July 2019 4-H Newsletter

July 9, 2019 4-H News

4-H Happenings

A monthly newsletter for Hancock County 4-H Members

Download the PDF

Upcoming Dates to Remember

July 9 – 6:15pm – Leaders’ Meeting – Extension Office – beginning with root beer floats!
July 19 – Photos for 4-H County Photo Contest are Due in the Extension Office
July 19-21 – Maine 4-H Days at the Windsor Fairgrounds
August 23 – Steer Tickets are due in the Extension Office
August 27 – 3-7:00 pm – Exhibits are due at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds
August 29 -September 2 – Blue Hill Fair – Blue Hill Fairgrounds

County News

2019 June Jamboree

A big thanks to all of the volunteers, youth, and families who contributed to another successful June Jamboree this year! Over 90 participants enjoyed a weekend full of learning, fun, and what felt like the first sunshine of the season! Youth participated in a range of hands-on workshops spanning topics in cooking, handcrafts, horse judging and riding, fiber arts, beekeeping, electricity, paper airplanes, and much more. The image to the right shows the top life skills that participants reported practicing – look at all those HEART skills in action! We also heard that as a result of June Jamboree, many of you are interested in cooking more, were physically active, felt a sense of belonging, and expressed positive attitudes about the new things that you learned. Overwhelmingly, almost everyone reported that the thing they enjoyed most was spending time together with the 4-H family. Thanks to everyone who completed the survey. We are so enthusiastic about June Jamboree and glad that you are, too!
Check out our Facebook page for Jamboree photos!

Leaders’ Meeting – Hancock County Leaders’ Association will meet Tuesday, July 9th starting at 6:15 with root beer floats! We encourage all county 4-H volunteers to join us for this important meeting as we get ready for the Blue Hill Fair!! The agenda includes all things summer -as we continue to spread our 4-H Seeds for Success in Hancock County. Join us to help make the best better! 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.

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 website.

Livestock Resource Books – The Hancock County Office has recently received the following resource handbooks for use by 4-H members. These are excellent resources and we hope that anyone interested will take advantage of them – please contact the Extension Office if you are interested in borrowing the following:

Beef Resource Handbook
Goat Resource Handbook
Sheep Resource Handbook
Dairy Resource Handbook
Llama and Alpaca Resource Handbook
Beginning Horse Management

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 is now updated on the Blue Hill Fair section of our website. 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!

Photo Contest – Pull out those cameras, cell phones and devices; start snapping away! Now’s the time to show off your photography talents. The annual Hancock County 4-H Photo Contest is open to ALL Hancock County 4-H Members. There are six categories.

Deadline to submit photos to the Extension Office: July 19, 2018. Full contest details can be found online: https://extension.umaine.edu/hancock/4h/photo-contest/.

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. 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.
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 (August 29 – Sept 2). 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 Joyce at the Extension Office to sign up for shift at the Food Booth and/or the Steer Ticket Table: joyce.fortier@maine.edu or 207-667-8212.

Club News

Spruced Up Homesteaders – We are *SO* proud of our club kids and families!! Our Spruced Up Homesteaders volunteered at the Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust, hindered not by rains nor bugs! Everybody worked together to steward our assigned trail, as well as cut a trail, with special thanks to our Land Steward Shawn Mercer for marking out and providing this important opportunity for the children to be mindful of our role in stewarding wild spaces! We’ve decided as a club to adopt a trail to tend, and we encourage everyone to connect with the trust to learn more about how they can support through donation and time!
In June we also explored the beautiful diverse world of fiber arts! We explored rabbit, sheep, and synthetic/wool blended fibers, discussed lanolin, and had a hand at felting, carding, spinning and just plain feeling different fibers! It was so much fun seeing the kids dig into this… I think I can confidently identify a few future fiber fanatics! Submitted by Club Leader, Kristin Beauchamp Peninsula Explorers

Peninsula Explorers – is having a fun summer with their “fisheries” session. We have helped form a bucket brigade at Pierces Pond to aid Alewife in their migration, and look forward to clam digging, visiting Craig Brook Fish Hatchery to learn about Salmon Restoration work, and hauling lobsters with Linda Greenlaw! Submitted by Club Leader, Chrissy Allen Rails N' Trails

