Fuzzy fleece tie blanket with colorful bunnies on it made by the Horse of Course 4-H club
Bunny Blanket crafted by the members of Horse of Course 4-H Club

July 2022 4-H Newsletter

July 11, 2022 4-H News

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

July 12 – 4:30 pm – Leaders’ Meeting (Hybrid)
July 30 – 10:00 am -12:30 pm – 4-H Open House at the Extension Office
August 1 – Photo Contest Deadline
August 5 – Friday on the Farm at Lone Spruce Farm in Dedham – see County News
August 26 – Steer Tickets are Due at the Extension Office
August 30 – Exhibits are Due at the Extension Office – See instruction in County News
September 1-5 – Blue Hill Fair – Blue Hill Fairgrounds

County NewsLeah McCluskey, 4-H Community Education Assistant

New Community Education Assistant – This month we’d like to introduce the newest member of the Hancock County team, Leah McCluskey! Leah is the new 4-H Community Education Assistant in Hancock County and will also be supporting the Eat Well Volunteers program in our communities.

Leah graduated from the University of Maine in 2021 with a degree in Marine Science. She also studied Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries Science during her time there. This is not Leah’s first experience with 4-H. She was one of the first students to take part in the Cooperative Extension 4-H Internship where she worked on the 4-H Aquaponics Project (with Carla!) and began work on an educational demonstration fish tank in the Cooperative Extension 4-H STEM office in Orono.

Leah is excited to join the team and can’t wait to get to know everyone! She welcomes any questions you may have and can be reached via email at leah.mccluskey@maine.edu or by phone at (207) 667-8212.     

Remembering Dwight Sargent  – On June 25, many members of the 4-H community and beyond gathered to celebrate the life of long-time volunteer Dwight Sargent. Dwight passed away in November 2021, leaving a hole in the heart of our community. His contributions and dedication to 4-H are unparalleled, and we miss him dearly. Read his full obituary.

Leaders’ Meeting – The next Leaders’ Association meeting will be hybrid (in-person or Zoom) on Tuesday, July 12, at 4:30 pm. All 4-H Volunteers will now receive the zoom link in the newsletter email. Contact carla.scocchi@maine.edu for info.

4-H Open House – The 4-H Open House is a new event for Hancock County! We will be offering hands-on workshops and activities like watercolor painting, a touch tank, water puzzles, lessons on pollinators, farm animal meet and greets and so much more. There will also be information about Extension programs such as Master Gardener Volunteers, Eat Well Volunteers, and Extension Homemakers. We want to share all that 4-H has to offer, so this event will be open to the general public in Hancock County. Invite your friends, family, and neighbors! For registration information please visit the 4-H Open House webpage.

Fridays on the Farm: in Hancock County! – You are invited to join Maine 4-H staff for Fridays on the Farm, a series of hands-on learning experiences for Maine teens. In this series of farm tours, participants will explore possible careers in agriculture, learn about the Maine Food System, and practice real-life farm skills.  Participants may join one, or all of the farm visits. This year, one of the featured farms is our very own Lone Spruce Farm, owned and operated by 4-H Volunteer Kristin Beauchamp! She will be hosting youth on Friday, August 5. 4-H enrollment is not a requirement for participation, so share this opportunity with your friends! All youth ages 12-18 are welcome to participate. For more information on the available farm tours or to register visit the website.

Blue Hill Fair Exhibit Hall –  Start thinking about what projects to enter in the 4-H Exhibit Hall this year! Categories range from “Aquatic Life, Leadership, Nature Collections, Outdoors, Writing Sampler, Crafts”, and more! Remember that there are options to enter individual exhibits as well as club exhibits – and that everyone receives a cash premium! Your project can be dropped off at the Extension Office before Monday, August 29th. Remember, Entry Forms and Exhibit/Life Skills Cards are required and are available online. The 4-H theme of the 2022 Blue Hill Fair is “Get Rooted in 4-H”. We look forward to displaying your work to the public!

4-H Photo Contest – Are you an avid photographer? New to the hobby? No matter what skill level, we encourage you to get out and practice your photography skills.  Entries submitted to the 4-H Photo Contest will be judged and the highest scorers will receive a cash prize.

The 2022 Photo Contest deadline is August 1, 2022. For contest rules & guidelines, and to see past entries, visit our web page.

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 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 26th or the fifteen-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 needed for 4-H Food Booth and Steer Ticket Table – 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 (September 1 – 5). We need:

  • Youth 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.

Club News

Horse of Course
At our June meeting, the Horse of Course club members made a fleece tie blanket to be raffled off by the Cottontail Cottage Farm Sanctuary in Cherryfield to raise money to help care for their animals. It is approximately 64 x 53. Our club will meet again in September. See the featured photo at the top of this page for a picture of the blanket! Submitted by club leader Elaine.

