4-H March Newsletter 2023
Ag Ambassadors Program start date – March 7
County Public Speaking Tournament – March 18th, 10:00 am Houlton Extension Office
New Member registration deadline – April 1
State Public Speaking Tournament – April 8
4-H Leaders Assoc. Meeting – April 12th, 6:00 pm Presque Isle Extension Office (zoom link available)
Spring Tractor Supply Paper Clover Campaign – April 26 – May 7
The Wilma Winslow Post-Secondary Aroostook County 4-H Leader’s Association College Scholarship Application Deadline May 1
Animal Approval Forms due – June 30
Animal Lease Form Due (riding & showing) – June 30
Northern Maine Fair – August 3-6
It may not feel like it, but Spring is just around the corner. The longer days are a sure sign that the warmer weather is on its way. As we gear up for this seasonal change it’s a great time to start thinking about your 4-H Project for this year. Please take some time to review the updated 4-H Project records. NEW Maine 4-H Project Records
A team of Maine 4-H volunteers, youth and staff have worked very hard to update the forms to be more user friendly and accessible. Every 4-H member is required to complete at least one project record a year. Project records help youth identify their sparks, practice management skills, develop goals, support self reflection, develop and demonstrate valuable life skills. These records can be submitted for judging and used to build a comprehensive 4-H portfolio.
County News
Register HERE for the Aroostook County Public Speaking Tournament!!!
The County Public Speaking Tournament will be held at the Houlton Extension office on Saturday, March 18th at 10:00am and is open to all ages. Youth ages 9 – 18 can qualify for the state level tournament by competing in the county event. Cloverbuds (age 5 – 8) will receive participation awards.
New Member & Club Informational Meeting
Are you interested in membership for your children or forming a club but not sure where to start? Easton Rec will be hosting us for an informational meeting on March 22nd at 6:00pm at the Easton Rec Hall. Join us to learn more about 4-H membership, clubs, and opportunities.
Club and Member News
The Evergreens
Members of the Evergreens club along with AV Dairy members and several non 4-H members visited the brood mares and coats at East of Eden Stables on Feb 23rd. Lot’s of educational fun was had by all.
Aroostook Valley Baby Beef
Members of the Baby Beef Club enjoyed homemade cinnamon rolls at their recent meeting while they discussed upcoming events, fundraisers, and their animal’s progress.
Calling All Aroostook 4-H Independent Members!!!!
We want to learn more about your interests and needs and how to best support you in your 4-H journey. You should have received an email asking you to complete a survey, but if not please use this link. Let us help you make the most of 4-H!
Happy Birthday to our 4-H’ers born in March
Ellie C. Oliver P. Violet G. Soloman F. Dane B.
Megan R. Austin Q. Mia C. Walker M. Shelby S.
State 4-H News
Building Background on Vernal Pools
Although spring may seem like a lifetime away, it is just around the corner! This means that vernal pools will be full of life soon. Join fellow practitioners to learn about content and activities around vernal pools! Gabby Brodek, Washington County 4-H Youth Development Professional, and Dr. Rachel Wolf, a learning science researcher at Stanford University, are facilitating a 90 minute virtual session for adults where you will build background knowledge, discuss connections to climate science, and explore example activities to support youth learning around vernal pools.
Sessions will be held on Monday, March 6th 3:30-5pm and Friday, March 10th 11-12:30pm, EST. Each session will review the same material. Click here to register for the event. This information session is a component of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s Spring Learning Theme: Vernal Pools, a product of Learning Ecosystems Northeast (LENE), a NASA funded collaborative focused on building partnerships and pathways that provide youth with opportunities to engage in locally relevant learning experiences around climate and data science.
Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
Start making plans now to visit our Nation’s Capitol during the week of June 24 – 30, 2023. CWF is a leadership program conducted by the National 4-H Council for high school youth ages 14 to 18. Delegations of 4-Hers from across the country spend six days touring the city and attending leadership skill-building workshops. This summer, the Maine delegation will travel down on June 24 and travel home June 30. Youth will be staying in a hotel just outside of the DC limits. Visiting the most popular sites in Washington, DC will be a part of the trip. There is a mandatory orientation for Maine delegates on April 29, 2023. For more information visit https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/annual-events/citizenship-washington-focus/. Contact your county 4-H office for details about how to be a part of this. All county offices have different criteria/dates to apply.
