KL 4-H Newsletter—July 2024
Send articles to cynthia.rogers@maine.edu
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
July 5 – August 10 4-H Summer Learning Series, online
July 19 – 21 Maine 4-H Days, Windsor Fairgrounds
July 19 – 21 Maine 4-H Dairy Show, Windsor Fairgrounds
August 8 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders’ Association (KLLA) Meeting, 6:00pm, online only
September 30 4-H Project Records are due—see article below
September 30 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photography Contest entries due
July Birthdays
Happy Birthday to Lenox A., Oliver C., Sabrinnah D., Lexi L., Leah L., Emery N., and Paisley R.!
Welcome New 4-H Leader
Join us in welcoming a new Volunteer Leader to 4-H in Knox and Lincoln Counties! Anna Blank will be a club leader for the Aldermere Achievers 4-H Club in Rockport. In her new role as Farm Program Coordinator at Aldermere Farm, Anna will work with the club, as well as the Farm Hands Program, programs at Erickson Fields Preserve, and possible future developing areas. Welcome, Anna!
Project Records Due September 30…Why Submit a 4-H Project Record?
4-H members are encouraged to keep records as part of their learning experience. Your 4-H records present a picture of your growth and development as a 4-H member. It is a requirement for all Maine 4-H members ages 9 – 18 to complete a 4-H project record annually. Cloverbud members (5 – 8) should practice their record keeping skills in partnership with an older 4-H member or an adult partner/caregiver.
4-H members are encouraged to complete a project record for projects in which they have participated during the 2023/2024 4-H year. It is important to reflect on your experiences and set goals for the upcoming year. To be considered for recognition at the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Year-End Celebration, 4-H members must complete at least the required basic project record and submit it for evaluation by September 30. Other sections can be added to present a more complete picture of your project.
Please note, you do not need to be finished with your project to complete a project record. We understand that many 4-H projects are ongoing and do not end at the same time as the 4-H year. If you are filing a project record for an ongoing or unfinished project, simply enter the information for your project up to the current date.
Evaluated records will be returned and awards announced at the 4-H Year-End Celebration in the fall (date to be determined). Project Record forms and Cloverbud Activity Record forms and instructions can be found online . Contact your club leader or this office if you have questions or need help. DON’T WAIT to the last minute!
Plan to Enter the 2024 Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photo Contest
Start taking photos for the Knox-Lincoln 4-H Photography Contest 2024! The top photos per age category will be exhibited in the 4-H Gallery at the Knox-Lincoln Extension office.
This contest is open to any Knox-Lincoln 4-H member age 9 and up. Entries will be accepted through September 30, 2024. Members can enter up to four photos taken between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024. Keep snapping those great photos! Contact Cindy Rogers at 207.832.0343 or cynthia.rogers@maine.edu if you have questions.
Union Fair 2024!
Thank you to all the members, parents, and volunteers who did everything that they could to make Ag Days at Union Fair 2024 memorable and to showcase the best of 4-H! The public often comments on how professionally 4-H members present themselves, and how knowledgeable you are about your projects. You have all done us proud!
Thank you to our five 4-H Farm-to-Fair Youth Helpers, Kyra B., Arianna C., Anthony D., Sabrinnah D., and Sadie O. for doing a fantastic job making everything run smoothly! Thank you to all of the 4-H volunteers and parents for helping out, especially Patty Dube and Carrie Burridge who filled in the gaps and were always available to help. It means a lot!
We received about 170 projects in the Exhibition Yurt, plus five excellent club exhibits! Congratulations to the Jolly Farmers, Jolly Juniors, and Byre Clan 4-H Clubs for taking the top three scores for club exhibits.
All of our scheduled shows went well: the Rabbit and Cavy, Small Domestic Pet, and Working Steer shows, as well as the Cloverbud Demonstration show, where Adam E. made his debut as judge. We even got our first entry in the new Cavy show! Of course, several Knox-Lincoln 4-H members participated in the Youth Beef, Sheep, and Livestock Showmanship events at Union Fair as well. Thank you all for participating.
Between the gift basket raffle and donations given at the yurt and at 4-H Farm-to-Fair, $516.00 was raised for Knox-Lincoln 4-H during the fair, even though it was a short 4 days! Thanks to the clubs, members, and volunteers who contributed to the fabulous raffle offerings, and to those who sold tickets and generally represented 4-H in a positive way!
Aldermere Achievers at National Belted Galloway Show in Ohio
4-H Summer Learning Series
Registration for the 4-H Summer Learning Series is in full swing! There are still several workshops available for youth to sign up for: Virtual Touch Tank, Fun in the Forest, and our Summertime Send-Off are still available. This year, workshops will run from July 5 – August 10, and there is something for everyone. Registration for the 4-H Summer Learning Series is currently open for all youth, 4-H membership not required.
Maine 4-H State Dairy Show Registration is Open!
Maine 4-H invites you to participate in the 2024 Maine 4-H State Dairy Show! This year’s event will take place from July 19 – 21 at the Windsor Fairgrounds in conjunction with Maine 4-H Days. The contests are open to all 4-H dairy project members ages 9 and above and include a grilled cheese and milkshake cookoff, a dairy cattle fitting contest, and a dairy cattle show. Register online. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or Allison Pollock at 207.781.6099.
Summer at 4-H Camps at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove
The UMaine 4-H Camps at Blueberry Cove and Tanglewood have summer camp openings and scholarships to support Maine youth to attend. We are excited to connect 4-Hers to our programs. Overnight camps and Discovery Trips, ages 8 – 15: Week-long programs at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove or adventures along the Appalachian Trail or Downeast Farm Camp with Painted Pepper Farm. Teen Leadership programs, ages 14 – 17: Two and three-week immersion trips to build leadership skills while exploring Maine’s beautiful natural areas via canoeing and backpacking.
We have scholarships available to cover up to 75% of the tuition for these programs. Funding is also available for first-time campers from National 4-H via CAMP III funds! Check out programs online. Email emma.beaudry@maine.edu, or call 207.789.5868 for more information.
4-H Tick Project
The 4-H Tick Project is a community science project engaging K – 12 youth and educators, made possible through a partnership between 4-H Youth Development, UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab, Maine Forest Tick Survey, and members of the Learning Ecosystems Northeast partnership. The project provides youth an opportunity to explore ticks and tick-borne diseases, which is a connected story of climate, ecosystem change, and public health.
All educators interested in teaching about ticks in Maine are encouraged to participate in the project at no cost to you. This is a great project for 4-H clubs, SPIN clubs, home school groups, and more.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Knox and Lincoln Counties
377 Manktown Road, Waldoboro, Me 04572
207-832-0343, 1-800-244-2104 (in Maine), TDD 1-800-287-8957
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).