September 2024 4-H Newsletter

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

September 13: Cumberland 4-H Exhibit Hall Entry Form due

September 19: CC 4-H Leaders Association Meeting , 7:00-9:00 p.m., Online & Gorham Public Works, 80 Huston Road, Gorham

September 22 – September 28: Cumberland County Fair, a chance for our members to really shine! There are livestock shows, projects can be shown in the exhibit hall, and key fundraisers happen.

Cumberland County 4-H Office Hours

The Cumberland County office is currently open Monday-Thursday from 8:00am-4:30pm and Friday from 8:00am-12:00pm. Please ring the bell in our lobby upon your arrival in the office, and a staff member will meet you at the front.

Cumberland County Extension Association

Cumberland County Extension Association is looking for volunteers to support the work of the County Extension office. The CCEA oversees the county funds and helps to promote Extension programming in their respective circles, community and municipality. The board meets 10 times per year, typically on Wednesdays from 5:30-7:00 pm. A typical CCEA term is 2 years and starts in the fall. For more information, visit our website: https://extension.umaine.edu/cumberland/county-extension-association/ or contact Sarah Davenport at sarah.davenport@maine.edu.

2024 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, please contact our office by calling 207-781-6099. We can mail raffle tickets to your home, or you can arrange a time to pick up tickets. Tickets may also be picked up by contacting Jenn Grant at findviewfarm@juno.com or 207-318-9166.

Save the Date Annual Meeting, Tuesday, September 10

4-H leaders and members are invited to the 2024 Cumberland County Extension Association Open House & Annual Meeting on September 10, 2024 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at UMaine Gardens at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth.

The 2024 Open House will provide an opportunity to learn about UMaine Extension’s work in Cumberland County, explore the Gardens at Tidewater Farm, attend a short presentation on “Gardening in a Changing Climate” by UMaine Extension Educator, Rebecca Long, and participate in a King Arthur Baking Company Pie Bake-Off.

We will hold our 2024 King Arthur Flour Pie-Bake Off as part of the Open House! For more information, including rules and a prize list, please visit our pie contest page.

AGRI-CYCLE! PLANT POT REIMAGINATION 

Sponsored by the Cumberland Farmer’s Club 

Open to any member of a 4H Club in the State of Maine – all ages 

Rules: each exhibit must:

  • Utilize no less than two (2) recycled plant pots 
  • Observe no more than 2 square feet of space 
  • MUST – Represent an agricultural theme – pigs – cows – chickens – goats – plants – use your imagination! 
  • Include your name, 4H group, and at least one sentence about your entry 

Contest Time: Entries must be delivered to the 4-H Exhibit Hall by 11am on Saturday, September 21, 2024

Larger exhibits encouraged – these may be displayed in other places throughout the Fairgrounds  

 Awards: Ribbons & Premiums will be awarded for each entry. 

CC 4-H Leaders Association Meeting – September 19, 7:00PM

Join us on Thursday, September 19 at 7:00p.m. at the Gorham Public Works Building (80 Huston Road, Gorham). These meetings are a chance to meet volunteers, and to offer input on 4-H programming in Cumberland County! All volunteers are welcome and encouraged to attend! If you would like the Zoom link please email Allison, allison.pollock@maine.edu.

Volunteers Needed: 4-H Kitchen Fundraiser and Pig Raffle Ticket Sales at the Cumberland Fair, September 22-September 28, 2024

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

Shift times:

  • 6:30 a.m. – 8:30-9 a.m.
  • 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • 4:30 p.m. – 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.

