Aroostook 4-H Newsletter August 2019
University of Maine Cooperative Extension Houlton office has moved!!
We are now located at the Houlton Higher Education Center, 18 Military St., Houlton, ME 04730
Our phone numbers have remained the same.
Happy Birthday to all 4-Hers born in August!
Isabel C
Makayla S
Mikala L
Amanda W
Bethany D
Brody S
Delaney L
Faith G
Samuel M
Club News
Wild Mustangs
The Wild Mustangs, Ella S and her horse Lily, participated at the Northern Maine Fair 4-H horse show in July. This was a great opportunity to interact with other Aroostook County clubs, leaders and members. Ella and Lily earned Hi-Point day end awards. Molly S from the Mustangs worked in announcers booth, handed out ribbons to the participants and was a groom for 4-H riders.
Ultra Clovers and Mane Eventers
Eastern States Equestrian team
Twenty 4-H equestrians from all over the state traveled to Skowhegan to compete for a place on the Maine 4-H Equestrian Team that will compete at the Big E in Springfield, MA in September. Out of 20 riders 17 were chosen, and 5 were from the County, Mallory W. from Hodgdon, Alison S. (alternate teen leader) from Presque Isle, Anna R. from Presque Isle, Megan R. groom for tryouts from Presque Isle, Baileigh M. from Presque Isle, Izzy H. from Presque Isle.
State Events
4-H at the Big E
September 14, 2019 : 4-H at The Big E is an exciting opportunity for over 2,500 youth ranging from 12-18 years of age. Throughout the year 4-H Youth have worked on projects to bring to the Fair. The Big E offers the opportunity to highlight their work to all of New England. 4-H members who participate in programs with Dairy, Beef Cattle, Dairy Goats and Sheep, Dogs, and Horses remain on the grounds for 3 to 4 days of fun packed shows and contests. There are also many opportunities for 4-H Groups to present their projects in the New England Center and the Farm-A-Rama Stage. For more information, see Eastern States Exposition (ESE or The Big E) or visit The Big E website.
Tanglewood Fall Harvest Festival and Trail Race!
October 5, 2019, at 10:00 AM starts the 4th annual Tanglewood Tracks trail race! Following the Trail Race be sure to stick around and from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM for the Fall Harvest Festival at Tanglewood. Race registration/check in starts at 9:00 AM. This is a family-friendly event to celebrate the harvest season!
Festival activities will include guided journeys through the forest, apple cider pressing, archery, pond scooping, and arts and crafts. Lunch will be served mid-day.
There is no cost to attend the Festival, but donations are welcome. Registration for the Tanglewood Tracks 3.5 mile race is $20. All proceeds support Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove programming!
We have Fair results…we have Fair photos…it’s FAIR-PALOOZA! That’s right! You’re reading and seeing it here first, the Great Summer Wind Down newsletter, and WOW are we gearing up to bring you some great end of summer news.
Last month our newsletter included a few highlights from the Northern Maine Fair, this newsletter is delivering even more photos and congratulatory expressions to all those who entered and attended! In addition, be sure to check out our new Social Media endeavor that is on the horizon. We will be sharing some special pictures…but where will they be? …You will definitely want to join in on the fun!
Say, “Cheese!”
Northern Maine Fair Grand Champions
4-H Goat Show
Grand Champion: Amanda W
4-H Beef Show
Grand Champion: Clinton G
4-H Baby Beef Show
Grand Champion: Jasmine L
Reserve Champion: Reid M
4-H Alpaca Show
Senior Grand Champion: Alex R
Junior Grand Champion: Jackie R
Junior Reserve Champion: Kaelyn C
4-H Sheep Show
Grand Champion: Amanda W
4-H Horse Show
4-H Senior English Grand Champion: Izabelle H
Reserve Champion: Mallory W
4-H Junior English Grand Champion tie: Ella S and Madison B
Reserve Champion: Kadence M and Megan R
4-H Senior Western Grand Champion: Mallory W
Reserve Champion: Brooklynne M
4-H Junior Western Grand Champion: Ella S
Reserve Champion: Paige B and Megan R
4-H Senior Games Grand Champion tie: Brooklynne M and Mallory W
Reserve Champion: Baileigh M
4-H Junior Games Grand Champion: Mia C
4-H Western Walk Trot Grand Champion: Krayton H
Reserve Champion: McKayla G
4-H English Walk Trot Grand Champion: McKayla G
4-H Walk Trot Games Grand Champion: Walker M
Reserve Champion: Michael L
Houlton Fair:
Attendees to the Houlton Fair included the ‘Paca Pals as they participated in the fair over the 4th of July weekend. Alongside their Alpacas; Senior, Junior, and Cloverbud 4-H Members competed in showmanship, an obstacle course, speeches, and the ever popular COSTUME SHOW!!
