February 4-H Newsletter
Upcoming Dates:
Public Speaking Workshops:February 9, Presque Isle & February 21, Houlton
Maine 4-H Scholarships Deadline:March 1st
Public Speaking Tournament: March 16th
Maple House Tour: March 22nd
New 4-H member enrollment deadline: April 1st
Animal Approval Form deadline: June 30
Northern Maine Fair: Wednesday, July 31 – Sunday, August 4
County News
New Calendar!!!!
Aroostook 4-H now has a google calendar that will house all of our upcoming events, activities and deadlines as well as most registration links. Club leaders are welcome to use this calendar for their events as well. Use the link below to view the calendar and stay up to date on all the fun and educational events coming up for Aroostook 4-H members.
Link to Aroostook 4-H Google Calendar
Maple House Tours Field Trip
Register to join us for a first hand look at our local maple syrup industry. This field trip is open to ALL 4-H members. We will meet at the Easton Rec Hall and travel via school bus to Bradbury Maple Farms in Bridgewater then back to Easton to visit The Maple Moose. Members will be able to experience the entire maple syrup making process from tap to table, how different sugar houses operate, and learn about maple products and business aspects of sugaring.
Things to know:
- Participants in the Maple 101 program are asked to attend to wrap up their virtual learning classes.
- Participants will be able to purchase items at the sugar houses if they wish.
- Please be sure members have lunch prior to drop off, we will not be stopping for a meal.
- Pick up and drop off at Easton Recreation Hall (23 Station Rd). 11:30 Drop Off, 3:30 Pick Up.
- Joint field trip with Easton 4-H after school participants.
Space is limited, don’t wait to sign up! Register Here!
Get Ready to Talk – Public Speaking Workshops & Tournament
The county will be hosting a 4-H Public Speaking workshops to help members prepare, practice, and hone their skills in preparation for county and state Public Speaking competitions. These workshops are open to all members and participation in the workshop doesn’t require youth to take part in the county tournament. In the workshop we will go over the different types of presentations, score sheets, and help with developing a topic.
Please let us know if your member is planning to attend! Or REGISTER HERE
The County Tournament will be held March 16th, and is open to all ages! Qualifying Junior and Senior members will have the option to move on to the State Tournament on April 6th.
Club News
Want to work for UMaine Cooperative Extension 4-H Program?
We are hiring!
State News
Maine 4-H Foundation Post-Secondary Education Scholarships
These scholarships are available to participants in the 4-H Program, pursuing higher education. Deadlines: March 1, 2024, to local UMaine Extension county office by email; March 8, 2024, by email documents to the Maine 4-H Foundation.
- Application Form (Word) for the following scholarships.
- Recommendation Form (Word
Solar Eclipse Coming to Maine!
On April 8th, 2024 Maine will experience a full solar eclipse. The last time Maine experienced this was in 1963, and the next one won’t be until 2079! How we react and experience solar eclipses today may look different from the past and/or across cultures. The oldest known recorded eclipse is in 3340 B.C.E. based on petroglyphs found in Ireland. Around 1200 B.C.E scribes in China recorded experiences of eclipses, which later helped scientists calculate the speed of Earth’s spin. In some cultures it is believed that the sun is being eaten by a creature, as the beginning stages of an eclipse look like a bite has been taken out. For some, a solar eclipse is seen as a rebirth and for others it represents a scary, uncertain time and they do not go outside. Learn more about the history of eclipses.
Whether you are creating new eclipse traditions or following generational experiences, you can find helpful information for eclipse safety guidelines and preparing audiences. See “Total Eclipse Prep Party for 4-H Volunteers” to learn more about how you can participate!
Maple Sugaring 101: From Sap, to Syrup, to Sales
Not long after the New Year celebrations have ended and Maine hunkers down for several more weeks of winter, some farmers and landowners across the state turn their attention to maple sugar season. Depending on the weather, maple trees start to release their sweetness anytime between February and April and there’s a lot of work to be done to prepare for collecting the sap and boiling it down into syrup.
Volunteer Connections- Be a Positive Communicator
Tuesday, February 13, 6:30-8:00pm (virtual via ZOOM) This session will focus on how to use positive communication strategies to manage difficult conversations or conflict with others. Learn about constructive responses, and conciliatory gestures and how they can be used to de-escalate conflicts. Volunteer Connections offer monthly ZOOM calls for 4-H volunteers from the entire Northeast region. Join us to connect and learn with and from other 4-H volunteers! It’s free, but you must register Sign up today and invite a friend-we hope to see you there.
Total Eclipse Prep Party for 4-H Volunteers
On April 8, 2024, parts of Maine will experience a total solar eclipse- and this won’t happen for another 20 years! A total solar eclipse happens when the moon lies exactly between the sun and the Earth, casting its shadow on a small patch of the Earth’s surface. Does the idea of a total solar eclipse light your spark? Are you interested in learning more about it and sharing your excitement with youth? If so, we want you to join us!
