Waldo County 4-H Newsletter – March 2024

March 1, 2024 Waldo County 4-H Newsletter

Upcoming Dates:

3/7: Total Eclipse Prep Party for 4-H Volunteers- Orono

3/9: Regional Public Speaking Contest – Augusta

3/12 & 4/9: 4-H Volunteer Workshops

3/27: Tidepool Immersion Discovery + Ecology Workshop Series-registration due

4/8: SPIN Club: Farm Animal Care – FUNdamentals – registration due

5/1:  Equine ESE Intent forms due

6/20-6/27: Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)

Waldo County 4-H News:

Join Waldo County 4-H for Ocean Xplorers! 

You are invited to join Waldo County 4-H’s newest SPIN Club, Ocean Xplorers! This 8 session SPIN club meets monthly and was developed in partnership with the Belfast Free Library and UMaine MARINE. The topic for March’s Ocean Xplorers session will be Color of the Sea.  

We will be joined by Maine 4-H staff and staff from Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences to explore why our oceans take on certain hues. Participants will explore the science behind ocean colors and practice sampling techniques used by researchers. 

All Waldo County youth ages 6-12 are invited to participate. Registration is required and space is limited to 30 participants. For details on future sessions as well as a link to the event registration visit extension.umaine.edu/waldo/4h/ocean-xplorers/. 

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.581.8290 or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.

Public Speaking 

Waldo County 4-H members are invited to participate in the regional public speaking contest on March 9th at 9:30. The event will be held at the University of Maine Augusta. The event will serve as a qualifying event for the Maine 4-H Public Speaking Contest.  

You can register for the event here.

For more information on the 4-H public speaking program and resources for success visit extension. .edu/4h/public-speaking/.  

State 4-H News:

How to Safely View the Maine Solar Eclipse

Can you believe the solar eclipse is just a month away?! It is necessary that you review how to properly view the eclipse before April 8th, the day this spectacular event will occur. When you are viewing the partial phases of the eclipse with your eyes, which are all times except for totality when the moon completely covers the Sun’s face, it is crucial that you are looking through viewing glasses (sometimes called “eclipse glasses”). Yes, this is true even if it’s cloudy or rainy! 

  • The only safe way to view partial phases of the eclipse are with viewing (eclipse) glasses or through a handheld solar viewing (i.e. a pinhole camera) 
  • Do not view partial eclipse phases with sunglasses, through a camera lens, binoculars or a telescope 
  • If your viewing glasses are damaged in any way, discard them and do not use them 
  • You can view the eclipse directly without eye protection only when the moon completely blocks the Sun’s face (totality)  

If you are outside for hours on April 8th make sure you drink water, wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen. Happy safe viewing!

4-H Solar Eclipse Wrap-Up Extravaganza

Solar Eclipse Coming to Maine! On April 8th, 2024 Maine will experience a full solar eclipse. Although this is a once in a lifetime event for us folks in Maine, there is no way we all experienced the same thing. Join 4-Hers from all over the state to share stories, observations, and experiences from the 2024 eclipse. Let’s see what heliophysics enthusiasm can look like! 

  • To join the conversation, register by March 28th. 
  • If you need solar eclipse glasses, we can provide them for you, register by March 1, 2024. 

We invite youth ages 5 – 18 to sign up, the eclipse will take place on April 8th around 3:00 pm, and this celebration will take place via Zoom on Thursday, April 22, 2024, 4:00 – 5:00 pm.

Tidepool Immersion Discovery + Ecology Workshop Series

The 4-H Tidepool Immersion Discovery + Ecology Workshop Series will explore the intertidal zone and help with marine science research! In this workshop, we will learn about animals you might find during low tide and use some amazing equipment to take awesome pictures on your phone to identify them. Along the way, we’ll learn about invasive species, climate change, species identification, and how you can participate in research. University of New England graduate students Emily and Sam will lead the workshop. An optional in person field day exploring tide pools is scheduled for Saturday, April 13th.

The workshop is free; participation is limited to 15. Required registration closes on March 27.  Register on the event webpage to receive the link and at-home materials.

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:
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.

Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)

CWF will be held on June 20-27, 2024 in Washington DC.  We have reserved space for 15 Maine delegates. The cost will be in the area of $1200 + or -.  We will most likely fly and will be staying at a different hotel than in the last couple of years.  Be sure to connect with your county office and let them know your interest.  They in turn will correspond, on behalf of their entire county to me.   **They also will know if there is additional help in funding the trip through your county. A big “Thank You” to The Maine 4-H Foundation for significantly funding this incredible trip.  (County Offices, Heidi Palmer will need your delegate names by March 20, 2024). This trip is amazing and very well known and liked.  This trip will be on a first come basis.  There are limited spaces as the program is only being run for one additional week from our spoken week. So only two weeks total.  An orientation will be planned as we get closer and will be on the website and communicated to candidates directly.  If you need more information, you can check the CWF UMaine website  or email, Heidi Palmer at:   heidi.thuotte@umaine.edu.

Equine ESE Intent forms Due May 1, 2024

The 2024 Eastern States (ESE) Horse Intent Form is now live and online.  The form indicates your interest in participating in the Eastern States Team Tryout event this summer.  The event this year will offer a weekend opportunity for youth to qualify and to learn and grow while getting to know other youth who are also interested in trying out. Youth can try out to be a Teen Leader (4-H age 12 and up) or to be a Rider or Driver (4-H age 13 and up).

More details will go out to those who fill out the intent forms in the registration packets.  The intent form does not bind you to the tryout event. Applications will be used to determine the event roster.

Here is the ESE intent form to be filled out by May 1st.  Approval forms must also be filled out and sent to your county office by May 1st as well.

If you have any questions, please reach out to: Tara Marble, tara.marble@maine.edu, or 207.778.4650.

Know someone who is interested in becoming a 4-H volunteer? Tell them about Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey!

University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer a two-part online informational session for adults interested in becoming Maine 4-H volunteers on March 19 & 26 from 6 – 7 p.m. “Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey” will provide participants with information about the UMaine Extension 4-H youth development program through four short e-Learning modules. Attendees will also participate in an experimental learning activity, learn about the key aspects of positive youth development, and be introduced to ages and stages of youth. The two one-hour virtual sessions will wrap up with an outline of next steps and an introduction to a county staff contact to help with the application process if desired.

Registration is required. The sessions are free. To register, visit our website at extension.umaine.edu/4h/start-your-4-h-volunteer-journey-training/ .

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Jennifer Lobley, jennifer.lobley@maine.edu, 207.255.3345.

New SPIN Club: Farm Animal Care – FUNdamentals

Are you interested in learning about livestock animals (such as cows, goats or sheep)? How to care for them? How do you know what to feed them, how do you actually do regular health checks and have proper housing? Join the 4-H Animal Science SPIN club. We will have 3 virtual sessions focused on what livestock need to live a healthy life and one field day that provides hands-on experience. Set yourself up for success in your 4-H project by learning the basics of animal care. Participants do not need to have any prior animal experience or currently own livestock to participate. This is a beginner/introductory level program.

Virtual sessions will be on Wednesdays, April 24, May 1, and May 8, 2024. An Optional in-person field day will take place Saturday, May 4.

This club is open to youth ages 9 – 18, space is limited to 15 participants.

More information and registration are available online.  Registration closes April 8, 2024.

Maine 4-H Ag Ambassadors – Spring 2024

Maine 4-H is launching a new session cohort for interested eligible youth for the Maine 4-H Agricultural Ambassadors program!  The program is designed for youth ages 14-18 who are interested in any aspect of agriculture.  Youth spend time getting to know each other and learning both online and in person 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 be visiting local Maine Ag business like Springworks Farm where youth will get to tour and explore the facilities and learn about their state-of-the-art organic aquaponics system. Check them out!

In addition to the multi week session, youth will serve in their ambassador role 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 opportunities for leadership locally, statewide and even nationally. Register today!

Spring 2024 Dates
Online: March 19 & March 26, April 2 & April 9
In-Person: March 23 & March 30
Maine Agriculture Symposium at the University of Maine: April 18-19 (optional overnight)

For more information and to register, click here. Or visit: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/youth/ag-leadership/