The ‘Paca Pals also submitted entries to the exhibition hall including crafts and planters.
This photo was taken during the Alpaca showmanship competition. The weather was warm but the fairgoers provided a great audience to the event. The ‘Paca Pals will meet again later in the summer.
Public Speaking at the Northern Maine Fair
Senior
1st place – Alex R
2nd place – Amanda W
3rd place – Izabelle H
Junior
1st place – Grace K
2nd place – Jacklyn R
3rd place – Hannah C
Instagram is on the horizon!
For our loyal Facebook followers and social media lovers – Aroostook County 4-H Is going LIVE on Instagram! When we are up and running we will update via Facebook and our newsletter. Be sure to keep an eye out…we might even do some fun, “Where’s 4-H?” games with prizes!
Whoo! Who is ready for Schooool!?
We bet you scholarly 4-Hr’s are packing your backpacks, already excited about the coming school year. With school on the horizon, we are here for you, and more than ever we want to show the Community the many wonderful hats our 4-H Staff wear! If you have a favorite subject, we want to know about it, because our Aroostook County 4-H Staff are ready to deliver some STEM programs to a school near YOU! That’s right, we will be reaching out to local schools to offer programming, curriculum, and our assistance to bring 4-H to your classroom. If you would like us to reach out to your school to offer our services, feel free to let us know, we would appreciate the feedback and recommendations. So get your backpacks, lunch boxes and thinking caps on, we might just see you this school year!
Just For Boys Camp Highlights:
Pirate Attack! and Boat Afloat! were just two of the six programs Aroostook 4-H Staff had the opportunity to perform as Outreach programs for the Just For Boy’s Camp this past July. An amazing opportunity for everyone involved and the Camper’s were able to hone their skills in water filtration design and performance, catapult construction, Eco-Bot exploration and much more!
4-H Science Youth Development Professional, Greg Kranich, joined the Aroostook County Staff for the Summer of Science program. Armed with batteries, toothbrush tips, and mini motors the team worked together to create some heavy duty vibrating cleaning Bots! Alongside the Camper’s, Greg deployed his box of Eco-Bots to show us how we can use small household items to clean up some tough to reach jobs!
State 4-H News
August, 2019
- Eastern States Bus Trip, Saturday, September 14, 2019
It’s time to reserve seats for the buses traveling to Eastern States Exposition (ESE or also called the “Big E”) in West Springfield, Massachusetts for Maine Day on Saturday, September 14, 2019.This one-day trip is sponsored by the Maine Trustees of the Eastern States Exposition to encourage
Maine 4-Hers who don’t presently participate in events at ESE to see the activities that go on for 4-H youth in hopes to bolster their enthusiasm to participate in the future. A bus is reserved for us, the northernmost bus will originate in Bangor, and there will be stops at several points on I-95, locations based on where passengers are located. Seats fill up quickly, and we will begin taking registrations immediately.All youth must go with a chaperone, but because this event is primarily for youth; seats are limited to no more than two adults per child – chaperones must be the parent or legal guardian of the 4-H member, or an enrolled VOLT trained volunteer. The bus ride and admission to the “Big E” are free, and all individuals on this trip are expected to march in the parade at 5 pm. It works well if you wear a 4-H t-shirt if you have one, and for clubs to bring their club banner to display during the parade.Items you might want to bring along with you are: light snacks, water, a good book, Rated G movies (there is a DVD player on the bus), a pillow, and a blanket. There will be a rest stop along the way. Other items to consider bringing: clothing to identify your club, a comfortable pair of walking shoes, a hat with a visor, sun glasses, sun screen, a back pack, personal spending money, a camera, and a watch. If you have a cell phone, it will be helpful for logistics. Please include your cell phone number when you register. Please leave valuable items at home. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Reservations can be made online at: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/annual-events/big-e/maine-day-at-the-big-e/ -or emailing Jordan Rhoten at rhoten@maine.edu.When you register, please give the name, age (for adults, just state “adult”), address, home phone, and cell phone number of each person in your group. Reservations are due by Friday, August 30th (call after this date to check on seat availability). A confirmation email will be sent to you a week before the trip giving you your time and pick up location. Pick up will be bright and early in the morning, and both buses will be leaving The Big E at 7:00 pm.Volunteers are needed to serve as Bus Monitors. Bus Monitors will serve as the contact person for other passengers on their bus, and will make sure everyone gets back on the bus at the rest stop. If you’d be willing to serve in this capacity, please let us know when you sign up.If you have questions, please contact Jessy Brainerd at 800.287.0274 or 207.581.3877. - 4-H Horse Show at Union Fair