When: Thursday, March 7, 2024, 5:00 – 8:00 pm
Where: We’ll be at the University of Maine campus in Orono, starting at the Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center. Address: 491 College Avenue, Orono, and then heading to the Versant Power Astronomy Center & Jordan Planetarium
Address:167 Rangeley Rd., Orono.
What do I need to bring? We want you to bring a friend, a colleague, a neighbor, a parent from your 4-H club… a SUN-BUDDY! This person doesn’t have to be an enrolled 4-H volunteer, but someone that is excited about the total eclipse and would like to share their enthusiasm and help you do ONE activity with youth prior to, or on April 8th. You could plan to do an activity with your club, at your Extension office, at a library, in a classroom or maybe with a homeschool group- it’s totally up to you! What are we going to do at the Total Eclipse Prep Party? We will feed you dinner, take you to a show at the University of Maine Jordan Planetarium, do a hands-on activity with you, help you and your “sun-buddy” plan your activity and have materials, supplies and resources available for you to take.
Why should you participate? This will be a fun in-person evening with other people who have a common interest, you will get to enjoy dinner on us (pizza and salad), and the opportunity to learn more about the total eclipse! You will also receive free materials to implement activities, solar eclipse viewing glasses, AND a t-shirt!
Cost: The event is free, but registration is required and space is limited.
Registration: Register here! Registration deadline: February 16, 2024
Tidepool Immersion Discovery + Ecology Workshop Series
The 4-H Tidepool Immersion Discovery + Ecology Workshop Series will explore the intertidal zone and help with marine science research! In this workshop, we will learn about animals you might find during low tide and use some amazing equipment to take awesome pictures on your phone to identify them. Along the way, we’ll learn about invasive species, climate change, species identification, and how you can participate in research. University of New England graduate students Emily and Sam will lead the workshop. An optional in person field day exploring tide pools is scheduled for Saturday, April 13th.
Dates: Tuesdays, 4:00-5:00, April 9, 2024 through May 11 th .
Ages 13-18
Most activities will be held via Zoom. Materials will be provided and shipped directly to participants before the workshop. In-person field day scheduled in South Portland on April 13 th (rain date April 14th). Participants will be asked to visit the ocean at least once, at low tide, during this series. Facilitators: Emily L. and Sam B. Pre-registration is required by March 27, 2024.
Come to Work at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove!
Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove are now hiring for our spring and summer seasons! Positions include Educators, Counselors, Trip Leaders, and more. Please visit our website
at extension.umaine.edu/tanglewood/employment/ for more information and to apply.
Young Explorers Early Childhood Enrichment
Young Explorers at Blueberry Cove, our new early childhood enrichment program, is accepting registrations for 2024! The program focuses on play, sensory learning, and developing social skills in an outdoor setting. Explorers spend time with our camp animals, play at the forest and beach, and read stories. Ages 3 – 5, M, W, & F from 9 am – 12 pm. More information: extension.umaine.edu/tanglewood/st-george-school-programs/young-explorers-day-program/.
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:
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.
Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
CWF will be held on June 20-27, 2024 in Washington DC. We have reserved space for 15 Maine delegates. The cost will be in the area of $1200 + or -. We will most likely fly and will be staying at a different hotel than in the last couple of years. Be sure to connect with your county office and let them know your interest. They in turn will correspond, on behalf of their entire county to me. **They also will know if there is additional help in funding the trip through your county. A big “Thank You” to The Maine 4-H Foundation for significantly funding this incredible trip. (County Offices, Heidi Palmer will need your delegate names by March 20, 2024). This trip is amazing and very well known and liked. This trip will be on a first come basis. There are limited spaces as the program is only being run for 1 additional week from our spoken week. So only two weeks total. An orientation will be planned as we get closer and will be on the website and communicated to candidates directly. If you need more information, you can check the CWF UMaine website in early January, or email, Heidi Palmer: heidi.palmer@umaine.edu.
ESE 4-H Dairy Intent Forms
The 2024 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 this fall, 4-H members must submit their completed intent form online or to the Waldo County Cooperative Extension office before February 17, 2024. Please contact Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or 207.342.5971 with any questions.
2024 Maine 4-H Dairy Quizbowl Contest
The Maine 4-H Dairy Quizbowl contest will be held on February 17th at the UMA Randall Student Center in Augusta, ME. The contest consists of a general knowledge exam, individual questions, and buzzer questions. The contest will serve as the official tryout for the Maine 4-H Dairy Quizbowl Team that will represent Maine 4-H at ESE this fall. All 4-H dairy project members ages 9-18, regardless of whether or not they wish to try out for the quizbowl team, are invited to participate. Contestants will be divided into two age divisions, Jr.’s ages 9-11 and Sr.’s ages 12- In the event of inclement weather on the 17th, the event will be rescheduled for February 24th. For a complete set of rules for the contest, study materials, and directions to the venue . For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation please contact Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.
Harvest of the Month
February is Maine Root Vegetables
Check out Maine Ag in the Classroom Root Vegetables Resource Page for lessons, activities, books, and more!
Mainely Dish: Yogurt Fruit Parfait
Visit EFNEP’s recipe website for the Yogurt Fruit Parfait recipe and recipe video.