York County 4-H Clover Connection March 2024

York County 4-H Clover Connection March 2024

Fun Fact:

 ” You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”

– Dr. Seuss. Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Dr. Seuss’ 120th Birthday is March 2, he was an American writer and illustrator of immensely popular children’s books

, which were noted for their nonsense words, playful rhymes, and unusual creatures.   Learn more on Dr. Seuss in his Biography here: Dr. Seuss Biography

County News

Public Speaking Tournament, March 9th, 10am-2pm

The York County 4-H Public Speaking Tournament will be held on March 9th 2024 at the Alfred Parish Church Hall. Registration is closed but, please attend to support your fellow 4-H members!

4-H Camp and Learning Centers Summer Registration and Scholarships!

Registration is now open for summer camp at Tanglewood, Blueberry Cove, Greenland Point, and Bryant Pond. Sign up today to reserve your spot! Some scholarship money is available through the camps, but York County 4-H can provide additional support. Please complete the 2024 Campership Application to request financial assistance. The application is due by April 2nd.

4-H Camp Scholarship Application 2024 PDF | Word

York County 4-H Fashion Revue, May 18th, 10am-12pm

Get out your needles and thread! The 3rd annual York County 4-H Fashion Revue is just a few months away! Check out the Fashion Revue Categories and Suggested Projects webpage to start planning your entry. Please note that all items submitted to the Fashion Revue must have been made during the current 4-H year (since October 1, 2023). 

More information and the registration page can be found on the York County 4-H Fashion Revue webpage. 

• Sewing Workshop for Beginners: Have you always wanted to sew, but don’t know how? Do you have some basic sewing skills, but limited access to a sewing machine? If you answered ‘yes’ to either of these questions, you should sign up for the 4-H Sewing Workshop hosted by Little Threads Sewing Studio! Spend a few hours learning how to use a machine and come away with a pair of pajama pants (subject to change) that you can submit to the 4-H Fashion Revue! Youth who sign up for the workshop must also sign up to participate in the Fashion Revue.

**This workshop is aimed specifically at 4-H members who have minimal experience sewing or limited access to a sewing machine. If the workshop is not filled by April 8th, registration will open to 4-H members of all sewing levels. Registration closes on April 15th. Space is limited to 10 participants.**

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Its your Birthday… Party like it’s your Birthday!

We hope your birthday is as fantastic as you are!

January

Briana, Libby, Isaiah, Ayden, Leah, Jeremiah, Grace, Ella

February

Genevieve, Pheobe, Grace, Ethan, Annabelle, Aubrie, Eden, Rowe

March

Ava, Grant, Ethen, Silas, Reece

 

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Club News

There are 9 Active Clubs in York County.

Beachcombers- Leader Jackie Lipsky

Beachcombers encouraged members to get to Wells Harbor to watch the dredging.

Four Leaf Clover 4-H Club – Leaders Else Cook, Jennifer Azara

Our first regular meeting in February included a Valentine’s party, where the kids decorated bags and then shared Valentine’s cards with each other. For our second meeting we went to Seacoast Adventure Park, for some tubing fun in the sun! Upcoming, we are touring the Engineering Expo at the Gorham Campus.

Kidding Around – Leaders Debbi Cole, Nathan Cole

At our February meeting, Nathan taught us how to give subcutaneous and inter-muscular shots to our goats.  We practiced subcutaneous on a potato inside a balloon and we practiced inter-muscular on a banana.  We then painted the correct areas on our got to give the shots.  We also painted where NOT to give a shot. Then we painted the other side of the goat just for fun.

Little Falls 4-H Club – Leaders Barbara Peterson, Nancy Van Tassell

Nature Kids – Leader Jackie Lipsky

Nature kids had another meeting to work on our first aid kits.  Our older kids (13 and up) and many parents prepared a science fair type of presentation the kids swirled around and learned from, making notecards of tips for their first aid kits.

Pollinator Protectors – Leader Carolyn Reece

Pollinator Protectors gathered for winter seed sowing and seed shopping for the home pollination gardens each youth will begin planting later this spring. Coast of Maine donated 10 cubic yards to our club for growing and Pinetree Seed Company donated 23 different varieties of seeds! Pollinator Protectors discussed the basics of winter seed sowing and started three types of native flowers for pollinators donated by Goronson Farm in Scarborough. Next month the club will officially begin planning for their projects of protecting pollinators!

