montana treasures, which ones would you recommend?

Tara:  If you can only visit one place when you come to Big Sky be sure to visit Yellowstone National Park. It is one of my favorite places on earth, and my husband and I visit it at least a couple of times a year. The park is so varied – with thermal features, wildlife, peaks and large meadows and lots of opportunities to get out and walk or just enjoy the scenery as you drive through.

Sheila:  Yellowstone Park and/or Chico HotSprings.  There is so much to see and do at these places and both are located close to Big Sky.

Thanks so much to Tara and Sheila for their efforts on this conference and to ALL who contribute, so that we can ENGAGE and CONNECT to improve the ways we serve others as Extension professionals.  

Montana Bucket List

Great Falls is one of our few Montana cities.  I would say the other “cities” include Kalispell, Missoula, Helena, Bozeman and Billings.  The Great Falls of the Missouri is one of the landmarks noted by Lewis and Clark and their Corp of Discovery.  It is also home of the Great Falls Tribune, where one of our Teton County 4-H alumna works.  Kristen Inbody is one of the journalists for the Tribune and recently worked on a piece called, Montana Bucket List: 100 Things Every Montanan Should Do.  I thought it might be nice to share for those of you planning to travel to Montana.  Maybe you can pick a few on the list to put in your bucket to accomplish while you are in Montana!

Photo by Kristen Inbody

Kristen was a 10-year 4-H member with the Old Agency 4-H Club and served as a 4-H Ambassador.  She participated with 4-H Interstate Exchanges with North Carolina, Florida and Maryland.  Kristen says her time in 4-H helped her learn to connect with others and travel well.  She also traveled to National 4-H Congress in Memphis for her photography project.  You will note, from the photos that Kristen provided, that her photography serves her well in her career!  Last year, she had the top photo for Montana Newspaper Association contest in the Tribune’s division.  As a features writer, her ability to connect with others has certainly been integral. 

Kristen Inbody and Erin Madison, authors
of Montana State Parks

Kristen relays that professionally she uses the record keeping, photography and public speaking skills from 4-H every day.  These skills have given her a huge advantage in her life.  For fun, Kristen quilts and bakes, skills she also learned from her favorite 4-H projects.  Kristen says, “I have friends with no hobbies, and I’m grateful for all my hobbies, which I developed in 4-H, and how they have added to my life.”  Kristen comments validate that what we do in Extension every day matters in peoples’ lives. 

 

Kristen partnered with Erin Madison to write, Montana State Parks: Complete Guide & Travel Companion. You might add this book to your reading list, so you can pick which of the Montana State Parks to add to your “bucket list” while you are visiting the Treasure State.

Kristen has been at the Tribune for more than five years now, but also worked for newspapers in Wyoming, Alaska and Washington, D.C.  She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Romania, and can be followed on Twitter @GFTrib_KInbody.

Kristen Inbody reporting from the Pro Bowl.

Disclaimer: There may be multiple other Montana State Park guides available.  Feel free to choose any you think will suit your needs.

We appreciate Kristen's willingness to share her photos and stories with us.

Winter Weather

In the month of February, I have had the opportunity to get out in our state a bit.  I was in Billings recently for the annual 4-H Update.  Billings is our largest city in Montana, and the only city with more than 100,000 people. Billings has a beautiful landscape feature in the Rimrocks that surround it.  

Hopefully finding Montana Treasures will
be easier than spotting this bunny!

Winter day at Teton Pass.  

When I returned home to Choteau, my brother-in-law called to invite me to Teton Pass for a day with my nieces and daughters.  They enjoyed skiing, even though the winter winds were whipping enough that the lift was closed for the day.  I thought some of our winter scenes might be interesting to our colleagues in the south. 

Winter scenes captured by John Pfister,
MSU Extension Central Region RDH.

I would doubt we will see this much snow in Big Sky in September!  Thank you to John Pfister for sharing this photo.  

Speaking of winter scenes, my supervisor, John Pfister, who makes his home in Roundup, Montana, shared these beautiful winter photos.

Of course, in Montana, as I suspect is true many places, the weather can be unpredictable.  This past weekend, I was in Bozeman on the MSU campus for Montana 4-H BioScience.  It was 70 degrees in the middle of last week, and yet, while we were doing our Montana 4-H BioScience activities there was a healthy dose of snowfall. The snowfall made me recall the time I stayed at BigSky Resort, close to Bozeman.  It was September, and as a Montana girl, I’m a little embarrassed to say that I failed to pack a winter coat, gloves or an ice scraper.  Sure enough, there was snow … in September.  I should have known better!  I even remember on Fourth of July in Choteau when we wore winter coats to the local rodeo!

As you get ready to come to Montana next fall, remember to check the weather reports, pack warm clothes and think about layers. It is hard to predict weather, particularly when it is so unpredictable. But, I do think I’m safe to predict cool mountain evenings.

Use the comment box below to tell us about the weather in your area.  You can send photos to share to jwolery@montana.edu.  We had a conference call this morning with colleagues from Cornell who said they had 20 inches of snow in 18 hours!  Wow!

Big Sky Resort

We are very excited to welcome you to Montana!  We believe many of you will fly into Big Sky Country likely into the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.  The airport is just a few miles away from the beautiful Montana State University campus and home to MSU Extension.

The conference will be held at Big Sky Resort, which is just a scenic drive away from the airport.

If you have questions about transportation, you may find the answers here, or you can contact our conference liaisons Tara Andrews and Sheila Friedrich.

Big Sky Resort is a renowned area among skiers, but there likely won't be enough powder for skiing during our NEAFCS 2016 conference; however, it is not uncommon for there to be a skiff of snow, even in September.  We recommend checking the weather forecast and packing for cool Montana mountain evenings.

Big Sky Resort offers amazing lodging opportunities from hotel rooms to condominiums to cabins to homes.  You can enjoy western comfort and style during the NEAFCS 2016 conference in Big Sky. The different lodging choices each have their own amazing amenities.  Look for the situation that suits you from private hot tubs to fireplaces to kitchens.  Some states may even want to all stay together in a home, condo or cabin to really connect during the conference.