York County Clover Connections July 2026
York County Clover Connections July 2026
A monthly newsletter for York County 4-H Members
Table of Contents
Upcoming Dates| County News | Local 4-H Workshops and Events | State News
Upcoming Dates to Remember
July 9th-12th – Ossipee Valley Fair
July 13th – 4-H Leaders Association meeting, 6:30pm
August 1st – Acton Fair Livestock Entry form
August 11th – Acton Fair food booth and exhibit hall cleanup, 5pm
August 27th-30th – Acton Fair
County News
4-H Leaders Association Meeting
The next 4-H Leaders Association meeting will take place on July 13th at the Extension Office and via Zoom. Also, if you are a volunteer with York County 4-H, there is a 4-H mug and certificate of appreciation waiting for you in the Extension Office. Let us know ahead of time if/when you plan to come in to pick it up. Erin will also have them with her at the Acton Fair Food Booth cleanup in August.
Zoom info:
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://maine.zoom.us/j/85214893115
Or Telephone: US: +1 305 224 1968 Meeting ID: 852 1489 3115
Acton Fair – Exhibit Hall Volunteers
We need lots of help with the Exhibit Hall! Check out the link below to signup to help setup, monitor, or breakdown the 4-H Exhibit Hall. Teen aged 4-H members are encouraged to take a shift. (This is also a good opportunity for anyone who might need community service hours for school).
Acton Fair – Novelty Item
The Novelty Item for Acton Fair this year is Duct Tape crafts! Make a wallet, a flower, whatever you can come up with! Make sure the item is at least 75% duct tape. More information about the Exhibit Hall can be found in the Acton Fair 4-H Exhibit Hall Guidelines.
Additional Acton Fair Information
Find all the information you need for Acton Fair online. For livestock exhibitors, you can find info about approval forms, insurance, etc on the Livestock Exhibitors webpage. For information about the exhibit hall, visit the Acton Fair 4-H Exhibit Hall webpage. We will be cleaning up the food booth and exhibit hall on August 11th around 5pm. If you have an hour to spare, please stop by and help us clean up!
Local 4-H Workshops and Events
D.A. Hurd Library and South Berwick Library
Buds & Bugs workshop series – 4-H teens will deliver programs on pollinators
and flowers 3:30-4:30pm at the D.A Hurd Library (No. Berwick) and the South
Berwick Library during the last two weeks of July. Visit the library website to
register.
July 20th All About Pollinators:
Are you a fan of the hummingbird? Maybe you’re abuzz about bees? Join us to learn more about pollinators, the important role they play in our food system, and how we can help pollinators thrive. This workshop will include hands-on activities and a visit to the library’s sensory garden (weather permitting).
July 27th Pollination Station:
Learn how the different parts of the flower are arranged to entice pollinators to visit them and spread pollen from anther to stigma! We will make our own little pollinator and a model of a flower with “pollen” to move around from flower to flower.
July 24th Anatomy of a Flower:
Bring your observation skills and join us for a flower dissection. Learn about the different parts of the flower, how they work, and how pollinators help flowers make seeds and fruit. We will use scissors, tweezers, and magnifying glasses to dissect and label a flower.
July 31st Bees and Blueberries:
What small tasty fruit is Maine famous for?! Come learn about our native lowbush blueberries and the bees that help them grow. We will play a pollination game to see just how amazing honeybees and bumblebees are at pollinating! We may also have a tasty snack to try!
State News May, 2026
Maine State 4-H Dairy Show
Maine 4-H invites you to participate in the 2026 Maine 4-H State Dairy Show! This year’s event will take place on July 18th and 19th at the Windsor Fairgrounds. The contests are open to all 4-H dairy project members ages nine and above and include a grilled cheese and milkshake cookoff, a dairy cattle fitting contest, and a dairy cattle show. For a complete schedule and registration
information, visit the Maine State 4-H Dairy Show Website.
Animal Science Challenge
The Maine 4-H Foundation is offering a challenge to 4-H animal science committees and programs. The Foundation will match up to $3,000 per committee to support animal science programs and educational programs. A 1 to 1 match will be made for current and past donors, and 1:2 matches for new donors. Questions can be asked by contacting Susan Jennings at 207.615.7300, or email maine4hfoundation@gmail.com.
4-H Working Steer Tryout Information
The show season is fast approaching! Working steer ESE intent forms (due May 1st), volunteer interest forms, team member guidelines, and apprentice guidelines are all available one at umaine.edu/4h/working-steer/. The dates for team tryouts are listed below.
Upcoming ESE Working Steer Tryouts:
-
- July 11, 2026, Ossipee Valley Fair
- August 13, 2026, Skowhegan Fair
If you have any questions, please contact Hillary Arsenault, ESE coordinator, at maineworkingsteer@gmail.com; 207.592.3320 or Sadee Mehuren at sadee.mehuren@maine.edu; 207.342.5971
July 2026 4-H Volunteer Corner: Your corner for connection, tips, and tricks!
Developmental Relationships
Developmental relationships are foundational connections between young people and adults or peers. By offering emotional and tangible support, these bonds empower youth to uncover their identities, build resilience, and acquire the necessary social and emotional skills to succeed in life.
As a 4-H volunteer you can focus on these five key elements:
- Express Care through listening, warmth, and dependability.
- Challenge Growth, expect their best and help them reflect on failures.
- Provide Support, empower and advocate, help youth navigate systems and set appropriate boundaries.
- Share Power through inclusion, respect and collaboration.
- Expand Possibilities by exposing youth to new ideas and opportunities; connect them with others who can help them reach their goals.
4-H Volunteer Summit
Saturday, November 7, 2026
THIS event is going to be SO MUCH FUN! Along with interactive workshops, and a 4-H Discovery Zone, there will be a delicious lunch and door prizes! Save the date, check out the 4-H Volunteer Summit webpage and look for registration to open soon!
Resource Corner
We have a great national 4-H website! If you haven’t taken time to peruse the site, there is lots of good information and resources to be found. One interesting resource is the Ready for Fair Series. It consists of short videos from 4-H members in Virginia as they share what it is like to participate in animal projects with their eyes on the fair shows- three great young people!