Franklin County 4-H News April
Table of Contents
Franklin County 4-H Calendar
- April 12th: Franklin County Extension Association Open House at St. Joe’s Church 5PM- 7PM
- April 20-21: Maine 4-H Ag Symposium, Orono
- April 25th: National 4-H Trip Applications Due
- May 1st: Market Animal intent form due to office
- May 1st: The Farmington Fair Market Animal Intent forms need to be into the office by May 1st.
- May 1st: Deadline for ESE 2023 Animal Intent Form
- May 1st: Last day to submit changes for projects
- May 6th: Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Contest
- May 13th & 14th: Maine 4-H Youth Council Annual Conference, Windsor Fairgrounds
- May 16th– June 10th: 4-H Shark SPIN Club
- May 25th: Heifer Show Signature form completed by May 25th
- July 21-22: Maine 4-H Days, Windsor Fairgrounds
Franklin County 4-H Leaders’ Association
The April Leaders’ Association meeting will be held in person or via zoom. Please bring your questions and ideas! We all look forward to seeing you all at 7:00 p.m. on April 20th.
Zoom information will be included in the Agenda for the meeting.
All enrolled 4-H Volunteers are members of their county Leaders’ Association. Your leadership support is encouraged and vital in deciding the focus of our county 4-H programs.
County 4-H News
Club Update: Working Steer Club
In February and March we did demonstrations to practice public speaking and ring presence, at our March meeting we decided officer roles for club members. We are working on a Pot Of Gold fundraiser, and sending letters to area businesses, to raise money for show shirts and jackets. We are planning an educational trip to New Hampshire for our April meeting, to visit a steer and ox store.
Farmington Fair Poster
You still have time to submit your poster for the Farmington Fair poster contest. Your artwork will be featured on the new Farmington Fair Webpage. This year’s poster theme is “Learn to Do by Doing” Your poster must be on 14 X 22 poster board. Please submit finished projects to the Cooperative Extension office.
SAVE THE DATE: 2023 Franklin County 4-H Fair is June 30th
Maine Beef Team
The Maine Beef Team members that are planning on bringing a heifer to ESE must have the Heifer Show Signature Form completed by May 25th as well as the online registration completed. The online registration can be found here at Beef 4-H online entries (this is mandatory).
State 4-H News
New Project Records are HERE!
Co-designed with Maine 4-H volunteers, youth and staff; these project records have been
designed to best serve the needs of Maine youth. Please visit our newly designed project record
website https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/project-records/. Project records
are required for all Maine 4-H Youth. Stay tuned for upcoming trainings. Please contact your
county 4-H staff with questions.
Maine 4-H Youth Council Annual Conference – May 13 – 14, 2023
SAVE THE DATE! May 13-14, Maine 4-H Youth Council Annual Conference. An annual
conference for youth ages 15-22. This year’s event will be held at the Windsor Fairgrounds. More
information to come.
Workshops Needed!
The Maine 4-H Youth Council is holding a conference for youth ages 15-22. The conference will
be an overnight event and held at the Windsor Fairgrounds May 13th and 14th. We would like to
invite you to submit a proposal to present a workshop.
The Council is specifically looking for 45-minute-long workshops focused on mental health, stress
management, communication, creativity, time management, leadership and conflict management.
To submit a workshop please visit: https://forms.gle/3z2FN4F6roVeGLX69.
2023 ESE Horse Intent Form
The 2023 ESE Horse Intent form is now live. The form is due by May 1, 2023.
The form indicates your intent to participate in the 2023 4-H Eastern States Horse tryout process.
By completing this form, you are verifying that you are currently enrolled in a Maine 4-H Horse
project and are a 4-H member of good standing in your county. 4-H enrollment requirements will
be verified by 4-H staff.
We hope to send out more information about the upcoming season and an updated packet as
soon as possible. We will have a new layout this year with multiple opportunities for youth to
participate and qualify.
This form is a requirement for trying out for the Maine 4-H ESE Equestrian Team. You will not be
eligible to join the ESE Horse Team if this form is not completed by May 1, 2023.
If you have questions or need a hard copy of the form please email tara.marble@maine.edu.
Join us for the Maine 4-H Agriculture Symposium!
You are invited to the Maine 4-H Agriculture Symposium, an overnight event for youth ages 14-18.
Participants will take part in hands-on learning opportunities, engage with industry professionals
on the UMaine Orono campus, develop leadership skills, and make friendships with teens from
around the state April 20 – 21, 2023.
Symposium attendees will test recipes at the state of the art Food Innovations Lab, participate in
hands-on learning experiences at the UMaine Witter Farm, investigate permaculture methods at
the Terrell House and more! 4-H membership is not required for participation in the symposium
and there is no cost for the event. Transportation assistance is available upon request.
For more information visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/youth/ag-leadership/4-h-agriculture-
symposium or contact Alisha Targonski at 207.622.7546; extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu.
4-H Shark SPIN Club
One of the most requested topics of all times: SHARKS! Have you wondered how sharks find their
food? How do they exist in the ocean with other creatures? Interested in learning about their patterns and
habits as they swim along the Maine coast? Participants will explore shark behavior, food chains, types of
sharks and more with shark scientist, Kyle Oliveira. Participants will receive a packet of materials to
engage in hands-on activities that help us explore these questions, as we learn about the exciting water
world of sharks. This workshop is supported by Maine EPSCoR at the University of Maine. Register by
April 25th, so supplies can be mailed to attendees’ homes. Limited to 10 participants.
