4-H Happenings

What a beautiful day for a parade!
Horse & Rider had a hit with the mini Polar Express. A mini horse is so cute and popular where ever they go.

The goats from the Mix n’ Match club added much to the parade as they marched along with their Polar Express train cars made by the club members.

Visit https://www.activaterewards.com/four_h/theater/?zip=04605 to purchase your Charlotte’s Web tickets and support 4-H! (You will need to click “download” and not “print” when you go to purchase tickets)

Jan 3	Market Steer project - Intent to Participate form is due if you intend to participate in the Fryburg or Winsor Fair. Based on this form your steer will be tagged and your market steer animal approval form will be due February 15th
Jan 11	Deadline to register for Sew In
Jan 15	Office Closed - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Jan 18	Deadline to register for Knit In
Jan 19	6:00 - 8:30 pm - Sew In - Extension Office
Jan 26	6:00 - 8:30 pm - Knit In - Extension Office
Feb	Ethnic Festival has been canceled for 2007

A Happy New Year Greeting and Special Thanks to special people….
          From all the staff at the office we send you best wishes for the new year and special thanks to each and everyone of you for your participation in 4-H. To the volunteers, a HUGH thanks for your gifts of time and talent to our youth! To the parents, many thanks for the time and energy you put into helping with 4-H projects, club activities, fundraising, and every other way you make your child’s participation possible. And last but not least, to our wonderful youth! This program is all about you - about your aspirations, your leadership development, your enthusiasm, curiosity, and caring. You are an inspiration to us all!
          As 2007 rolls in, I am thinking ahead to some of the 4-H happenings that you all need to be thinking about and planning for if it is something you want to be involved in.
I am thinking about:
Demonstrations – time to gather ideas
Style Revue – you can start sewing anytime – just be sure your pattern and cloth is appropriate
Sewing and Knitting Workshops – information coming in the mail
Photography – you can be taking pictures the year around so that you will have a good selection to choose your best picture or picture story
          I am also thinking about the news articles that you could write, the ways you could help or the questions you could ask. Don’t hesitate to call the office if you need help or have something to share. I am looking forward to seeing your finished projects. They can be so interesting.

CLUB CHAT: Justin made a very nice presentation to the Leaders’ Association at the December meeting. Here is his speech:
“This year I received the Razor Crossman Sportsmanship Award. This award is given to a 4-Her who exhibits in many ways the 4-H spirit. Such as keeping clean stalls, helping other 4-Hers with their chores, working in the food booth and at the steer ticket both. Plus they look for some one who is good with the public. The judges are unknown and work individually.
According to my research and people who I have talked to, Razor Crossman was an all-round good guy. He was so good with 4-Hers that if a 4-Her couldn’t quite pay for an animal, Razor paid the rest. At 4-H auctions he always bid the highest so the 4-Her could get a good price. He always had a story or a joke to tell. He was an auctioneer who was better known for raising and auctioning livestock than auctioning equipment and other items. Although he was the auctioneer for the D.O.T. equipment auction for many years. One of the high lights of his career was that he was asked to be the auctioneer of the Maine Sugar Beet Refinery, which was one of the largest auctions in Maine. Besides being an auctioneer, Razor was a big part in the VJ Day celebration (the celebration of the Japanese surrender in WW2) JV stands for Victory over Japan. Razor is in the agriculture hall of fame.
I acquired this information by going to the library but they couldn’t find what I was looking for, so we checked at the town hall and I sat with the town manager and we discovered that Razor was from Corinna and that Razor was not his real name. If any one knows his name please tell me.
Thank you, to the Blue Hill Fair Association for sponsoring this award and to the judges for choosing me for such a prestigious award. I feel grateful to receive this award that memorializes such an honorable man.”

Welcome New VOLTed Volunteers - This new 4-H year finds six newly VOLTed leaders who have completed their training and paperwork in Hancock County.
          Joanne Jodrey - Waltham
          Lorie Scovin - Ellsworth
          Carole Tully - Ellsworth
          Edie Kershner - Jr. Leader – Stockton Springs
          Chris Woodcock - Sullivan
          Linda Woodworth - Sorrento
   Congratulations and best wishes as you join the 4-H family!

December Leaders’ Meeting - Jen Lobley joined the meeting via Video Conferencing which went very well. Unfortunately there were not enough members there for a quorum so there are no minutes this month.

Ethnic Festival - has been canceled for this year. We’re sorry if this has caused any inconvenience to any club. Save those ideas for 2008!

