April 2026 4-H Newsletter

April 2, 2026 4-H Newsletter

Table of Contents

Upcoming in Cumberland County 4-H

April 1: Enrollment due for new 4-H members

April 3: Cumberland County Scholarships and Camperships due to County Office

April 7-May 5: Farm Tractor Safety Course, Shaw Cherry Hill Farm, Gorham

April 10-15: National 4-H Conference, Arlington, Virginia

April 15: Fun with 4-H, 1:30-2:30 PM, Windham Public Library, 217 Windham Center Rd, Windham

April 17: ESE Sheep Team Intent Forms due

April 17- May 3: Tractor Supply Company’s Spring Paper Clover Event

April 19-21: Ag Symposium, Orono Campus

April 27: Maker Monday #6, 4:30-5:30 p.m., 4-H Office in Falmouth

May 1:

May 2: 4-H Dairy Judging Contest, BrookRidge Organic Dairy Farm, Lyman, ME

Visit the Cumberland County 4-H Calendar to View All Upcoming Events

FUN WITH 4-H

Dates: Wednesdays, April 15th, May 20th, June 17th
Time: 1:30-2:30 PM
Grades: K-3rd
Location: Windham Public Library, 217 Windham Center Rd, Windham, ME
Cost: Free
No registration necessary to participate in this drop-in program

Have questions? Contact Allison by email allison.pollock@maine.edu or phone 207.581.8370.

MAKER MONDAY 2025-2026

Dates: Monday, April 27th- SunCatchers, May 18th- Gardening, June 22nd- Ice Cream
Time: 4:30-5:30 PM
Grades: K-5th
Location: UMaine Cooperative Extension Office, 75 Clearwater Dr., Suite 104, Falmouth, ME
Cost: Free
Registration is required for this free program; Register for Maker Monday

Have questions? Contact Allison by email allison.pollock@maine.edu or phone 207.581.8370.

Tractor Supply Paper Clover Fundraiser

April 17th-May 3rd, 2026 

Purchase a paper clover at your local Tractor Supply store and support 4-H! This campaign directly benefits youth in Cumberland County, with 90% of donated funds staying in the state of Maine and 10% going to national 4-H programming.

Maine 4-H Sheep ESE Intent to Participate Form Now Available

The 2026 Maine 4-H Sheep ESE Intent to Participate Form  is now available online and must be submitted by April 17th, 2026. This is a requirement for all youth intending to participate as members of the Maine 4-H Sheep Team at the Eastern States Exposition in September (including teen leads).

The Eastern States Exhibition (Big E) 4-H Sheep Program brings together 4-H members from six states in Springfield, MA for three days of events that showcase their animals, knowledge and skills. Members must be 12-18 years old as of December 31, 2026 and have completed at least one year in a sheep project.

Please contact Megan Cook with any questions or for more information at megan.cook@maine.edu or 207-532-6548.

Paul Merrill Memorial Fund 

Paul E. Merrill 4-H Memorial Fund was established as a memorial to Paul E. Merrill who died in April 1982. Mr. Merrill firmly believed in the merits of the 4-H program and in the character-building qualities of learning to care for and raise livestock. This fund is a splendid way to carry on the beliefs of Mr. Merrill and in doing so, encourage youth to grow in character and ability as Mr. Merrill had done. It is designed to provide financial aid for projects from the interest of the account to 4-H livestock clubs or 4-H members with livestock projects. The application deadline is May 1, 2026.

For more information and an application, please visit the Paul Merrill Memorial Fund page.

Equine ESE Intent Forms Due May 1, 2026

The 2026 Eastern States (ESE) Horse Intent Form is now live and online.  The form is to indicate your interest in participating in the Eastern States Team Tryout event this summer, which will be on July 31- Aug 1st, 2026, at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds.

The event this year will offer an overnight opportunity for youth to qualify and to learn and grow while getting to know other youth who are also interested in trying out. Youth can participate in one of the tracks below:

  • Teen Leader (4-H age 12 and up) 
  • Rider or Driver (4-H age 13 and up) 
  • Groom track (which is a learning track only)

If youth would like to come and learn about the team, help, and observe (especially if they aren’t old enough to qualify for the team yet), they can also come to tryouts as a “Groom” and will need to fill out the intent form.

