4-H Open Farm Day at Lone Spruce Farm

MGV Zabet

Join us for a FREE, fun, outdoor, family-friendly event open to everyone! Bring the family to experience what our local 4-H Youth Development program has to offer. Kids can participate in a variety of hands-on activities on topics ranging from art to science to animal husbandry. 4-H Staff and Volunteers will be on-site to provide information about becoming a 4-H member and provide information about the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Hancock County.

This is an outdoor event hosted at Lone Spruce Farm in junction with Maine Open Farm Day. 4-H will feature a variety of hands-on activities for kids of all ages such as:

  • Lone Spruce Farm Farm Sign
    Flower Printing and Pollinators: The farm’s gardens are filled with gorgeous flowers, foliage, and buggy friends. For years we have used nature to add color to our lives and to our clothing. Take some time to appreciate the beautiful pollinator garden at Lone Spruce, then check out some pollinator parts under a microscope while crafting a flower print flag!
  • Seaweed Lava Lamps: The coast of Maine is home to over 250 species of seaweeds and our aquaculture industry has found ways to culture and harvest them as a product. Some may assume that the sushi industry is their only client, but did you know algae derivatives play and active role in many of our household products? Your toothpaste, icecream, and even cosmetic products may contain seaweed!
  • Tick Identification and Collection: Join 4-H staff for a tick drag and learn about the pesky arachnids we know as ticks. In this workshop, youth will learn how to identify ticks local to Maine, the risks they pose, how to check yourself for ticks, and practice how to remove them! Most importantly, youth will participate in citizen science by collecting ticks around the farm to submit to our UMaine Tick Lab!
  • 4-H Obstacle Course: OVER, UNDER, QUICKLY NOW!! Work off some energy by trying your hand at our 4-H Obstable Course! Any youth that enters and completes the course can enter our raffle to win some 4-H swag.
  • Stream Sampling: Dive into our freshwater river systems and learn about the important aquatic invertebrates that live there. Youth can participate in a kick drag at the small stream Lone Spruce offers and collect the benthic organisms who call it home. Then, learn what they may be and what their presence means for the river’s health!
  • Maine CDC Zoonotic Disease Activities: We’ve learned a lot about public health the last few years, but that doesn’t mean we should stop learning! Check in with a CDC intern to learn about how to protect yourself and your animals from zoonotic diseases.
  • Meet the local Hancock County 4-H Clubs: Drop by our welcome table to chat with 4-H youth in Hancock County. Many of our club members will be happy to greet you, tell you about their experiences, and sell you a delicious baked good or ticket for the Blue Hill Fair Steer Raffle later this summer.
  • Meet the animals: Lone Spruce Farm is home to many goats, a pig, chickens, and more! 4-H Club Rails N’ Trails will also be bringing some special guests for all of our horse lovers. Be sure to stop by for a picture and to give a few pats to all our four-legged friends.

All activities are ongoing throughout the day. 

Sunday, July 23, 2023

10 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (come and go anytime, rain or shine!)

All activities are ongoing throughout the day!

No cost to attend

Lone Spruce Farm 

306 Bald Mountain Road, Dedham

For information about the 4-H Open Farm Day at Lone Spruce Farm, contact Leah McCluskey at leah.mccluskey@maine.edu or 207.667.8212

If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Leah McCluskey at leah.mccluskey@maine.edu or 207.667.8212 to discuss your needs. Receiving requests for accommodations at least 5 days before the program provides a reasonable amount of time to meet the request, however, all requests will be considered.

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 Equal Opportunity, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).

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