York County 4-H Newsletter, July 2022

July 11, 2022 York County 4-H News

Upcoming Dates: 

  • July 19th — Leaders Association Meeting at Acton Fairgrounds, 6pm
  • August 1st — Deadline to submit livestock entry form to Acton Fair
  • August 19th — Fridays on the Farm at McDougal Orchards in Springvale, more info below.
  • August 25th-28th — Acton Fair!

County News

Acton Fair Preparation!

Acton Fair is next month! Information mailings will be sent out to 4-H clubs this week, so keep a look out!

If you are interested in doing a 4-H demonstration, we have the stage time from 10-11am on Friday August 26th. You can sign up for a time slot here. We have a limited number of time slots for the stage, but we can continue the demonstrations at the Exhibit Hall if necessary. Demonstrations should be 5-8 minutes long. Examples of appropriate demonstrations include: how to make a sandwich, how to groom a sheep, and modeling home made clothing/accessories.

We also need people to help monitor the 4-H Exhibit Hall. Volunteers, leaders, parents, and friends, are needed to monitor the hall and help answer questions. For your efforts, we can provide you with a one-day free entry into the fair. Each exhibiting club is expected to participate in monitoring the exhibit hall. We also encourage exhibiting 4-Hers 13 years old and older to take at least one shift. You can sign up for one or more 2-hour shifts here.

 

State News

4-H Summer Learning Series

After an incredibly successful 4-H Summer Learning Series over the past two years, Maine 4-H will once again offer virtual experiential learning workshops and clubs to youth ages 5-18 from July 5 – August 5, 2022. Planning is still taking place, but topics in previous years have ranged from engineering, art, science, animals & agriculture, food & nutrition, teen leadership, and more.

Registration is now open! For more information and to register, visit the 4-H Summer Learning Series webpage.

Fridays on the Farm is Back!

You are invited to join Maine 4-H staff for Fridays on the Farm, a series of hands-on learning experiences for Maine teens. In this series of farm tours, participants will explore possible careers in agriculture, learn about the Maine Food System, and practice real-life farm skills.  Participants may join one, or all of the farm visits. 4-H enrollment is not a requirement for participation, so share this opportunity with your friends! All youth ages 12-18 are welcome to participate. For more information on the available farm tours or to register visit the website.

Looking for 4-H Alumni & Members Attending UMaine

If you are a current or former 4-H member planning to attend UMaine this fall, know of a 4-H member currently attending UMaine, or know of a recent 4-H alumni attending UMaine, read this! Collegiate 4-H is an opportunity for 4-H alumni and college students interested in supporting the mission of 4-H to be involved in 4-H after high school. We are currently exploring starting a Collegiate 4-H Club at UMaine with an anticipated start date for the 2022 fall semester. Simply fill out this short form to let us know if you think you might be interested!

Save the Date for the Maine 4-H State Dairy Show

The Maine 4-H State Dairy show will be July 22nd-24th at the Windsor Fairgrounds. The event is open to all Maine 4-H dairy project members 4-H ages 9 and above. In addition to the 4-H dairy show, the event includes a 4-H dairy fitting contest, grilled cheese contest, and educational workshops.  For additional information and a schedule of events please visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/maine-4-h-state-dairy-show/.

Upcoming 4-H Working Steer Events

Save the date for upcoming 4-H working steer shows! In order to qualify and be a part of the Maine ESE Working Steer Team, you must attend two of the three tryouts. The tryout events are:

    • Saturday, July 23rd at Windsor Fairgrounds
    • Thursday, August 11th at Skowhegan Fair

For more information on upcoming 4-H working steer events and the Maine ESE Working Steer Team, please visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/working-steer/ or contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or sadee.mehuren@maine.edu.

Animal Science Health, Nutrition, and Parasite Prevention Panel

Join us at the Magic Lantern Innovation Lab, 9 Depot Street Bridgton, on July 9th, at 10:00 am for a free workshop. Learn from a panel of veterinarians and nutrition experts on the health and wellness of animals. From your dog and backyard goats to poultry and large livestock. Don McLean, DVM and Paul G. Rudenberg, DVM will provide information followed by a question and answer session to help you keep your animals safe and well. Contact susan.jennings@maine.edu for more information.

EFNEP Recipe of the Month: Frozen Strawberry Sandwiches

It’s summer in Maine, and whether you are at the lake, the mountains, camping, or enjoying time in your own backyard, there is nothing better than barbecue. Nothing tastes quite as good as a burger cooked on a grill or some amazing crispy chicken. Do you need a quick, refreshing dessert after a day out barbequing? Our Frozen Strawberry Sandwiches are an amazing treat to finish off that BBQ! By Debbie Barnett (EFNEP CEA in Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo counties – deborah.barnett@maine.edu).

Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) offers FREE nutrition education classes to income-eligible adults with children, or young adults 19-25 years old, and if you are eligible for programs such as SNAP, WIC, or Head Start. Find out more online.