4-H Clubs in Cumberland County

Cumberland County has many different types of 4-H clubs ranging from specific animal clubs to science-based clubs, to general ones, and more! If you are interested in joining or want more information about any of these clubs please contact Allison Pollock at 207.781.6099 or 800.287.1471 (in Maine) or email allison.pollock@maine.edu and she will get you connected to a leader who can tell you more about their specific club.  Don’t see a club that interests you or your child? Contact Allison to learn more about becoming a 4-H volunteer and starting your own club.

Click a link, below, to view more information on a specific 4-H Club:

School-based

  • Deering High School: 4-H club open to Deering High School students. The club focuses on community service, personal development and college and career readiness. New members welcome!

Beef

  • Baby Beef 4-H members line up for the judge at 2014 Cumberland Fair.Young Farmers 4-H Beef Club
    This club is for 4-Hers who are interested in a beef project. They meet in Gorham on the 2nd Tuesday of the month except for July and August. They work with both beef steers and heifers. 
  • Red & White Faces Baby Beef Club
    This club is for those 4-Hers who have caught a steer in the calf scramble at Cumberland Fair.

Dog

  • Paws ‘N’ Pals
    The Paws ‘N’ Pals 4-H Dog Club, focuses on teaching youth ages 9 – 18 how to train their dogs in a variety of dog sports (showmanship, obedience, rally obedience, agility) and teaching members lots of dog knowledge in a safe, fun, and educational environment. In addition to monthly meetings, we generally hold one fundraiser a year, create a club display for the 4-H Exhibit Hall at the Cumberland Fair, and host and participate in the Cumberland Fair 4-H Dog Show in September. Members do not need a dog to participate as approximately half of all meetings are taught without dogs. New members welcome!

Dairy

  • All-Star Dairy
    The Cumberland County All-Star 4-H Dairy Club meets 2nd Sunday of the month in Gorham, except June-August. They are a dairy cow club with members ages 7-18 spread over a large area. All members need a project animal which can be leased or owned. New members welcome!

Goat

  • White Pine Caprines
    White Pine Caprines strive to learn citizenship, leadership, friendship, and life skills by learning about and taking care of dairy goats. Meets the 2nd Thursday of each month in North Yarmouth. New members welcome.

    • The White Pine Caprines also have a Veterinary Science division of their club

General

  • Forest School 4-H A club for youth enrolled in the Forest School Homeschooling Group. Closed to new members.
  • Merry Makers 4-H Club Each year members brainstorm the activities they would like to do.  Project areas tend to focus on science, outdoor education, arts and crafts, and community service. Merry Makers meets monthly on the second Sunday afternoon of each month, typically in Standish. Limited openings for new members.
  • New Gloucester Library 4-H Club  They meet in New Gloucester at the Public Library. Usually October – June at 6:00 pm. on Tuesdays. Open to all projects and ideas. New members welcome.

Horse

  • Cumberland County Equestrians meets in Windham on the second and fourth Sunday afternoon of each month. Open to all ages. Hands-on focus to educate youth about horses and care. They also participate in June Jamboree, Ossipee Valley Fair and Cumberland Fair. New members welcome.
  • Tails and Trails meet in Freeport on the fourth Monday of the month. Members are ages 5-18 who own or lease a horse or take regular riding lessons. New members welcome.

Robotics

  • Robotica learns about Robotics using 1st Lego Robotics kits. Meets in Windham.

Rabbits

  • The Rabbiteers of Maine is a 4-H club that is focused on the care, and production for their rabbits for show or meat. Members will participate in local shows, learn how to handle their rabbits for showmanship, and learn proper nutrition and care for their rabbits. Members are required to maintain a record book to establish their goals and evaluate profit or loss with their finance records. Beginner members are not required to own a rabbit to participate in the club but can attend many activities and learn about this fun and interesting hobby. Beginner Level members ( year 1/2 ) learn breed identification, parts of the rabbits, proper nutrition and care for their animal. Beginners must complete one or more projects to complete the program–exhibit a rabbit, present a rabbit project at the exhibit hall during the Cumberland Fair and or participate in showmanship. Intermediate and Advanced Level members ( 2 years plus ) learn breed identification, learn disease and parasite control, showmanship, keep a record book with finance records and goals for the year. Serve as leaders and teach younger members. They select and manage their herd for meat and talk with buyers for the livestock auction, and or show their rabbits. Intermediate and Advanced member are required to complete a record book, and or participate in these two activities–exhibit a rabbit at the fair, and or select a meat rabbit for auction, create a project in the exhibit hall, showmanship, and help at the rabbit barn for herdsman duties such as feed and water rabbits. At the end of the season we will create a club display for the exhibit hall. We are looking for members 9 and up and limited to 12 members.

Sheep

  • 4-H Lambing with Bill GreenCumberland County 4-H Sheep Club meets in Cumberland the 2nd Monday of the month October through May.  They have a market lamb and sheep breeding program and do projects with wool on the side. Open to Cumberland County residents and those in towns directly on the Cumberland County border who do not already have a Sheep Club. Members must plan to lease or own at least one sheep. New members ages 9 – 18 welcome until March of each year.

 

 Shooting Sports

  • two young 4-H Bulleye Club members at the shooting rangeBullseyes 4-H club is a shooting sports club for youth ages 9-18. They meet every Monday night from November until April and focus on safe handling and firing of .22  rifles on a 50′ indoor range. The club strives to teach youth gun safety while also helping them to improve their shooting skills. Meets in Cumberland. New members welcome in October.

Swine

  • Swiners 4-H Club helps members raise market hogs for Auction at the Cumberland Fair, raise swine for personal use, and for 4-H shows. Some of their members are also part of the racing pig program which is for younger members. Youth learn about caring for, showing, and raising pigs. The club meets monthly on the first Wednesday in Cumberland. There is limited enrollment for racing pig candidates (5-8-year-olds).

Teen Leadership

  • Teen Council is for youth ages 12-18 who want to learn and practice leadership skills. Their primary tasks are to plan and execute county events and a service learning project. Teen Council meets September – June. New members welcome!

Working Steer

  • 4-H working steersBrass Knobs Working Steer Club is made up of boys and girls from the ages of 9 to 18 years. Members purchase a set of small calves and then train those calves to form a team.  The teamsters (youth) also learn and develop life skills.  If this club is something you are interested in joining or even just seeing what we are all about, get in touch with us. Meets monthly on Saturdays. New members are always welcome.