June 2020

Send articles to cynthia.rogers@maine.edu

Be sure to scroll down to see State 4-H Office Core Newsletter, too!

Dear 4-Hers and Families,

As we prepare this newsletter, we know that many things will be different from the way they usually are as we enter our late spring/early summer activities. Clubs in Maine have been meeting by ZOOM or taking some time off. Look for more virtual 4-H opportunities in the coming weeks. We are not aware of any of our 4-H families who have contracted the COVID-19 virus, so we can be grateful for that. However, we must continue to follow the guidelines from the CDC and State of Maine to be sure we all continue to be safe and healthy. Please contact us if you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat!

Best wishes, Kathryn and Cindy

4-H staff in Knox and Lincoln Counties

All 4-H In-person Club Meetings and Events Canceled Until Further Notice

Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation in Maine, UMaine Extension is canceling all 4-H club meetings and in-person events until further notice (no matter what size group).

All county offices are closed until at least June 30, but most staff are working our regular hours from home. We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more information. Please contact the county office via email if you have specific questions. You can leave a voice mail message on the main office phone, but it may not be heard for several days.

Upcoming Events and Important Dates

June 19 Register for Virtual Summer Enrichment and Virtual Fair opportunities—Watch your email soon for details!

June 24 KL 4-H Check-in with Kathryn & Cindy; members, volunteers and families welcome! 3pm on Zoom

June 30 Applications and resumes due for 4-H Farm-to-Fair Youth Helper Program, now age 13-22!

July 9 KLLA Meeting, 6pm

June Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Sada-Lynn V., Alexandria R., Sol S., Zoe B., Demitri E., Zachary H., Kylee C., and Elizabeth E.!

2020 4-H Summer Programming

Although Union Fair and many other events have been canceled this year, 4-H Staff and volunteers are working hard to put together some non-traditional offerings for Maine 4-Hers this summer. Registration and other information will be available at https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/2020-4-h-summer-programming/ on June 19^th. Look for announcement emails very soon about virtual replacements for Exhibit Halls, Livestock Shows and Enrichment Activities. Scroll down to the State Core News for more programs already being offered!

4-H Check-in June 24

Kathryn and Cindy will be holding a Knox-Lincoln 4-H Check-in Zoom meeting on June 24 at 3:00pm for 4-H members, families and volunteers. We would like to know how you are doing. How are you continuing your project work this summer? If that seems too difficult, that is OK, too! What can we do to support you? Email Kathryn.a.jensen@maine.edu, or Cynthia.rogers@maine.edu for a link and phone number to the meeting. You can join with a computer or just call in! We look forward to seeing and hearing you!

Online Club Meetings

At this time, we are all adjusting to our new realities. Club leaders may be wondering HOW to connect with folks in their clubs during this time. The platform Zoom is a very popular option for many people. It can be used over and over again and allows free usage for meetings less than an hour. Leaders can sign up for the free version here: https://zoom.us/ and send out links to their members who will not need to “sign up” if they do not want to. Here you can find a short video tutorial on how to use Zoom (if you never have before).

Facebook Messenger also allows you to create groups and do video calls with many users, and this is also free. The first 6 participants will show up on video but group up to 50 can have access to all the audio capabilities. Users need to have a Facebook Messenger account to access this. Also, this video feature works best on the Google Chrome browser. Contact Cindy or Kathryn if you have questions or need ideas about safely connecting with your club!

Congratulations to High School Grads!

4-H of Knox and Lincoln Counties would like to congratulate six 4-H members who have graduated from High School in 2020: Pearl B., Anthony B., Serena B., Nathan D., Elizabeth E., and Jordan O.! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

Congratulations to Oxton Trust Scholarship Winners!

The Maine 4-H Foundation has announced the Maine 4-H Scholarships for 2020. Congratulations to all of the recipients!

Two Knox-Lincoln 4-H members were awarded scholarships from the Oxton Trust, given annually to 4-H members from Knox or Lincoln County by the KL 4-H Leaders’ Association. Congratulations to the first recipient, Anthony B. of the Aldermere Achievers 4-H Club! He plans to major in anthropology at Dickinson College with the goal of becoming an archeologist.

