WSU Extension Stevens County Newsletter

Welcome to October!

Sheep standing in a field of tall brown grass

In This Issue

4-H Happenings

National 4-H week! – Oct 4-10
New 4-H Year Started October 1st

Master Gardeners

Kokedama Moss Ball Planters! – Libraries of Stevens County

Agriculture

Growing Profitable Farms – Coming in January 2027

October/November Calendar and Resources

From fairgrounds to classrooms, gardens to corrals, 4-H youth in Stevens County are proving they’re not just ready for the future – they’re Beyond Ready. 4-H’ers across the nation are celebrating National 4-H Week, Oct. 4–10, 2026. 4-H equips young people with the skills, confidence, and resilience to lead in a world full of opportunity and change.
As America’s largest youth development organization, 4-H empowers 6 million young people nationwide with hands-on learning experiences through clubs, camps, school programs, and community events. Through the Beyond Ready initiative, 4-H will help prepare 10 million youth for work and life by 2030. In Stevens County, 4-H provides opportunities for youth to develop public speaking skills, lead community service projects, practice financial literacy, and raise livestock.

“4-H gives our youth a space to grow into leaders who care about their community and future. We see that all the time in the way they show up to learn and lead,” said Shannon Rowley, Stevens County 4-H Program Coordinator.

Stevens County 4-H has 235 youth participants with 42 adult volunteers in 19 community clubs. Livestock projects including beef, sheep, and swine are the most popular projects in our county and provide youth with opportunities to learn by doing. From showcasing their projects at local fairs to organizing community service projects, youth are learning skills such as teamwork, resilience, and communication—skills that will serve them in their career and for life.
To learn more about local 4-H programs or get involved, contact WSU Stevens County Extension at 509-684-2588 or email Shannon at sgordon@wsu.edu

For information about our 4-H program, visit our website: 4-H Youth | Stevens County or contact Shannon Rowley, 509-684-2588

NEW Library class!

Have a Plant? Bring a Plant. Need a Plant? Take a Plant.

Dates/Locations:

Chewelah – OCT 27th @4:00pm
Lakeside – OCT 29th @ 3:30pm
Kettle Falls – NOV 5th @ 4:00pm
Colville – NOV 10th @ 2:00pm
Loon Lake – NOV 12th @ 4:00pm
Northport – NOV 17th @ 3:30pm
Hunters – NOV 18th @ 1:00pm

Kokedama “Moss Ball” planters – Make-and-Take

What is Kokedama?

A centuries-old Japanese planting art meets an easy-care houseplant in kokedama-making. The Japanese words that name this technique describe it perfectly. “Koke” means “moss,” and “dama” means “ball,” and kokedama is the art of using a moss-covered ball as a vessel to grow plants.

Picture of 3 Kokedama Moss Ball planters. These are balls of dirt with moss wrapped around them and wrapped in twine to hold the moss in place. A plant is growing out of the top of the moss ball.

For more information about Master Gardener programs offered by WSU Extension in Stevens County, visit our website: Gardening | Stevens County, email: Linda Teller or call 509-684-2588

WSU Cultivating Success Courses

Support for these 2026 courses comes from the Extension Foundation Agriprospects Workforce Development Network Grant and the USDA American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Investment Program.

Growing Profitable Farms

Online farm business planning course starts Jan 20th!

Small farm success requires that farming be viewed as an enterprise that must sustain itself and the farm family for the long term. Beginning farmers must look at their farm like any new business venture, while existing operations considering diversification or expansion must evaluate how changes can affect land, labor, capital, and family resources.

WSU Extension will offer Cultivating Success: Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Business Planning to help new and current farmers gain skills in business planning, risk management, and direct marketing.

Students access course syllabus, calendar, and learning modules through password protected website. The course is also offered with Spanish interpretation.

Curriculum features a full line-up of speakers including business professionals, marketing specialists, and successful farm owners with a special emphasis on financial, risk, and legal issues unique to farm-based businesses. During the course, participants are guided in developing a business plan they can use to help finance and grow a new enterprise or expand an existing farm-based business.