May 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

May

• May 1: Equine ESE and Working steer ESE intent forms due
• May 1, 12:00-12:30 P.M.: 4-H Volunteer Huddle: Understanding the Danish System: More than Just a Ribbon
• May 2: 4-H Dairy Judging Contest
• May 16-17: Northeast Youth Livestock Expo (NELE)
• May 22: Enrollment for Summer Learning Series opens ofr enrolled Maine 4-H members

June – July

• June 5: Fryeburg Market Lamb Intent Forms Due
• June 12-13: Hancock County June Jamboree
• June 14: Working Steer Tryouts at Windsor Fairgrounds
• June 13-14: UMASS Vet Science Academy Session 1
• June 15-16: UMASS Vet Science Academy Session 2
• July 11: Working Steer Tryouts at Skowhegan Fair

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County News

Fiber Arts

The Wonder Wool SPIN club wrapped up at Lisbon Library with learning to crochet and finger knit. Thank you to Lisbon Library for hosting us!

Our summer SPIN club theme at Lisbon Library will be announced soon. In the meantime, stop by the children’s department to add to our Community Loom project!

Teens as Teachers at Topsham Library

New opportunity: This summer 4-H will be hosting a new program (reminiscent of Summer of Science) at the Topsham Library. There will be two openings for Teen Teachers to lead activities for middle-school aged youth with a focus on working together to build spaghetti rockets, design a lunar lander, and attempt to build a meteorite-safe building on the moon.

Application will open in early May, contact the office for more information.

Hannaford Community Bag Fundraiser

And/Sag has been selected as the May partner for the Community Bag program at Hannaford in Topsham! For every Community Bag sold throughout May at 49 Topsham Fair Mall Road, And/Sag 4-H will receive $1 to support county 4-H events.

Thank you, Hannaford, for selecting us!

Beyond Ready Survey Reminder

We are asking for your help in our effort to improve 4-H programs in Maine! Please help us by completing the following survey about your 4-H experiences and how they might prepare you for both work and life.

This will probably take you about 5-7 minutes to complete.

If you finish the survey, you will be able to enter a raffle! There will be four raffle winners from across the state and it is not connected to any survey responses. One entry per 4-H youth.

The survey is anonymous. You can leave any questions blank that you don’t want to answer. You can stop any time you want. There are no right or wrong answers; we just want you to answer each question as honestly as you can.

Link to survey.

Club News

Midcoast Mainers – Just-In- Time Recreation

At our club meeting in April, the kids made homemade dog and cat dogs to sell at a local fundraiser and planted seeds for our upcoming Plant Sale in June. Thank you to Kortus Electric for sponsoring our Plant Sale this year!

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State News

Fryeburg Market Lamb Intent Forms Due June 5, 2026

Intent forms for Fryeburg Fair market lambs are now available online. Market Lambs must be owned and in possession of 4-H’er by June 1, 2026, and must be a castrated male. In order to be eligible for participation, 4-H members must meet the following requirements: Send Intent to Sell Form, original bill of sale/value of lamb statement, and  pictures of your animal (front and side view) to your county office by June 5th.

Animal approval forms for lambs must include the scrapie tag number and list “Fryeburg Sale” as the show class.

Additional requirements as well as the fillable online form can be found online on our Fryeburg Fair information page.

For more information please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971; sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or the State 4-H Office at 207.581.3877.

2026 4-H Summer Learning Series

It’s that time of year again – the 4-H Summer Learning Series is coming right along, and registration will open for enrolled Maine 4-H members on May 22, and for the general public on June 5, 2026.  Workshops will cover all different topics – favorites like Adulting 101 and Dissect and Detect, as well as loads of new areas: Intro to Game Lab, Mission to Mars, Science, and Art! Workshops will run from July 6 – August 7, 2026.  Find out more on the 4-H Summer Learning website.

The Alfond Grant

Massachusetts 4-H Animal Science and UMASS Vet Science will be welcoming students, ages 13 to 18, interested in veterinary science as a potential career to the UMASS Hadley Farm. There will be two sessions to choose from: Session 1 will be Saturday, June 13th and 14th. Session 2 will be June 15th and 16th. Youth will be learning about the wide range of opportunities in this profession and will get tons of hands-on animal experience. Youth will be staying overnight in a UMASS dorm!

Register for Session One.
Register for Session Two.

