August 2025 4-H Newsletter
4-H Happenings
A monthly newsletter for Hancock County 4-H Members
Table of Contents
Upcoming Dates| County News | Club News | State News | Leaders’ Meeting Minutes
Upcoming Dates to Remember
August 4 to 25 – Drop off 4-H exhibits at the Extension Office anytime during office hours (M-F, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm)
*please plan to arrive by 4 pm as staff will not be staying late to receive projects*
August 6 – Invasive species game at the Southwest Harbor Public Library, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
August 7 – Let’s Get Cooking: Pesto Edition at the Ellsworth Public Library, 10:30 – 11:30 am
August 12 – 4-H Leaders Meeting, 6:30 pm
August 20 – Bubble Trouble: Understanding Ocean Acidification at the Blue Hill Public Library, 3:30 – 4:30 pm
August 25 – Last chance to drop off 4-H exhibits to the Extension Office by 4:00 pm
August 25 – Steer Tickets Due in Office
August 26 – Last chance to drop off exhibits to Blue Hill Fairgrounds 4-H Exhibit Hall at 12:00 pm
August 28 to September 1 – Blue Hill Fair
County News
4-H Workshops
We’ve got plenty of workshops going on this summer, all throughout Hancock County! This month, Leah or Tess will make an appearance at all your favorite libraries. Youth can learn all about the upper hand invasive species have on our native flora and fauna, try their hand at cooking by learning how to make pesto, and dive even deeper into our oceans by learning about ocean acidification. Be sure to check our 4-H Afterschool website to learn more about workshop details.
Last month, Leah returned to the Ellsworth Public Library for a quiet and calming gardening workshop. Youth personalized their plant pots before learning about the wondrous ways plants can propagate, starting a whole new garden from just a few cuttings.
Leah also visited the Southwest Harbor Public Library and shared her love of seaweed with the community by making our infamous seaweed lava lamps with library guests. Tess similarly showcased her true love of marine life and led youth through a “How to Be an Oyster Farmer” workshop.
Blue Hill Fair 4-H Exhibit Hall
2025 Theme: Growing Futures in Agriculture with 4-H
You asked, and we listened! No need to wait until the last minute to drop off exhibit items to the office or exhibit hall!
Starting Monday August 4 – Monday, August 25, you can deliver exhibit items, along with their required exhibit cards and entry form, to the Cooperative Extension office in Ellsworth. Items will not be accepted unless they are complete, so please check you have everything before making the drive. Our office hours are Monday – Friday, 8 am – 4 pm. Please plan to arrive before 4 pm as staff will not be able to stay after hours to accept exhibits.
Monday, August 25 at 4 pm – Last chance to drop off 4-H exhibits at Extension Office in Ellsworth
Tuesday, August 26 at 12 pm – Last chance to drop off exhibits at 4-H Exhibit Hall on the Blue Hill Fairgrounds
If this is your first year participating in the fair, don’t hesitate to ask questions. You can reach our 4-H staff at 207.667.8212 for help!
Steer Tickets Have Arrived!
The Steer Ticket fundraiser is the premier fundraiser for the Hancock County 4-H Leaders’ Association. Tickets are $2 each; 30 cents go directly to the 4-H Club that sells the tickets, and $1.70 will 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 5 pm on Labor Day at the Blue Hill Fair. The 4-H Club AND the 4-H’er who sells the most tickets will receive an award at Cloverfest. Tickets are now available for pick up by 4-H’ers at the Extension Office. Steer ticket money must be returned to the Extension Office by August 25th or the thirty-cent club money per ticket will be forfeited! Steer tickets are not to be brought to the Blue Hill Fair. Also, remember that we cannot sell raffle tickets to people under 16 years old, and youth under 18 should not be handling money. Adults should not put youth’s names on the tickets.
Volunteers are needed for the 4-H Food Booth and Steer Ticket Table: We are calling all 4-H families!
The 4-H Food Booth and Steer Ticket Raffle are the two largest fundraisers for the Hancock County 4-H Leaders’ Association. The funds raised are used to support the 4-H programs you love all year long – Cloverfest, June Jamboree, Public Speaking, Style Revue, Leaders Banquet, and so much more! We rely on our strong 4-H community to deliver quality youth programs in Hancock County, and we are asking 4-H Clubs, Groups, Independents, and Parents/Guardians to volunteer their time during the Blue Hill Fair (August 28 – September 1). We need:
- Youth (16 and up with an adult) AND Adult Volunteers for the 4-H Food Booth: “Front” of the booth (taking orders, distributing food), and “Back” of the booth (cooking burgers, hot dogs, etc)
- Youth AND Adult Volunteers for the Steer Ticket Table: selling Steer Tickets to fairgoers. Adults needed to handle the money.
