4-H November Newsletter 2023
Upcoming Dates
Re-enrollment is open: October 1- December 31.
Kindness Bag Donations Due: November 13th (details below)
4-H Holiday Party – November 25th (details below)
Holiday Light Parade – December 2nd (details below)
County News!
Gratitude & Giving Season
November is Gratitude month and December is Giving month, making this Season the perfect opportunity for 4-H’ers to contribute to a community service project. The Easton 4-H Club will be putting together Kindness Bags for senior citizens. If any member, volunteer, or club would like to contribute to their efforts, donations can be dropped off by November 13th to the Town Office in Easton, or the Presque Isle & Houlton Extension Offices. (Please call ahead to ensure there is someone in the office as Extension has a system wide conference that will cause offices to be closed November 8-9, 10th – Veteran’s day observed.)
Suggested items include…
- Sudoku, word finds, puzzle books
- Warm socks
- Hot cocoa mix
- Snacks or treats
- Chapstick
- Hand lotion or sanitizer
- Small puzzles
- Handmade cards, notes, or crafts
Every 4-H’er is encouraged to participate in community service activities. We hope you will consider helping with the Kindness Bags or find another way to use your HEART & HANDS to give back to the community this year.
4-H Achievement Night
On October 20th, 4-H members, families, volunteers and staff gathered to celebrate the end of the 4-H year with the Annual Achievement Night. Youth enjoyed pumpkin painting, pumpkin tic-tac-toe, and crafts as well as a popcorn bar followed by a spaghetti dinner and awards.
We would like to thank all those who attended to honor our members and volunteers. Additionally we would like to extend our appreciation to those who helped behind the scenes and donated time, food, or funds to ensure the success of the evening.
Cyndi Kimball, Hillary Hallett, Denise Clark, John Hoffses (SAD 1 School Farm), Easton School Department, David Lowe, Pam Hickey, Emily Dow, Smith Family, and The Aroostook 4-H Leaders Association.
If you were unable to attend, please contact us and we will make sure you receive any pins or awards.
Laying Hens Need a Home
Robin Taylor of Blaine is looking to rehome her laying hens. She has 4 Easter Egg layers, & 3 Rhode Islands. She can be reached at 551-9175, if any 4-H’ers are interested. We are hoping to include an egg show or judging workshop at the Northern Maine Fair next year. This may be a great opportunity to start working on your egg production.
Re-Enrollment Time
Returning members, please remember to complete 4-H re-enrollment by December 31st. New members have until April 1st to enroll and be eligible for summer events and activities. Un-enrolled youth should not participate in club or group activities without permission from county staff.
ZSuite 4-H enrollment instructions:
-
- Login at zsuite.org
- Click on the PRIMARY profile and enter your 4-character PIN.
- Click on the name of the youth member you wish to enroll.
- Click on ENROLL MEMBER NOW.
- Review/update the requested member information. When you are done with that, click NEXT
- Here you will read and electronically sign the 4-H participation waiver(s), click NEXT
- Here is where you will select your club or clubs and desired projects. There may be clubs and projects listed that carried over from your enrollment during the last program year.
- To add clubs, select your county. This defaults to the county submitted when you created your account.
- Select your Club from the drop-down menu. Select ADD CLUB. You can join multiple clubs, but please touch base with the leaders before joining to ensure there is space available.
- To add projects for any of the clubs, select ADD PROJECT for the desired clubs. Select the desired project from the drop-down menu. Select ADD PROJECT and selection will be added to the club. If you make a mistake or wish to remove a project, select the X and confirm you wish to delete the project.
- When done making your selections, click Submit.
- Please be sure the household contact information is correct, active, and up to date!!!!
Fall Phenology Photo Contest! – Learning Ecosystems Northeast (LENE)
“We are looking for original images that capture essential fall features in your environment. The main image must be a photo you have taken in panorama or 360 mode, that displays fall phenology: cyclic changes tied to a certain natural phenomenon. There will be separate educator and youth submission divisions. Prizes range from $20 (3rd place) to $100 (1st place). Deadline for submission is November 28th, 2023. Click here for more details.” Media must be submitted by November 28th, 7pm ET.
Tractor Safety Interest Form
We have had some interest in the tractor safety course. Courses are offered in the spring, but to gauge interest and make preparation, planning begins as soon as the weather turns cold. We must have a minimum of 8 participants to offer the course.
Participants will learn how to handle tractors and equipment safely, how to identify hazards, and how to minimize the chances of accidents. The course is open to all adults and youth interested. A Federal Certificate of Training will be issued at the end of the course after successful completion of the written test and driving course and with attendance requirements met. This certificate is required for 14- and 15-year-olds who plan to operate farm equipment for hire on farms other than their own.
If you or ANYONE age 14 or older is interested in learning more, or to complete the interest form please visit the UMCE Farm Tractor Safety page.
Club & Member News
Holiday Light Parade
The Evergreens Club would like to invite all Aroostook 4-H Members to join them in the Presque Isle Holiday Light Parade, December 2nd. Deck out you and/or your animal and stroll Main Street to represent the 4-H Program. Last year they took home top prize in the non-profit category and were a hit with parade spectators.
Contact Deena Albert Parks for more information, hoctrainer@aol.com.
4-H Holiday Party
The newly formed 4-H Club, led by Taylor and Mandy Putnam invite Aroostook 4-H Families and those interested in joining 4-H to celebrate the season!
When: Saturday, Nov 25th @ 12:00
Where: Quoggy Jo Ski Lodge, Fort Fairfield Rd, PI
Please bring a dish to share. We’ll start with lunch at 12:00 pm and then have some games and activities. If you’re interested in participating in an ornament swap, please bring a wrapped ornament (<$5; homemade ones are encouraged). Hope to see you there!!
FMI or to RSVP, please email Taylor & Mandy Putnam at treystarfarm@gmail.com.
State 4-H 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:
November 8 – Building Strong 4-H Clubs
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.
Apple Butter: Preserved for Versatility
— By Laura Easter, Master Food Preserver Volunteer, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Ahh, fall in Maine… the only thing better than the cool crisp air and the return of pumpkin spice everything is the apple harvest! And, there are so many different delicacies that one can preserve from the local apple harvest. Applesauce, apple pie filling, apple chutney, jellies, etc… But, the most underrated (in my humble opinion) of the apple harvest preserved treats is apple butter.
Brassicas is the November Harvest of the Month
Check out the resources from Maine Ag in the Classroom for the Harvest of the Month.