June 2019 4-H Newsletter

June 10, 2019 4-H News

4-H Happenings

A monthly newsletter for Hancock County 4-H Members

Download the PDF

Upcoming Dates to Remember

June 11 – 6:30 pm – Leaders’ Meeting – Extension Office
June 30 – Animal Approval Forms are Due in the Extension Office
July 4 – Independence Day – Extension Office Closed
July 9 – 6:30 pm – Leaders’ Meeting – Extension Office
July 19 – Photos for 4-H County Photo Contest are Due in the Extension Office
August 23 – Steer Tickets are Due in the Extension Office
August 29 – September 2 – Blue Hill Fair – Blue Hill Fairgrounds

County News

2019 Style Revue
This year’s Style Revue was festive and colorful. Bursts of color surrounded the room from the specks of color coming from the table overflowing with speckled delectables, to the carousel themed stage and the sewn garments of our 4-H’ers. The event was well attended and we had twenty sewers which included Cloverbuds, Novice and Advanced sewers. They confidently walked on stage exhibiting their attire and sewn wears. Some of the beautiful pieces included tote bags, pillowcases, jumpsuits, formal wear and more. Thank you to all the participants, judges, committee members, Leaders’ Association, and parents for helping to make this event such a success, we appreciate you all!
Pictures is Sherry, Independent, who won a blue ribbon and a new sewing machine for her handmade gown!
More Style Revue Photos on our Facebook page or on the Newsletter PDF.

Leaders’ Meeting – the next Leaders’ Association meeting will be on June 11 at 6:30 pm. If you cannot attend in person – join the meeting by computer! Contact the Extension Office at 667-8212 and we will send you a link.

Congratulations to our Seniors! – The 4-H family would like to extend their congratulations to the following 2019 High School graduates:

Donald E, III – Independent – Homeschool
Josie H – Jolly Juniors – Sumner Memorial High School
Kiana M – Independent – Ellsworth High School
Stephanie N– Spruced Up Homesteaders – Homeschool
Alia P – Rails N’ Trails – John Baptst Memorial High School
Ian S – Horse & Rider – Homeschool
Carrie W – Independent – Calvary Chapel Downeast School

College Scholarship is Announced – The Hancock County 4-H Leaders’ Association awarded a $600 scholarship to Alia P, Rails N’ Trails 4-H Club and $500 to Donnie E, Independent. Both are attending the University of Maine in Orono in the fall. Congratulations and best wishes!

Camp Scholarships Available – Thanks to support from Tractor Supply Company through the Paper Clover Campaign, Hancock County is offering scholarships for 4-H youth who wish to attend 4-H Camp & Learning Centers at Bryant Pond, Tanglewood, Blueberry Cove or our newest Camp & Learning Center at Greenland Point this summer. Scholarships will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Recipients are asked to share their experiences with the 4-H community through the 4-H Newsletter and other outlets (Facebook, Leaders’ meeting, etc).
Don’t wait until it’s too late… apply today!
There are additional scholarships and need-based financial assistance for youth who wish to attend a 4-H Camp & Learning Center this summer through the Maine 4-H Foundation as well as the Camps themselves. More information can be found by visiting the Camp & Learning Center websites

A Fond Farewell to Rosie Evans! We would like to take this opportunity to send a warm farewell to Rosie Evans, 4-H Community Education Assistant, who wi Rosie ll be leaving her position on June 13. Rosie first joined Hancock County 4-H as a parent and volunteer soon after her family moved to Maine. She has served in the role of CEA for four years and has worked tirelessly to plan 4-H events, deliver engaging curriculum, share her passion for cooking and healthy living, and most importantly, maintain a vibrant and active 4-H in Hancock County! Most of you have been lucky enough to interact with her and know how much she will truly be missed by all of us. Lucky for us, her family will remain active in Hancock County 4-H so they can’t get rid of us quite yet! Join us in wishing Rosie a bountiful life full of adventures to come!
(Please note: this position will be refilled and we will be starting a search this summer – stay tuned for more info!)

Photo Contest – 2019 Photo Contest details are now on our website. Deadline to submit photos is Friday, July 19th. If anyone needs the info mailed, please call Joyce at the 667-8212 or email at joyce.forter@maine.edu. There are so many beautiful and unique scenes to take pictures of, so keep those cameras snapping so you will have some good photos to choose from!

The UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab is now officially accepting tick samples for tick-borne disease testing. We have been receiving tick samples for species identification for the past five years and will continue to offer this service free of charge. Now, Maine residents can have ticks tested for the causative agents of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis (the three most commonly reported tick-borne diseases in Maine) for a fee of only $15. This service is intended to provide surveillance information on ticks and tick-borne disease infection rates within Maine’s tick population.

