Waldo County 4-H Newsletter – July 2021

July 9, 2021 Waldo County 4-H Newsletter

Upcoming Dates

07/16 thru 08/6: 4-H Fridays on the Farm

07/23 & 24: Maine State 4-H Horse Clinic

07/24 & 07/25: Maine State Dairy Show

07/24: Maine 4-H Dog Clinic – Skowhegan

07/31: Union Fair Horse Clinic Registration Forms Due

08/25: Horse Show Union Fair

08/31: 4-H Exhibit Hall Entry Deadline

09/09: 4-H Leader’s Association Annual Meeting

11/2021: National 4-H Congress Trip

County News

Waldo County 4-H Leaders’ Association

The Waldo County 4-H Leader’s Association annual meeting will be September 9th at 10:30am via. All 4-H waldo county volunteers are invited to attend and participate in the meeting.

More information on how to join the meeting and the meeting agenda will be sent via email. We look forward to seeing you there!

4-H Lending Library

Did you know that Waldo County 4-H has a lending library? Housed in the Waldo County Cooperative Extension office is a 4-H lending library that is available to the Waldo County 4-H community. These resources include a variety of 4-H curriculum, educational tools, and technology.

If there is something you need to complete your 4-H project, whether it is an iPad or knitting needles, do not hesitate to reach out. The resources in the lending library are available even during the current COVID situation. To access resources in the library, contact the Waldo County Cooperative Extension office at 207.342.5971.

Congratulations to the Waldo County 4-H’s 2021 graduates! Finn 2021 4-H Graduate

Finn T. is graduating from North Haven Community School, a magnet boarding school. He is graduating with high honors. During his high school career, he was very active in many different activities including athletics and the student body. He was the president of the Sr. class and served as his class treasurer during his Jr. year. Finn also took part in many volunteer activities such as coaching middle school athletes, helping Heroes 4 Hunger with their holiday meal boxes, and various volunteer activities for the Game Loft.

Finn is also member of the Game Loft Youth Board 4-H group and served as the board’s president for two years. At the Game Loft Finn volunteered with the Shovel Brigade and mentored younger gamers. This fall, Finn will attend Lehigh University with an eye on anthropology and pre-med studies. He will be part of Lehigh Lodge, an outdoor small hands-on learning opportunity. He also intends to take part in intramural sports and tabletop gaming while there.

Emily 2021 4-H GraduateEmily G. has been a member of the Born to Ride 4-H club for 5 years. This fall she will be studying Veterinary Technology at the University of Maine in Augusta. Emily has been involved in the 4-H horse program including barrel racing, show jumping, and equitation shows. She has attended horse camps and has worked teaching kids to care for horses as well as presented many horse clinics. She is CPR/First Aid trained and is working on being EMT certified. She is also attended the R.A.D. Defense course. Emily defines her 4-H experience by saying “I have had a lot of cool experiences in 4-H. Things most kids don’t get to experience.”

 

 

Ruben S. is a member of the Little Beavers 4-H club. He has been involved in 4-H for 13 years and has Ruben 2021 4-H Graduate completed a variety of community service projects, animal science projects, and STEM activities. This June, Ruben graduated from Mt View High School. He has been accepted into a line worker program that he will start in the fall of 2022.

 

 

 

Waldo County 4-H Member Serves on Maine 4-H Youth Council

Samantha serves on the 4-H youth councilCongratulations to Waldo County 4-H member Samantha B. for being inducted into the Maine 4-H Youth Council. Samantha will be representing Waldo County
4-H on the council and will be a leader in the development of new 4-H initiatives.

 

 

 

 

 

You are invited to join the Youth Preparedness Committee!

Committee Goals

  1. Educate and Engage our Youth in Emergency Preparedness Life Skills.
  2. Encourage Civic Involvement by our Youth in order to build resilient communities.

The Youth Preparedness Committee looks to be a local Youth-led, Adult- supported, coalition of Youth organizations with a mission of Youth Preparedness Education. We will achieve this through:

Coordination of resources, capabilities, and expertise to organize preparedness activities and efforts.

Communication with each other to provide updated information on training and education
opportunities, lessons learned and how we can help one another.

Collaboration on joint efforts. Each member has different needs and capabilities which can be helped or can help the other members.

Training and Education. Members can share their current preparedness education, training and instructors to meet the needs of all members for increasing preparedness knowledge and practice.

Typical Preparedness Life Skills Training Topics

  • Individual and Family Disaster Preparedness
  • 2-way Radio Communications
  • National Weather Service (NWS) Skywarn Weather Spotter
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • First Aid and Stop the Bleed
  • Patient Care – Mental Health
  • Disease Prevention
  • Victim Transport
  • Search and Rescue
  • Map and Compass

Upcoming Agricultural Fairs

Many Maine Agricultural fairs are happening in 2021 including the Union Fair in Knox County. The Union fair welcomes neighboring Waldo County 4-H members to participate in their 4-H activities including the livestock shows and exhibit hall.

