January 2026: Androscoggin-Sagadahoc Counties 4-H Newsletter
Androscoggin-Sagadahoc County 4-H Newsletter
Dates to Remember | County News | Club News |State News | 4-H Volunteer Corner
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Dates to Remember
January 2026:
- January 2, 2026: 4-H Volunteer Huddle: Navigating 4-H Curriculum Resources
- January 6, 2026: Fryeburg Fair Market Beef applications due
- January 6, 2026, 6:00 PM: First info session on new 4-H Eastern States poultry and rabbit tracks.
- January 9, 2026: Last day to register for Farm Animal Care FUNdamentals 4-H SPIN Club
- January 15, 2026: 4-H ESE Beef Intent to Participate forms due
- January 21, 2026: 4-H Volunteer Connections: Volunteer Excellence: Recognizing Achievement, Inspiring Growth
- January 22, 2026, 6:00 PM: Second info session on new 4-H Eastern States poultry and rabbit tracks.
- January 26, 2026: Deadline for leaders to register clubs for Maple Sugaring 101
February-March 2026:
- February 1, 2026: Farm Skills Workshop applications Due
- February 3, 2026: STEM Virtual Workshop Series registration deadline
- February 6, 2026: 4-H Volunteer Huddle: Igniting Youth Sparks: Hands-On Strategies for 4-H Volunteers
- February 17, 18, 19, 20, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM: Winter STEM Virtual Workshop Series
- March 1, 2026: ESE 4-H dairy team intent forms due
County News
Welcome, 2026!
Public Speaking Updates
- Western/Central Public Speaking Event – March 7th (snow date March 14th) at the Buker Community Center in Augusta. This is the qualifying event for the state showcase.
- State Public Speaking Showcase – April 11th, snow date April 12th.
Open House Planning
The office will be hosting an open house this spring – an opportunity for club members to connect with one another, share their 4-H projects, and welcome folks interested in joining 4-H. If you or your family would be interested in helping to plan the event or participate, please let Laura know.
Farm Skills Training Workshop
Looking for a rewarding, active, and valuable career? Eager to learn the skills needed to work on a local farm? Get paid to learn through this job training program in Spring 2026!
Merrymeeting Food Council is accepting applications for a Farm Skills Training Program, a paid, part-time program that runs from late-March to early June. Participants must live in, or be able to travel to, the Bath/Brunswick region of Maine. Participants will also receive individual support from a Career Advisor.
Learn more and apply on the Merrymeeting Food Council website. Applications due February 1st, 2026.
Club News
No club updates this month, stay tuned for February!
State News
Farm Animal Care FUNdamentals 4-H SPIN Club
Are you interested in learning about livestock animals (such as cows, goats, or sheep)? How do we care for them? How do you know what to feed them, how do you actually do regular health checks and have proper housing? Join the 4-H Animal Science SPIN club. We will have 3 virtual sessions focused on what livestock need to live a healthy life and one field day that provides hands-on experience. Set yourself up for success in your 4-H project by learning the basics of animal care. Participants do not need any prior animal experience or currently own livestock to participate. This is a beginner/introductory level program.
This is a free opportunity for youth ages 9 – 18. Virtual sessions will be Thursdays, January 22, 29th, February 5, 2026, 4:00-5:15 pm. February 12th will be an optional session for youth who intend to participate in a 4-H livestock project. The final session will be geared towards youth who are beginning their journey into raising livestock. Learn More and Register Here before January 9, 2026.
Winter STEM Virtual Workshop Series
When: February 17, 18, 19, 20 from 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM
Where: This virtual series will meet on zoom
Cost: Free
This February, ignite a new appreciation for winter! Join our hands-on, curiosity-driven virtual science series designed for youth ages 10 and up. Through guided inquiry, investigation, and observation, we will explore all the wonders of the cold season. Get ready to transform your view of winter! Register here by February 3, 2026 or contact emily.booth@maine.edu for more information.
4-H Public Speaking Update
You asked, we’re excited! Performing Arts demonstrations will now be part of Speak Up, Maine 4-H the statewide Public Speaking Program.
From dramatic monologues to musical performances, this creative category is your time to express yourself and share your spark center stage.
Performing Arts demonstrations include:
– a spoken introduction
– your performance
– and a spoken conclusion
Specific details, including updated evaluation tools and judges’ support for all categories, will be available soon on the Speak Up, Maine 4-H website and through county staff. Stay tuned!
Maine 4-H ESE Beef Intent to Participate Forms are Now Available
The 2026 Maine 4-H Beef ESE Intent to Participate form is now available online and must be submitted by January 15, 2025. This is a requirement for all youth intending to participate as members of the Maine 4-H Beef Team at the Eastern States Exposition in September. Youth must be 12-18 years old as of December 31, 2025 and have completed one year in a beef project prior to this year. Please contact Kristen Grondin, kristen.grondin@maine.edu, 207-581-8193, or Cathy Bartlett Gray, cathy.gray@maine.edu, 207-743-6329 with any questions.
2026 Maple Sugaring 101: From Sap, to Syrup, to Sales
Maple Sugaring 101 is a virtual program open to Maine youth ages 10+ who are interested in learning about the entire maple sugaring process and how to create a commercial grade syrup. Participants will learn about forest management, tapping trees, transporting sap, using an evaporator, grading and storing syrup, and operating a maple sugaring business. The program will be three one-hour sessions on Zoom, one session per week, during the afternoon. Exact dates will be released in January 2026.