Who: Youth ages 9 – 18
When: Tuesdays, 4:00 – 5:00 pm, May 16 – June 6, 2023
Where: Join via zoom
How: Register by April 25, 2023 at https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/virtual-learning-hub/open-
registrations/
Help Project ITCH to Better Understand Tick Control
The New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (NEWVEC) is seeking your
help in better understanding residential tick control. NEWVEC began as a partnership of
university research teams from each of the six New England states joining with state and local
health departments and agricultural extension programs to discover, evaluate, and promote
practices that reduce the burden of tick- and mosquito-borne disease.
NEWVEC’s inaugural undertaking is Project ITCH, our acronym for “Is Tick Control Helping.”
Project ITCH will be carried out in two phases starting Spring 2023. In Phase 1 – NEWVEC is
asking for your participation to tell us about what you are doing at your home to reduce the
incidence of ticks and tick bites. In Phase 2 – NEWVEC will gather the information you share and
through a lottery process select residential properties to participate in a research study to test
what’s working.
It all starts with you taking a few moments to answer a few survey questions. To complete the
survey, please visit the web page at www.NEWVEC.org/itch. Participants in this survey will be
eligible for consideration for Phase 2 enrollment in the future. To learn more about NEWVEC and
Project ITCH, bookmark the web page and/or sign-up to receive updates on NEWVEC projects.
Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
Start making plans now to visit our Nation’s Capitol during the week of June 25 – 30, 2023.
CWF is a leadership program conducted by the National 4-H Council for high school youth ages 14 to 18. Delegations of 4-Hers from across the country spend six days touring the city and attending leadership skill-building workshops.
This summer, the Maine delegation will fly down on June 25 and travel home June 30. Youth will be staying in a hotel just outside of the DC limits. Visiting the most popular sites in Washington, DC will be a part of the trip. There is a highly recommended orientation for Maine delegates on May 20, 2023. For more information visit the CWF page on our website. Contact your county 4-H office for details about how to be a part of this. All county offices have different criteria/dates to apply.
Apply by April 25th for National 4-H Trips
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
Congress or become a part of a team making recommendations to National 4-H Council at
Conference. To learn more about these trips, visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/national-trips/.
New for 2023: Complete and submit your application and supplemental materials online!
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. Application packets must
be submitted online, or sent to your county office and postmarked by April 25, 2023. Interview
dates will be the second week of May, 2023. If you have any questions, please contact Heidi
Palmer at 207.310.4235 or heidi.thuotte@maine.edu.
2023 National 4-H Congress is November 24 – 30, 2023 in Atlanta GA with an orientation for the
trip on October 21, 2023. 2024 National 4-H Conference has not yet been announced, but will
likely take place in April of 2024 in Washington, DC., orientation for that trip will be announced to
those selected. Leaders and office staff, if you have senior members in your clubs, please
encourage them to participate. They are amazing trips!
State Public Speaking Tournament – Save the Date!
Our state public speaking tournament will be held on April 8, 2023 at DP Corbett Hall on the
University of Maine campus. Youth must qualify for this event by achieving a score of 78 or higher
at their county or regional tournament. Check the website or with your county 4-H staff to find out
when your county tournament will be held.
2023 4-H Volunteer Training Opportunities
As we get ready for the new 4-H year, we are looking forward to offering a variety of learning
experiences (both in person and virtual) for our 4-H volunteers. Sessions are free of charge, but
require registration. Some sessions have limited space. Visit the 4-H Volunteer Calendar of Training Opportunities to learn more and register!
Save the Date for 4-H Dairy Judging and State Show!
The Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Contest will take place on May 6th, 2023 at Hardy Farm in
Farmington, ME and Silver Valley Farm in New Sharon, ME. The contest is open to all enrolled
dairy members and will serve as the official tryouts for the Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Team.
The Maine State 4-H Dairy Show will take place on July 22nd and 23rd at the Windsor
Fairgrounds in Windsor, ME in conjunction with Maine 4-H Days. The contest is open to all 4-H
members who want to participate and will include educational workshops, a fitting contest, a
grilled cheese contest, and more!
For more information on upcoming 4-H dairy events visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/dairy or contact
sadee.mehuren@maine.edu; 207.342.5971
Maine 4-H Days: Save the Date! July 21 – 22, 2023
We’re back for fun times, workshops, overnight camping and more at the Windsor Fairgrounds
in Kennebec County! More information to come, so save the dates!
Cooking for Crowds – Food Safety Training for Volunteers
There’s a lot to learn about safe food preparation and handling. Unsafe food can “spoil” your
group’s reputation — and its finances. Don’t take a chance. Sign up for the “Cooking for Crowds”
workshop.
Learn up-to-date methods for safely preparing, handling, and serving food for large group
functions such as a 4-H food booth, a club event or community fundraiser.
Participants receive Cooking for Crowds – a manual specifically designed for volunteer cooks, a
certificate of attendance, and an instant read thermometer.
Sessions take place March 28-April 25. Materials fee is $15 and registration is required. Visit
the Cooking for Crowds website to register for a session near you or a virtual workshop.