Congratulations to the second recipient, another member of the Aldermere Achievers 4-H Club, Elizabeth E.! Elizabeth has been accepted to Ohio State Agricultural Technical Institute where she plans to study animal sciences to become a veterinarian.

New Format for 4-H Farm-to-Fair Youth Helpers – 4-H Alum Can Apply Too!

The Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders’ Association is seeking three young people to work with 4-H staff in updating the 4-H Farm-to-Fair exhibit. The program is open to 4-H members or 4-H alumni pursuing post-secondary education age 13-22. Scholarship funds will be awarded to the helpers with the expectation that each team member contributes equally to the planning and execution of updates made to the exhibit. These funds may be used by currently enrolled youth to attend Citizenship Washington Focus, 4-H National Congress, 4-H National Conference, Leadership Development Programs at Tanglewood, Blueberry Cove, Greenland Point or Bryant Pond 4-H Camps, or another Extension staff-approved leadership program. For 4-H alumni, scholarship funds may be used for tuition or book/materials expenses incurred at a post-secondary educational program.

Candidates chosen for this position will assist staff in updating the commodity barns with new educational materials, as well as potentially utilizing audio/video technology, and/or other ideas for setting up F2F to be a self-guided exhibit. This is a creative and collaborative process requiring brainstorming, planning, creating, and ultimately assembling a revamped F2F exhibit. This includes working collaboratively with other helpers and 4-H staff via online meetings, working independently on tasks contributing to the team plan, sharing your work for discussion/editing with the group, and utilizing creative brain power to set up F2F so that it can be self-guided. Successful candidates will commit to working independently and with the team and meet all deadlines.

The maximum scholarship amount will be $500 for each helper. The project will end by August 25, 2020. Applications and 4-H resumes due June 30.

Cancellation of the 4-H Camp and Learning Centers 2020 Summer Camp Season

Sadly, the 4-H Camp and Learning Centers across Maine made the announcement that the 2020 summer camp season is canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are waiving the refund policy and offering full refunds for summer 2020 to those who had already registered.

Welcome New 4-H Leaders!

Knox-Lincoln 4-H gained three new adult 4-H Volunteers in March! Carney McRae may be familiar to some who remember her time as 4-H Educator in Knox and Lincoln Counties! She plans to join Pam Breyer and Zac Cornish in a 4-H SPIN Club called Island Guides in affiliation with Friends of Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge (FOMCI) and the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge (MCINWR). Once it is underway, this SPIN Club will be focused on the Gulf of Maine. Welcome to all of you!

State 4-H Office Core Newsletter

4-H At-Home Aquaponics Project

For youth ages 9+ interested in fish, gardening, engineering, aquaculture, and/or simply learning something new—we have a summer project for you! The 4-H At-Home Aquaponics Project is an experiential learning program delivered virtually beginning in Summer 2020, in partnership with the UMaine Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR). The program will include learning experiences in introductory aquaponic systems and design, fish husbandry, aquaponic gardening, cooking and nutrition, and more! Prior experience with aquaponics is not required. The program leaders will mentor youth through the stages of designing and building an aquaponics system through maintenance and harvest. Youth complete their project independently at home (with adult supervision), but they are also members of a state-wide group of youth who will meet regularly via Zoom from July-October 2020. More info and registration is online.

What is Aquaponics? Aquaponics is a type of farming that combines raising fish in tanks (aquaculture) and growing plants without soil (hydroponics). In an aquaponics system, the plants use nutrient-rich water from the fish tank while purifying the water for the fish. Aquaponic farming can be done year-round, indoors, and in any climate. It is a fun and different way to grow your own food that is safe, easy, and fresh!

Learn at Home: Educational Resources

The UMaine Cooperative Extension has assembled this collection of helpful educational resources for parents and caregivers. From science to financial literacy, whether for toddlers or teenagers, we encourage you to take advantage of these activity books, guides, and other resources to help children remain engaged in educational experiences throughout the summer.

4-H “Learn at Home” BINGO

Looking for some fun family activities you can do from your own home? Maine 4-H invites you to play 4-H Learn at Home BINGO! Register online to receive your Bingo Board for the month of June.

Virtual UMaine Webpage

If you’re interested in attending college at UMaine, there is a dedicated web page for students to learn more information since Accepted Student Days and Open House Programs have been canceled for the spring. Check it out!