Maine 4-H Horse members: You are invited to participate in the 4-H Horse Show at Union Fairon Wednesday, August 21 starting at 9:00 am at Union Fairgrounds in Union, Maine. Open to all 4-H members, 4-H ages 9-18, in the State of Maine who are enrolled in a 4-H Horse Project. For more information and entry form, visit http://unionfair.org/ to download the Premium Book under Information>Printable Documents. Questions? Pamela Doherty, 207.832.0343, doherty@maine.edu. - Big E Ruby Morris 4-H Scholarship
This year Maine will select 1 recipient for the $500 Ruby Morris 4-H Scholarship. Potential candidates must have been a 4-H program participant at the Big E for at least one year, the year of the scholarship presentation, or prior. The scholarship must be used for two or four Year College, professional training, technical schools, etc.Additional information and application materials can be found at: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/annual-events/ruby-morris-scholarship/. - WABI Covered the ribbon-cutting of Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center
WABI(channel 5) covered the ribbon-cutting at the Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center, established by University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine 4-H Foundation. “We’re fully connected via technology… if we need the ability to bring youth here in this area and connect them with other folks around the state and around the world,” says Hannah Carter, dean of Cooperative Extension. Youth can participate in workshops and connect with UMaine faculty and student researchers. The building also will house 4-H STEM Ambassadors, the 4-H STEM Toolkit Lab and Lending Library, Follow a Researcher™, 4-H Science Saturdays, and 4-H@UMaine. - Congratulations to the following 4-H members for their selection to the Maine State 4-H Equestrian Team
Riders: Jordyn M. (Andro/Sag), Sophie P. (Cumberland), Jessica F. (Cumberland), Izabelle H. (Aroostook), Natalie D. (Cumberland), Anna R. (Aroostook), Ashlyn B. (Oxford), Mallory W. (Aroostook), Caitlyn P. (Franklin), Alex M. (Hancock), Carianne C. (Franklin), Mariah M. (Somerset), Ryan I. (Waldo), Emily C. (Waldo), Shannon R. (Cumberland), Mia W. (Franklin), Bailegh M. (Aroostook). Teen Leaders: Zoe S. (Hancock), Bailey C. (Andro/Sag), Abbie K. (Waldo), Samantha B. (Waldo) & Alternate Alison S. (Aroostook). Educational Horse Track Delegates: Emily G. (Waldo) & Grace W. (Franklin).Congratulations! We are proud to have you represent our state at the Big E on September 18-21. - New England 4-H Horse Education Poster Contest
Situation: 4-H members and their horses are on display for the public at The New England 4-H Horse Program Activity at Eastern States Exposition. Most of those who go through the horse barn and watch the 4-H horse show are not knowledgeable about horses or safety around them. They often put themselves, their children, 4-H members and horses in potentially dangerous situations because of lack of knowledge.Purpose: To educate the public about safety around horses and general horse knowledge.How: A Horse Safety/General Horse Knowledge Poster Display in the horse barn.Who: Any 4-H member is invited to submit a poster for the contest.When: Posters must be at the Androscoggin/Sagadahoc Counties office or with an Eastern States Horse Team Member by Friday, Sept 13, so the posters can be transported to ESE for judging.What: The poster may illustrate any aspect of Equine education or general horse safety. It can be a drawing, a cartoon, a collage, printed instructions, etc. The poster must be a minimum of 11″ x 14″ in size, or a maximum of 22″ x 28″ and should be readable at 30′. THIS POSTER SHOULD BE YOUR OWN WORK. Check with your 4-H extension office for tips on making posters and/or further information.
Divisions for posters: 5-8yrs (Novice), 9-13yrs (Juniors) and 14 to 19yrs (Seniors) Each division will be judged separately All posters will be displayed in the 4-H Horse barn during the 4-H Horse Activity at The Big E
For entry forms please contact Kristy Ouellette in the Androscogggin/Sagadahoc office at kristy.ouellette@maine.edu.