May 2020

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

May 1:

May 4: Meet & Greet Monday

May 11: Meet & Greet Monday

May 15: 4-H Intent to Sell a Market Lamb Project at Fryeburg Fair Form due to Cumberland County Office.

May 18: Meet & Greet Monday

May 21: CC 4-H Leaders Meeting, 7:00-9:00 PM, via Zoom

May 29-30: 4-H@UMaine. For more information, visit the 4-H@UMaine: Connecting Kids to Campus page.

4-H Meet & Greet Mondays

Meet & Greet Mondays will be offered virtually every Monday in May (except May 25th – Memorial Day), 3:30-4:30 PM via Zoom video chat. We’ll start by getting to know everyone on the call, do a fun activity or two, and use the rest of the time to chat. Our chats have featured Jack M & his rabbits, Natalie D. & a tour of her farm, and Olive S. with a talk about Hound dog breeds! Open to both 4-Her’s and volunteers! The recurring meeting link is available in the May 4-H Newsletter email, or email sara.conant@maine.edu.

June Jamboree Format Change

Due to Covid-19 we have chosen to change the format of June Jamboree for 2020. We do not yet have details but an update will come as we know more following a meeting with club leaders. A few options include a virtual format, possibly statewide, or individual club events when in-person meeting restrictions are lifted.

Project Record & Portfolio Assistance

This is a great time to get some work done on Project Records or Portfolios.  A reminder that Sara is available to help with these via Zoom as needed, just email sara.conant@maine.edu, or call her 207-781-6099, for an appointment.

Club Meetings Via Zoom

Reminder that if any clubs would like to hold 4-H club meetings online via Zoom please email Sara so she can set up the link for you and make sure it works properly. We’re also happy to discuss with you how you can transition your meeting plans online, should you need help with that. Please also let us know if your club has been meeting during this time and what types of things you’ve been working on as we’d like to know how that’s going for you.

Animal Approvals

Anyone wishing to show animals at any 4-H shows/events at fairs this year must have a valid Animal Approval Form. All forms must be filled out, signed by the club leader (on the line directly after the last animal listed), and signed and embossed in the county office. 4-H’ers will receive a signed and embossed copy in the mail within approximately two weeks of the form being received in our office (potentially longer due to Covid-19). The sooner they arrive in, the sooner you will have them back. Please pay special attention to the second side of the form which lists the proper identification needed for each species of animal. It is very important that this information, along with a signed lease form for any animal that you lease, is sent with your animal approval form. Forms will not be signed if there are leased animals on the form and no lease form, or if there is no extra identification for species of animals that need it. Please also note that each animal may only be leased by one 4-Her and listed on only one 4-Her’s animal approval form. The only exception is that one horse may be leased by two 4-H members and listed on two 4-Her’s animal approval forms. A maximum of 20 animals per species that require an animal approval form may be leased by a member.

Please note if you would like your Animal Approvals back to you in order to participate in Monmouth Fair they must be in to the office by June 1st. If you are participating in Ossipee Valley Fair, they must be to the office no later than June 15th. These early dates allow time for review, processing, & return mailing. Any approvals arriving after the recommended dates will be date stamped accordingly, but cannot be guaranteed to be returned to you before Monmouth or Ossipee Valley Fair. Please plan accordingly!

Forms can be found online on the General Volunteer Resources – Forms page.

If you have any questions or would like blank forms sent to you please email or call Sara at sara.conant@maine.edu or 207.781.6099.

Summer of Science Seeking Teen Teachers 

4-H Teen Teaching is a paid summer internship for teens ages 14-19 which will give you 21st Century Skills for your future. The internship is only a few hours per week during July and August so you can combine this awesome opportunity with another summer job or internship if you choose. If you take this challenge you will learn communication, leadership, perseverance, teamwork, science, teaching skills, and meet a lot of new friends.

If you are selected, you will help younger kids learn about science. We will train you (you must be available for the training on June 25-27) how to teach others and the subject matter. The theme for this year is Environmental DNA and you will receive a small stipend of funds to help you cover costs of transportation. There will be teaching sites in Portland, Westbrook, Gray, and possibly other communities. You must find transportation to your assigned teaching sites. The place where you teach depends on where you live and what transportation you have available; 4-H will assign you the site that is as close as possible at the training in June.

Please contact:

Mitch Mason
4-H Youth Development Educator
mitchell.mason@maine.edu

243 brightly colored cloth facemasks on a table cloth

4-H Facemask Challenge Results

Thank you to the 18 4-H families here in Cumberland County who made a total of 243 masks to be donated to Atlantic Health in response to a call to action by Johnson & Johnson!
A special thanks to our Fashion Revue Committee volunteers for help with planning the project, Wendy G., Jenn G., Nicole F., & Sarah S.