Please visit the website at https://extension.umaine.edu/ticks/ for information on submitting a specimen to the Tick Lab, as well as information on the different tick species of Maine, tick management, and personal protection. Please note that the tick submission form must now be completed online.

Welcome New Volunteers – we are pleased to announce two new leaders who have completed their training and paperwork in Hancock County.
Jeanne Gifford – Bucksport – Rails N’ Trails
Seth Murray – Penobscot – Independent
Welcome to the 4-H Family!

Exhibit Your Projects at the Blue Hill Fair – We have updated all of the 4-H Exhibit Hall categories this year, so start thinking about what projects to enter! Lots of fun and exciting new categories such as “Aquatic Life”, “Leadership”, “Nature Collections”, “Outdoors”, “Writing Sampler”, “Fair Theme”, and more! Remember that there are options to enter individual exhibits as well as club exhibits – and that everyone receives a cash premium! The 2019 Fair Book and 4-H Information will be updated on our website as soon as it is complete:
The 4-H theme of the 2019 Blue Hill Fair is “4-H Seeds for Success”. We look forward to displaying your work to the public!

Steer Tickets have arrived – ANNUAL STEER TICKET RAFFLE BEGINS! – The Steer Ticket fundraiser is the premier fundraiser for the Hancock County 4-H Leaders’ Association. Tickets are $1 each; 15 cents go directly to the 4-H Club that sells the tickets, 85 cents go to the Leaders’ Association to support 4-H programming, scholarships, county events, and more.
The Steer Ticket Raffle winner will receive a cut to order, freezer-ready Beef Steer raised by a Hancock County 4-H’er, OR $650 cash. The drawing is at 5pm on Labor Day at the Blue Hill Fair. The 4-H Club AND the 4-H’er who sell the most tickets will receive an award at Cloverfest .
Tickets are now available for pick up by 4-H’ers at the Extension Office, or at 4-H June Jamboree. Steer ticket money must be returned to the Extension Office to Joyce Fortier by August 23rd or the fifteen cent club money per ticket will be forfeited! Steer tickets are not to be brought to the Blue Hill Fair.

All about Animal Approval Forms
What is an Animal Approval Form and why do I need one? – Animal Approval Forms need to be completed by anyone planning to show their 4-H Animal Project at the Blue Hill Fair, or any other 4-H Shows at Maine Agricultural Fairs. Small pets and Poultry are the only exception; all other animals (Horse, Beef, Sheep, Goat, Swine, etc) are required to have an Animal Approval Form. The approval form certifies that the youth is a current 4-H member, youth and animals are in good standing, the animal project is active, and that each animal only appears on one approval form.

Do I need to complete a Lease Form? – If youth do not own the animal on their Animal Approval Form (even if their parents are the owners), they need to complete a Lease Form. No more than 20 animals of each type can be leased by one 4-H member.

I am a Leader, what do I need to do? – As the 4-H Leader to a youth showing animals at the fair, you are responsible for verifying several pieces of information before signing the Animal Approval Form. View the Leader Guidelines Checklist:

How do I submit these forms? – You can request the forms from the Extension Office, or download them here:

All forms are due in the Extension Office on June 30th. You may submit them via mail, email, fax, or in person. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions – we are here to help you!

For detailed guidelines and policies about Animal Approval for 4-H Shows visit here:

Club News

Mega Builders – Mega Builder Robotics had a fine time at the 2019 Lego Robot Track Meet. For three members (Leif, Seamus, and Mira) it was their first time entering the competition. For Wyatt, it was his fourth. Historically, Mega Builders have been entering this competition since at least 2013. The kids really enjoyed focusing their energies on building a competitive, “Gold Standard” achieving robot in three separate events as well as entering a bridge made of Legos in a fourth event. Aside from enjoying a 1st and 2nd place finish and two Gold Standard ribbons the kids enjoyed the diverse approaches other teams took in their robot building efforts. Wyatt particularly enjoyed watching the Steeple Chase event with running commentary from Ben Goff. They all really enjoyed the non-Lego remote controlled robot built by the Brewer High School Robotics Team (aka “Orange Chaos”). Orange Chaos offered kids a chance to operate the robot and also gave a cool demonstration of how they use it in robot competitions. All and all it was a fine day of good-natured competition and fun. Our kids represented 4-H well.
Submitted by club leader, Wayne Simmons

Free 2 Be – Our group got ten Dwarf Nigerian goat kids ready to spend the summer at Tanglewood 4-H camp! The group made paracord collars with bells and name tags for each one. They met with the counselors who picked up the goats at Painted Pepper Farm to talk about care and maintenance of the goats before they go off to camp for the summer. Everyone was excited to meet this new group of Tanglewood goats!
Submitted by Jenny Lassen, 4-H leader