If you are not a MA 4-Her, you will need to create a profile. Please select “state office” as your county. Registration will stay open until all slots are filled. Fees for this program will be $175 per attendee. Visit the payment page to pay. Financial assistance is available.

Got questions? Please email Andrew at asamuelson@umass.edu.

Animal Science Challenge

The Maine 4-H Foundation is offering a challenge to 4-H animal science committees and programs. The Foundation will match up to $3,000 per committee to support animal science programs and educational programs. A 1 to 1 match will be made for current and past donors, and 1:2 matches for new donors. Questions can be asked by contacting Susan Jennings at 207.615.7300, or email maine4hfoundation@gmail.com.

4-H Working Steer Tryout Information

The show season is fast approaching! Working steer ESE intent forms (due May 1st), volunteer interest forms, team member guidelines, and apprentice guidelines are all available one at the UMaine 4-H Website. The dates for team tryouts are listed below.

ESE Working Steer Tryouts:

• June 14, 2026 at Windsor Fairgrounds
• July 11, 2026, Ossipee Valley Fair
• August 13, 2026, Skowhegan Fair

If you have any questions, please contact Hillary Arsenault, ESE coordinator, at maineworkingsteer@gmail.com; 207.592.3320 or Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu; 207.342.5971

Hancock County June Jamboree

New 4-H Rabbit and Poultry Opportunity!

4-H members now have an exciting new opportunity to showcase their skills at The Big E’s first 4-H Rabbit & Poultry Show! Open to youth ages 12 and above, this event is a great way to learn new skills, compete in regional 4-H shows, and connect with others who share an interest in rabbits and poultry.

Participants can look forward to a variety of engaging activities, including breed shows, showmanship competitions, agility contests, and more. Whether you’re experienced or just getting started, this event offers something for everyone. Interested in participating or learning more? Be sure to complete the interest form.

For more information please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.

It’s Time to Think About Summer Camp!

Looking to take your Maine 4-H Experience to a new level? Check out the summer programs at your UMaine 4-H Camps! Opportunities for living in community, making new friends, building a sense of belonging, and honing your skills in a whole variety of program options such as, outdoor skills, shooting sports, STEM, creative arts, ecology, gardening, team work, and teen leadership. Each camp has scholarship opportunities to off-set tuition costs AND your County 4-H Programs have scholarships to attend camp too. One to three-week sessions available in both day and overnight settings. We hope to see you there!

• Blueberry Cove, Tenants Harbor in Knox County. Dates: June 21-August 14, 2026.
• Bryant Pond, Bryant Pond in Oxford County. Dates: June 21-August 14, 2026.
• Greenland Point, Princeton in Washington County. Dates: June 28-July 31, 2026.
• Tanglewood, Lincolnville in Waldo County. Dates: June 21-August 21, 2026.

Bryant Pond and Greenland Point contact, Bethany: 207.665.2068
Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove contact, Emma: 207.789.5868

Equine ESE Intent Forms Due May 1, 2026

The 2026 Eastern States (ESE) Horse Intent Form is now live and online.  The form is to indicate your interest in participating in the Eastern States Team Tryout event this summer, which will be on July 31- Aug 1st, 2026,at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds.

The event this year will offer an overnight opportunity for youth to qualify and to learn and grow while getting to know other youth who are also interested in trying out. Youth can participate in one of the tracks below:

• • Teen Leader (4-H age 12 and up)
  • Rider or Driver (4-H age 13 and up)
  • Groom track (which is a learning track only)

If youth would like to come and learn about the team, help, and observe (especially if they aren’t old enough to qualify for the team yet), they can also come to tryouts as a “Groom” and will need to fill out the intent form.

Youth interested in any of the track options need to fill out the intent form. We use this info to contact and update interested families and youth.

Here is the ESE intent form to be filled out by May 1st.  Approval forms must also be filled out and sent to your county office by May 1st as well.

More details will be included in the tryout application packet on the UMaine 4-H Horse Website.

The intent form does not bind you to the tryout event. Applications will be used to determine the event roster and final schedule.

If you have any questions, please reach out to: Tara Marble, tara.marble@maine.edu, or
207.778.4650.

