Piscataquis County 4-H Newsletter, May 2026

May 7, 2026 4-H, News

Table of Contents

Piscataquis County 4-H Calendar

  • May 11: June Jamboree registration opens for enrolled 4-H’ers 
  • May 16, 11:30 am -2:30 pm: The Joy Truck Kids 4-H, Bernard Jones Post 92, Brownville Junction. Work on the Black Fly and accessories with Merrilee and Danielle
  • May 23, 11:30 am -2:30 pm: The Joy Truck Kids 4-H, Bernard Jones Post 92, Brownville Junction. 
  • May 21, 6-7 pm: Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey—Register for this free Zoom webinar with Jen Lobley. 
  • May 30, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm: 4-H Archery Shooting Sports Leader Training for Volunteers at Greenland Point 4-H Camp, Princeton, ME. Registration can be found on their website. Cost $85 (paid by Piscataquis 4-H for vetted volunteers)
  • May 30, 10 am – 1 pm: Pollen Palooza, Explore the fascinating world of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators through hands-on, family-friendly activities. Rogers Farm 914 Bennoch Road, Old Town. A full schedule and details can be found on their website.
  • June 6, 9:00 am- 3:00 pm: Black Fly Festival, Veterans Memorial Park, Milo, ME. Kids area with Penquis and Piscataquis 4-H
  • June 12-13: June Jamboree, Blue Hill Fairgrounds 
  • June 17, 3:30- 5:00 pm: Introduction to 4-H Community Workshop, Bernard Jones Post 92, Brownville Junction. This program is free. Visit the event page to register. 

Welcome to the Piscataquis County 4-H Newsletter

Welcome to the Piscataquis County 4-H online newsletter, where we’ll keep folks updated on what’s happening in 4-H around the county, state, and nation! We’ll promote nearby in-person events and online opportunities for youth and families offered through UMaine Extension and other trusted community partners.

County 4-H News

Nightwings 4-H Archery Club

The Nightwings 4-H Archery Club is seeking 4-H volunteers to share the responsibility of monitoring youth during target practice. While Levi is offering instruction on the range, at least one 4-H-certified volunteer must be present to support youth who are not shooting.

Parents of Nightwings archers are urged to enroll and complete the Volunteer Application Process, e-Learning Modules, and Core Training for New 4-H Volunteers in ZSuite under Clover Academy. Instructions for accessing ZSuite and Clover Academy can be found on our website. 

The Joy Truck Project 4-H Collaborative

The Joy Truck Project and 4H share the philosophy that centering the ideas and dreams of youth is beneficial for the wholeHula hoops, wire, cardboard, and duct tape armature supported by storage bin and traffic cone neighborhood. Based on conversations with the kiddos in Brownville Junction over the last summer and this winter, we found ourselves strategizing the construction of a big black fly puppet and decorations for a float for Milo’s annual Black Fly Festival parade. We are grateful the American Legion Hall was available for our monthly Saturday meeting, as well as three “work party” days over April vacation. We were able to get a good start on materializing several of the kids’ ideas.

Although our visiting artist and puppeteer was unable to join us, she provided generous notes, photos, and instructions. We first started out by framing the fly with hula hoops we had on board the Joy Truck and added wire, cardboard, and duct tape for additional structure. Once we had the basic armature of the body, we moved into the kitchen to make air-dry clay for another project idea generated during a winter brainstorm session. We wrapped up our Saturday with pizza and experimentation with toilet paper tube flowers.

Tuesday, we added the plastic fence to the frame, suspended the fly body, and added the layer of papier-mache. We also usedDiluted white glue and paper applied to suspended armature by child crouching in foreground plastic fencing for the fly’s eyes and proboscis. We enjoyed Chef Ravyn’s taco bar and started making large flowers with available materials. On Wednesday (Earth Day!), we took down the black fly and turned it over to finish drying. Danielle B and Wendy B came from the Milo Garden Club, and we planted seeds. We also made black flies with the homemade air-dry clay and pull tabs, and worked on flowers. Thursday, we reinforced the fly’s neck area, added legs made from swimming pool noodles, and made and painted 1 set of wings. We also worked on flowers, had some active play time, and moved the fly into the Joy Truck.

Merrilee and Danielle will be at the American Legion Hall on Saturday, May 16th, from 11:30 am-2:30 pm to facilitate working on the big black fly and other float elements. The next weekend, on May 23rd, our guest artist and puppeteer, Annie Bailey, will join us to strategize on how the puppet might become operational during the parade. As always, we welcome all friends and families in the region to The Joy Truck 4-H activities.

We are looking forward to hosting a Joy Truck 4H community workshop session on June 17, 3:30-5:00 pm. This is an opportunity forBlack fly body with pool-noodle legs wedged into cab of The Joy Truck parents and other community members to learn more about 4-H from UMaine Extension Professor of Volunteer Development, Jen Lobley. Teenagers are encouraged to attend!

