July 2019

Cumberland County 4-H News

4-H Calendar
State 4-H News
4-H Club Happenings
Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News


Cumberland County 4-H News


Important Dates

July 9 – August 8: Summer SPIN Programs

July 11-14: Ossipee Valley Fair

July 21: State 4-H Dairy Show


4-H Exhibit Hall Cleanup, Pizza Party, and Leader’s Association Meeting at the Cumberland Fairgrounds on Thursday, August 15, at 5:00 p.m.

The Cumberland County 4-H Leaders Association is having their annual clean up of the 4-H Hall at the Cumberland Fairgrounds on August 15, at 5:00 p.m All 4-H members, volunteers, and leaders are encouraged to come help! The Leaders Association will provide pizza after all our hard work is completed. If you are able to, please bring a dessert to share.

After cleaning the grounds and having some pizza, leaders are invited to stay and join the Leaders Association at their August Leaders meeting to get ready for the fair. We look forward to seeing you there!


2019 Pig Raffle Tickets Available Now

The Pig Raffle is one of the most interesting fundraisers that Cumberland County 4-H does each year. The Pig Raffle raises funds to support 4-H scholarships, trips, and other awards for 4-Her’s in our county. If you would like to purchase or sell these tickets to start raising money before the Cumberland Fair starts, please contact our office, 207-781-6099 to have some mailed to you, or stop in to pick some up!


Volunteers Needed: Food Booth Fundraiser and Pig Raffle Ticket Sales at the Cumberland Fair, September 22 – 28, 2019

The 4-H Kitchen and Pig Raffle Booth is looking for volunteers for the week of the Cumberland Fair to prepare and serve foods as well as sell pig raffle tickets. This is the primary fundraiser held by the Cumberland County 4-H Leader’s Association to support all of the scholarships, camperships, County events, and programs.

Shift times:

  • 5:30 – 8:00 a.m.
  • 8:00 – 11:30 a.m.
  • 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • 4:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Please email Nicole Foster at 4Hkitchencentral@gmail.com or call 207.615.7558 for more details or to sign up your family or club.

Maine Fair Season Insurance

Maine fair season will soon be upon us! Most Maine fairs now require proof of insurance in order to exhibit livestock. Proof of insurance usually is requested for individuals including the exhibitor (4-H member), owner of the animal, and anyone who may be responsible for maintaining the animal at the event (ex. parents or volunteers).

Some fairs no longer allow homeowner insurance policies. Please check your specific fair to see what they accept. Most fairs do accept the Maine Association of Livestock Exhibitors (MALE) insurance.

The MALE annual membership renewal is in June. The year’s membership ends on June 30. A benefit of being a member of this association includes liability insurance at specific events, including Maine fairs. Please refer to the events that it does cover for the state. Also, as a clarification, as of July 1, 2011, this insurance is a display and exhibitors policy; therefore the following activities are not covered: equine racing, trotting, barrel racing, steeplechase, rodeos, and team penning; and any and all ox, steer, pony and horse rides, wagon, sleigh, and hay rides and dog and sheep dog activities. More information is available on the Memberships page of Maine Association Livestock Exhibitors website.


Ossipee Valley Fair, July 11-14, 2019

Please join us at Ossipee Valley Fair in the Exhibit Hall this year!  There are One Theme Exhibits and individual exhibits.  Their website is currently down so please visit their Facebook page for more information.  Exhibit Setup is Tuesday, July 09, 2019, 6:00-9:00 p.m. or Wednesday, July 10, 2019, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Contact Ann Boucher at 207.793.2373 with questions and for exhibit cards.


State 4-H News July 2019


Register Now for Maine 4-H Days
Maine 4-H Days will take place July 19 – 21 at the Windsor Fairgrounds. Get ready for a fun-filled weekend full of exciting Enrichment & Livestock activities! From Tie-Dye to Relay Races; Fairy Gardens to Composting; Meet an Alpaca or sign up for Poultry Camp – Registration is now open, and workshops are filling up fast!  Go to https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/maine-4h-days/.

If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity, please contact Jessy Brainerd at jessica.brainerd@maine.edu or 207.581.3877.


4-H Horse Show at Union Fair
Maine 4-H Horse members: You are invited to participate in the 4-H Horse Show at Union Fairon Wednesday, August 21 starting at 9:00 am at Union Fairgrounds in Union, Maine. Open to all 4-H members, 4-H ages 9-18, in the State of Maine who are enrolled in a 4-H Horse Project. For more information and entry form, visit http://unionfair.org/  to download the Premium Book under Information>Printable Documents. Questions? Pamela Doherty, 207.832.0343, doherty@maine.edu.


4-H National Trip and CWF Winners
We recently held interviews for National Trips. Please join us in Congratulating the following winners for this year’s National Trips and also the delegates selected to attend 2019 Citizenship Washington Focus.  We are proud to have you represent Maine 4-H!

Four Winners for National 4-H Congress will be headed to Atlanta, GA on November 29-December 3, 2019. Representing Cumberland County will be Don S, Matthew D., and from Kennebec County will be Andrew D., from Piscataquis County will be Gabrielle H, and the 1st Alternate is from Waldo County,  Abbie K.

Four Winners for National 4-H Conference will travel to the National 4-H Center in Washington DC on March  28-April 2, 2020.  Representing Cumberland County will be Natalie D, and Lauren P., and serving also from Cumberland County is 1st alternate Alyvia C, from Androscoggin-Sagadahoc will be Jordyn M., and from Piscataquis County will be Ingrid H.

Thirty Delegates for Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) will be traveling to Washington DC on June 29-July 6, 2019.  Delegates include: from Cumberland County: Emma H, Alyvia C, Aidan E, Eliana B, Nimo A, Marwo S, Salima K, Plamedia N; from Somerset County: Mackenzie J, Abigail G; from Knox-Lincoln County: Sadie O, Jeremy D, Savannah D, Nathan D; from Oxford County:  Marina L; from Franklin County: Jack S, Johathan C, Alexis M; from Piscataquis County: Tyler L, Susannah H; from Penobscot County: Elizabeth D; and from Androscoggin-Sagadahoc:  Marissa M, Maddie G, Reginald B.


Club Happenings


New Gloucester Library Club

This year each of our members chose an animal, bird, or fish to prepare a speaking project for the group of ten Cloverbud members. We have had discussions this year on elephants, parakeets,  peacocks, deer, raccoon, and fox.  Each member’s project is then displayed in the library foyer for a month . The projects are also entered in the Cumberland Fair in September.  We discuss how each learning project targets life skills from the wheel.  One of the great accomplishments of this effort is seeing each member get up in front of their peers and speak. The speaker also leads the group for the meeting.

At our last meeting, we were blessed to have the Trish, Trevor and Aidan P. attend and bring to the library their Clydesdale horses. The family discussed horse care and riding on both Western and English saddles. All of the members were thrilled and surprised as we had not announced who was going to present that month. It was, as we had told them, a surprise. And it was! Each member got to feed carrots to the horses. Following, we did book reports, ate pizza, and discussed our plans for community service at the up and coming New Gloucester Fair.smiling kids with two horses and two riders small girl feeding large Clydesdale horse


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, Upcoming Events.