Blueberry jam, pickles, and tomato sauce\u2014all of these foods can be made from scratch with fruits and vegetables grown in your garden. Join UMaine Extension staff and volunteers in this hands-on, interactive program that will teach kids ages 9+ how to grow and preserve the garden\u2019s harvest. Each session will begin in the University of Maine Cooperative Extension\u2019s Tidewater Gardens as we harvest the fruits and vegetables needed to make jam, pickles, tomato sauce, and more. Then we\u2019ll move to the UMaine Regional Learning Center Demo Kitchen and prepare a batch of delicious preserved foods. Each participant will take home samples of what we make.<\/p>\n
Have questions?<\/strong> Contact Allison by email at allison.pollock@maine.edu<\/a> or by phone at 207.781.6099.<\/p>\n One Wednesday afternoon each month during the summer, we will offer a themed hands-on activity for youth ages 5-12, including crafts or science. 5-8-year-olds must have an adult present for assistance, and some projects encourage adult assistance for all ages. Current 4-H enrollment is not necessary for participation. Registration ends the Friday before each class or when full (maximum of 10).<\/p>\n Fairgrounds 5K August 31, 9 a.m. at Cumberland Fairgrounds: Proceeds will be donated to CCLA and two other non-profits. They\u2019re encouraging 4-H families to participate in either the one-mile or 5K walk\/run events, and are seeking a 4-H Event Ambassador and kids who are willing to attend with their animals for a portion of the day. Find more information on the Fairgrounds 5k and Mile website<\/a>. Please let Allison know if you want to help out during this event or be an event ambassador.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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, 207.781.6099. Tickets may be mailed or picked up in the office. Tickets may also be picked up by contacting Jenn Grant, at findviewfarm@juno.com<\/a> or 207.318.9166.<\/p>\n Volunteers Needed:<\/strong> 4-H Kitchen Fundraiser and Pig Raffle Ticket Sales at the Cumberland Fair, September 21- September 27, 2025<\/p><\/blockquote>\n 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 Leaders Association to support all of the scholarships, camperships, County events, and programs. Shift times:<\/p>\n Please email Nicole Foster at 4Hkitchencentral@gmail.com<\/a> or call 207.615.7558 for more details or to sign up \u2013 individuals, families, or clubs are welcome!<\/p>\n Maine fair season is 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).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The MALE annual membership renewal is in June. The year\u2019s membership ended 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. More information is available on the Memberships page<\/a> of Maine Association Livestock Exhibitors website.<\/p>\n It is time to start thinking about Project Awards in the fall\u2026 are you keeping up your 4-H project records? You should do a project record for each project you will complete. Why do 4-H Project Records and Portfolios?<\/p>\n To access a copy of the records and portfolio, visit the 4-H Project Records Page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Your 4-H Club Happenings could be featured here! Just email Zsuzsa at zsuzsanna.romanne@maine.edu<\/a> by the 28th of each month with information about your club meetings, events, or fundraisers. Pictures are always a plus!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Great news for Maine 4-H high school juniors and seniors: applying to college just got a whole lot easier. With 4-H Direct Admissions, you can be automatically considered for admission to all seven of Maine\u2019s Public Universities\u2014no Common App, no test scores, no essays, no recommendations, and no application fees required!<\/p>\n If you’re enrolled in any 4-H program in Maine, you’re eligible. Just click to opt in, and we\u2019ll take care of the rest.<\/p>\n Complete and submit the Maine 4-H Direct Admit Opt In form<\/a> to opt in. We will do the rest.<\/p>\n Visit the Direct Admissions for 4-H Youth webpage<\/a> to learn more about 4-H Direct Admissions<\/p>\n This is your future\u2014made simple. #BeyondReady<\/p>\n Maine 4-H invites you to participate in the 2025 Maine 4-H State Dairy Show! This year’s event will take place from July 18 to 20 at the Windsor Fairgrounds. The contests are open to all 4-H dairy project members ages nine and above and include a grilled cheese and milkshake cookoff, a dairy cattle fitting contest, and dairy cattle show. For a complete schedule and registration information, visit the Maine 4-H State Dairy Show page<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or Allison Pollock at 207.781.6099.<\/p>\n Every two years Maine has the opportunity to select an Eastern States Exposition participant to receive a $500 scholarship towards continuing his or her education beyond high school, and this is one of our years!\u00a0 This is a scholarship that was established by The Morris Family who are longtime concessionaires at ESE. A total of three $500 scholarships are awarded each year. In 2025 and future odd-numbered years, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont will each name a scholarship recipient. In even-numbered years, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut name a scholarship recipient.<\/p>\n Visit the Big E Ruby Morris 4-H Scholarship website<\/a> for all information about applying. Materials must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, August 15, 2025. If you have any questions, contact Jessy Brainerd at 207.581.3877 or jessica.brainerd@maine.