Youth interested in any of the track options need to fill out the intent form. We use this info to contact and update interested families and youth.

Here is the ESE intent form to be filled out by May 1st.  Approval forms must also be filled out and sent to your county office by May 1st as well.
More details will be included in the tryout application packet on the UMaine 4-H Horse Website.

The intent form does not bind you to the tryout event. Applications will be used to determine the event roster and final schedule.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Tara Marble: tara.marble@maine.edu, or
207.778.4650.

SPRING FEST at Pineland Farms

Cumberland County 4-H has been invited to collaborate with Pineland Farms for a new community event, a Spring Festival! The event will focus on fiber, flowers, and animals (especially baby animals). The goal is to share your knowledge with people visiting the farm and raise awareness about agriculture, nature, and the 4-H program. 

Date: May 31st (severe weather rain date June 7th)

Time: 10am-4pm

Location: Pineland Farms Valley Farm, New Gloucester, ME

Fryeburg Market Lamb Intent Forms Due June 5, 2026

Intent forms for Fryeburg Fair market lambs are now available online. Market Lambs must be owned and in possession of 4-H’er by June 1, 2026, and must be a castrated male. In order to be eligible for participation, 4-H members must meet the following requirements: Send Intent to Sell Form, original bill of sale/value of lamb statement, and  pictures of your animal (front and side view) to your county office by June 5th.

Animal approval forms for lambs must include the scrapie tag number and list “Fryeburg Sale” as the show class.

Additional requirements as well as the fillable online form can be found online on our Fryeburg Fair information page.

For more information please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971; sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or the State 4-H Office at 207.581.3877.

Save the Date- June 6th, 2026

June Jamboree is scheduled for June 6th from 10am-4pm at the Cumberland Fairgrounds. York County 4-H will be joining us this year, and we have planned some exciting new things!. More information will be coming out soon, along with a sign-up form.

4-H Working Steer Tryout Information

The show season is fast approaching! Working steer ESE intent forms (due May 1st), volunteer interest forms, team member guidelines, and apprentice guidelines are all available one at extension.umaine.edu/4h/working-steer/. The dates for team tryouts are listed below.

ESE Working Steer Tryouts:

  • June 14, 2026 at Windsor Fairgrounds
  • July 11, 2026, Ossipee Valley Fair
  • August 13, 2026, Skowhegan Fair

If you have any questions, please contact Hillary Arsenault, ESE coordinator, at maineworkingsteer@gmail.com; 207.592.3320 or Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu; 207.342.5971

Club Happenings

New Gloucester 4-H Club

The New Gloucester 4-H Club recently held a fun “Baking and Making” meeting at the New Gloucester Public Library. Members brought pre-mixed cookie and muffin recipes layered in mason jars, and together we baked a variety of treats while learning about measuring, following recipes, and sharing ideas. After baking, members worked on a service project by creating handmade board games to donate to the library’s community game bin. The games included colorful boards, creative themes, and simple rules so families visiting the library can easily play together. It was a wonderful afternoon of cooking, creativity, and community service, and the club is excited to contribute something fun for library visitors to enjoy.

Your 4-H Club Happenings could be featured here! Just email allison.pollock@maine.edu by the 28th of each month with information about your club meetings, events, or fundraisers. Pictures are always a plus!

State 4-H News

NEW DATES! Maine 4-H Ag Ambassadors – Spring 2026

Maine 4-H is now accepting registrations for the spring 2026 Agriculture Ambassadors cohort! The program is designed for youth ages 13-18 who are interested in any aspect of agriculture. Youth spend time getting to know each other and learn both online and in-person in sessions facilitated by UMaine 4-H Staff and community partners. Sessions will focus on career exploration, exploring the Maine Food System with farm and production visits around the state, and building relationships with industry professionals.

This season we will visit local Maine Ag businesses like Libby Maple, Yeti Ridge Farm and more. Transportation assistance for these events may be available upon request.

In addition to the multi-week session, youth will serve in their ambassador role with Maine 4-H for at least 1 year. Youth will pick an agricultural area to focus on (ex. livestock, ag literacy/food systems, environmental stewardship, ag and health) during their term and explore leadership opportunities locally, statewide, and even nationally. Register today!

Spring 2026 dates

Online: April 29, May 6, May 13, May 20, & May 27

Maine Agriculture Symposium at the University of Maine: April 19-21 (two nights), we try to offer transportation as best we can.