For more information on the Union Fair 4-H programs please visit https://extension.umaine.edu/knox-lincoln/4h/union-fair/. And for a complete schedule of Maine Agricultural Fairs please visit https://www.mainefairs.org.

State News

4-H Summer Learning Series – Part II Registration Open Now!

Maine 4-H is offering its hands-on virtual summer learning series through August 20 with over 50 workshops open to all youth ages 5–18. The 4-H Summer Learning Series includes learning tracks in Arts and Crafts, Food and Nutrition, STEM, Marine Science and Aquaculture, Animal Science and Agriculture, Teen Leadership, and more! Offline projects that can be completed at home are also available.

The series is free; registration is required. Part II Registration for enrolled 4-H’ers opens July 1, and to the general public on July 6. Register and find more information on the 4-H Summer Learning Series webpage. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Jessy Brainerd, 207.581.3877; jessica.brainerd@maine.edu.

Enter Your Projects in the Maine State Virtual Fair!

Have you been working hard on a 4-H project that you’re ready to show off? The 2021 Virtual Exhibit Hall is here! Entering projects in your actual fair this summer? Consider entering them in the Maine State Virtual Exhibit Hall as well! We will be accepting submissions now through August 31st. We can’t wait to see what our talented Maine 4-Hers have created! Information about exhibit categories, submission guidelines, and judging can be found on the Maine State Virtual Fair web page.

Maine 4-H Dog Clinic in Skowhegan (In-Person!)

The Maine 4-H Dog Animal Science Committee will be hosting another in-person dog clinic this summer in Skowhegan on July 24th. This clinic will be similar to the June clinic: all skill levels are welcome to join, youth ages 9-18 are encouraged to sign up as long as they have an interest in dogs, and a dog is NOT required for participation.

For more information on the clinic, visit the Maine 4-H Dog Clinic website or contact Sheila Norman at sheila.norman@maine.edu.

ESE 4-H Beef Scholarship

The 4-H Beef Scholarship is open to high school seniors and current college students who have participated in the Eastern States Exposition 4-H Beef Program. Scholarships will be awarded after the successful completion of the first semester of a 2, or 4-year program. Awards will be announced during the ESE 4-H Beef Activity. Submission deadline is August 1st.

www.easternstatesexposition.com/p/about/scholarships/ese-beef-scholarship.

Maine 4-H State Dairy Show

The Maine 4-H State Dairy show will take place on July 24th and 25th at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds.
The event will include the state 4-H fitting contest and grilled cheese contest on Saturday followed by the show on Sunday. The event is open to all 4-H youth enrolled in a dairy project age 9 and above.

For a complete schedule, camping information, and the 2021 dairy informational packet, please visit https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/animal-science-resources/dairy/.

Upcoming 4-H Horse Events!

Maine State 4-H Horse Clinic for Advanced riders (12+). Friday July 23 from 2pm-5pm Skowhegan Fairgrounds. $30.00 per rider. Limited to 20 riders. To register for this event visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/register/product/maine-state-4-h-horse-clinic-for-advanced-riders/.

Maine State 4-H Fun Show! Saturday July 24 starting at 9am. Registration will open at 8am.  Lead line classes, Alumni classes, showmanship, equitation and games!  Fun for all 4-H horse members ages 5 and up. To register for this event visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/register/product/maine-state-4-h-fun-show/.

Families can choose to camp at Skowhegan Fairgrounds for a $25.00 per night fee. There will be stalls available. If your horse is staying on the grounds you must stay on the grounds. Animal Approval forms and appropriate vaccinations of horses will be required.

Union Fair Horse Clinic

There will be a 4-H Horse Clinic at Union Fair on August 25 at 9:00am. This is a showmanship-focused learning opportunity enabling members to build skills in 4-H showmanship. If time permits, practice in equitation, pattern, and trail will be included. Space in this clinic is limited: a minimum of 5, maximum of 10 participants.

The Horse Clinic is 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. There will be no premiums awarded for the Clinic. See the 4-H Union Fair Information Booklet for all rules, vaccination requirements, and the registration form. Animal Approval Forms are NOT required to participate in this clinic. Registration forms are due July 31, 2021.

National Trip Interviews 2021

In the past, we would have held interviews for National Trips in the early spring. At the time, we had youth that had been chosen but had not been able to participate yet due to the pandemic. It was decided that it was not in our best interest to add more numbers to those delegations given we still did not know the status of the pandemic and where all was headed.  So, therefore we did not hold any National trip interviews in 2021. We will resume in 2022.

