Crook County extension staff report enrollment gains, Cloverbud leader shortage and staffing needs

Bridal Hacker, Crook County 4‑H program coordinator, told the board at the Feb. 12 work session that she has returned to Crook County after years with other extension offices and is prioritizing outreach to identify volunteer leaders for Cloverbuds, the 5‑to‑8 age group that currently has no leaders in the county.

Why it matters: Cloverbud clubs are the county’s primary entry point for young children into 4‑H activities. Without leaders for that age group, Hacker said, the program cannot serve 5‑ to 8‑year‑olds and county youth will miss early exposure to 4‑H learning opportunities.

Hacker and extension staff described program activity and outreach over the past year. Shannon May, an extension staff member who presented slides alongside Hacker, reported that 4‑H enrollments were completed on Feb. 3 and that the program has 444 youth members and more than 110 volunteers this year. May also said the office is running leader trainings and holding all‑leader meetings to collect feedback from volunteers about what to keep and what to change in programming.

Staff described program strengths and priorities: more experiential opportunities and travel to regional and national competitions for family and consumer sciences programs, expanding Cloverbud access through short camps if no immediate leader is found, and increasing youth participation in knowledge competitions.

Presenters from agricultural programs highlighted other extension activities. Scott Dugan and Gordon Jones (livestock and pasture management) ran a virtual‑fencing class that drew 173 participants and a pasture management class with roughly 70 attendees. Dugan noted that virtual fencing can help locate livestock after wildfire but requires one collar per animal and that fence rebuilding after fire is expensive — staff cited a projected cost of roughly $20,000 per mile to replace burned fence.

Shauna, the SNAP‑Ed coordinator, briefed the board on the “green bag” food support program. She said the program collected “over 5 tons” this most recent reporting period and collected 4 tons in 2024, reaching 14 neighborhoods and 133 households; a meal count was mentioned in the presentation but was not specified in the meeting transcript. SNAP‑Ed has also set up a distribution hub at Pioneer High School, staff said.

Staff noted a completed vehicle purchase for extension outreach; Shannon May said the county check was cut and the dealership contacted. May also proposed, and staff discussed, hiring a part‑time (about 25 hours/week) administrative support position to handle front‑line communications and free existing employees to deliver outreach and classroom programs.

Challenges cited included limited staffing and a failed intern placement this year; staff said they will reapply for the OSU intern program and continue volunteer recruitment for Cloverbuds. Presenters described several near‑term events and trainings — forage seminar on Feb. 25, Master Gardener plant clinics in April–May, and a garden fair on the first Saturday in June — and said they will keep the board informed about volunteer and staffing progress.

The presentation closed with commissioners and managers offering general praise and informal offers of support for the extension staff’s recruitment efforts.