To register, visit Maine 4-H Ag Ambassador Program . For more information or a reasonable accommodation, please contact Alisha Targonski at alisha.targonski@maine.edu or 207.622.7546.

Maine 4-H Agriculture Symposium

Dates: April 19 – 21, 2026
Location: University of Maine, Orono
Ages: 13 – 18

The 5th annual 4-H Agriculture Symposium is an overnight experience for Maine youth ages 13-18. Participants will take part in hands-on learning opportunities, engage with industry professionals on the University of Maine Orono campus, develop leadership skills, and make friendships with teens from around the state.

Youth will participate in interactive learning experiences like blueberry research, animal science, engineering challenge, industry panel and so much more.

Current 4-H membership is not required. Assistance with transportation may be available upon request.

Cost: $40 (a family cap of $50)
To help offset the cost of meals, lodging, and transportation for this inclusive 2-night, 3-day event. If cost is a barrier, please contact extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu; scholarships are available.

Registration is required for Ag Symposium; Register Here.

4-H Dairy Judging Contest

The 2026 Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Contest will be held on May 2nd at BrookRidge Organic Dairy Farm in Lyman, ME. The event is open to all enrolled 4-H dairy members and will serve as the official tryouts for the 2026 Maine 4-H Eastern States Dairy Judging Team. For a complete schedule for the day please visit the State 4-H Dairy Judging Contest page.

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation please contact Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or 207.342.5971.

Livestock Judging Contest and Maine Team Tryout:

Livestock judging is back! For the first time in a long time Maine 4-H is sending a livestock judging team to The Big E and we want you to be a part of it! Tryouts for the team will take place at The Cross Insurance Center on May 2nd in partnership with the FFA Livestock Judging Contest. In order to be eligible for the Eastern States team 4-H members must be at least 12 years old by December 31, 2025 and have completed one year in 4-H. All 4-H members are invited to participate in the tryout event and the practice events regardless of their intent to try out for the Eastern States Team. More information on the tryout process will be available soon.

Looking to sharpen your judging skills? Join us for the following practice events: 

  • April 18th at 10:00am- Swine and sheep Judging at Quimby Family Farms (566 Sandy River Rd. Starks, ME 04911). If you plan on attending please notify Sadee Mehuren via email at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu so that we can prepare for the event.
  • April 22rd at 9:00am- Beef cattle judging clinic and contest at the Fryeburg Youth Show. For more information visit the Fryeburg Youth Show page. 

New 4-H Rabbit and Poultry Opportunity!

4-H members now have an exciting new opportunity to showcase their skills at The Big E’s first 4-H Rabbit & Poultry Show! Open to youth ages 12 and above, this event is a great way to learn new skills, compete in regional 4-H shows, and connect with others who share an interest in rabbits and poultry.

Participants can look forward to a variety of engaging activities, including breed shows, showmanship competitions, agility contests, and more. Whether you’re experienced or just getting started, this event offers something for everyone. Interested in participating or learning more? Be sure to complete the interest form.

For more information please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu

UMASS Vet Science Academy

Massachusetts 4-H Animal Science and UMASS Vet Science will be welcoming students, ages 13 to 18, interested in veterinary science as a potential career to the UMASS Hadley Farm. There will be two sessions to choose from: Session 1 will be Saturday, June 13th and 14th. Session 2 will be June 15th and 16th. Youth will be learning about the wide range of opportunities in this profession and will get tons of hands-on animal experience. Youth will be staying overnight in a UMASS dorm!

Register for Session One.
Register for Session Two.

If you are not a MA 4-Her, you will need to create a profile. Please select “state office” as your county. Registration will stay open until all slots are filled. Fees for this program will be $175 per attendee. Visit the payment page to pay. Financial assistance is available.

Got questions? Please email Andrew at asamuelson@umass.edu.

It’s Time to Think About Summer Camp!

Looking to take your Maine 4-H Experience to a new level? Check out the summer programs at your UMaine 4-H Camps! Opportunities for living in community, making new friends, building a sense of belonging, and honing your skills in a whole variety of program options such as, outdoor skills, shooting sports, STEM, creative arts, ecology, gardening, team work, and teen leadership. Each camp has scholarship opportunities to off-set tuition costs AND your County 4-H Programs have scholarships to attend camp too. One to three-week sessions available in both day and overnight settings. We hope to see you there!