Are You Doing a Bicycle Project? - 4-H Leader John Fink of Declaration of Independents has bicycle repair equipment and he is willing to help any club with a bicycle project. He can be reached at 667-7181 or email him at corp1030@downeast.net.

The Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation - will provide the annual American Income Life accident insurance for all 4-H members in 2007. You must be re-enrolled by December 29th to be included in this offer. This is the annual $1 per member and $2 per member in the horse project that some of you currently utilize.

Attention Clothing and Textiles Project Youth and Leaders! - Packets have been mailed to all the enrolled Clothing and Textile project for the Intermediate skills - Sew In scheduled for Friday, January 19, 6:00 - 8:30 pm at the Extension Office. If you have not received your packet and are interested in attending, please call the office as soon as possible as space is limited. Details will be mailed shortly for the Knit In scheduled for January 26th.

Best Wishes For a Speedy Recovery - 4-H Leader Valery Rice has undergone a triple by-pass surgery. Her 4-H family would like to wish her the best.

Enrollment Packets - The new re-enrollment packets are in and all new information has been posted to the computer. Each club leader will be receiving a club list with a copy of their member’s health form in the mail as soon as possible. The new volunteer directory will also be coming out shortly.

Item 1: Youth in Governance Team Announces Team Proposal Funding
The Youth in governance Team wrote a proposal to the Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation and received $4,500 to support Youth and Adult Partnership projects through 4-H in Maine. Teams of young people and adults are welcome to apply for mini grants up to $500 to support community service learning projects. The projects need to be service learning community based projects and designed by the teams. The YIG Team would like to make $500 available to 9 teams in the state. The simple application is attached and due January 5^th. Susan Jennings and Barbara Baker are willing to talk to any club members or volunteers with questions concerning the proposals. We will ask for photos and simple reports at the six month and year end. We are working to keep this simple and encourage teams to plan a new project. Please request applications from your county Extension Office.

Item 2: Discover the joy of hosting an exchange student
Maine host families are needed for Japanese high school age youth. Japanese delegates hope to spend a school year here and become part of a Maine family. They bring their own spending money and insurance. Hosting a student means more then making room in your family for a new member, and “room” goes beyond simple bed and board. Adults in the family become “parents” for the delegate; children become the delegate’s siblings. In short, the family is expected to treat the exchange student as they do all other family members. Now more then ever, your family can make a difference by hosting an international student. Making the life-long dream of a student come true and contributing in a significant way to global peace and understanding. Host Families with children ages 11 to 18 are also needed for a month this summer. For more information contact Jill Coffren, 207-645-3248 or jcoffren@umext.maine.edu

Item 3: Maine State Hippology Program
THANK YOU FELLOW HORSE LOVERS for all your donations of tack, books, barn equipment and even one Shetland pony !!!! With your help this program has grown over the past 7 years and has sent teams to successfully compete at state, regional and national events. Some of the team members have gone on to work at big barns in Kentucky! Hold successful jobs in the field they love = HORSES.

Once again I am seeking your generous nature; asking for donations of old, broken or no longer used tack, barn items, books, magazines anything we can use to education our 4-H youth. In the past we have had donations ranging from bits to a treadmill and every bit of it has been helpful. I would like to thank all the past donors, the Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation and hippology coaches for all the efforts and time spent on this worthwhile program. For more information about the program contact: Cathy Thomas: Hippology@midmaine.com or call 207-582-0037.

Item 4: National 4-H Congress
The National 4-H Congress was held November 24-28 in Atlanta, Georgia. Five delegates represented Maine: Erica Benson of Gorham, Sarah Flewelling of Pittsfield, Raymond Gushee-Frost of Fryeburg, Melissa Larrabee of Litchfield, and Stefan Winslow from Falmouth. These youth participated in leadership training workshops and attended large group assemblies with 1,000 other 4-Hers from across the United States. Delegates attended workshops designed to develop leadership skills as well as plenary sessions with outstanding speakers and entertainers. Delegates also participate in a service learning experience where they participated in hands-on service learning projects. There were several different tours of the city to choose from as well.

Delegates had an opportunity to participate in several different community service projects from helping out in several different Atlanta city schools to helping decorate Christmas trees for one of Atlanta’s great displays. Erica Benson represented Maine at the dedication of the “Clover House,” a house built by Habitat for Humanity together with funding from 4-H Congress delegates who have contributed for the past four years for a deserving grandmother and her family in Atlanta. All the states brought house-warming gifts for the family too. You can see a photo of the Clover house dedication at: http://www.maine4h.umaine.edu/congress.htm.