State 4-H News May 2020 

Daily Virtual 4-H Offerings!

As a part of UMaine Cooperative Extension’s response to the changes in the world due to the novel coronavirus, we have created a weekly schedule of activities to keep youth engaged in learning:

New 4-H Citizen Scientists Club

We have an exciting opportunity for kids in 4th through 8th grade to join a new virtual 4-H club – the 4-H Citizen Scientists!  In this club, you’ll practice citizen science in your own back yard, and observe and report on the nature around you while making connections with fellow citizen scientists around the state!  The club will meet Wednesdays starting May 13, 2020, through June 17.  This club is limited to 10 members, and online registration is required.  If there is enough interest, we may consider adding additional dates. We have some great resources to learn about different Citizen Science opportunities. Register online: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/4-h-citizen-scientists-club/.   

#EmpoweringMEandYou

Don’t Fall Into the Thinking Trap Workshop for Teens – 05/05/2020, 6:00 – 7:00 PM
The National 4-H Healthy Living Summit Team from Maine will be presenting “Don’t Fall Into the Thinking Trap,” lesson plan developed at the 2020 Summit. Any youth ages 13 – 18 are welcome and encouraged to attend. 4-H participation is not required! This hour-long lesson was designed by and for teens to educate others about some of the common ‘Thinking Traps’ or cognitive distortions, and how to stop them before they get “stuck.” Youth will start by learning in small groups about five of the common traps and then play a game to determine if their own thinking tends to fall into traps or not. To finish out the workshop youth will learn some positive coping strategies to help themselves or others get unstuck.

If you are interested in attending this workshop please register online by Friday, May 01, 2020, to receive a reminder email and the Zoom link. For questions or information on offering this to your county or club, please email or call Sara Conant, sara.conant@maine.edu, 207-781-6099.

Deadline to Apply for National 4-H Conference and Congress has been extended to May 22, 2020!

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 National 4-H Congress, or become a part of a team making recommendations to the National 4-H Council at Conference. To learn more about these trips, visit http://umaine.edu/4h/home/national-4-h-trips/.

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.  This year based on the ongoing COVID 19 crisis and the shelter-in-home orders, we are extending the application deadline. (Thank you to all those who have already sent in applications, we have them on file.)  Application packets must be sent to State 4-H Office 491 College Avenue, Orono ME 04473, or emailed to jessica.brainerd@maine.edu by May 22, 2020. They must be emailed by the end of the day, or postmarked by May 22, 2020.  You will be called or emailed directly for a convenient interview date and time.  Interviews most likely will be held via “Zoom” technology or something similar.  This schedule applies to applicants who have already sent in their applications.

If you have any questions, please contact Heidi Palmer at 207-310-4235 (cell) or heidi.thuotte@maine.edu.  2020 National 4-H Congress is still scheduled to take place on November 27-December 1, 2020 in Atlanta GA.  (The Congress trip orientation is scheduled for October 24, 2020) and 2021 National 4-H Conference is scheduled in Washington, D.C., April 10-15, 2021. (The 2021 Conference orientation will be Feb 13, 2021).

Camp Scholarships Available

The Maine 4-H Foundation has camp scholarships ranging from $100-$200 available for 4-H members to anyone week of 4-H camp. Try one of our University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Centers at Blueberry Cove, Bryant Pond, Greenland Point, and Tanglewood. Call the camps to ask for a scholarship. Scholarships are based on need and first-come, first-serve. https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/camps/

Virtual UMaine Webpage

If you’re interested in UMaine – there is a dedicated web page for students to learn more information because Accepted Student Days and Open House Programs have been canceled for the spring.  Check it out at https://go.umaine.edu/admitted-fyr/.

All 4-H Club Meetings and Events Canceled Until Further Notice
Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation in Maine, UMaine Extension is canceling all 4-H club meetings and events until further notice (no matter what size group).

We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more information. Please contact your county office if you have specific questions.

Save the Date for 2020 Maine 4-H Days

Maine 4-H Days will take place July 16 – 19, 2020 at the Windsor Fairgrounds. If you are interested in helping to plan this year’s event, please contact Jessy Brainerd at jessica.brainerd@maine.edu or 207.581.3877.