The Joy Truck Recycles!

Help supply the Joy Truck Kids with clothes and other cast-off items for weaving projects, puppets, and their float for the Black Fly Festival! Drop off donations at the Extension office in Dover-Foxcroft during open hours (M, Th, F 8-4) or at the Legion Hall when Joy Truck Kids 4-H are meeting (11:30 am-2:30 pm on May 16 and 23).

Save/collect for Joy Truck Kids to repurpose:

  • T-shirts and knit tops
  • Paper towel and toilet paper tubes
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Paper bags
  • Bottle caps
  • Yarn
  • Paint and other art and craft supplies

Independent Art Explorations Club

Independent artists are each working on at least one art project they plan to complete by the end of September. While the final project may be created in digital media, it is important to develop skills of observation and rendition in traditional media as well. Sketchbooks are one of the primary ways artists work out ideas for their projects. Getting together with other artists to exchange ideas and share techniques and tips is another! As we learned from Josh, cultivating relationships with others enriches our own artistic practice.

As Fair season approaches, members may begin finishing and selecting artworks to exhibit. Many fairs limit youth to 3 exhibits per project area (2-D Fine Art, Digital Art, Arts & Crafts, etc). Each project area should have a corresponding 4-H Project Record underway. A 4-H Project Record documents an individual’s progress in their chosen project area. Exhibiting at the fair is often a goal or step toward a goal that youth have set for themselves. Fairs are not the culmination of work like it is for those who raise animals for State Fair auctions, but it is a great opportunity for youth to show the public what they’ve been working on all year in 4-H!

Dominoes with Jewel

This summer, folks will have 4 opportunities to build and topple domino constructions with Jewel Anderson. We’ll build walls,Dominoes falling around a circular table towers, and branching lines, all designed to collapse in accordance with the laws of physics. Bring patience, steady hands, and a sense of humor! We will meet from 1:00-3:00 pm under the pavilion at Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft on July 1, 15, 29, and August 12. Piscataquis 4-H will provide light refreshments. 

Growing Piscataquis 4-H 

4-H programming in Piscataquis County depends on caring adults to share their time and skills with youth. From leading or co-leading a club to helping with transportation or snacks, growing 4-H takes a community! Maine 4-H is working to offer more support and make volunteering less intimidating with some new initiatives.

Another round of Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey Training is coming up this spring. Jen Lobley, UMaine Extension’s volunteer specialist, leads this one-hour live Zoom introduction to 4-H volunteering. Jen offers these sessions several times throughout the year. The session is free, and registration is required.

Want to access the material on your own time? There’s a new module available in ZSuite in the Clover Academy section! Content includes the concepts of positive youth development and the 4-H Thriving model, experiential learning, ages and stages, and highlights the three-way partnership between USDA/NIFA, UMaine, and county government. The module should take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. A certificate will be generated and emailed to you at the end.

There’s a new Lunch and Learn series that might be of interest if you’re considering volunteering with 4-H in any capacity. You don’t have to be a volunteer, and you don’t have to pre-register! Find the first Friday half-hour Lunch and Learn sessions on the 4-H Volunteer Huddle webpage. Recordings of past sessions are also available on the webpage.

Lastly, 4-H Volunteer Connections are structured to offer connection, engagement, and networking for 4-H volunteers in the whole Northeast Region (CT, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, and WV)! These Zoom meetings start with “connection before content,” fun icebreaker games and conversation. We then move to the evening topic, sometimes led by experts from different states or volunteers as teams or panelists. Volunteers get the chance to spend time in breakout rooms with individuals from other parts of the region to share ideas and learn from one another. You may register for upcoming sessions or watch past sessions of 4-H Volunteer Connections here. 

Have a skill to share, but can’t commit to leading a club? Contact Trisha by email (trisha.smith1@maine.edu) and make an appointment or stop by the office during the hours we’re open (Monday, Thursday, Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm) to see Anette.

 

Piscataquis County 4-H welcomes caring adults who want to make more opportunities available for our youth. Completing the application, introductory training, background check, and interview may be daunting, but we will help you through it. Get started on the How Do I Become a Volunteer? page, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you hit a snag.

Contact Trisha by email (trisha.smith1@maine.edu) and make an appointment or stop by the office during the hours we’re open: (Monday, Thursday, Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm) to see Anette.

State 4-H News

Aquaculture Builders SPIN Club

Who: Youth ages 11 – 14

When: Tuesdays – June 2 – July 7, 2026, from 3:00 – 4:00 pm

Where: Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center

What: The Aquaculture Builders SPIN Club will explore how and why we grow aquatic organisms, such as oysters and kelp, through an engineering lens. Participants will learn about the diverse range of species we grow right here in Maine, and beyond! We’ll use that knowledge to complete a hands-on engineering challenge tailored to each species. Hope to see you there!