Jolly Juniors – The Jolly Juniors2 got together with project leader, Joannie Jodrey, and her helper, Dolly Hellum, to make May Baskets. Our club has continued the tradition Spruced Up Homesteaders ever since the Honest Workers hung May Baskets on the doors of the Jolly Juniors all those years ago!
We got together a few days before May 1st and made traditional baskets from milk cartons and crepe paper. We each made at least two and filled them with yummy candy. On May 1st we went out into Eastbrook and Waltham and hung the baskets on friends, family members, and community folks who have ties to our club and school. Some of us didn’t run fast enough because we got caught with a kiss. Next year we want to make more and try different types. It’s a fun way to spread happiness to people who support our club. Club Reporter Olivia Jordan

Congratulations Josie and Brenda – Josie, senior at Sumner Memorial High School and Culinary Arts student at Hancock County Technical Center and Jolly Juniors 4-H member, was recognized for her work this year at HCTC. This is the second year that Josie won Gold in Skills USA. Last year she earned gold for her wedding cake design and this year, she took the State’s First Place in Commercial Baking earning her a spot to compete at Nationals in Kentucky in June. Josie has been a Jolly Junior for 12 years Brenda & Jose and has been actively involved in county and club activities, as well as representing the county at CWF. She’s our yeast roll baker for the annual Waltham Town Meeting! Josie will be interning at the Bar Harbor Inn this summer.

Also at the HCTC awards ceremony, Amy Boles, Director of HCTC and Josie presented Brenda Jordan, Jolly Juniors 4-H club leader, with a certificate for Honorary Membership in the HCTC National Technical Honor Society in appreciation for outstanding service to the school. “The honor was all the more special because Josie presented the award. I am honored, humbled, and blessed,” said Brenda.

Spruced Up Homesteaders – This month the Spruced Up Homesteaders 4-H Club got to watch our super talented friend Seth operate his excavator on the farm!!! Seth donated his time, skill, and knowledge to share some really cool facts, information, and experiences with the excavator for the kids, and they had a blast!!! We burned some energy outside on what was a beautiful day, shared a picnic lunch together, and enjoyed machines and mud. Because sometimes the best Spruced Up Homesteaders curriculum is… LIFE! In our next meeting the club put on their best “making a go at spring in Maine” faces, started their own garden plots, and created the beginning of a big community art piece that will remind us that ALL of our diverse colors, shapes, and sizes are what weave a *beautiful* community together! We are so proud of our club kids for working hard and learning as they go every day! Submitted by club leader, Kristin Beauchamp.

State News

1. 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
If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity, please contact Jessy Brainerd at jessica.brainerd@maine.edu or 207.581.3877.

2. 4-H Camp Opportunities for Children of Military Families
There are numerous wonderful programs being offered to children of military families through special grant programs. These Adventure Camps are sponsored by the Department of Defense to provide quality outdoor experiences for children of Service Members in the active, reserve, or guard components. Specific questions about eligibility should be made to the Tanglewood office at 207.789.5868

Programs are designed to build self-esteem, trust, teamwork, friendships, skill building, and appreciation of nature through outdoor adventures. Staff of UMaine 4-H Camp and Learning Centers and key outdoor education and adventure partners lead camps. Open sessions for ages 14 – 18 include: Ocean Adventure (6/25 – 6/28 and 6/30-7/5), Coastal STEM Challenge (6/23 – 6/28 and 6/30 – 7/5), and for ages 8 – 14, Make and Create STEM Challenge (7/28 – 8/2).

3. 4-H Teen Camp at Tanglewood 4-H Camp & Learning Center

June 23 – 28, 2019. Building on the success of last year’s program, 4-H Teen Camp at Tanglewood will once again be offered to any currently enrolled Maine 4-H teen ages 13 – 18, during the first week of Summer Camp, June 23-28, 2019. Check in is 2:30-3:30 PM on Sunday & Closing Ceremony is 3 PM on Friday but if you need to come later in the week or leave earlier please let Sara or Alisha know. The cost to attend is just $75 for the week! 4-H Teen Camp will focus on building life skills of cooperation, teamwork, and leadership that youth can bring back to their clubs, while also giving teens the chance to enjoy all that Tanglewood 4-H Camp & Learning Center in Lincolnville, Maine has to offer.
Space is very limited so please register today. Use code SUMMIT (all caps) to register. Questions about 4-H Teen Camp, please contact Sara Conant, sara.conant@maine.edu, 207-781-6099 or Alisha Targonski, alisha.r.targonski@maine.edu, 207.622.7546. For more information or questions about Tanglewood 4-H Camp & Learning Center, or camp registration please call 207.789.5868.