If you have questions, please email Heidi Palmer at heidi.thuotte@maine.edu.

Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) 2021

CWF 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic. Maine 4-H was committed to sending the 2020 delegation in July of 2021. As we moved forward with the pandemic still around us, last winter the decision was made by National 4-H to hold CWF 2021 virtually. Taking into consideration many different factors, we have decided not to participate in the CWF Conference virtually this year. We will however be encouraging that the same delegation to be ready for July 2022. All youth must still be between the ages of 14 to 18 and be an enrolled member in 2022. We realize that, unfortunately, some youth will have aged out, etc. This is very unfortunate but hopefully, those youth will come back when adult life gets underway for them and perhaps chaperone with us. Monies that were sent in for the trips have been left on file and we will be reaching out to those individuals regarding that. If you have questions, please email Heidi Palmer at heidi.thuotte@maine.edu.

National 4-H Congress 2021

Exciting news! National Congress 2021 will be happening in person in November 2021!  As with other trips, Maine 4-H already has a delegation picked from previous National Interviews. We will be reaching out to that group of youth to see where they are at. These youth will need to still be age 14-18 and still enrolled in 4-H. If you have questions, please email Heidi Palmer at heidi.thuotte@maine.edu.

4-H Fridays on the Farm

University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program is offering a new Summer series, 4-H Fridays on the Farm, to get teens ages 12-18 engaged in Maine agriculture. Current 4-H enrollment is not necessary for participation. Program materials and instruction are FREE. The goal of 4-H Fridays on the Farm is to expose teens ages 12-18 to Maine agriculture and create workforce development skills through a variety of different hands-on, farm visits throughout the state. Teens may join for one session or all four to experience what different farms across the state have to offer. Each session will include an opportunity for teens to take a tour of operations, gain hands-on experience, and consider their role in the Maine Food System.

4-H Fridays on the Farm is the first educational offering in a series developed by the Maine 4-H Agricultural Leadership Team. For more information on future activities please visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/youth/ag-leadership/.

  • Mulberry Farms, Raymond, ME —July 16, 2021, 9:00AM-12:00PM: Mulberry Farms in Raymond, Maine is run by the Pecoraro Family. Mulberry Farms specializes in organic fruits and vegetables.
  • Rustic Roots Farm, Farmington, ME — July 23, 2021, 9:00AM-12:00PM: Rustic Roots Farm is a small-scale farm in Farmington, Maine producing sustainably-grown mixed vegetables. They offer weekly farm shares, and sell locally to restaurants and the public at Farmers markets.
  • Seed Pro Inc, Island Falls, ME — July 30, 2021, 9:00AM-12:00PM: Seed Pro Inc, along with the family farm, Daniel J. Corey Farm based in Monticello, centers around the development, production and harvesting of potatoes. At their Island Falls facility, which includes a research laboratory and greenhouse, they develop seed for distribution throughout the entire East Coast.
  • Brigeen Farms, Turner, ME —August 6, 2021 9:00AM-12:00PM: Brigeen Farms is a tenth-generation family-owned and operated dairy farm Since 1777, they have cared for dairy cows and produced fresh, high-quality milk as part of Maine’s strong dairy industry

For more information or to register please visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/4-h-summer-learning/fridays-on-the-farm-registration/

If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in this program, please call Sara Conant at 207.781.6099 or 800.287.1471 (in Maine) to discuss your needs. Receiving requests for accommodations at least 10 days before the program provides a reasonable amount of time to meet the request, however all requests will be considered. For more information call 207-781-6099 or email sara.conant@maine.edu.

EFNEP LogoEFNEP Recipe of the Month

Let’s celebrate July with our Red, White, and Berry Good Pops! Cool down this summer with a treat that combines dairy and fruit to give us calcium for strong bones and vitamins for health. Imagine combining strawberries and blueberries for a patriotic pop!

As the weather gets hot, it’s even more important to remember to drink more water! Keep a bottle handy while you are outside having fun!

The video version of this recipe and other great recipes, can be found at https://extension.umaine.edu/food-health/recipes/berry-good-pops/.

Berry Good Pops

Makes 6-8 Servings | Serving Size: 1 Popsicle

Ingredients Needed:

  • 2/3 cup cranberry, raspberry or other 100% fruit juice or blend
  • 1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
  • 1 cup berries (fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries or raspberries)

Directions:

  1. Mix all ingredients together.
  2. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds or 3-ounce paper cups. Cover the top of each cup with foil. Push a wooden Popsicle® stick down onto the middle of each cup. The foil will hold the stick in place.
  3. Put the cups on a cookie sheet and freeze for 3-4 hours. When the popsicles are ready to eat, peel away the foil and the paper cups and enjoy!