March 4-H Newsletter
Upcoming Dates & Events
Aroostook Speak Up Registration Deadline: March 11th, via Zsuite
Monthly 4-H Member Meeting: March 25, 6:00 pm at the Presque Isle Extension Office
Aroostook Speak Up Showcase: March 15th, 10:00am, Houlton Extension Office Showcase Zsuite Registration
National Ag Day: March 18th
Free Rabbit Health webinar March 26 7:00 pm
Aroostook 4-H Leaders’ Assoc. Meeting: March 31st, 6:00pm
New Member Enrollment Deadline: April 1st
Maine 4-H Speak Up Showcase: April 5th
Big E Sheep Intent to Participate Form Due: April 15th
4-H Teen Ag Symposium: April 21-22nd
Spring Fling: May 3rd, Southern Aroostook Ag Museum (registration and info coming soon)
Check the Aroostook 4-H Calendar for the most up to date event information.
County News
Aroostook 4-H Monthly Member Meetings
Monthly 4-H meetings for all Aroostook members continued in February. Members worked on identifying and picking 4-H projects for this year and made wool felt using the wet felting process. Thank you to Easton Rec Department for hosting the meeting.
The next Monthly 4-H Member Meeting will be held at the Presque Isle Extension office on March 25th at 6:00 pm. These meetings are open to all members, and can be especially helpful for independent members who are looking for support and activities.
If you have a suggestion for a topic of a future meeting please let us know.
March Meeting Agenda
6:00: Welcome & Pledge
6:10: 4-H Info & Project Help
If you are looking for support for a project this is a chance to ask questions or work together to pick a project for this year.
– We will share upcoming opportunities and information.
6:30: Maple Sugaring Activity
– Maine is the 3rd largest producer of Maple Syrup in the United States. Let’s learn more about this unique sweet treat that is so important to Maine.
Opportunities for Graduating Seniors
For those members in their senior year of high school, whether that be in public, private or homeschool settings there are several opportunities for scholarships and recognition.
Aroostook County 4-H Scholarships & Awards – Due May 1st
Wilma Winslow Scholarship
Wild Mustangs Scholarships
Aroostook 4-H Honor Cord – Request Form
Ag Scholarship Opportunities – See site for due dates
https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/ffa/resources
Aroostook 4-H Speak Up Showcase
We are so excited to see what our members will be presenting at the Speak Up Showcase on March 15th. If our workshops are any indication, our members will be covering some interesting and varied topics.
Any members planning to participate must register via the EVENT SECTION of Zsuite by March 11th.
Family and friends are invited to see our members deliver their presentations at the Houlton Extension Office (18 Military Street), located in the Houlton Higher Ed Building on March 15th at 10:00 am.
Qualifying Juniors and Seniors will have the option of moving on to the State Tournament on April 5th.
If you are looking for additional resources to help your child prepare their presentation the Maine 4-H Public Speaking site has some great materials including videos, score sheets and guidelines. As always, please reach out with any questions.
Club & Member News
It was a fun field trip to the Presque Isle Airport Maintenance/crash rescue building for The Evergreens. We were able to see the fire truck, plowing equipment, de-icers, runway sweepers, learned how they deal with animals on the runway, and more. Touch a Truck at its best! If it snows 1/8 inch, the crew will be out plowing!
The Homestead F.R.I.E.N.D.S of Aroostook
They had a blast recently learning how to make homemade mozzarella. The best part by far was the taste testing at the end and everyone was very pleased with the outcome of their hard work!
USDA Farm Service Agency Youth Loans
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) makes operating loans to eligible individual youths ages 10 to 20 to finance income-producing, agriculture-related projects.
UMaine Extension and DACF to offer free rabbit health webinar on March 26
University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Maine Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Conservation are offering a Rabbit Health Care for Producers webinar on Wednesday, March 26 at 7 p.m.
This webinar may helpful for teens and adults that may be producers and breeders seeking information on rabbit health care. Veterinarian Matt Ford of Southern Maine Hospital for Small Mammals will share information on the detection, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases for domesticated rabbits including coccidia, E. cuniculi, and rabbit hemorrhagic disease. Also covered are approved drugs and withdrawal times to help inform meat producers. Come with questions for a discussion period at the end of the webinar.
The event is free, however registration is required to receive the webinar link. For more information and to register, visit the event webpage. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Sue Baez at 207.667.8212 or sue.baez@maine.edu.
Maine Harvest of the Month is Protein
Check out this Protein Resource Page from Maine Ag in the Classroom
Spoonful: Bite-Sized Food & Nutrition Information
How to Make and Preserve Elderberry Syrup Safely
During cold and flu season many people turn to natural remedies like elderberry syrup and fire cider vinegar to try to prevent illness or lessen symptoms. Elderberries are full of antioxidants and vitamins that in turn may boost your immune system. Homemade elderberry syrup is a great way to reap the benefits of the fruit and can be enjoyed by the spoonful or stirred into tea or sparkling water.
