News in Washington County – May 2023

May 4, 2023 4-H News, News

Table of Contents:

 

Dates to Remember

April 24-May 22: 4-H Vernal Pools SPIN Club
April 26-May 7: Paper Clover Campaign at Tractor Supply Co.
May 6: Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Contest
May 13-14: Maine 4-H Youth Council Annual Conference, Windsor Fair Grounds
May 16-June 6: 4-H Shark SPIN Club (virtual)
May 20: Washington County Extension Association Annual Meeting & Open House
June 21–July 26: 4-H Adulting SPIN Club
June 21&28: Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey
June 25–30: Citizenship Washington Focus
June 30: Animal Approval Form Due (Unless an earlier date is designated by a fair premium book.)
July 21-22: Maine 4-H Days, Windsor Fairgrounds
July 21: Photo Submission Deadline for Washington County 4-H Photo Contest
August 26&27: Washington County Fair, Pembroke

 

 Maine State 4-H Public Speaking Tournament

Congrats to Ira D., Ruth B., and Soren D. who participated in State 4-H Public Speaking Tournament at the University of Maine in Orono on April 8th.  All received blue ribbons and Ruth won overall high score in the Junior division!  Well done!

three youth receive ribbons at the state 4-H public speaking tournament
Photo by Jane Bell

 

Vernal Pools 4-H Spin Club

The Vernal Pool 4-H SPIN Club hosted by 4-H and Downeast Coastal Conservancy in Machias has met a few times already. They are having fun exploring vernal pools and the trails of Middle River Park, and just simply spending time outdoors together!

Tractor Supply Co. Paper Clover Campaign

If you find yourself at Tractor Supply gathering supplies, make sure to donate to 4-H! Donations to the biannual Tractor Supply Company Paper Clover Campaign directly benefit 4-H youth programs and opportunities. 90% of proceeds go to the state where funds were raised and 10% go to National 4-H to support national youth opportunities. Paper Clover donations go towards providing youth scholarships for 4-H camp and leadership opportunities. Let’s show up for our youth!

4-H table at the Tractor Supply Co.

 

Washington County 4-H Photo Contest

three youth looking through camera viewfinder
Jane Bell Photo, used with permission.

Pull out your cameras and start snapping away for the Washington County 4-H Photo Contest!  Show off your photography talents during the county photo contest for a chance to receive ribbons and premiums. This contest is open to all 4-H youth in Washington County. The deadline to submit photos to the Extension office is Friday, July 21, 2023.

Photos must be from the current 4-H year. The five (5) photo categories are:

  • Nature
  • People
  • Animals
  • 4-H activity
  • Architecture 

You may enter one photo in each category and/or one storyboard. A storyboard tells a story with a series of photos – you must use at least 4 photos and no more than 6.

Visit the Washington County 4-H Photo Contest website [extension.umaine.edu/washington/4h/wash4hphotocontest] for more information.

 

4-H Camp and Learning Centers Scholarships

We still have a few scholarships available for 4-H Camp and Learning Centers this summer!  To qualify, you must be an enrolled 4-H member in Washington County. Please complete the request form at this website: extension.umaine.edu/washington/washington-county-4-h-camp-scholarship. Request deadline is June 16, 2023.

 

Washington County Extension invites public to open house on May 20

David Dowley
David Dowley is the 2023 recipient of the Norman W. Duzen Community Service Award. Photo used with permission by Robin Pinto.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension is hosting an open house and annual meeting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20, at the Washington County office, 116 O’Brien Avenue on the campus of the University of Maine Machias. Rain location is Kilburn Commons cafeteria.

This free, public event will include a cookout and showcase many programs and services offered by Extension including wild blueberries, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), horticulture, 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Greenland Point, tick testing and identification, and volunteer opportunities. Attendees can tour the new office space in the O’Brien House and pick up free seeds, tick spoons and soil tests while supplies last. Youth will enjoy a goat petting zoo and a 4-H science activity.

The event also includes the annual meeting of the Washington County Extension Association where the Norman W. Duzen Community Service Award will be presented to David Dowley.  Jen Plaut will receive the University of Maine Volunteer Pen Award.  She co-leads the Cobscook Current 4-H Club in Edmunds that focuses on public speaking, LEGO robotics, and photography.