State News

    1. 4-H Summer Learning Series
      After an incredibly successful 4-H Summer Learning Series over the past two years, Maine 4-H is once again offering virtual experiential learning workshops and clubs to youth ages 5-18 from July 5 – August 5, 2022. Topics range from engineering, art, science, animals & agriculture, food & nutrition, teen leadership, and more. 
      Registration is now open! For more information and to register, visit the 4-H Summer Learning Series webpage.
    2. Fridays on the Farm is Back!
      You are invited to join Maine 4-H staff for Fridays on the Farm, a series of hands-on learning experiences for Maine teens. In this series of farm tours, participants will explore possible careers in agriculture, learn about the Maine Food System, and practice real-life farm skills.  Participants may join one, or all of the farm visits. 4-H enrollment is not a requirement for participation, so share this opportunity with your friends! All youth ages 12-18 are welcome to participate. For more information on the available farm tours or to register visit the website.
    3. Looking for 4-H Alumni & Members Attending UMaine!
      If you are a current or former 4-H member planning to attend UMaine this fall, know of a 4-H member currently attending UMaine, or know of recent 4-H alumni attending UMaine, read this! Collegiate 4-H is an opportunity for 4-H alumni and college students interested in supporting the mission of 4-H to be involved in 4-H after high school. We are currently exploring starting a Collegiate 4-H Club at UMaine with an anticipated start date for the 2022 fall semester. Simply fill out this short form to let us know if you think you might be interested!
    4. Save the Date for the Maine 4-H State Dairy Show
      The Maine 4-H State Dairy show will be July 22nd-24th at the Windsor Fairgrounds. The event is open to all Maine 4-H dairy project members 4-H ages 9 and above. In addition to the 4-H dairy show, the event includes a 4-H dairy fitting contest, grilled cheese contest, and educational workshops.  For additional information and a schedule of events please visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/maine-4-h-state-dairy-show/.
    5. Animal Science Health, Nutrition, and Parasite Prevention Panel
      Join us at the Magic Lantern Innovation Lab, 9 Depot Street Bridgton, on July 9th, at 10:00 am for a free workshop. Learn from a panel of veterinarians and nutrition experts on the health and wellness of animals. From your dog and backyard goats to poultry and large livestock. Don McLean, DVM and Paul G. Rudenberg, DVM will provide information followed by a question and answer session to help you keep your animals safe and well. Contact susan.jennings@maine.edu for more information.
    6. Upcoming 4-H Working Steer Events:
      Save the date for upcoming 4-H working steer shows! In order to qualify and be a part of the Maine ESE Working Steer Team, you must attend two of the three tryouts. The tryout events are:
  • Saturday, July 9th at Ossipee Valley Fair
  • Saturday, July 23rd at Windsor Fairgrounds
  • Thursday, August 11th at Skowhegan Fair

For more information on upcoming 4-H working steer events and the Maine ESE Working Steer Team, please visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/working-steer/ or contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.

  • EFNEP Recipe of the Month: Frozen Strawberry Sandwiches
    It’s summer in Maine, and whether you are at the lake, the mountains, camping, or enjoying time in your own backyard, there is nothing better than barbecue. Nothing tastes quite as good as a burger cooked on a grill or some amazing crispy chicken. Do you need a quick, refreshing dessert after a day out barbequing? Our Frozen Strawberry Sandwiches are an amazing treat to finish off that BBQ! By Debbie Barnett (EFNEP CEA in Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo counties – deborah.barnett@maine.edu).

    Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) offers FREE nutrition education classes to income-eligible adults with children, or young adults 19-25 years old, and if you are eligible for programs such as SNAP, WIC, or Head Start. Find out more online.

Leaders Meeting Minutes

Hancock County 4-H Leaders Meeting of June 14th, 2022

–Zoom Meeting–

Present– Lisa Carney, Lisa Reilich, Lee Sargent, Terry Swazey, Elaine Gokey, and office staff Carla Scocchi and Leah McCluskey (online). (5)

Secretary’s Report– motion to accept the May report as written; motion seconded and accepted.

Treasurer’s Report– motion to accept the report as read by Terry, seconded and accepted.

Club Reports– Rails and trails club had a meeting on Sunday centered on Jamboree. Horse of Course is meeting tomorrow night.

Old Business

  • Jamboree- 4 horse track youth signed up, 5 signed up for workshops. Workshops that were the most popular are Archery and water puzzles. Let’s reschedule the workshops and regroup for later in the summer (mid July to August). The horse group will decide soon if they want to reschedule. *update 6/15/22- Jamboree will be postponed to a later date, we will reimagine the event as a 4-H Open House open to the general public
  • Steer Tickets- Lisa has them.
  • CWF- One youth will be attending this year.

New Business

  • Blue Hill Fair- need to start planning
  • College Scholarship- the applicant was reviewed last week and they will be receiving $600. We need to contact the school, there is probably a form letter made up by Joyce. 
  • Dwight’s memorial will be next weekend from 10-12 at the BHF. 

Office Report

  • Still no applications for Admin Support staff, spread the word.
  • Sue will be out on vacation for the next 2.5 weeks.

Adjourned at 5:42

Respectfully submitted 

Lisa Carney, Secretary