Waldo County 4-H Newsletter – December 2023

December 1, 2023 Waldo County 4-H Newsletter

Upcoming Dates:

12/9: 4-H at the United Farmers Market of Maine

12/23: Ignite by 4-H Washington DC event- application due

12/25: Christmas Day- office closed

12/31: 4-H Re-enrollment Deadline

1/1:  New Year’s Day-office closed

1/10: Volunteer Workshop- Creating LGBTQ+ Inclusive Programs

1/15:  2024 4-H Beef ESE Intent to Participate form due

Waldo County 4-H News:

Blast From the Past: 

In the May 1987 issue of the 4-H Focus, Waldo County 4-H’s newspaper, Cheryl Larrabee described her experience attending a national 4-H trip. In an article titled “My trip to Chicago was a Wonderful Experience” Cheryl describes staying in the newly remodeled Chicago Hilton Hotel, meeting 4-H members from all parts of the United States, and touring General Foods processing plants. Though Cheryl’s trip took place in 1986, 4-H members can expect a similar experience from 4-H trips offered today.  Cheryl Larrabee with her holstein.

National trips offered by 4-H today include National 4-H Congress, National 4-H Conference, CWF (Citizenship Washington Focus), and the Ignite by 4-H Summits. Still the capstone experience for many 4-H members, national 4-H trips provide an opportunity to connect with 4-H members from around the world, explore the sights of new cities, and learn from industry leaders. 

4-H trips are open to members ages 14-18 and include members from all project areas. Thinking of attending? The 4-H Ignite Summit is a great place to start. Join a team of Maine 4-H’ers in igniting change in your community in the areas of STEM, healthy living, or agricultural science. Apply today at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc7ycSGcNv7TW77U_3Lyyo3ZOD1CQ1HuF3GFgUYbpTUwu4w5w/viewform?usp=sf_link. Applications are due December 23rd.  

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

4-H Animal Science Club Survey 

Starting in the new year Waldo County 4-H will be hosting a new 4-H animal science club! If you are interested in joining, please complete a quick survey at: forms.gle/FtTZvUkiP4CB4S2h9 to indicate your preferred meeting times and locations, as well as topics of interest. More information will be available soon!

4-H at The United Farmers Market of Maine

Come join us at the United Farmers Market of Maine , Saturday, December 9th. Staff will be hosting crafts and activities in the game room. Activities will be available from 10:00 am to 12:00pm and are available on a drop-in basis. No pre-registration is required.

4-H Re-enrollment Reminder!

Please remember to complete 4-H re-enrollment by December 31st.  If you manage your family’s account via ZSuite, reenrollment is just a few clicks away:

Login at 4h.zsuite.org 

  • Click on the PRIMARY profile and enter your 4-character PIN.  
  • Click on the name of the youth member you wish to enroll.  
  • Click on ENROLL MEMBER NOW.
  • Review/update the requested member information. When you are done with that, click NEXT 
  • Here you will read and electronically sign the 4-H participation waiver(s), click NEXT 
  • Here is where you will select your club or clubs and desired projects. There may be clubs and projects listed that carried over from your enrollment during the last program year. 
  • To add clubs, select your county. This defaults to the county submitted when you created your account. You may need to select another county to find your desired club. 
  • Select your Club from the drop-down menu. Select ADD CLUB. 
  • To add projects for any of the clubs, select ADD PROJECT for the desired clubs. Select the desired project from the drop-down menu. Select ADD PROJECT and selection will be added to the club. Feel free to add additional clubs or projects. If you make a mistake or wish to remove a project, select the X and confirm you wish to delete the project. 
  • When done making your selections, click Submit. Enrollment records need to be active/green status before engaging in 4-H activities and to register for events.

State 4-H News:

4-H Volunteer Workshops for the 2023-2024 4-H Year

We invite you to participate in our 4-H Volunteer Connections virtual workshops! Join other 4-H volunteers from the North East region to learn, share and engage with one another on a variety of topics related to 4-H. All workshops are free and offered via Zoom in the evenings from 6:30 – 8:00 pm.

Topics include:
January 10 – Creating LGBTQ+ Inclusive Programs
February 13 – Be a Positive Communicator
March 12 – Finding Space for Mental Wellness in Every Program
April 9 – Animal Science: Strong Relationships and Sportsmanship

Click here to register now! Come to one or come to all! We look forward to connecting with YOU!  

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, homeschool groups, and more. For more information and to register, visit the 4-H Tick Project webpage at: extension.umaine.edu/hancock/4h/tick-project/.

Fryeburg Market Animal Intents Now Available

Intent to sell forms for Fryeburg market projects are now available at extension.umaine.edu/4h/animal-science-resources. Steers must be owned and in the possession of the 4-H member by December 31st and intent forms, including RFID tags, bill of sale, and photos of the steer must be submitted by January 5th. Lambs must be owned and in the possession of the 4-H member by June 1st and intent forms, including bill of sale, scrapie tag number, and photos of the animal, must be submitted by June 5th. For more information on 4-H market animal projects please contact your county cooperative extension office or call 207.581.3877.

Maine 4-H ESE Beef Intent to Participate Forms are Now Available

The 2024 Maine 4-H Beef ESE Intent to Participate form is now available online at extension.umaine.edu/4h/animal-science-resources/beef/ and must be submitted by  January 15, 2024. This is a requirement for all youth intending to participate as members of the Maine 4-H Beef Team at the Eastern States Exposition in September. Youth must be 12-18 years old as of December 31, 2023 and have completed one year in a beef project prior to this year. Please contact Kristen Grondin, kristen.grondin@maine.edu, 207.581.8193, with any questions.

Ignite by 4-H

Who is eligible: All youth of high school age (14-18) 
When is the event: March 13-17
Where: Washington DC metro area at the Westin Washington D.C. Downtown Hotel/Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C.
Timeline: Applications need to be completed by December 23rd
Cost: The Maine 4-H Foundation has graciously funded the majority of the registration and travel costs for youth.  Youth will be responsible for $300 towards the cost of the trip. We encourage youth to reach out to the county offices and programs to seek out additional funding support. If youth need help or assistance please have them contact  tara.marble@maine.edu.

Spark your imagination and passion!
Ignite by 4-H, an inclusive teen event, returns March 2024 to Washington, D.C. Join us for four days of inspiring speakers, workshop sessions, activities, and entertainment. The summit will provide high-school-aged youth from across the country the opportunity to explore the best 4-H has to offer in STEM, Agriscience, and Healthy Living. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover exciting career paths, make connections, and create an action plan to ignite change in your community!

Other info can be seen on the official website at: events.4-h.org/ignite/home . Applications are on a Google Form here , or cut and paste this URL: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc7ycSGcNv7TW77U_3Lyyo3ZOD1CQ1HuF3GFgUYbpTUwu4w5w/viewform .

If there are any questions or concerns please contact Tara Marble at  tara.marble@maine.edu.