Cumberland Fair, September 22 – September 28, 2024

All 2024 Cumberland Fair 4-H information is available on the Cumberland Fair 4-H Information page. Please be sure to look over the page carefully for important information. Livestock entry forms will be due to Mark Cooper by September 1st. Here are some helpful suggestions for you while you are getting ready for the fair:

  1. Club Exhibits: Be sure to bring everything for your display, including a table no larger than 4 ft. by 4 ft., if it will be needed!
  2. Projects: Pay close attention to the details on your projects and allow time to complete them and not leave things to the last minute.
  3. Exhibit Forms: Be sure to get your Cumberland Fair Exhibit Hall Entry form (Google Form) filled out early so we can make sure we have room in the hall for your exhibits and enough judges. Please also make sure each project you enter has an Exhibit Form AND Skills Card OR the new double-sided Exhibit Form/Skills Card filled out completely and attached. The Life Skills Wheel side of the skills form DOES NOT need to be filled out.
  4. Project Drop Off: Make sure to note the drop off times for all projects. Some projects will be judged on Friday and some on Saturday.
  5. Fair Passes: Same as 2023. Your 4-H member cards will NOT work as gate passes. Livestock members and families showing at the fair will receive fair passes from Mark Cooper, Livestock Superintendent. Those exhibiting in the 4-H Exhibit Hall who are 13 and older must see Allison Pollock during project drop off in the 4-H Exhibit Hall if you need passes, or arrange a time to pick them up from the 4-H office prior to the start of the fair.

Club Happenings

GNG 4-H Food Pantry Project

The GNG 4-H Food Pantry Project was started in 2016 and has been helping local families ever since. Our goal is to provide families in need with quality meat that has been raised by 4-Hers. Every year, we fundraise throughout the summer by having a booth at the Gray Village Farmers market every week, selling baked goods and blueberry lemonade at the Gray Blueberry Festival, applying for grants, and we have also been fortunate enough to receive the support of many local businesses. Throughout the duration of this project, we have raised over $30,000 and have purchased a total of 40 market animals from 4-Hers to be donated to the food pantries in Gray and New Gloucester. This project benefits both the 4-Hers involved in the auction and the 100-120 households that use the food pantries each month. If you are interested in supporting our project, you can reach our leaders at (207) 657-4351. Donations can be made out to GNG 4-H Food Pantry Project, and mailed to:

GNG 4-H Food Pantry Project

          PO Box 1012

        Gray, ME 04039

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 September 2024

Super Sitters Virtual 4-H SPIN Club

Are you interested in babysitting? Do you have younger siblings at home? Do you want to feel more confident working with kids? This is the perfect 4-H club for you! The Super Sitter Babysitting Course is designed to prepare youth ages 12-16 for babysitting responsibilities. During this SPecial INterest club, teens will learn basic safety measures and how to respond to emergency situations when caring for young children. Participants will discover what is appropriate at various stages of child development through hands-on activities, scenarios and more!

This club will meet virtually Tuesdays from 3-4pm October 15-November 12. One in-person session will be held on November 19th in Aroostook and Washington counties.

Participation is free, registration is required. Space is limited to 15 participants. Registration closes September 30th. Registered participants will receive a link to access the meetings online and will also be provided with at-home materials. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Gabrielle Brodek at gabrielle.brodek@maine.edu or 207.255.3345.

To register:

Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey Training

Thinking about becoming a 4-H volunteer? We are looking for people to help youth find their spark and thrive! We offer lots of ways to be involved depending on your time and interests. Join us for two one-hour virtual sessions to help you with your decision. By the end of the two-part series, you will have completed four short e-Learning modules to introduce you to the 4-H program, participate in an experiential learning activity, learn about the key aspects of positive youth development, and be introduced to ages and stages of youth. This core training will wrap up with an outline of next steps and an introduction to your county staff contact so you can begin the application process if you choose. No pressure to commit, no cost, and no reason to not attend! Please note, these sessions are for individuals who are not currently enrolled 4-H volunteers.

Upcoming Sessions:
– Wednesdays, September 18 & 25, 2024 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
– Tuesdays, November 12 & 19,  2024 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm.

For more information or to register visit the information page.

Northern Maine Children’s Water Festival at UMaine

Join Scarlett, Melissa, and the 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center as they explore organisms found in the ocean. Kids get a chance to touch, hold, investigate, and explore species found in the Gulf of Maine. This free, hands-on, learning festival is geared towards 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students. The event will be filled with a variety of water resource professionals that promote the value of clean water and healthy habitats, as well as provide teachers with materials and lessons they can use in their own classroom.

 

Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Location: University of Maine, Orono

For more information visit the Children’s Water Festival website.

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.

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/upcoming-events/