Extension Perspectives Newsletter - September 2024 - Cooperative Extension in Waldo County - University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Waldo County Extension Association (WCEA) annual meeting will be held on September 24, 2024 at the Waldo County Extension office at 992 Waterville Rd. Waldo, ME. For more information, please call 342-5971.

The WCEA provides guidance to the Extension for developing and implementing educational programs that will benefit our county’s residents, such as Rural Living Day and Farmers’ Potluck Dinners. We also officially direct the Cooperative Extension’s work in Waldo County and give a yearly post-secondary scholarship to an area student pursuing a career in a field that supports the Extension’s mission.

Please consider joining us! We meet monthly from September-May at the Extension office in Waldo and by Zoom. Members serve three year terms. Contact the Extension office at extension.waldo@maine.edu or by phone at 207.342.5971 for more information. You may also fill out the Volunteer Nomination Form at https://extension.umaine.edu/waldo/wcea/volunteer-nomination/.

Maine Families

Child Development

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Parent Educators are part of a statewide network of Maine Families Home Visiting Programs.At each “visit” developmental information, anticipatory guidance and an activity to promote growth are provided. Parent Educators support early identification of developmental delays by offering the evidenced based Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), starting at 2 months of age, to families during home visits and providing additional activities in areas where a child may need extra support for growth. Offering a screening is a way to help parents learn what to expect as their child grows, celebrate their child’s milestones, and identify any concerns or delays during this critical time of development. When results of these screenings indicate a possible delay our parent educators partner with families to make the appropriate referrals for additional evaluation and services long before a child enters Kindergarten.

If you have questions about Maine Families Home Visiting in Waldo County or to learn more about our upcoming Group Connections, please call or email us at 207.322.2879 or melanie.l.bryan@maine.edu.

4-H Happenings

New 4-H Professional for Waldo County

Karen Giles joins our University of Maine Cooperative Extension team in Waldo County as the new 4-H Positive Youth Development Professional. She has been a part of Extension since October 2021. She previously worked in Somerset County, where she served as the 4-H Youth Development Professional and worked to rebuild 4-H programs and clubs. She looks forward to establishing new 4-H programs and clubs in Waldo County, making community
connections, working with the 4-H Camp and Learning Centers at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove, and supporting youth and volunteers in exciting endeavors.

Karen grew up in Maine working with horses her entire life, first in 4-H and Pony Club, and then as a nationally certified regular and therapeutic riding instructor. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Art, with minors in Business Administration and Small Business Management, as well as an Associate degree in Commercial Illustration. She has a background in STEM and was previously the Executive Director of the Robotics Institute of Maine. She also worked for Maine Farmland Trust in Belfast as their Art Gallery Coordinator. In her spare time, Karen writes and illustrates children’s books and spends time with her family and horses.

Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey Training

Wednesdays, September 18 & 25, 2024 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Thinking about becoming a 4-H volunteer? We are looking for people to help youth find their spark and thrive! We offer lots of ways to be involved depending on your time and interests. Join us for two one-hour virtual sessions to help you with your decision. By the end of the two-part series, you will have completed four short e-Learning modules to introduce you to the 4-H program, participate in an experiential learning activity, learn about the key aspects of positive youth development, and be introduced to ages and stages of youth. This core training will wrap up with an outline of next steps and an introduction to your county staff contact so you can begin the application process if you choose. No pressure to commit, no cost, and no reason to not attend!

Please note, these sessions are for individuals who are not currently enrolled 4-H volunteers. Register here.

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.

Waldo County 4-H Calendar extension.umaine.edu/waldo/4h/4-h-calendar/

State 4-H Calendar extension.umaine.edu/4h/events/category/calendar/month/

Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs www.mainefairs.net/maine-fairs/

For more information on how to get involved in a 4-H animal science project please contact your local UMaine Cooperative Extension office or visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/youth/animal-science.

Home Horticulture

UMaine Extension Garden and Yard

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Garden and Yard publications are available to download. You can find these publications at www.extension.umaine.edu/programs/.

Topics include

Beekeeping

Gardening

Garden Angels

Home and Garden Pest Identification and Management

Kids Can Grow

Maine Harvest for Hunger

Maine Home Garden News

Maine Invasive Species Network

Master Gardener Volunteers

Tree Fruit

Commercial Agriculture – Brett’s Bulletin

Timely Information for the Producers of Waldo County

Fall is an excellent time to address soil and nutrient management issues. If you have not tested your soil this year you can visit our office (992 Waterville Road, Waldo) to pick up a soil test kit. Bulletin #2286, Know Your Soil: Testing Your Soil provides comprehensive recommendations on how to take a representative sample and the process to submit tests and receive results. This information is critical to manage nutrients on your farm in an environmentally sound and financially efficient manner. For questions or to request assistance in developing a nutrient management plan for your farm please contact Brett Johnson at brett.w.johnson@maine.edu or 207.342.5971.

Happy growing,

Brett Johnson, Sustainable Agriculture & Farm Business Management Educator
University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Waldo County

Maine Farmcast

The Maine Farmcast features weekly conversations with experts from across the country sharing insights and advice for both new and seasoned farmers running operations of any size. Hosted by three livestock specialists from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the show brings you world-class expertise paired with practical advice about how to apply cutting-edge research to improve the efficiency and sustainability of your farming operation.

Hosts

Colt Knight, Ph.D., Associate Extension Professor and State Livestock Specialist
Glenda Pereira, Ph.D., Assistant Extension Professor and Dairy Specialist
Rachel White, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock

To contact us about this podcast, email extension.farmcast@maine.edu.

Check out the latest podcast here.

Are you producing the best quality hay?

Maine has more than 150 hay producers, on which the livestock, horse, and dairy industries within the state highly depend. All producers strive year after year to produce excellent quality hay, and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension firmly believes these efforts should be rewarded and recognized. The Maine Hay Contest will recognize and reward the operations that produce the highest quality hay in Maine.

Prizes

1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $100

Winners will be awarded and recognized at the Maine Forage Conference in Waterville, Maine in November 2024. To enter the contest and schedule a visit from Extension Forage Specialist Jaime Garzon, complete the digital form on our website.

For more information visit our website or contact Jamie Garzon by email, jaime.garzon@maine.edu

To Sign up for the Extension Perspectives Newsletter, click here.

In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).

For more information or to make a reasonable accommodation, please contact Billiejo Pendleton at 207.342.5971.