Rails N’ Trails – This month we did not have a meeting. Instead we went to the annual Jamboree at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds. There were crafts, sheep and horse events on Saturday, with dog training and other events on Sunday. There was something for everyone. At the nightly bonfire we heard coyotes howling. People, aka Alex, wanted to go investigate. When Carla told everyone that Rosie was leaving the 4-H community everyone was very upset to hear the news. Everyone is looking forward to next years Jamboree. Submitted by Club Reporter Alyssa Sealy

Jolly Juniors – The Jolly Juniors fought the bugs and picked up trash along the roads of Waltham. This is our annual tradition of giving back to the community who started our club way back in 1931. The club is always joined by other kids and adults who just want to help out with the roadside clean up and we really appreciate the extra hands.
Planting the Town Office flower garden has become another community service project for our group. Cassidee, Addison, Jaxson, and some day 4-Her, Maeson planted the garden and the Jolly Juniors who attend the Waltham Sunday School keep it watered and weeded. Thank you to Joannie & Mercy for taking on this weekly project!
What fun the Jolly Juniors had at Jamboree! We made fairy homes, weaved, made felted soap, played in the touch tank, participated in the cooking challenge, and more. We loved watching the horse kids learn more about showing their horses and checking out the other animals that 4-Hers work with in their clubs.
The club officers took a planning meeting on the road. Somehow we managed to make some summer plans, count out steer tickets, AND eat ice cream!
Jolly Juniors would like to send a note of thanks to Rosie Evans. She always supported our club and encouraged us during county events. We are so glad you came and made wreathes with us! Thanks for all you gave to our club, our county, and 4-H in general. Submitted by Club Leader, Brenda Jordan

State News

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!
If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity, please contact Jessy Brainerd at jessica.brainerd@maine.edu or 207.581.3877.
4-H Horse Show at Union Fair – Maine 4-H Horse members: You are invited to participate in the 4-H Horse Show at Union Fair on Wednesday, August 21 starting at 9:00 am at Union Fairgrounds in Union, Maine. Open to all 4-H members, 4-H ages 9-18, in the State of Maine who are enrolled in a 4-H Horse Project. For more information and entry form,to download the Premium Book under Information>Printable Documents. Questions? Pamela Doherty, 207.832.0343, pamela.doherty@maine.edu.
4-H National Trip and CWF Winners – We recently held interviews for National Trips. Please join us in Congratulating the following winners for this year’s National Trips and also the delegates selected to attend 2019 Citizenship Washington Focus. We are proud to have you represent Maine 4-H!
Four Winners for National 4-H Congress will be headed to Atlanta, GA on November 29-December 3, 2019. Representing Cumberland County will be Don S, Matthew D., and from Kennebec County will be Andrew D., from Piscataquis County will be Gabrielle H, and the 1st Alternate is from Waldo County, Abbie K.
Four Winners for National 4-H Conference will travel to the National 4-H Center in Washington DC on March 28-April 2, 2020. Representing Cumberland County will be Natalie D, and Lauren P., and serving also from Cumberland County is 1st alternate Alyvia C, from Androscoggin-Sagadahoc will be Jordyn M., and from Piscataquis County will be Ingrid H.
Thirty Delegates for Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) will be traveling to Washington DC on June 29 – July 6, 2019. Delegates include: from Cumberland County: Emma H, Alyvia C, Aidan E, Eliana B, Nimo A, Marwo S, Salima K, Plamedia N; from Somerset County: Mackenzie J, Abigail G; from Knox-Lincoln County: Sadie O, Jeremy D, Savannah D, Nathan D; from Oxford County: Marina L; from Franklin County: Jack S, Johathan C, Alexis M; from Piscataquis County: Tyler L, Susannah H; from Penobscot County: Elizabeth D; and from Androscoggin-Sagadahoc County: Marissa M, Maddie G, Reginald B.

Leaders Meeting Minutes

June 11, 2019 Meeting

Present: Brenda Jordan (President), Heather Linnehan (VP), Lee Sargent, Terry Swazey (Treasurer), Dwight Sargent, Rosie Evans (CEA), Seth Murray, Carla Scocchi (4-H Professional)
Visitors: Marcia and Will Rytky, and son, Ryver Rytky.