Each week, participants will learn about the process and connect with other young maple sugar makers through online meetings led by University of Maine Cooperative Extension experts. This program will also prepare youth for a new Level 1 digital badge called 4-H Foundations of Maple Sugaring Enterprise. Youth who complete the program will get free access to the learning modules to earn the digital badge.
Independent club members or youth who are interested in the program but are not a member of a participating club are welcome to register!
If you are interested in this program, please complete the interest form at this link so we can follow up with you about registration: https://forms.gle/JwNiYnPtU1ihXN2G9
Club leaders who would like to have their club participate in this program, please contact your 4-H County Professional or Andrew Hudacs by Monday, January 26, 2026: andrew.hudacs@maine.edu, (207) 581-8204. For more information, please visit the Maple Sugaring 101 webpage: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/annual-events/maple-sugaring-101/
4-H Foundations of Maple Sugaring Enterprise Micro-Credential
The University of Maine System (UMS) 4-H Foundations of Maple Sugaring Enterprise Micro-credential is a learning pathway for teenage youth to learn the essential aspects of the maple industry. Students completing the program demonstrate the foundational knowledge and skills to work in a maple forest, sugarhouse, and produce commercial-grade maple syrup and value-added food products. Additionally, participants understand how skills and traits gained during work in the maple industry are transferable to other workplace situations.
Students ages 14+ may enroll in the micro-credential pathway and learn the material through an instructor-led class or by self-study.
Link to 4-H Foundations of Maple Sugaring Enterprise Micro-credential webpage: https://extension.umaine.edu/micro-credentials/4h-foundations-maple-sugaring-enterprise/
Students progressing along the micro-credential pathway will earn and receive a digital badge at each milestone they achieve. There are three digital badge levels of knowledge and skills on the pathway that must be completed before proceeding to the next level. All three levels cover learning topics for working in the woods, the sugarhouse, the kitchen, and operating a business. The three units for each digital badge and learning level are called “Woods Work”, “The Sugarhouse”, and “Kitchen and Business”.
The 4-H Maple Sugaring 101 virtual program will prepare students for the Level 1 digital badge.
The Level 1 knowledge exam is the first of three parts required to earn the full micro-credential. There is no cost to enroll and take the Level 1 assessment. After passing this test, students can then demonstrate their skills with an approved instructor to complete Levels 2 and 3.
To learn more or to sign up for the pathway, please email andrew.hudacs@maine.edu or by phone, 207.581.8204.
ESE 4-H Dairy Team Intent Forms are Due March 1, 2026
The 2026 Maine 4-H Dairy Eastern States intent to participate form is available online at https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/dairy/. In order to be eligible for participation on the Maine 4-H Dairy Eastern States Team next fall, 4-H members must submit their completed intent form online or to the Waldo County Cooperative Extension office before March 1, 2026.
Please contact Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or 207.342.5971 with any questions.
4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks
Fuel the Spark!
Okay, Maine 4-H volunteers- we have shared information about “youth sparks” in our past three editions of the 4-H Volunteer Corner. Now it’s YOUR TURN- tell us how YOU are helping to support or fuel a youth spark! Fill out this short form to highlight one example of youth spark and the role you played, and your name will be entered into a drawing for some cool 4-H swag! YOU MAKE a difference! Tell us how you do it! https://forms.gle/NwK6oqSqzu6Ryfeh8
4-H Volunteer Huddle:
Join us for a short “gather and learn session” to help you up your game. We meet on the first Friday of each month from 12:00-12:30 pm via Zoom. Whether you are an experienced 4-H volunteer or just getting started, there’s something for everyone. We’d love to see you there! No registration required!
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:
zoom.us/j/82015703524?pwd=QkT05bDbaaDIeYAQ8aGUd4eco5c6Rd.1
Password: volunteer
January 2, 2026– Navigating 4-H Curriculum Resources- Explore the wide range of 4-H curriculum materials and learn how to access and utilize guides, activity books, and resource toolkits tailored for youth programming.
February 6, 2026- Igniting Youth Sparks: Hands-On Strategies for 4-H Volunteers Discover how to identify and nurture the unique passions, interests, and talents—“sparks”—that inspire young people to thrive. Get hands-on activities and strategies for igniting and sustaining youth sparks in their 4-H clubs.
4-H Volunteer Connections
January 21, 2026 Volunteer Excellence: Recognizing Achievement, Inspiring Growth
6:30-8:00pm. Free to attend, but registration is required! Register here!
Your Voice is Needed! Passionate about 4-H Poultry & Rabbit Projects?
Help shape the new 4-H poultry and rabbit tracks that will debut at Eastern States in 2026! We are forming planning committees for each species and are looking for knowledgeable, enthusiastic 4-H volunteers and interested youth to join us in developing high-quality, engaging opportunities for 4-H members across the region. Join one of our upcoming drop-in virtual information sessions to learn more. We’d love to have your experience, creativity, and passion at the table! Contact Sadee Mehuren, sadee.mehuren@maine.edu 207.342.5971
Info Session Dates: Jan 6, 2026 06:00 PM, Jan 22, 2026 06:00 PM
Zoom Link: https://maine.zoom.us/j/84571900345?pwd=r3r8fH1VVWNHu7AtR6h2MIam8b9oPw.1
Password: 058775
Resource Spotlight
4-H Club Leader Handbook is a resource designed to help new club leaders get off to a strong start, containing specific information for facilitating the 4-H club model. Check out this amazing resource online https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/club-leader-handbook/ or contact your county office for a printed copy.