Aroostook County 4-H Newsletter: October 2018

Dates to Remember

October 8               Columbus Day, office closed
October 3-14         TSC Fall 4-H Paper Clover Event
October 11            Leader’s Association meeting, Project Record Judging in Presque Isle at 5:00 p.m.
November 1          4-H Achievement Celebration  5:30 pm – Shriner’s Club, Presque Isle (see article for more information)

Happy Birthday to all 4-Hers born in October

Andrea R
Charlie P
Connor B
Dakota B
Gavin H
James O
Katelyn A
Ryan S
Sammy C
Sam K

Club News

4-H Family PACT last month attended the Big E in Massachusetts, all but two members attended from our club.  Unfortunately everyone was quite busy so we did not make our hike. In October we will be going to the Corn Maze at Goughan’s Farm and picking apples at the Presque Isle School Farm.

‘Paca Pals will be starting their new 4-H year, October 13.  Looking forward to a great 4-H year.

Club Financials

Club Financial help will be available October 29 during regular business hours at the Presque Isle office.  Leisa is also available to assist you by appointment.  Please remember that club financials are due by November 1st.  We are still waiting on a couple from last year, but Willie and Pam will get together and do the financials that we have.

Project Record Judging

Judging of the project records will be on Thursday, October 11, 2018 at the Presque Isle Cooperative Extension office.
5:00 pm start Project Record Judging
6:00-6:45 pm Leader’s meeting and pizza
6:45 p.m. continue Project Record Judging
Leaders and volunteers are encouraged to please help with this.    Judging records gives us insight into what kids are working on and new ideas to discover what might help them improve.   The youth put so much time and effort into doing their projects and records, as leaders and volunteers it will be great to support them in their growth.  There will be a short training on how to judge the records, so please don’t let that stop you from helping.  Thank you.

The Big E, West Springfield, Mass.

On Saturday, September 15th a group of 4-Hers and their families boarded the bus in Bangor headed to the Big E.  There were 14 people who attended and all had a wonderful time.  The members of the ‘Paca Pals Club had a chance to visit with family while at the Big E, and the 4-H Family PACT took in the sites and watched a few shows.

group of 4H youth and adult posing for picture and the bus they are boarding
4-Hers and their families  boarding the bus in Bangor
heading for the Big E.

4h member and 4h program coordinator
Here is a picture of Mari with Izzy H at The Big E, Eastern States Exposition. 
Izzy traveled down to Massachusetts after making a spot with the Maine Horse team. 
She competed in Showmanship, Equitation, and the Hunt Seat division. 
Mari went with the Maine Beef Team.

Club Packets

Emily has put together the club packets and has distributed them to your closest Cooperative Extension office.  Please remember to get your packets before your first meeting.  If you have any questions please let us know.

Paper Clover Promotion

The Fall 2018 Paper Clover Fundraiser is coming October 3-14, 2018!

Please be thinking about bringing your club out to take part in this event.  Clubs can bring animals, do a fundraiser, or sell food.  The Tractor Supply Company appreciates clubs helping with this event.  If you would like to participate please contact Leisa for the Presque Isle event and Mari for the Houlton event.  Don’t forget to wear your club 4-H t-shirt.

 Achievement Celebration

Thursday, November 1, 2018, Time 5:30 p.m.  Shriner Club, Presque Isle

On this night we celebrate 4-H achievements.  Awards are given out for the Exhibitor of Character, project records, Public Speaking Contest, and the Bartlett Sign Contest.  Come out, bring your family, and enjoy the evening.  The Aroostook County Extension Association (ACEA) is planning a nice dinner for all who attend.  Children are free and adults will be a minimal cost.   We will be having dinner and then the 4-H achievement portion;  4-Hers and their families will be able to leave before the ACEA business meeting starts.

4-H Market Animal Projects

Baby Beef and Market Hogs:

If you would like to raise an animal for auction, please contact the person next to the animal you would like to raise.