Early College Outdoor Intensives

The UMaine 4-H Camps and Learning Centers at Tanglewood and Greenland Point are each offering Early College programs in conjunction with the University of Maine Division of Lifelong Learning. KPE 265 is a 3-credit course focused on skills in outdoor recreation. This is an introductory course in outdoor and adventure activities, forming the foundation of an outdoor leadership education. The course focuses primarily on participation in four different activity categories: canoeing; bouldering and climbing; hiking and orienteering; and challenge course. KPE 207 is a 1-credit course where participants become certified in wilderness first aid (WFA) and CPR.

Registration: Participants must complete enrollment with the University of Maine Early College Program. Once that is completed we will send you an invitation to enroll for the Tanglewood portion of the program.

UMaine tuition for this course is free for Maine high school students (public school & homeschoolers). Tuition for out-of-state students and Maine private school students is $149 for 2026 per credit for a total fee of $596 for 2026. (Please note there is an overnight fee for this course for all participants).

Overnight fees: $900, including all housing, meals, and certification fees, scholarships available.

Tanglewood:
Dates: July 19 – 31, 2026
Ages: 15 – 18
Visit the Tanglewood website for more information and registration links.
Email Tanglewood directly with any questions.

Greenland Point
Dates: August 2 – 12, 2026
Ages: 16 – 18
Visit the Greenland Point website for more information and registration links.
Email Greenland Point directly with any questions.

NELE- Youth Livestock Opportunity for 4-H Members!

Join the Northeast Youth Livestock Expo (NELE) for a weekend of youth livestock education at the Windsor Fairgrounds on May 16th and 17th.

Saturday is packed with interactive events, including a boer goat show, working steer demonstration, and beef judging clinic. After lunch, Dr. Colt Knight brings an engaging and entertaining look at the history of pork and where various cuts come from. Saturday afternoon offers three hands-on learning paths: cattle artificial insemination training led by Dr. Colt W. Knight, public speaking seminar and contest led by John Brubaker, and a sales talk seminar and contest led by Sydney Wilson.

Sunday continues with species-focused learning, featuring dairy and sheep clinics led by experienced industry leaders Elizabeth Menard, Sarah, and Alyssa Rowe. The weekend wraps up with live equipment and handling demonstrations from the Maine Sheep Breeders Association and ArrowQuip Equipment.

Whether you’re looking to improve your show skills, gain industry knowledge, or try something new, NELE offers something for every level of experience. For more information or to register visit the NELE Website.  For details concerning the event, please reach out to the Northeast Youth Livestock Expo at mainelivestockexpo@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page.

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April 2026 4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks!

Showcase YOUR Sense of Belonging!

Okay, Maine 4-H volunteers, tell us what YOU do with your club or group members to create a sense of belonging. It can be an example that includes youth, families, and new participants. Fill out the Sense of Belonging Entry Form to highlight one example of how you and/or your 4-H youth create a sense of belonging in your club! Your name will be entered into a drawing for some cool 4-H swag! YOU MAKE a difference! Tell us how you do it!

4-H Volunteer Huddle:

Join us for the last “gather and learn session” in this year’s series. 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, we’d love to see you there! No registration required!

Please note: The Zoom link and password will be emailed to all enrolled 4-H volunteers, or you can email Tara Wood tara.a.wood@maine.edu to request it.

DID you MARK YOUR CALENDAR? 

The Maine 4-H Volunteer Summit is going to be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026 at the Maine Arts Academy in Augusta! More details to come in the upcoming months, 4-H volunteers from across the state will enjoy engaging workshops, opportunities to build meaningful connections, and gain fresh ideas to enhance their impact in 4-H programs. Lunch will be provided.

Resources

With fair season just around the corner, it’s not too early to help your 4-H youth start to think about good sportsmanship! What is it? And how do you demonstrate it? Check out this Michigan 4-H Life Skills Activity: Sportsmanship: What is it? Here are some additional variations of the activity to try:

• Ball Toss-Choose some of the qualities listed in the activity and write them in different sections of a beach ball. Have members toss the ball- wherever their left thumb lands, ask them to give an example of how the term connects to sportsmanship.
• Gallery Walk-Hang four to six pieces of chart paper around the room- add a word from the activity to each piece of chart paper. Have pairs of youth participate in a gallery walk and add an example of how the word on each poster relates to sportsmanship. Once the pairs return to their original poster,have them share one or two ideas with the whole group.

Roll the Dice- List numbers 1-12 on a large piece of paper and list one quality by each number. During your opening circle, have everyone roll the dice- whichever number they roll, they give an example of how that quality relates to good sportsmanship.