Visitor from Cloverleaf Farm told about their farm and that they would like 4-H to come and use the facility for activities and not just horse. Explained what is available right now and what they hope to have in the future.

Secretary’s Report – May14th minutes as presented in County Newsletter was approved.
Treasurer’s Report – Treasurer’s report was approved as read.

Club Reports – Rails N’ Trails went to Jamboree. Horse of Course going to visit Barbara Grindle’s new horse barn and house. Horse & Rider youth passed Level 1 and Level 2 tests. They set up obstacles and everyone had fun. The club will not have meetings in July. Jolly Jr. did their annual roadside cleanup, planted garden at Town Office, the kids were very proud of their work. Cloverbuds finished their garden project with Judy Nevells. Cloverbuds are excited about going to visit a farm. Spruced up Homesteaders planted a garden, attended Jamboree, had a great time when Seth visited with excavator.

Old Business

Jamboree- Excellent weather, attendance good. It might be useful to have someone overseeing food. Discussed creating chaperone guidelines/expectations for next year. Horse track Saturday sessions may have been a bit too long. And thank you to everyone who brought extra toilet paper for the porta potties, it was very much appreciated. Suggested for next year: breakfast sandwiches. Discussed having opportunities for youth without their own animals to meet and learn about the livestock. Ideas were to have a time around lunch or maybe something on Sunday. Dwight said we might have electricity next year. They may be renting fairgrounds out more.

Hancock County 4-H Service Award will be worked on by Terry Swazey, Brenda Jordan, Lee Sargent. Hope to have something together to discuss next meeting.

Blue Hill Fair Book and the 4-H Exhibit Hall categories handout was given out at Jamboree and given to leaders at meeting. Keep an eye on the Hancock 4-H website on the Blue Hill Fair link which is in the works. Will be adding activities that youth can participate in like Beef cook-off, horse show, exhibit hall, etc.

Steer Tickets – ready for pick up

Food Booth – Lisa contacted Matt at Friends & Family Market. He confirmed that they are willing to do the food order again, and were wondering if we wanted whoopie pies. Leaders voted to sell whoopie pies and that we could get more than last year, but only if we can break order up for pick up so they don’t take up all of the refrigerator space. Definitely needs new siding, new doors, and replace some of the plywood along the bottom edge of the booth. One of the copper water lines connected to the hot water heater split this winter even though the tank was drained, so we’ll have to get a plumber to fix it. The propane is pretty low.. The filters in the hood above the grill need to be removed and pressure washed. Suggestions: Toddy Pond Builders / Travis (Seth knows)

New Business

Scholarships were awarded to Alia Parsons $600 and Donnie Evans $500

Blue Hill Fair – Activity Tent – discussed having touch tank , aquaculture activity led by kids in the summer Aquaculture Internship program and having the Tick lady do an activity. It is helpful having Beekeepers right beside us for they bring in the crowd.

Guidelines for cards, flowers, & donations – suggested we put ideas down in writing to be worked on at the next meeting.Office Report – Discussed the participation agreement form for events. The office will hire a temporary Community Education Assistant this summer, and begin the search for Rosie’s replacement. Hopefully the new person will start in the fall.

Adjourned 8:00
Submitted by Terry Swazey

Cooking with Kids

Frozen Strawberry Sandwiches

Makes 12 servings | Serving size: 1 sandwich

Ingredients

1½ cups strawberries, fresh or frozen
¾ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
12 graham crackers

Directions

Mash strawberries using a fork or potato masher. (If using frozen strawberries, partially thaw before mashing.)
Combine strawberries and yogurt in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
Snap each graham cracker in half.
Place a well-rounded tablespoon of the strawberry mixture on one cracker. Place another cracker on top to create a sandwich. Repeat to make 12 sandwiches.
Wrap each in plastic wrap, waxed paper, or a sandwich bag.
Put wrapped sandwiches on a flat surface in the freezer. Freeze for 2 to 4 hours.

Cooperative Extension in Hancock County