Item 5: Event Name: Northeast Livestock Expo (formerly the Maine-New England Beef Expo)
When: May 18,19, and 20, 2007
Where: Windsor fairgrounds, Windsor, Maine
What: Beef: Feeder calf sale, Purebred Sale, Youth show and events, Educational programs
Sheep: Market lamb sale, Purebred sale, Youth show and events, Educational programs
Boer Goats: Purebred sale, ABGA sanctioned show, Youth show and events, Educational Programs
Commercial Tradeshow
Educational programs
Food vendors
Open to the general public
Contact: Ron Howard (207) 236-2739 email: rhoward@mcht.org

Item 6: Maine 4-H Days
Mark you calendars now for Maine 4-H Days this summer at Windsor Fairgrounds, July 6, 7, 8, & 9. It will be a weekend full of personal enrichment workshops as well as livestock events. Camping is encouraged and entire families are welcome.

Item 7:Citizen Washington Focus
Start making plans now to visit our Nation’s Capitol during the week of the 4^th of July. Citizenship Washington Focus is a leadership program conducted by the National 4-H Council for high school youth ages 15 to 19. Delegations of 4-Hers from across the country spend six days touring the city and attending leadership skill-building workshops. This summer, the Maine delegation will leave on June 30 and return on July 7, 2007. You will stay at the National 4-H Conference Center just outside Washington, DC. Visiting the most popular sites in Washington will be a part of the trip.

Contact your county 4-H office to find out how to apply for this trip. Each county will have their own selection process.

Item 8: National 4-H Conference
The National 4-H Conference is a five day youth conference held at the National 4-H Conference Center just outside of Washington, DC on March 23 to 28, 2007 4-H delegations from every state meet to share ideas and form recommendations for the future of 4-H. Delegates participate in activities that emphasize civic engagement, youth-adult partnerships, and professional development.

If you are between the ages of 14 and 19, and would like to attend the National 4-H Conference in 2008, you can apply this spring. More details will be in your county newsletter.

4-H Curriculum
Have you ever used the 4-H curriculum with your club members? Why not try something new this year! All of our 4-HCCS curriculum is designed to be used experientially; through experiences where they can see, touch, smell and interact with the subject matter. The activity guides are filled with fun and engaging activities that have been designed and critiqued by professionals at land-grant universities throughout the United States.

The Extension office has sample curricula that you are welcome to preview before making a purchase. Or visit the website at www.n4hccs.org to see descriptions of the curriculum, sample lessons and additional on-line project resources. You don’t have to be an expert in the project area to use the curriculum and it’s a great way for you to learn along with the youth!

NEW - Due to become available this month!
Computer Power Unlimited- this series will help anyone who uses a computer learn something new! It provides youth new skills and challenges to increase their competence and value in the digital community regardless of their current computer skills.

Exploring 4-H Robotics- This robotics curriculum using the LEGO Mindstorms project is an ideal way to introduce science math, engineering and technology skills will teaching life skills. You learn to build and program a robot to perform increasingly difficult tasks.

Afterschool Agriculture- each of these theme-based guides contains 40 hands-on lessons designed to increase agricultural literacy while developing youths understanding, appreciation and application of science through a variety of agriculturally-based activities.

Other Curriculum Favorites
Keeping Fit and Healthy- Youth practice first aid skills, use a self-assessment tool to identify personal talent areas, and design their own personal fitness plan.

Microwave Magic- contains exciting youth activities that focus on using the microwave to prepare everything from simple snacks to complete meals.

Bicycle Adventures- start a bike club and learn essentials for riding safely, practice bike maintenance, and design a bike events and activities that the whole group can enjoy.

* There are also guides available for animal projects: from meat goats and dairy cattle to horses and poultry, these are a great resource!

Ingredients:
          Ice cream cones with flat bottoms
          Pretzel sticks, small crackers, popcorn
          Crispy cereals - squares, O’s, flakes, and shapes
          Dried fruits - raisins, craisins…
          Nuts - almonds, walnuts, peanuts

Place serving spoons or tongs in each serving dish. Invite everyone to fill an ice cream cone with their choice of crisp grains, fruits and nuts. Wait until everyone has filled their cone and is seated before anyone eats. Don’t speak just listen to the “crunch concert” made from the sound of chewing. Soon there will be giggles in the band. Serve with a natural toothbrush like celery and carrot sticks or sliced apples.

Member of the University of Maine System
Last Modified: 05/25/07
These pages are currently being maintained from the
Hancock County Office, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Send comments, suggestions or inquiries to jfortier@umext.maine.edu