State News
Save the Date – 4-H Summer Learning Series
This year, the 4-H Summer Learning Series will take place from July 7 – August 8. Volunteers and staff work together to provide high-quality, hands-on, experiential learning experiences via Zoom. For most workshops, materials are mailed to participants ahead of time, making it even easier (and less expensive) to participate! Workshops and Registration will go live on May 23, 2025. For volunteers interested in presenting workshops, information will be updated in early March. Sign up for updates on our website.
Public Speaking – Save the Date
The state Public Speaking event has a new name! Speak Up, Maine 4-H! A Public Speaking Showcase will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the University of Maine in Orono. The snow date is Sunday, April 6. Stay tuned for events and details on our website soon. Please contact your local county office for information about your local events happening soon.
Become a 4-H Tick Project Mentor!
We are looking for volunteers to guide youth in learning about ticks and community science through the 4-H Tick Project. Mentors will: Facilitate hands-on learning experiences through 4-H activities in classrooms, after-school programs, and/or community events. Model tick collection protocols and identification techniques. Share best practices for tick safety with young people. Make a valuable contribution to their communities. No prior experience with tick science is required. The training will provide all the necessary knowledge and resources. This opportunity requires volunteers to work with educators and youth in various learning environments, including outdoors in tick habitat. For more details and to register for the training, please visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/hancock/tick-project/volunteer/. The deadline to register for the training is March 30, 2025.
Summer Camp at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove
Registration for Summer Programs at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove 4-H Camps is now open! We would love to see you at one of our 4-H Camps this summer! 1 and 2-week overnight camps, day camps, outdoor trips, and teen leadership camps are open for anyone to attend. This is a great opportunity to diversify your 4-H experience and continue building awesome skills. Scholarships are available from the Camps and the 4-H Foundation to help with tuition costs. Some sessions fill up fast! To start planning your summer experience, please check out the program pages on our website which have more information and dates. We are excited to welcome you to the Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove Family! For questions, please email or call Emma at the contact information below.
Website: www.umaine.edu/tanglewood Email: extension.tanglewood4h@maine.edu Phone: 207.789.5868
4-H Volunteer Connections: Register Today!
We are offering THREE virtual interactive sessions this winter for all 4-H volunteers! Join us for regional training and networking opportunities with 4-H volunteers from our 13 states in the North East Region! Session topics include the following: – Growing Beyond the Ribbon – March 19, 2025 – 6:30 – 8:00 pm To read more about each session and register, go to this link! https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteer-connections/ Sign up for one, two, or all three! Sessions are free, but you must register! Questions? Reach out to Jen Lobley at jennifer.lobley@maine.edu We hope to see you there!
2025 Engineering Week Expo
The Maine Engineering Promotional Council (MEPC) Engineering Expo will be held Saturday, March 8th from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the University of Maine Field House in Orono. This family-friendly FREE event invites the community to explore the world of engineering through demonstrations and hands-on activities. The 4-H Science and Engineering Center will be there along with Maine engineering firms, schools, government agencies, and societies who are invested in engaging young minds in career pathways involving engineering. For more information on the Engineering Expo please go to the website
Maine Science Festival
The Maine Science Festival will be held March 19-23 times TBD in February at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. This FREE event includes a Field Trip Day for 7th- 8th graders, a Teen Tech Night, and Exploration Stations that include demonstrations and hands-on activities involving the sciences. Be sure to put it on your calendar because it really is a fun event! For more information on the Maine Science Festival please go to the website: https://www.mainesciencefestival.org/.
Explore Maine’s Aquaculture Industry with Virtual Field Trips from 4-H
Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) are an innovative way for youth to explore and learn about places and people that would otherwise be infeasible! These immersive, online experiences bring Maine’s thriving aquaculture industry to life—no travel required. Accessible at no cost, the Virtual Field Trips are designed to break down geographical and financial barriers, making high-quality, hands-on learning available to all. Register online to receive a link to the VFTs. Each field trip also comes with complementary 4-H activity guides and lesson plans to help facilitate meaningful engagement with youth. The first VFT currently available features the University of Maine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR), a large-scale, land-based aquaculture facility in Franklin, Maine. Additional virtual field trips are in development and will be rolled out throughout 2025 and 2026. These experiences offer insight into seafood production, workforce development, career exploration, and STEM concepts related to aquaculture technologies. To register for a virtual field trip, visit extension.umaine.edu/hancock/aquaculture/vft. For more information: contact Carla Scocchi, 4-H Youth Development Professional, carla.scocchi@maine.edu.
4-H Science Toolkits
Maine 4-H has a lending library of 4-H Science toolkits. These come with activities and material around a variety of topics. Recent additions include: – eBird Explorers, exploring Ornithology for Cloverbuds – Harmful and Shifting Species, which examines species impacting the Maine coast – Power Protectors, which involves exploring energy use and an introduction to renewable energy through engineering design challenges. Reach out to your local 4-H staff person or email 4-HScience@maine.edu to make a reservation or with any questions.