Register by May 26, 2026

Please register at our event page.

For any questions or to request a reasonable accommodation, please email Tess Hureau at tess.hureau@maine.edu or call 207.667.8212.

2026 4-H Summer Learning Series

It’s that time of year again – the 4-H Summer Learning Series is coming right along, and registration will open for enrolled Maine 4-H members on May 22, and for the general public on June 5, 2026. Workshops will cover a range of topics – favorites like Adulting 101 and Dissect and Detect, as well as loads of new areas: Intro to Game Lab, Mission to Mars, Science, and Art! Workshops will run from July 6 – August 7, 2026. Find out more on the 4-H Summer Learning website.

The Alfond Grant

Hey there! Do you have a child or grandchild born in Maine on or after January 1, 2013? Guess what? They’ve got something special called a $500 Alfond Grant waiting for them! (The Grant was also available on a more limited basis from 2008 to 2012).

The Alfond Grant is a jumpstart for a child’s education after high school. By the time they graduate from high school, their Alfond Grant could be worth up to $2,000!

The great part is that the Alfond Grant can be used for all sorts of education, such as college, trade school, or even certificates. And it can be used in Maine as well as outside the state.

Curious to know more? Check out the My Alfond Grant website to get all the details. This grant is
just the beginning of exciting possibilities for your child’s future education!

June Jamboree

 June Jamboree is back for another exciting weekend, and you’re invited! The 2026 June Jamboree will be held on June 12-13 at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds in Hancock County. 4-Hers can plan to camp with us on the fairgrounds on the 12th, and wake ready to participate in fun-filled workshops and activities on the 13th! 

Workshops will include: 

  • hands-on crafts
  • engineering 
  • and animal science 

The “Anytime Science” and “Anytime Craft” tables will run between workshops all day on Saturday, June 13 – be sure to stop by to explore! Registration will open to enrolled 4-H members on May 11th. Workshops are first-come, first-served, so don’t delay! The public may begin registering on May 18th. Registration closes June 6th. Look at our June Jamboree webpage to find the workshop schedule, descriptions, information, and registration. 

New 4-H Rabbit and Poultry Opportunity!

4-H members now have an exciting new opportunity to showcase their skills at The Big E’s first 4-H Rabbit & Poultry Show! Open to youth ages 12 and above, this event is a great way to learn new skills, compete in regional 4-H shows, and connect with others who share an interest in rabbits and poultry.

Participants can look forward to a variety of engaging activities, including breed shows, showmanship competitions, agility contests, and more. Whether you’re experienced or just getting started, this event offers something for everyone. Interested in participating or learning more? Be sure to complete the Maine 4-H Poultry and Rabbit Team Interest Form.

For more information, please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971
or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.

4-H Working Steer Tryout Information

The show season is fast approaching! Working steer ESE intent forms (due May 1st), volunteer interest forms, team member guidelines, and apprentice guidelines are all available at extension.umaine.edu/4h/working-steer/. The dates for team tryouts are listed below.

ESE Working Steer Tryouts:

  • June 14, 2026, at Windsor Fairgrounds
  • July 11, 2026, Ossipee Valley Fair
  • August 13, 2026, Skowhegan Fair

If you have any questions, please contact Hillary Arsenault, ESE coordinator. at maineworkingsteer@gmail.com; 207.592.3320
or Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu; 207.342.5971

UMASS Vet Science Academy

Massachusetts 4-H Animal Science and UMASS Vet Science will be welcoming students, ages 13 to 18, interested in veterinary science as a potential career to the UMASS Hadley Farm. There will be two sessions to choose from: Session 1 will be Saturday, June 13th and 14th. Session 2 will be June 15th and 16th. Youth will be learning about the wide range of opportunities in this profession and will get tons of hands-on animal experience. Youth will be staying overnight in a UMASS dorm!

Register for the MA 4-H Explore Vet Science Session One.
Register for the MA 4-H Explore Vet Science Session Two.

If you are not an MA 4-Her, you will need to create a profile. Please select “state office” as your county. Registration will stay open until all slots are filled. Fees for this program will be $175 per attendee. Visit the payment page to pay. Financial assistance is available.

Got questions? Please email Andrew at asamuelson@umass.edu.

NEW DATES: Maine 4-H Ag Ambassadors – Spring 2026

Maine 4-H is now accepting registrations for the spring 2026 Agriculture Ambassadors cohort! The program is designed for youth ages 13-18 who are interested in any aspect of agriculture.  Youth spend time getting to know each other and learn both online and in- person in sessions facilitated by UMaine 4-H Staff and community partners. Sessions will focus on career exploration, exploring the Maine Food System with farm and production visits around the state, and building relationships with industry professionals.