  • Baby Beef members must be 10 years old before January 1, 2019. If any youth are interested in pursuing a Baby Beef animal science project please contact alana.margeson@maine.edu or nicholemccrum@gmail.com to learn about eligibility and animal requirements.
  • Market Hog members must be 9 years old before January 1, 2019. Market hogs must be born in December 2018.  Market Hogs must be in the barn before March 15, 2019.  The auction takes place at the Northern Maine Fair.  If you would like your child’s name added to the club please email leisa.plissey@maine.edu

Life Skills Wheel Made Easy

Each month we will feature a part of the 4-H Life Skills Wheel to make it easier for you to understand.  This month we will focus on the Life Skill Wheel: What is a Life Skill, why and how does it affect you and how is it organized?

What is a Life Skill?

A skill is a learned ability.  Life Skills are competencies that assist people in performing well in the environments in which they live.

Why and how does this affect you?

Youth teachers are concerned with helping youth become efficient in the life skills that will prepare them for change into adulthood.   4-H focuses on developing skills that are healthy and productive for both youth and their communities.  Positive youth development programs identify the skills within the five target competencies that are appropriate to the age of the youth in the program.  Because skills are best learned through practice, many experiences that teach or reinforce skills must be provided.  Mastery of any skill requires opportunities to try, make mistakes, and try again.  Skills are learned in consecutive steps related to the age and stage of development of young person.

How is it organized?

4-H uses the 4-H Pledge to help organize the delivery of experience that support the growth and development of youth.  4-H refers to this as a “Targeting Life Skills Model” (Hendricks, 1988).  This model addresses the skills within the five areas that youth development traditionally addresses.

In this model, two of the competencies have been combined in order to fit the four-category structure of the pledge.  The important point is that skills needed for positive growth and development are addressed through 4-H format.  These skills are related to each other and can vary with in any structure.

There are four categories: HEAD, HEART, HANDS and HEALTH

There are eight sub-categories:  Thinking, Managing, Relating, Caring, Giving, Working, Living, and Being

 4-H Focus of Youth Competencies

HEAD: Knowledge, Reasoning and Creativity Competencies

  • Thinking: using one’s mind to form ideas and make decisions; to imagine, to examine carefully in the mind, to consider.
  • Managing: using resources to accomplish a purpose.

HEART: Personal/Social Competencies

  • Relating: establishing a mutual or reciprocal connection between two people that wholesome and meaningful to both.
  • Caring: showing understanding, kindness, concern and affection for others.

HANDS:  Vocational/Citizenship Competencies

  • Giving: providing, supplying, or causing to happen (social responsibility).
  • Working: accomplishing something or earning pay to support oneself through physical or mental effort.

HEALTH:  Health/Physical Competencies

  • Living: Acting or behaving; the manner or style of daily life.
  • Being: living ones life; pursuing ones basic nature; involving in persona development.

Below is an example of applying the Targeting Life Skills Mode using a life skill from the area under “Hands”:

Activity: Planting Flowers at Community Center

diagram of hands connected to giving and working. other boxes connected to community service, responsible citizenship, contribution to a group effort. working box connected to marketable skills, teamowrk, self-motivation

As you can see from the example it makes sense to highlight all the options chosen.  You are volunteering, so it is community service, you are being responsible and it is a group doing it.  If you were doing it alone you would not mark group effort.  You are working and it is a skill you can do later so it is considered a marketable skill.  Again you are part of a team and you keep yourself working so the job gets completed.
I did not choose Leadership under giving because I was not the person in charge of the project.
Below is a list of the month and the topic for each.  Be looking for and learning more about 4-H Life Skills Wheel.

