Waldo County 4-H Newsletter – November 2021
Upcoming Dates:
November 4: 4-H Leaders’ Association Monthly Meeting
November 13: Waldo County 4-H Recognition Night
December 2: 4-H Leaders’ Association Monthly Meeting
December 31: 4-H Re-enrollment forms due at county office
County News
Waldo County 4-H Leaders’ Association
The Waldo County 4-H Leaders’ Association monthly meeting will be November 4 at 10:30 am via zoom or in person at the Waldo County Cooperative Extension office. All 4-H 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!
Waldo County 4-H Recognition Night
Waldo County 4-H will be holding or annual recognition night on November 13th at 5pm. It will be located at the Waldo County Technical Center. Food and drink will be provided! Invite your family and friends to come join us in celebrating the work of our 4-H members and volunteers.
Face masks will be required when indoors.
It’s time to re-enroll 4-H members and 4-H volunteers!
Enrollment packets are being distributed to 4-H clubs and leaders. If 4-H clubs, groups or families have not received re-enrollment packets, please contact your 4-H leader or advisor. ALL enrollment packets are due by December 31st.
Renewing members and clubs are expected to re-enroll between October 1 and December 31 each year. New members may enroll at any time. However, both new and re-enrolling members must be enrolled by December 31 to participate in events and activities such as, but not limited to, state-wide market animal auctions, Eastern States Exposition competitions, National 4-H Congress, National 4-H Conference, and to be eligible for 4-H post-secondary scholarships.
State News
Climate Change: Maine 4-H STEM Toolkit of the Month
Each month we will be highlighting a different 4-H STEM Toolkit available from UMaine Cooperative Extension 4-H Program!
In this series of activities, youth will explore the impact of weather and climate on humans, animals and plants and begin to understand what causes wind, snowfall, storms and other weather events. Youth will create construction paper snowstorms, indoor thunderstorms, learn how a tree stump can reveal the climate of a region and create an instrument to measure wind speed. By recreating these natural events, children experiment with the various factors that affect weather and climate – humidity, air pressure, temperature and elevation. They will also learn how weather forecasters use tools like contour maps to predict snowfall and temperature and discuss how animals and plants adapt to changing weather conditions. These hands-on activities allow kids to predict what will happen, test theories, then share their results. By gaining an understanding of the basic forces affecting climate, some of the mysteries of storms and wind are revealed and youth can see the impact of human activity on climate and environment. They’ll be introduced to climate vocabulary, gain an understanding of the importance of species diversity and learn how to be good environmental stewards. Learn more about the Climate Change Toolkit!
Learn more about this, and other 4-H STEM Toolkits online, where you can see what is available for different age groups or topic areas.
4-H STEM Challenge – Galactic Quest SPIN Club
4-H Galactic Quest, a short term 4-H club will meet Mondays, 4:00-5:00 pm. Virtual meetings, held via Zoom, will be on November 15, 22, 29 & December 6. Galactic Quest is the 2021 National 4-H STEM Challenge.
Designed by Clemson University, the 2021 4-H STEM Challenge, Galactic Quest, focuses on the mysteries and adventures of space exploration. Galactic Quest explores the history of humans in space, the technology and resources needed for missions, and the obstacles humans encounter in orbit. 4-H Galactic Quest introduces youth to humans in space and the technology needed to get there. Participants will use stellar optics to build their own telescope, study the night sky, be introduced to cyber security and decoding, as well as design and build a mechanical claw. Participation is limited to Maine youth, ages 10-18.
Cost is approximately $20 for the materials kit. Limited financial assistance is available by request. Register here: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/4-h-stem-challenge-galactic-quest-virtual-4-h-club/ . Registration by November 1, 2021 is required.
Maine 4-H Virtual Teen Science Cafes Canceled
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Maine 4-H Virtual Teen Science Cafes will not be held this fall. We plan to begin a new session of Science Cafes starting in the spring and will post session dates, topics, and registration details to our website as they are finalized.
Important Changes for 2022 Fryeburg Fair Market Steer Intent to Sell Forms
There are a number of very important updates for 2022:
- This year the deadline for the form is December 31, 2021 (postmarked), and the form MUST come with the bill of sale/statement of value of the cow, as well as the photos of the front and side view of the animal.
- We have an ONLINE form! The updated online form, as well as the printable word/pdf versions, are on the Beef page. There is also a link to the updated regulations for both Steers and Lambs at Fryeburg. Youth enrolled in 4-H outside of Maine (New Hampshire) will need to complete the paper forms and submit them to their local county office.
- Youth who submit the intent will need to complete the regular Animal Approval form and list “Fryeburg Sale” as the show class for the animal.
4-H Agriculture Leadership Opportunity for Teens
The Maine 4-H Ag Leadership Program is accepting registrations for an eight-week agricultural education and leadership experience. This program is open to Maine youth ages 14-18. Youth involved in this program will have opportunities to pursue their interest in agriculture and explore career pathways. This includes mentoring in post-secondary opportunities, as well as sparking a passion to investigate and explore current issues around food systems, livestock, crop sciences, aquaculture, climate issues impacting food systems, social justice around food equity, and more. There is not a requirement to have previous 4-H membership, this program is open to all Maine youth with an interest.
These opportunities will begin with a creation of an online learning cohort and will also include in-person experiences across the state and on the UMaine Campus.
Visit the Maine 4-H Agricultural Leadership Ambassador Program webpage for more information or to register.
National Youth Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summit Applications for 2022 Are Available Now!
There are currently 12 scholarships available through funding from the Maine 4-H Foundation to send youth to the Washington, D.C. area for the Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summits in early 2022. Attendees will learn more about their area of interest by attending career panels, interactive workshops, and visiting related agencies throughout D.C. The Summits were created to empower youth to be well-informed citizens, expand engineering and agriculture experience, and increase connections to living a healthy lifestyle, all while being actively engaged in their communities.
Healthy Living: February 10 – 13, 2022
Agri-Science: March 10 – 13, 2022
Eligibility: Youth ages 14 – 18. Enrolled in 4-H by December 31, 2021
Participant Cost: $150.00 (Maine 4-H Foundation will cover the remainder of registration and flight costs – approximately $1,000.00).
Application: https://goo.gl/forms/uOsPytnzFA5OLfY53. This is a combined application for both the Agri-Science and Healthy Living Summits
For more information about the National Youth Summits please visit: 4-h.org/parents/national-youth-summits/. If any youth would like to attend, but do not receive the scholarship funding, they may self-fund and attend. Counties are also welcome to provide full or partial-scholarships to youth. Email or call Sara, sara.conant@maine.edu, 207-781-6099, for more details on these options, or with any questions. Applications and Recommendations due by December 15, 2021.
EFNEP Recipe of the Month:
It’s time for Pumpkin!! Is pumpkin a fruit or vegetable? Fruits are also called “suitcases for seeds” and pumpkins are full of seeds. Pumpkins are members of the fruit family! Just like other orange fruits and vegetables, they are full of vitamins and minerals that help us to fight off colds. Here is a great pumpkin smoothie recipe for you to try for breakfast or a quick snack!
Pumpkin Smoothie
Servings per recipe: 2
Serving size: 1 cup
Ingredients
-
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- ¾ cup skim milk or low-fat vanilla yogurt (you can use both ingredients)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar (optional)
Directions
- Combine ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth
- Pour into glasses and serve
To see the full recipe and video visit our website