Maine 4-H Days Planning Committee

July will be here before you know it, and we are looking for a few good volunteers to join the fantastic current Maine 4-H Days Planning Committee.  Joining this committee gives you the chance to help come up with ideas and plans for one of our biggest statewide events!  If you are interested in joining the Maine 4-H Days Planning Committee or have general questions/comments/recommendations about the event, please email jessica.brainerd@maine.edu, or call 207.581.3877

National 4-H Dairy Conference

The 66th National 4-H Dairy Conference will be held September 27 to September 30, 2020, in Madison, Wisconsin. It will be held in conjunction with World Dairy Expo and attendees will have the chance to visit the Expo as part of the conference agenda. Additionally, the conference will offer opportunities to learn more about careers in agriculture, seminars on dairy topics, and a wealth of chances to interact with dairy 4-H members from across the country.

More info about the conference can be found here (check back for updates as they happen): https://national4hdairyconference.org/2018/11/07/join-us-in-2019/

The Maine 4H Animal Science Dairy Committee would love to try and send/support a team of motivated kiddos who are involved with the Dairy Goat, or Dairy Cattle Project Areas for this very unique and meaningful opportunity.

The National 4H Dairy Conference requires that 4H team members: Have spent at least 3 years in those project areas, and be at least 15 years old but not yet older than 18 (4H age).

We are also looking for potential VOLT Chaperones who might like to help organize and facilitate this trip.  If we have an idea of how many kids are interested we can plan our fundraising efforts accordingly.  Interested parties can contact Tara marble at tara.marble@maine.edu, or 207-778-4650 at the Franklin County Office.

Club Happenings

     Tails and Trails

        On 3/30/20 the Tails and Trails 4H club held a meeting over Zoom, an online virtual chatroom. For our first meeting, we did not do much, just hung out and chatted. We played some games over our screens like Hangman and played with all the cool features on Zoom. Most of us were eating dinner at the same time, so it was a super casual meeting.
        On 4/6/20 there was another Zoom meeting, this time with a lot more members

 across many different 4H clubs. Jack M. gave a phenomenal presentation on the different breeds of rabbits and how to care for them, he
prepared an excellent slideshow, and you could tell Jack knows and cares a lot for his rabbits.
        On 4/13/20 one last Zoom meeting was held, this time again including many more 4Hers from many different clubs. In this meeting, we got to watch Natalie D. and Jack M. both give amazing barn tours. It was fun to see the barns’ set up, and all of Jack and Natalie’s animals. Natalie showed us her horses, sheep, and chickens, and Jack showed us his goats and rabbits.
        For the previous two meetings mentioned, Sara C. and Mitch M. both were present in the meetings, asking good conversation-starting questions, Sara even put up some fun polls and questions to do virtually about animals, and how we are spending our new free time. I think that our large 4H group is doing well with our new meeting format, and I am excited about further Zoom calls.

Your 4-H Club Happenings could be featured here! Just email extension.rlreception@maine.edu by the 25th of each month with information about your club meetings, events, or fundraisers. Pictures are always a plus!

Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News

New Directory for Local Farm Product and Pick-Up Options

Many farms across Maine have added alternative ways customers can obtain farm products to accommodate for social distancing in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Maine farmers are updating this database in an effort to increase public access to their farm products during this time. You can view the website and map on this farm product directory webpage.
To have your farm added or to update directory information:
Many thanks to Allison Lakin of East Forty Farm and Dairy for initiating this important resource.
Please connect with farms directly using the contact information provided in the directory.

Cumberland County Master Gardeners Calendar Raffle Tickets Online

The Cumberland County Master Gardener Volunteers are now selling tickets for their annual Calendar Raffle! Tickets are available here: Cumberland County Master Gardeners Raffle. Each raffle entry is only $10 and all entries are eligible to win every day during the month of June! All proceeds will go towards supporting Master Gardener Volunteer projects, which have a direct impact on our communities, especially in the area of food security.

Master Food Preservation Volunteer Program

Applications for the 2020 University of Maine Cooperative Extension Master Food Preserver program are now available online.
The 35-hour 10-session course, combines lecture, discussion, and hands-on kitchen practice. Topics include food preservation techniques, such as canning, drying, freezing, and fermenting; food storage and safety; and prevention of food-borne illness.
Upon graduation, Master Food Preservers volunteers and are resources in their communities to provide research-based information from UMaine Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Date(s): June 16-Sept. 8, primarily Tuesdays.
Time: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: UMaine Regional Learning Center, 75 Clearwater Drive, Falmouth and at the Brunswick High School, 116 Maquoit Road, Brunswick, ME.
Fee: $250.00
For more information and/or the application visit the Master Food Preserver Program

 Apply online by 4:30 PM, May 1. The $250 class fee is due on acceptance; limited financial assistance is available. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Kathy Savoie, 207.781.6099, 800.287.1471 (in Maine); ksavoie@maine.edu

UMaine Extension Cumberland County offers many different workshops throughout the year. To learn more about our workshop offerings, please visit our Upcoming Events page.