S.T.A.M.P.S – Leader Alicia Paley

York County Beef Club – Leaders Ann Boucher, Diane Qualey

York County Shepherds – Leaders Donna Flint, Kristi Maling

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Spin Clubs!

Maine Mapler’s

Maine Mapler’s has been exploring all things Maine maple sugaring and participating in the statewide 4H Maple 101. Maplers have tapped trees, learned about different hard woodsvs soft woods, tree identification, crafted an educational lap book, documented weather patterns, made sugar on snow and are working on completing a maple syrup cookbook together. To conclude our seasonal club, mapler’s will be visiting two sugarhouses and a maple museum!

 

Woolies

Woolies have been hand working circular knitting looms and exploring drop spindles. Currently we are working on knitting fingerless gloves, jump ropes just completed crafting our own wooden drop spindles for fiber spinning! W

oolies will be completing the spring sessions with another woodworking project of hammering nails into wood for a yarn art design and then we will be taking a break until our October session begins.

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Volunteer and Leader News

We need volunteers for upcoming events. If you (or someone you know) would be interested in volunteering to help setup, breakdown, judge, etc for upcoming events please fill out this event volunteer form. Older youth are welcome to volunteer to help as well.

Next Leader Association Meeting:

March 5th at 6:30 p.m. at the Extension Office and via Zoom.

Zoom link: https://maine.zoom.us/j/83672055038 

Volunteer Training Refresher at Springvale Library, March 19th 5-6:30pm

Are you a new 4-H volunteer interested in learning more about being an effective club leader? Are you an experienced volunteer needing a refresher on 4-H policies and practices? This training refresher is for you! Whether you have been volunteering for 6 months or 30 years, this refresher will give you the knowledge and tools you need to ensure you are giving youth the best 4-H experience. 4-H parents who are considering becoming volunteers are welcome to attend as well.

We will spend some time going over the basics (ie annual forms, participation in annual events, and safety procedures), reviewing newer forms and resources, and we will have plenty of time for questions, feedback, and ideas! Come ready to share your experiences and learn something new! Dinner will be provided. Please complete the Volunteer Training Refresher Registration form by March 5th. 

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Upcoming Dates and Events

March 1, 2024           Maine 4-H Foundation Scholarship applications due to the Extension Office. Mailed applications must be postmarked by March 1st.

March 1, 2024           Fryeburg Fair “Intent to sell” Market Lamb forms due in the Extension office.

March 9, 2024           York County 4-H Public Speaking Tournament. Time and location TBD

March 20, 2024         Citizenship Washington Focus information due to County Office.

April 1, 2024              Deadline for new member enrollments. Any youth not previously enrolled in 4-H has until April 1st to submit completed enrollment forms in order to participate in fairs and statewide events (not including National 4-H trips).

April 1, 2024             Independent members only: Progress report due to the Extension Office.

April 1, 2024              Eastern States Horse approval forms/lease forms due in county office.

April 6, 2024              Maine State 4-H Public Speaking Tournament

April 19-24, 2024      National 4-H Conference trip to Washington, D.C.

May 1, 2024               Animal Approval/Lease forms due in the Extension office for Eastern States Dairy, Horse and Working Steer.

May 18, 2024          York County 4-H Fashion Revue. Time and location TBD

May 15, 2024           Betty Syvinsky scholarship application due in York County office

June 30, 2024            Animal Approval/Lease forms are due in the Extension office for Beef, Dairy, Dog, Goat, and Sheep. Always bring the York County 4-H embossed paper copies of your approval forms with you to the fair if you are showing animals. No Approval form is needed for rabbits/cavies and chickens.

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State News

March, 2024

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 1 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 in early January, or email, Heidi Palmer:    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.

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/

Western/Central Regional Public Speaking Contest

Join other 4-H youth for a Regional Public Speaking contest at UMA in Augusta on March 9th (March 10th snow date) at Jewett Hall at 9:30. We welcome 4-Her’s of all ages, including Cloverbuds. Register online.

Want to know more information about Public Speaking? Check out this link: https://extension.umaine.edu/4h/public-speaking/.  Contact: Tara Marble (tara.marble@maine.edu) at the office if you have questions or need an accommodation.