4. June Jamboree Sheep, Swine, Working Steer and Horse Clinic
Oxford County 4-H June Jamboree Sheep, Swine, Working Steer and Horse Clinic is being held June 14th through June 16th at the Fryeburg Fair Grounds, 1154 Main Street, Fryeburg Maine. Workshops are designed for youth completing 4-H project work in the areas of sheep, swine, working steer and horse. Horseless riders are welcome. Working Steer Try Outs for The Big E are being held Sunday morning at 10:00.

Anyone planning to attend any part of June Jamboree must pre-register and pay online due to insurance regulations. This includes participants, parents, and siblings, who will be present on the fair grounds. All youth must attend with a parent or guardian.

The registration fee for the first member of a household will be $20. Family members residing at the same address may register for an additional $10 per person. The registration fee includes tent/camper space, meals, starting with with breakfast Saturday morning through lunch on Sunday, and helps offset the cost of additional insurance, presenter fees and workshop supplies and materials. Check in begins Friday evening after 5:00 P.M.

Workshops will include washing, clipping, showmanship, animal handling, marketing and learning activities around zoonotic diseases. Rabies vaccines and tagging for market animals will be available. It is mandatory for anyone planning to sell market lambs or market hogs at Fryeburg Fair to attend Saturday’s workshops in order to have their animals tagged.

This event is open to 4-H Families from all counties. Again, all adults and youth must pre-register online whether participating in workshops or not, due to insurance regulations. Registration is not complete until all forms have been returned to the Oxford County Extension Office, 9 Olson Road, South Paris ME 04281. Anyone wanting to request a reasonable accommodation should contact Rebecca Mosley at rebecca.mosley@maine.eduor 1.800.287.1482.

If you are coming in only for Working Steer try outs on Sunday morning, you must still pre-register online. There is no registration fee if you are attending tryouts only. The registration fee for Working Steer participants who wish to eat in the dining hall for breakfast and lunch on Sunday only is $10.

Registration will remain open through May 31st.

Leaders Meeting Minutes

May 14, 2019 Meeting

Present- Lee Sargent, Lisa Carney, Rosie Evans, Dwight Sargent, Heather Linnehan, Brenda Jordan, Audra Porter, Carla Scocchi, Terry Swazey and Bill Carney by phone (N=8).
6:30 – Meeting Starts
Pledges – American Flag & 4-H Pledge
Secretary’s Report – Approval of March 12th minutes as presented in County Newsletter – motion made, approved and seconded.
Treasurer’s Report – approved as sent in by Terry
Club Reports – Lee’s club, Rails N’ Trails, practiced showmanship and went to a horse show at the UMaine Whittier Farm.
Heather – Horse & Rider – March meeting project records in the barn.
Jolly Juniors made and delivered ~ 25 May baskets. Made them a week ahead and delivered the next week. Style Revue last week. Planning a roadside cleanup.
Spruced Up Homesteaders – making a farmstand; the excavator was a big hit. Did some hiking.
Old Business
Style Revue – had quite a few Jolly Juniors and some independents.
Jamboree – had a meeting before the LA meeting tonight. Registration will be open this week.
Hancock County 4-H Service Award – tabled
New Business
Blue Hill Fair Book and the 4-H Exhibit Hall categories – Carla, Rosie and Joyce went thru other counties fair books. They are combining some categories to make them more appealing to a broader section of 4-Hers. Want to add engineering, leadership category (talk about a trip).
Steer Tickets – Terry has paid for them.
Photo Contest – line item in the budget.
Guidelines for cards, flowers, & donations – Terry is looking into crafting consistent guidelines.
Can we give out 4-H cards to Hancock county members? We stopped years ago. The office might be able to make some for the members. Some stores (Tractor Supply, JoAnn Fabrics) give discounts.
Heather wanted to recognize the excellent teen volunteers who have helped her out in the barn during her downtime. Thank you!
Office Report
Carla is back!
Invited to do the Bucksport Bay Festival in July (19th -21st), but previously we could not sell steer tickets without paying for a $50 table.
New Extension Dean Hannah Carter.
Need a BHF theme. Carla and Rosie provided a few choices and “4-H – Seeds for Success” was voted on.
Rosie is leaving her position June 13th, and it will be refilled.
Adjourn at 7:31
Submitted by Lisa Carney

Cooking with Kids

Colorful Quesadillas

Ingredients:
8 small flour tortillas (6 inch)
1 large sweet red or green bell pepper, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach leaves or 9 ouches frozen, thawed, squeezed dry
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups cheddar cheese, low-fat and shredded

Directions:
1.Wash and prepare vegetables.
2.Put about 2 tablespoons red or green pepper on half of each tortilla.
3.Add spinach and garlic powder.
4.Top each tortilla with 4 tablespoons shredded cheese.
5.Fold tortillas in half.
6.Put two folded tortillas on large heated skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until brown.
7.Cook remaining tortillas.
8.Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve warm
University of Maine Cooperative Extension Eat Well

Cooperative Extension in Hancock County