 

  • Blueberry Cove, Tenants Harbor in Knox County. Dates: June 21-August 14, 2026. 
  • Bryant Pond, Bryant Pond in Oxford County. Dates: June 21-August 14, 2026. 
  • Greenland Point, Princeton in Washington County. Dates: June 28-July 31, 2026.
  • Tanglewood, Lincolnville in Waldo County. Dates: June 21-August 21, 2026.

Bryant Pond and Greenland Point contact, Bethany: 207.665.2068
Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove contact, Emma: 207.789.5868

Early College Outdoor Intensives

The UMaine 4-H Camps and Learning Centers at Tanglewood and Greenland Point are each offering Early College programs in conjunction with the University of Maine Division of Lifelong Learning. KPE 265 is a 3-credit course focused on skills in outdoor recreation. This is an introductory course in outdoor and adventure activities, forming the foundation of an outdoor leadership education. The course focuses primarily on participation in four different activity categories: canoeing; bouldering and climbing; hiking and orienteering; and challenge course. KPE 207 is a 1-credit course where participants become certified in wilderness first aid (WFA) and CPR.

Registration: Participants must complete enrollment with the University of Maine Early College Program. Once that is completed we will send you an invitation to enroll for the Tanglewood portion of the program.

UMaine tuition for this course is free for Maine high school students (public school & homeschoolers). Tuition for out-of-state students and Maine private school students is $149 for 2026 per credit for a total fee of $596 for 2026. (Please note there is an overnight fee for this course for all participants).

Overnight fees: $900, including all housing, meals, and certification fees, scholarships available.

Tanglewood:
Dates: July 19 – 31, 2026
Ages: 15 – 18
Visit the website for more information and registration links.
Email Tanglewood directly with any questions.

Greenland Point
Dates: August 2 – 12, 2026
Ages: 16 – 18
Visit the website for more information and registration links.
Email Greenland Point directly with any questions.

April 2026 4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks!

4-H is Family
Being part of a group with goals, expectations and responsibilities that focuses on relationships, and celebrating and supporting one another can feel like family. As one 4-H member shared: “When I’m at 4-H, I feel like I’m part of something bigger. That’s what the sense of belonging looks like in action. While the youth members may act as the “primary” family members in your group don’t forget about the other adults who provide their primary care: parents, guardians, and/or grandparents. 4-H volunteers should consider parents, grandparents, and other adult family members as assets. Consider the following strategies to help them feel a part your club as well:

  • Tell parents/guardians/grandparents they are welcome and encouraged to attend meetings.
  • Have a meeting for parents/guardians/grandparents at the beginning of the year.
  • Schedule a 4-H event in which all family members are invited to participate.
  • Communicate directly with parents/guardians/grandparents by talking with them face to face, through social media, phone calls, and club meeting notes/agendas/minutes.
  • Invite parents/guardians/grandparents to help. Share the list of tasks and find out what each parent is willing to do to assist.

Maine 4-H Volunteer Summit- IN PERSON! Saturday, November 7th!
More details to come in the upcoming months, but we promise food, fun, connection, and learning! Our planning committee is working hard to put together an awesome experience for you all. You won’t want to miss it!

4-H Volunteer Huddle: Join us for a short “gather and learn session”! We meet on the first Friday of each month from 12:00-12:30 pm via Zoom. Whether you are an experienced 4-H volunteer or just getting started, we’d love to see you there! No registration required!

April 3, 2026- Doing to Understanding: Applying Experiential Learning in 4-H Clubs  Learn how to guide youth through hands-on experiences followed by purposeful reflection, helping them build confidence, critical thinking, and leadership skills.

May 1, 2026- Understanding the Danish System: More than Just a Ribbon Explore how the Danish judging system works and what your ribbon really means. This workshop will help you understand the focus on individual achievement, learning, and growth in 4-H project evaluation.

Please note: The Zoom link and password will be emailed to all enrolled 4-H volunteers, or you can email Tara Wood tara.a.wood@maine.edu to request it.

Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News

UMaine Extension Cumberland County offers many different workshops throughout the year. To learn more about our workshop offerings please visit https://extension.umaine.edu/cumberland/events/list/