Apply Now for National 4-H Trips
National 4-H Trips are excellent opportunities to meet 4-H members from across the nation. Participants learn about many career options, and learn through educational workshops at Congress or become a part of a team making recommendations to National 4-H Council at Conference. To learn more about these trips, visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/national-trips/. New for 2023: Complete and submit your application and supplemental materials online! Any Maine 4-H Youth, ages 14 to 18, is eligible to apply. Applicants must be current Maine 4-H members both at the time of application and the time of the actual trip. Application packets must be submitted online, or sent to your county office and postmarked by April 25, 2023. Interview dates will be the second week of May, 2023. If you have any questions, please contact Heidi Palmer at 207.310.4235 or heidi.thuotte@maine.edu. 2023 National 4-H Congress is November 24 – 30, 2023 in Atlanta GA with an orientation for the trip on October 21, 2023. 2024 National 4-H Conference has not yet been announced, but will likely take place in April of 2024 in Washington, DC., orientation for that trip will be announced to those selected. Leaders and office staff, if you have senior members in your clubs, please encourage them to participate. They are amazing trips!
State Public Speaking Tournament – Save the Date!
Our state public speaking tournament will be held on April 8, 2023 at DP Corbett Hall on the University of Maine campus. Youth must qualify for this event by achieving a score of 78 or higher at their county or regional tournament. Check the website or with your county 4-H staff to find out when your county tournament will be held.
Public Speaking Online Workshop
The Maine 4-H Communication Science Team invites all enrolled 4-H members to an open-to-all workshop on March 15th from 6 – 7 pm. Participants will learn about using posters and slide decks to enhance their presentations, as well as have an opportunity to practice different parts of their own presentation for informal feedback. Please contact cathy.gray@maine.edu for more information. Register online.
Western/Central Regional Public Speaking Contest
The Western/Central Regional Public Speaking Contest is now open for youth from all counties to register. The event will be on March 25th, with a snow date of March 26th at the Jewett Hall Auditorium on the University of Maine Augusta Campus (UMA). The event will begin with registration at 10:00 and last until about 3:00. Cloverbuds are welcome to join in! This event will also be a qualifying event for the State Public Speaking Contest in April. Lunch will be on your own and you can bring a bag lunch to enjoy during our break. Register online. Reach out to Tara Marble with any questions at tara.marble@maine.edu.
2023 4-H Volunteer Training Opportunities
As we get ready for the new 4-H year, we are looking forward to offering a variety of learning experiences (both in person and virtual) for our 4-H volunteers. Sessions are free of charge, but require registration. Some sessions have limited space. Visit the 4-H Volunteer Calendar of Training Opportunities to learn more and register!
Save the Date for 4-H Dairy Judging and State Show!
The Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Contest will take place on May 6th, 2023 at Hardy Farm in Farmington, ME and Silver Valley Farm in New Sharon, ME. The contest is open to all enrolled dairy members and will serve as the official tryouts for the Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Team. The Maine State 4-H Dairy Show will take place on July 22nd and 23rd at the Windsor Fairgrounds in Windsor, ME. The contest is open to all 4-H members who want to participate and will include educational workshops, a fitting contest, a grilled cheese contest, and more! For more information on upcoming 4-H dairy events visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/dairy or contact sadee.mehuren@maine.edu; 207.342.5971
Maine 4-H Days: Save the Date! July 21 – 22, 2023
We’re back for fun times, workshops, overnight camping and more at the Windsor Fairgrounds in Kennebec County! More information to come, so save the dates!
Maine 4-H Ag Ambassador and Ag Symposium- Teens sign up now!
For teens that are 13-18 years old, we invite you to join us for our Ag Ambassador program this spring! This will be an opportunity to connect with other teens from around the state to explore and share your interests in the Maine food system, agriculture, climate change, environmental justice, and where all these interests collide. The spring 2023 cohort will meet from 3:30-5:00pm on Tuesday afternoons from March 7 to April 18 on zoom with an in-person celebratory luncheon in Orono for families on April 20. The luncheon will kick off our overnight Teen Ag Symposium at the UMaine Orono campus on April 20 and April 21. This will be a hands-on exploration of many aspects of the Maine food system and the research and education happening at the University. Additional details about the program can be found on the program website. To register, visit the event website. For more information or to request reasonable accommodation, contact Sadee Mehuren; 207.342.5971; extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu.
ESE Sheep Team Intent Form
The 2023 Maine 4-H ESE Sheep Team intent to participate form is now available online at https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/sheep/. If you are interested in participating in the team, the form must be submitted to Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or mailed to the Waldo County Cooperative Extension office by April 1, 2023. At ESE the team, along with teams from other New England states, show their sheep and participate in a sheep blocking contest. Together the team prepares an educational display and participates and competes in knowledge contests against teams from other states. To be eligible you must have participated in a 4-H sheep project for at least one year and be at least 12 years old as of December 31, 2022. Please contact Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or 207.342.5971 for more information.
Maine Harvest of the Month
Check out the Proteins Resource Page for lessons, activities, books and more.
EFNEP
Corn Chowder
Try some delicious corn chowder to warm you up on these chilly winter days.