November:           HEAD- Thinking
December:            HEAD- Managing
January:                HEART-Relating
February:              HEART- Caring
March:                   HANDS- Giving
April:                      HANDS- Working
May:                       HEALTH- Living
June:                       HEALTH- Being

State 4-H News
October 2018

  1. New Earlier Intent Form Date for Market Steers for Fryeburg Fair 2019
    4-Hers raising a steer for the 2019 market steer show at Fryeburg Fair need to send in an Intent to Participate Form available at: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/youth/4-h-projects/animal-science-resources/beef/ by November 1, 2018. The intent form will advise the State 4-H Office which steers need to be tagged. Once we receive your intent form you will be contacted by a staff person from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to make an appointment for someone to come to your barn and tag your project animal. As always Fryeburg Market Steers must be owned and in possession by the 4-Her by January 1. But we understand that many of you will have your market steers before January 1st so we are hoping to tag more of the project animals before the winter travel becomes more difficult. We are grateful for the staff from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry for helping us with the tagging and we are hoping the earlier intent form date will allow for safer travel during the winter months. You can also enroll or re-enroll as a 4-H member when you send your Intent to Participate form to your county office. We appreciate you completing this form as early as possible and are encouraging everyone to help spread the word about the new earlier date for the intent form. If you have specific questions please contact your local county Cooperative Extension Office.
  2. Fryeburg Fair Challenge
    Fryeburg Fair will be from September 30th to October 7ththis year. The Maine 4-H Foundation will have a booth once again on the fairgrounds designed to raise funds for 4-H agriculture education. If the Foundation can raise $10,000, the Maine 4-H Foundation will receive another matching grant from Fryeburg Fair for $10,000!  This is where volunteers and 4-H Members can help.  We can use volunteers and clubs in the booth and around the booth helping to raise funds.  If you are willing to help, please call Susan at 615-7300 for details.
  3. Tanglewood Fall Harvest Festival
    The Tanglewood Fall Harvest Festival and the third annual Tanglewood Tracks 3.5 mile trail race will be held at Tanglewood 4-H Camp in Lincolnville on Saturday, October 6th. The race starts at 10, followed by the festival from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Explore the Tanglewood forest, press your own apple cider and try your hand at archery.  Event is family-friendly, and admission to the festival is free;  the race costs $20.  For more information, please call Patti at 789.5868. To register for the race online, go to www.active.com
  4. 4-H Volunteers!  We’d love your feedback on Project Records!
    You are invited to participate in a statewide research project being conducted by Kristy Ouellette and Jennifer Lobley, Extension Educators at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.  4-H volunteers and staff from all over Maine will participate in this study. You must be 18 years old or older to participate in this focus group.Purpose of this research project:We recognize the value of our 4-H volunteers.  As a state we are rolling out new 4-H Project Records. We want to have a better understanding of your beliefs and understandings of the function of these records.What will you be asked to do?  There will be two focus groups held on October 22, 2018. These focus groups will occur using Zoom, a video conference software so you can join the session from your personal computer or by phone.  Up to 12 volunteers can participate in each session. If you decide to participate, you will be asked to participate in an online focus group with questions pertaining to your attitudes and beliefs regarding 4-H project records in Maine.  The focus group will take you approximately 45-60 minutes.Compensation: By participating in the focus group you will be eligible to enter a drawing for a Hannaford Gift Card.  Upon completion, focus group participants will be given access to a link to a form where you will enter the drawing.To Register: https://extension.umaine.edu/register/product/4-h-volunteer-focus-group-zoom/
  1. Farm Service Agency Youth Loans
    The Farm Service Agency makes loans to youth to establish and operate agricultural income-producing projects in connection with 4-H clubs, FFA and other agricultural groups. Projects must be planned and operated with the help of the organization advisor, produce sufficient income to repay the loan and provide the youth with practical business and educational experience. The maximum loan amount is $5000.
    Requirements:
  • Be a citizen of the United States
  • Be 10 years to 20 years of age
  • Comply with FSA’s general eligibility requirements
  • Be unable to get a loan from other sources
  • Conduct a modest income-producing project in a supervised program of work as outlined above
  • Demonstrate capability of planning, managing and operating the project under guidance and assistance from a project advisor.

For more information stop by your Local FSA County Office or call Mary Anne Coffin at 207.990.9140.