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 4-H Tick Project<\/a> 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<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n Join Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Somerset County 4-H staff for July\u2019s Tri-County 4-H Sampler \u201cNature Art\u201d at the Lakeshore Park in Dexter. We\u2019ll break the ice with parachute play, then make dirt babies and explore the park for bits and pieces to create foraged friends. Parents are welcome to participate and encouraged to learn more about how 4-H can fit into their families\u2019 lives. We can chat at the handwash station, over the DIY trail mix bar, and as we\u2019re guiding youth to set up their dirt babies and foraged friends for display. Our evening will conclude with young participants telling the rest of us about their creations. Enrolled Cloverbuds and 4-H\u2019ers may go home with an exhibit or two for the Fair!<\/p>\n For more information or a request for reasonable accommodations, contact Emily Pigeon, Community Education Assistant, Penobscot County 4-H, Phone: 207-942-7396, Email: emily.pigeon@maine.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n The state of Maine has officially declared 2025 as \u201cThe Year of Youth in Agriculture,\u201d an exciting initiative to highlight the vital role young people play in the future of our state\u2019s agricultural landscape. In celebration of this significant declaration, Maine 4-H is thrilled to encourage all our members to delve deeper into the rich and diverse world of Maine agriculture.<\/p>\n Agriculture is a cornerstone of Maine 4-H as well as the economy and heritage of our state, offering a vast array of unique and rewarding opportunities, from traditional farming and livestock management to innovative food production, sustainable practices, and agricultural technology. This is the perfect time for our 4-H members to explore the many facets of this dynamic industry.<\/p>\n To help you do just that, Maine 4-H is launching the 4-H Ag Challenge! This special challenge is designed to guide members through an exploration of the unique and vast opportunities within Maine agriculture. To complete the challenge, members must complete activities from each section, with the number of required activities varying by age group:<\/p>\n Find more information on the 4-H Ag Challenge Download (PDF)<\/a>.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve completed your activities, please return the form to the 4-H Ag Leadership team at extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu<\/a> or to your local UMaine Extension office. As a special reward for completing the challenge, you will receive a specially designed Maine 4-H Ag Challenge hat! Prizes will be mailed to those who complete the challenge. This challenge will run through the entirety of 2025, giving you plenty of time to explore!<\/p>\n If you have any questions, please contact Megan Cook, 4-H Youth Development Professional, Aroostook County, megan.cook@maine.edu, <\/a>207.532.6548.<\/p>\n UMaine Extension Cumberland County offers many different workshops throughout the year. To learn more about our workshop offerings please visit the Cumberland County Calendar of Events<\/a>.<\/p>\n For questions or more information, contact Allison Pollock at allison.pollock@maine.edu<\/a> or Zsuzsanna Romanne at zsuzsanna.romanne@maine.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Institutional Equity and Title IX Services, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Table of Contents 4-H Calendar 4-H Club Happenings State 4-H News Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News Upcoming in Cumberland County 4-H July 10-13: Ossipee Valley Fair July 16: FUN WITH 4-H, 3:00-4:00 p.m., Windham Public Library, 217 Windham Center Rd., Windham July 16 \u2013 August 13: Summer SPIN Programs July 18-20: State 4-H Dairy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n4-H STEAM Club<\/h3>\n
Dates:<\/strong> Wednesdays, July 23 and August 13, 2025
\nTime:<\/strong> 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
\nAges:<\/strong> 5-12 year olds
\nLocation:<\/strong> Soldier Library, 85 Main St., Hiram, Maine
\nCost:<\/strong> Free<\/h4>\nRegistration is required.<\/strong>
\nRegister using the 4-H STEAM Club 2025 Form<\/a>!<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nFairgrounds 5k and Mile, August 31<\/h3>\n
\n2025 Pig Raffle Tickets Available Now<\/h3>\n
\n
\nMaine Fair Season Insurance<\/h3>\n
\n4-H Project Records<\/h3>\n
\n
\n<\/a>Club Happenings<\/h3>\n
\n\n
Your 4-H Club Happenings could be featured here!<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n<\/a>State 4-H News<\/h3>\n
\nSkip the Stress \u2013 Get Into College with 4-H Direct Admissions!<\/h3>\n
\nMaine 4-H State Dairy Show<\/h3>\n
\nBig E Ruby Morris 4-H Scholarship<\/h3>\n
\n4-H Tick Project<\/h3>\n
\nTri-County Sampler: Nature Art<\/h3>\n
July 29, 5:30-7 p.m.
\nLocation:<\/strong> Lakeshore Park 16 Crockett Rd., Dexter, ME<\/h4>\nPlease pre-register on the Tri-County 4-H Sampler Registration site<\/a> so we can bring plenty of snacks and supplies!<\/h4>\n
\nMaine 4-H Celebrates \u201cThe Year of Youth in Agriculture\u201d with New Ag Challenge<\/h3>\n
\n
\n<\/a>Other UMaine Extension Cumberland County News<\/h3>\n
\n
\nThe Cumberland County 4-H Newsletter is published monthly.<\/h4>\n
\n