- Volunteering here is a requirement to win the Razor Crosman Award.
If you haven’t volunteered at the fair before, please consider contributing to this important cause this year! Contact the Extension Office or fill out the form on the webpage to sign up for a shift at the Food Booth and/or the Steer Ticket Table.
Hancock County 4-H Seasonal Compass 
Discover the wonders of Maine’s changing seasons with the “Hancock County 4-H Seasonal Compass.”
Each month, we’ll focus on a different aspect of Maine’s seasonal cycle, engaging in activities that promote Head (learning and thinking), Heart (caring and relating), Hands (giving and working), and Health (living and being). From exploring winter wildlife to harvesting fall crops, there’s something for everyone!
Club News
Service Squad: The service squad spent some time this month reflecting about their first full year in the club. We talked about what we enjoyed over the past year, what we might want to change for the coming year, and set some goals for the group. One of our goals was to have more fundraisers – we’re aiming for 2 each year. We also set a goal to invite some new friends to the Service Squad and grow our club! We also brainstormed some ideas for our club pizza party/movie day, and can’t wait to dig in when we all can meet together! We also spent some time planning our club project for the Blue Hill Fair, and welcomed a new member to our club. We’re now working together to create a plan for a hands on activity for kids at the fair. Stay tuned!
Lock, Stock, & Barrel: The Lock Stock and Barrel 4-H club will have a potluck and informational meeting on Wednesday, September 24 at 6:00 pm at the Blue Hill Rifle and Pistol Club on the Range Rd in Blue Hill. This is for youth 4-H age 9 to 18 (9 as of December, 31 2024). Disciplines that will be taught through the fall and winter are basic rifle safety and shooting skills, archery, wildlife and black powder. For more information, call club leaders Norwood and Becky Ames, 207.567.3066
Jolly Juniors: The Jolly Juniors have been having a blast getting ready for the Blue Hill Fair this summer! We’ve been busy getting our hands dirty with some gardening, whipping up tasty treats in the kitchen, and making awesome tie pillows. We’ve also enjoyed plenty of swimming to cool off. The excitement is building, and we’re putting the finishing touches on our fair cards to make sure everything is ready!
State News
Skip the Stress – Get Into College with 4-H Direct Admissions!
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’s Public Universities—no Common App, no test scores, no essays, no recommendations, and no application fees required!
If you’re enrolled in any 4-H program in Maine, you’re eligible. Just click to opt in, and we’ll take care of the rest.
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Click here to learn more about 4-H Direct Admissions
This is your future—made simple. #BeyondReady
Maine 4-H State Dairy Show
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 18th to 20th 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 a dairy cattle show. For a complete schedule and registration information, visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/dairy/maine-4-h-state-dairy-show/.
For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or Allison Pollock at 207.781.6099.
Big E Ruby Morris 4-H Scholarship
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!
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.
Visit the website for all information about applying. Materials must be received by 4:30 pm on Friday, August 15, 2025. If you have any questions, contact Jessy Brainerd at 207.581.3877 or jessica.brainerd@maine.edu.
Maine 4-H Celebrates “The Year of Youth in Agriculture” with New Ag Challenge
The state of Maine has officially declared 2025 as “The Year of Youth in Agriculture,” an exciting initiative to highlight the vital role young people play in the future of our state’s 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.
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.
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:
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- Cloverbud (ages 5-8): 2 activities per section
- Junior (ages 9-13): 3 activities per section
- Senior (ages 14-18): 4 activities per section
4-H Ag Challenge Download (PDF)
Once you’ve completed your activities, please return the form to the 4-H Ag Leadership team at extension.4hagleadership@maine.edu 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!
If you have any questions please contact:
Megan Cook
4-H Youth Development Professional, Aroostook County
megan.cook@maine.edu
207.532.6548
Leaders’ Meeting Minutes
4-H Leaders Association Meeting on July 8, 2025
Attendees: Leah (staff), Lee, & Terry
The discussion was on the Blue Hill Fair and food preparations.
There are no minutes from the July meeting.