For more information and to RSVP for the cookout, visit the Washington Extension Annual Meeting and Open House webpage by May 12. Responses are encouraged, but not required. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Tara Wood at 207.255.3345 or tara.a.wood@maine.edu.

Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey
There will be a Start Your 4-H Volunteer Journey session coming up at the end of June (June 21 and 28 from 12noon to 1:00pm). These sessions are for individuals who are not already enrolled as 4-H volunteers. It provides them with the core training, helps them get started on their application process. If you know people interested in becoming a 4-H volunteer, please encourage them to register on the webpage [extension.umaine.edu/4h/start-your-4-h-volunteer-journey-training]

News from the State

New Project Records are HERE!
Co-designed with Maine 4-H volunteers, youth and staff; these project records have been designed to best serve the needs of Maine youth. Please visit our newly designed project record website https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/volunteers/project-records/. Project records are required for all Maine 4-H Youth. Stay tuned for upcoming trainings. Please contact your county 4-H staff with questions.

Did you know you can complete your project record through ZSuite? There are simple instructions for getting started on the ZSuite User Help page.  You can work on your project record through the year – and even upload photos directly from your phone!

Maine 4-H Youth Council Annual Conference – May 13 – 14, 2023
Register Now! May 13-14, Maine 4-H Youth Council Annual Conference. An annual conference for youth ages 15-22. This year’s event will be held at the Windsor Fairgrounds. Register Online by May 10th. To register, see the workshops. schedule, or packing list – visit the web page. Individuals with questions should reach out to Kristy Ouellette at kristy.ouellette@maine.edu. 

4-H Adulting 101 SPIN Club
The “4-H Adulting 101 Series” will introduce basic adult life skills by exploring a different topic each week including personal values; building healthy relationships; buying and caring for a car; youth entrepreneurship; mindfulness and stress management; and a topic chosen by the participants. UMaine Extension 4-H staff and guest speakers will lead the discussions.

The club is free; limited to 20 participants. Register by June 10 on the event webpage to receive the Zoom link and introductory email. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact 207.324.2814; erin.mcdonald1@maine.edu. Additional information also is available on the Extension 4-H Virtual Learning webpage.

4-H Tick Project
Registration is now open for the 4-H Tick Project, a community science project where youth collect, identify, and learn about ticks – while also contributing to real research about ticks in Maine! Sign up to receive tick collection materials, access to youth activities, educational resources, and UMaine Extension Tick Lab testing services. 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.

Help Project ITCH to Better Understand Tick Control
The New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (NEWVEC) is seeking your help in better understanding residential tick control. NEWVEC began as a partnership of university research teams from each of the six New England states joining with state and local health departments and agricultural extension programs to discover, evaluate, and promote practices that reduce the burden of tick- and mosquito-borne disease.

NEWVEC’s inaugural undertaking is Project ITCH, our acronym for “Is Tick Control Helping.”  Project ITCH will be carried out in two phases starting Spring 2023. In Phase 1 – NEWVEC is asking for your participation to tell us about what you are doing at your home to reduce the incidence of ticks and tick bites. In Phase 2 – NEWVEC will gather the information you share and through a lottery process select residential properties to participate in a research study to test what’s working.

It all starts with you taking a few moments to answer a few survey questions.  To complete the survey, please visit the web page at NEWVEC.org/itch.  Participants in this survey will be eligible for consideration for Phase 2 enrollment in the future.  To learn more about NEWVEC and Project ITCH, bookmark the web page and/or sign-up to receive updates on NEWVEC projects.

Save the Date for 4-H Dairy Judging and State Show!
The Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Contest will take place on May 6th, 2023 at Hardy Farm in Farmington, ME and Silver Valley Farm in New Sharon, ME. The contest is open to all enrolled dairy members and will serve as the official tryouts for the Maine 4-H Dairy Judging Team.

The Maine State 4-H Dairy Show will take place on July 22nd and 23rd at the Windsor Fairgrounds in Windsor, ME in conjunction with Maine 4-H Days. The contest is open to all 4-H members who want to participate and will include educational workshops, a fitting contest, a grilled cheese contest, and more!

For more information on upcoming 4-H dairy events visit umaine.edu/4h/dairy or contact sadee.mehuren@maine.edu; 207.342.5971

Maine 4-H Days: Save the Date! July 21 – 22, 2023
We’re back for fun times, workshops, overnight camping and more at the Windsor Fairgrounds in Kennebec County! More information to come, so save the dates!