June 4-H Newsletter
Upcoming Dates
One Tomato giveaway – June 7th in Houlton; June 8th in Presque Isle
Fair Clean Up Day: POSTPONED, new date TBA
4-H Willy Wonka Camp: June 17 – 20th (contact Hillary Hallett to register)
Animal Approval Forms Due: June 30th Must be completed for ANY animal being shown in a 4-H show.
Animal Lease Forms Due: June 30
Northern Maine Fair: July 31st – Aug 4th
Northern Maine Fair Exhibit Submission dates: Monday, July 29 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, Tuesday, July 30 9:00 am – 12:00 noon or you can drop off your exhibits at the Houlton or Presque Isle office on or before July 29
Check the Aroostook 4-H Calendar for the most up to date event information.
County News
Prepare for FAIR!
Before we know it, summer will be in full swing and we will be gearing up for another fair season. 4-H’ers are encouraged to participate in fairs as a way to demonstrate their knowledge and practice skills, as well as have fun and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Our Northern Maine Fair offers a wealth of opportunities for members to participate in various activities throughout the week and on our 4-H Day, Saturday. The Northern Maine Fair will be held July 31st – Aug 4th. Please be watching your email for additional information as the schedule is finalized. This year’s fair theme is “HEALTHY YOU, EWE, U.” Please see the exhibit hall handbook for details regarding club displays around the theme.
What will you do at the fair?
New/Returning to the fair this year!
- Updated Demo Ex Guidelines, now including Pet/Animal & Performing Arts Class!!!
- Supper from the Soil Contest
- Egg-cellent Egg Exhibits
- Cloverbud Livestock Demonstrations
- Evening 4-H Family events
Fair Reminders:
- Some events require prior registration, please check the handbook.
- Any 4-H’er bringing livestock on to the fairgrounds must complete the animal approval form, no later than June 30th.
- Animal lease form must be submitted with the approval form for any leased animals.
- Goats and sheep should have scrapie tags to pass state vet inspections.
Spring Fling Fun
4-H members from across Aroostook county, and representing almost every club came together at the Southern Aroostook Ag Museum on May 11th for a day filled with fun and learning. Members were able to participate in at least four of six workshops held throughout the day. Workshops included…
- Animal Health: Sadee Mehuren, Maine 4-H Animal Science Professional
- Showmanship: Meghan Smith, 4-H Volunteer
- Ag in a Bag: Nancy Wright, Maine Agri-Women
- Egg-cellent Egg-hibits: Lisa McKenna, 4-H Volunteer
- First Aid: Megan Cook, Aroostook 4-H Professional
- Supper from the Soil: David Lowe, UMCE Sustainable Ag and Horticulture & Carrie Farrell, Aroostook 4-H CEA
We hope members will use the knowledge they gained at the event to support their 4-H projects and participation in fair events.
Aroostook Clubs & Member News
Treystar Pathfinders
Many members have been preparing to show at the Northern Maine Fair for the first time. Club members are planning to bring sheep and calves to the fair this year.
Ainsley P. of Aroostook Valley Baby Beef & Treystar Pathfinders attended the Stock Show University held in Fryburg and sponsored by Sullivan’s Supply. The event was free and open to all Maine youth participating in beef shows. It was a two day event. The first day covered daily care and clipping and the second day covered fitting and showmanship. Ainsley was one of 104 youth who attended the event.
Easton 4-H 
Club
Easton will be hosting Miss Megan for a multiple day candy club June 17 – 20th. Please see the flyer or contact Hillary for more information or to register.
Members recently met to prepare for the fair. They worked on their “Healthy You, Ewe, U” club display.
Aroostook Homestead
We started a club garden in Houlton! We are doing a no-till method using straw as our cover. We actually have two gardens. The larger one is for our vegetables and the smaller one is for herbs and flowers.
Our goal is to add straw each year instead of tilling. The previous straw should break down and improve the soil. We wanted to try a different method to teach the kids. After everything is established, we plan on adding a beehive or two. Also, Aroostook Milling generously donated the lime and straw to us, totaling $161.50!!!
State 4-H News
June, 2024
Maine 4-H Days: Register Now!
Where: Windsor Fairgrounds, Windsor, Maine When: Friday evening, July 19 – Saturday, July 20. Animal Science tracks are being scheduled from Friday, July 19 – Sunday, July 21. Registration is now open for 2024 Maine 4-H Days! There will be livestock events through the weekend, and dozens of enrichment workshops to choose from during the day on Saturday. Friday night will be a blast with a Youth Council Dance for youth ages 12 & up, and then a Move and Groove Family Movie Night for the rest! Camping space is available at no additional charge. Visit the website to learn more about the different activities, and to register now!
4-H Summer Learning Series
2024 marks the FIFTH year Maine 4-H is offering a Summer Learning Series! This year, workshops will run from July 5 – August 10, and there is something for everyone. Registration opens June 3 for enrolled 4-Hers, and opens June 10 for all other youth. There is a lot of diversity in the offerings for this year – you can learn about rocks or how to start your own fish tank! Would you like to explore the world of animals, or get cozy with festive winter holiday crafts? From Cloverbuds to Teens, there are experiences available for all ages. Dive into the different workshop options! To register or learn more, head to our website!
UMaine 4-H Invites You to be a Part of Pride 2024
4-H will be participating in Pride festivities in Portland on June 15, 2024. A pride event is a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, the rights won, and recognition of these individuals as existing and loved members of our communities. 4-H will participate in the parade portion by walking with a banner. Participants should plan on being at the event from noon – 2:30pm. This event is open to any 4-H member or 4-H volunteer. Friends, family, and 4-H alumni are welcome but must have a 4-H member/volunteer hosting them. Please register by June 10.
To register or for more information, go to this webpage. If you have questions you can email 4-hpride@maine.edu.
Summer at 4-H Camps at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove
The UMaine 4-H Camps at Blueberry Cove and Tanglewood have summer camp openings and scholarships to support Maine youth to attend. We are excited to connect 4-Hers to our programs. Overnight camps and Discovery Trips, ages 8-15: Week-long programs at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove or adventures along the Appalachian Trail or Downeast Farm Camp with Painted Pepper Farm. Teen Leadership programs, ages 14-17: Two and three-week immersion trips to build leadership skills while exploring Maine’s beautiful natural areas via canoeing and backpacking. We have scholarships available to cover up to 75% of the tuition for these programs. Funding is also available for first-time campers from National 4-H via CAMP III funds! Check out programs online at umaine.edu/tanglewood, email emma.beaudry@maine.edu, or call207.789.5868.
4-H Swine Judging Clinic with Randy Shipley!
On June 22nd Maine 4-H will be hosting a 4-H swine judging clinic at the Cumberland Fairgrounds. Instructed by Randy Shipley of Shipley Swine Genetics, participants will learn how to visually evaluate swine, gain confidence in comparing animals against breed standards, and practice explaining logical reasons for opinion. Whether you are new to 4-H swine projects or have been doing them for years, don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an industry expert. Pre-registration is required. To sign up for the event please visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/swine/. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu
4-H Market Lamb Intent for Fryeburg Fair
Youth planning to participate in the Market Lamb program at Fryeburg Fair need to submit the 2024 Fryeburg Fair Market Lamb Intent form by June 5 th . An online form is available, otherwise youth can print and mail a copy downloaded from the website.
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.
Spoonful: Bite-Sized Food & Nutrition Information
Growing Peppers, Mild to Hot!
Peppers are a wonderful flavor booster for any recipe, especially the Homemade Salsa Recipe and Vegetarian Chili that can be found on EFNEP’s recipe website.