This season, we will visit local Maine Ag businesses like Libby Maple, Yeti Ridge Farm, and more. Transportation assistance for these events may be available upon request.

In addition to the multi-week session, youth will serve in their ambassador role with Maine 4-H for at least 1 year. Youth will pick an agricultural area to focus on (ex. livestock, ag literacy/food systems, environmental stewardship, ag and health) during their term and explore leadership opportunities locally, statewide, and even nationally. Register today!

Spring 2026 Dates
Online: April 26, May 6, May 13, May 20, & May 27

Maine Agriculture Symposium at the University of Maine: April 19-21 (two nights), we try to offer transportation as best we can.

To register, visit the Maine 4-H Agricultural Ambassador Program page. For more information
or a reasonable accommodation, please contact Alisha Targonski at
alisha.targonski@maine.edu or 207.622.7546.

Fryeburg Market Lamb Intent Forms Due June 5, 2026

Intent forms for Fryeburg Fair market lambs are now available online. Market Lambs must be owned and in possession of a 4-H’er by June 1, 2026, and must be a castrated male. To be eligible for participation, 4-H members must meet the following requirements: Send Intent to Sell Form, original bill of sale/value of lamb statement, and pictures of your
animal (front and side view) to your county office by June 5th.

Animal approval forms for lambs must include the scrapie tag number and list “Fryeburg
Sale” as the show class.

Additional requirements, as well as the fillable online form, can be found online on our Fryeburg Fair information page.

For more information, please contact Sadee Mehuren at
207.342.5971; sadee.mehuren@maine.edu or the State 4-H Office at 207.581.3877.

It’s Time to Think About Summer Camp!

Looking to take your Maine 4-H Experience to a new level? Check out the summer programs at your UMaine 4-H Camps! Opportunities for living in community, making new friends, building a sense of belonging, and honing your skills in a whole variety of program options, such as outdoor skills, shooting sports, STEM, creative arts, ecology, gardening, teamwork, and teen leadership. Each camp has scholarship opportunities to offset tuition costs, and your County 4-H Programs have scholarships to attend camp, too. One to three-week sessions available in both day and overnight settings. We hope to see you there!

  • Blueberry Cove, Tenants Harbor in Knox County. Dates: June 21-August 14, 2026.
  • Bryant Pond, Bryant Pond in Oxford County. Dates: June 21-August 14, 2026.
  • Greenland Point, Princeton in Washington County. Dates: June 28-July 31, 2026.
  • Tanglewood, Lincolnville in Waldo County. Dates: June 21-August 21, 2026.

Bryant Pond and Greenland Point contact, Bethany: 207.665.2068
Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove contact, Emma: 207.789.5868

May 2026 4-H Volunteer Corner: Your Corner for Connection, Tips, and Tricks

4-H Volunteer Huddle:

Join us for the last “gather and learn session” in this year’s series. We meet on the first Friday of each month from 12:00-12:30 pm via Zoom. Whether you are an experienced 4-H volunteer or just getting started, we’d love to see you there! No registration required!

Please note: The Zoom link and password will be emailed to all enrolled 4-H volunteers, or you can email Tara Wood tara.a.wood@maine.edu to request it.

Did you Mark Your Calendar?

The Maine 4-H Volunteer Summit is going to be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Maine Arts Academy in Augusta! More details to come in the upcoming months, 4-H volunteers from across the state will enjoy engaging workshops, opportunities to build meaningful connections, and gain fresh ideas to enhance their impact in 4-H programs. Lunch will be provided.

Resources

With fair season just around the corner, it’s not too early to help your 4-H youth start to think about good sportsmanship! What is it? And how do you demonstrate it? Check out this Michigan 4-H Life Skills Activity: Sportsmanship: What is it? Here are some additional variations of the activity to try:

  • Ball Toss- Choose some of the qualities listed in the activity and write them in different sections of a beach ball. Have members toss the ball- wherever their left thumb lands, ask them to give an example of how the term connects to sportsmanship. 
  • Gallery Walk- Hang four to six pieces of chart paper around the room- add a word from the activity to each piece of chart paper. Have pairs of youth participate in a gallery walk and add an example of how the word on each poster relates to sportsmanship. Once the pairs return to their original poster, have them share one or two ideas with the whole group.
  • Roll the Dice- List numbers 1-12 on a large piece of paper and list one quality by each number. During your opening circle, have everyone roll the dice- whichever number they roll, they give an example of how that quality relates to good sportsmanship.

The Piscataquis County 4-H Newsletter is published monthly.

For questions or more information, contact: Anette Moulton, Administrative Specialist, by email at anette.moulton@maine.edu, phone at 207.581.8182, or Trisha Smith, Positive Youth Development 4-H Professional, email trisha.smith1@maine.edu.

Office Hours: Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

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