December 4-H Newsletter
Dates and Reminders
RE-ENROLLMENT!!! – December 31st Deadline
Ignite 4-H National Conference: Applications Due December 23rd. (see state news for details)
Aroostook Leaders Meeting: January TBD (leaders please watch your email for date & time)
Big E Intent forms: Due starting January
New 4-H Members, enrollment deadline April 1st
County News
We would like to wish our 4-H families a very Happy Holiday Season! We are looking forward to a wonderful new 4-H year and being a part of your activities, shows and accomplishments in this coming year.
Re-Enrollment Time: This is not a drill!!!
We all know December is a busy time of year for families, but in the hustle and bustle of the month please don’t forget to re-enroll the 4-H members in your household. Current members who are not re-enrolled by December 31st will not be able to participate in fairs, events, and other activities for the upcoming year. While spring seems far away now, it will come and we want to ensure all our members have the opportunity to participate in as many activities as possible. Enrollments can be completed online at https://4h.zsuite.org. If you do not have internet access, experience difficulties, or have questions please contact the office and we will assist you with enrollment.
Votes Needed
Please take a moment to vote for Aroostook 4-H at the Houlton S.W. Collins location or online. Your votes determine how much we are awarded to aid in our programs! We appreciate your votes. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SWCgrant
(If voting online, select Houlton as your shopping location to see the 4-H option.)
Membership & Project Pins
If you were unable to attend the 4-H Achievement Night in October and would like to receive your project and/or year pins please contact the office so we can make arrangements for you to pick them up at the office most convenient for you. Additionally if you are missing any membership pins from previous years, please let us know and we will make sure you get them.
Follow Your Food: Thanksgiving
Presque Isle area homeschoolers spent time learning about where their Thanksgiving dinner comes from and what it would have looked like at the first Thanksgiving. They explored the difference in the food supply chains of our modern thanksgiving dinner and compared it with the food supply chain and food systems of 1621. The youth then cooked a traditional and a modern version of a Thanksgiving dish using recipes and ingredients available in each time period. Recipes included Pumpkin Potage, Turkey Roll Ups, Corn Pudding, and Cranberry Hand Pies. It was a tasty adventure!
Club & Member News
Treystar Pathfinders Club hosted a Holiday Potluck for Aroostook 4-H members and families on November 25th. Attendees enjoyed good food, fun, and made some adorable ornaments.
“Aroostook County 4-H” float in the Presque Isle Holiday Light Parade was a success! Evergreen and A-V Dairy club kids handed out goodies, sang carols, walked goats, road mountain bikes, a 4 wheeler and a pedal car decorated with lights while spreading holiday cheer while the float spread Christmas bubbles everywhere! We also won the best “non profit float” for the 2nd year.
The Evergreens and the Chartier family recently visited TD Bank in Presque Isle. Members learned about savings and checking accounts, individual and commercial accounts, electronic banking, ATM machines, the vault, and safety deposit boxes. They also learned how to request foreign currency for travel purposes.
Easton 4-H members wrapped up the last path on their Ag Explorers Adventure. Members began their journey through the 4-H Ag Explorers Program in the Spring and explored four different areas of agriculture including Seed Soil Sprout, Ag & ME, Culture Cultivator, & Tillable Tech over the past few months. Anyone interested in learning more about or participating in the 4-H Ag Explorers Program can reach out to the office.
State News
4-H Volunteer Workshops for the 2023-2024 4-H Year
We invite you to participate in our 4-H Volunteer Connections virtual workshops! Join other 4-H volunteers from the North East region to learn, share and engage with one another on a variety of topics related to 4-H. All workshops are free and offered via Zoom in the evenings from 6:30 – 8:00pm.
Topics include:
January 10 – Creating LGBTQ+ Inclusive Programs
February 13 – Be a Positive Communicator
March 12 – Finding Space for Mental Wellness in Every Program
April 9 – Animal Science: Strong Relationships and Sportsmanship
Click here to register now! Come to one or come to all! We look forward to connecting with YOU!
4-H Tick Project
The 4-H Tick Project is a community science project engaging K-12 youth and educators, made possible through a partnership between 4-H Youth Development, UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab, Maine Forest Tick Survey, and members of the Learning Ecosystems Northeast partnership. The project provides youth an opportunity to explore ticks and tick-borne diseases, which is a connected story of climate, ecosystem change, and public health. All educators interested in teaching about ticks in Maine are encouraged to participate in the
project at no cost to you. This is a great project for 4-H clubs, SPIN clubs, homeschool groups, and more. For more information and to register, visit the 4-H Tick Project webpage.
Fryeburg Market Animal Intents Now Available
Intent to sell forms for Fryeburg market projects
are now available at extension.umaine.edu/4h/animal-science-resources. Steers must be owned and in the possession of the 4-H member by December 31st and intent forms, including RFID tags, bill of sale, and photos of the steer must be submitted by January 5th . Lambs must be owned and in the possession of the 4-H member by June 1st and intent forms, including bill of sale, scrapie tag number, and photos of the animal, must be submitted by June 5th . For more information on 4-H market animal projects please contact your county cooperative extension office or call 207.581.3877.
Maine 4-H ESE Beef Intent to Participate Forms are Now Available
The 2024 Maine 4-H Beef ESE Intent to Participate form is now available online and must be submitted by January 15, 2024. 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, 2023 and have completed one year in a beef project prior to this year. Please contact Kristen Grondin, kristen.grondin@maine.edu, 207.581.8193, with any questions.
Ignite by 4-H
Who is eligible: All youth of high school age (14-18)
When is the event: March 13-17
Where: Washington DC metro area at the Westin Washington D.C. Downtown Hotel/Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C.
Timeline: Applications need to be completed by Dec 23rd
Cost: The Maine 4-H Foundation has graciously funded the majority of the registration and travel costs for youth. Youth will be responsible for $300 towards the cost of the trip. We encourage youth to reach out to the County offices and programs to seek out additional funding support. If youth need help or assistance please have them contact tara.marble@maine.edu. Spark your imagination and passion! Ignite by 4-H, an inclusive teen event, returns March 2024 to Washington, D.C. Join us for four days of inspiring speakers, workshop sessions, activities, and entertainment. The summit will provide high-school-aged youth from across the country the opportunity to explore the best 4-H has to offer in STEM, Agriscience, and Healthy Living. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover exciting career paths, make connections, and create an action plan to ignite change in your community! Other info can be seen on the official website here: https://events.4-h.org/ignite/home – Applications are on a Google Form here. or cut and paste this
URL:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc7ycSGcNv7TW77U_3Lyyo3ZOD1CQ1HuF3GFgUYbpTUwu4w5w/viewform .
If there are any questions or concerns please contact tara.marble@maine.edu.
Maine Winter Squash is the December Harvest of the Month
Check out the resources from Maine Ag in the Classroom for the Harvest of the Month.
Reducing Fat and Sugar in Holiday Baking
Check out how you can make your favorite recipes a bit more healthy.
Spoonful: Bite Sized Food and Nutrition Information