Plymouth County

Cooperative Extension
PO Box 658, High Street, Hanson, MA 02341
781-293-3541

Plymouth County Extension 4-H Program

Plymouth County 4-H News and Notes –April 2011

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

April
April 2 Massachusetts 4-H Visual Presentation Day, 10 AM Bedford, MA
April 9-10 Massachusetts 4-H Horse Bowl and Judging Contest, Spencer, MA
April 16 Plymouth County 4-H Awards Program, 6-9 PM, Pembroke
April 18-22 Plymouth County 4-H Exhibit Week
April 19, 21 Plymouth County 4-H Babysitting Course, 1-4 PM, Rockland Library
April 26 Plymouth County 4-H Embryology Program

Coming in May…
May 3 Massachusetts 4-H Foundation Annual Meeting, 3 PM, Boylston, MA
May 7-8 Massachusetts 4-H Vet Science Camp, UMass Amherst
May 13 Plymouth County 4-H Walk, Cape Cod Canal, 5PM
May 14 Massachusetts 4-H Rabbit Quiz Bowl
May 20-22 Mass 4-H Dog Camp, 4-H Camp Farley, Mashpee, MA

Coming in June…
June 11-12 4-H Beef and Dairy Camp, UMass Amherst
June 21 East Middleboro 4-H Town Committee, 7 PM, Middleboro, MA
June 28 Plymouth County 4-H Advisory Council, 7 PM, Hanson, MA

Plymouth County/UMass Extension offer equal opportunities in programs and employment.

 Reminder!
Please make sure to check the Plymouth County 4-H
Blog http://4hclover.wordpress.com/ for updated
County information and new stories and 4-H club
activities for Plymouth County 4-H Clubs. If you would
like to have something about your 4-H experience or
4-H club on the blog please email Kathryn Baker at
kathrynhammondbaker@gmail.com
Also please remember to check the Massachusetts 4-H
Website at www.mass4h.org for updated program
information.
4-H Exhibit Week
Plymouth County 4-H will be holding the annual 4-H
Exhibit Week from April 18-22. All Plymouth County
4-H clubs are welcome to participate. Each 4-H club
may set up an informative and educational 4-H exhibit in
a public place (business, library, bank, school, etc).
There are specific criteria to follow, please ask your 4-H
leader for more information. The 4-H exhibits will be
judged and prizes will be awarded for the top three 4-H
displays.
4-H Exhibit Week is also a great time to schedule a
demonstration or informational session at your exhibit
week location. For more details please contact Molly
Vollmer at 781-293-3541.
Plymouth County 4-H
4-H Awards Program
The annual Plymouth County 4-H Awards Program will
be held on April 16th at the Knights of Columbus Hall in
Pembroke, MA. 4-H Volunteers, members and families
are invited to attend this free awards program. 4-H
members and volunteers will be recognized for their
achievements in 4-H from the past year. A dinner will
be provided by the Plymouth County 4-H Advisory
Council and a silent auction will also take place at this
event.
Invitations and directions are attached to the email along
with this newsletter. All families that attend are asked to
bring a dessert and an item for the silent action. All
proceeds from the auction will go back to support
Plymouth County 4-H programs. Call the Extension
Office at 781-293-3541 or email
mvollmer@umext.umass.edu to RSVP for this event.
National 4-H Congress
Massachusetts 4-H will be sending a delegation to
National 4-H Congress this fall on November 25-29,
2011. This event provides tremendous opportunity for
Plymouth County 4-H members, ages 15-18 to meet and
interact with 4-H members from across the country
while taking part in an educational experience. It is
designed to address the needs and issues of youth while
helping to develop capable, competent citizens. Being
selected to attend is one the highest achievements a 4-H
member can reach. Please visit www.national4-
Hcongress.com for more information on this exciting
event.
To apply for National 4-H Congress please see the
application at www.mass4h.org Go to programs, then
Leadership for a form. Applications are due May16,
2011 in the Plymouth County 4-H Office. Contact
Molly Vollmer for more details.
Animal Lease Forms Due
4-H Animal Lease Forms are now called 4-H Animal
Verification Forms. The Animal Verification Forms are
due to the Plymouth County Extension Office later this
spring. 4-H’ers who lease an animal must turn one of
these forms in to the Plymouth County Extension Office
to participate in various 4-H shows throughout the
summer and fall. Please call the Extension Office at
781-293-3541 with questions. Please look at the
following due dates for each species:
May 1- Beef and Dairy
June 1- Sheep, Goats, Swine, Llamas, Alpacas,
Poultry
4-H’ers may lease any type of animal including dogs and
other small animals. Please contact Molly Vollmer with
questions about how to have 4-H’ers participate.
 4-H Visual Presentation Day
The Massachusetts 4-H Visual Presentation Program
was held at the Bedford Middle School in Bedford, MA
on Saturday April 2nd. Many Plymouth County 4-H’ers
participated in the event and we had many different 4-H
Clubs represented. Those who attended include:

Thomas Anderson, Anya Beale, Mia Bornstein, Sarah

Calnan, Marisol Chase, Rebecca Claffey, Viktoria
Dahill, Reece Easter, Ian Easter, Leanne Eldridge,
Amanda Fragata, Brianna Fragata, Megan Glattstein,
Jaime Goulart, Margaret Haley, Maia Hay, Cameron
Hay, Shannon Hunt , Lauren Keefe, Jaqueline Keefe,
Michael Keith, Meghan Lee, Scout Leonard, Lilly Anya Beale and Laura Vautrinot did a team presentation
Raposa, Chole McAuliffe , Brian Mills, Mya Neary, at 4-H VP Day titled Jazzy Jewelry.
Matthew Pongratz, Nicholas Ryan, Marshall Smith,
Amy Sweet, Allison Turner, Laura Vautrinot, and
Rachel Yanchuk.

A big THANK YOU to Chachi and Stepahine Loprete

who served as judges for the Massachusetts 4-H Visual
Presentation Day.

4-H Dog Club members Jacqueline Keefe, Rachel

Yanchuk, Marisol Chase and Michael Keith take a break
from their presentations.

Ian and Reece Easter pose with their blue ribbons at their
first Massachusetts 4-H Visual Presentation Day.

Teen Council 4-H member Scout Leonard poses with her

blue ribbon from State 4-H VP Day with her winning
presentation on Summer Camp.
UMass Extension Director, Nancy Garrabrants and Mass
4-H Foundation President Bob McLoud present
Plymouth County 4-H’er Tom Anderson with a Red
Rosette at State 4-H Visual Presentation Day.

Meghan Lee from the Satucket River 4-H Dog Club
poses with her presentation on the Iditarod.
4-H’er Lilly Raposa shows off her 4-H Visual
Presentation on Breeding for Blues at State 4-H VP Day.
Senior 4-H’er Brianna Fragata shows off her winning
4-H Visual Presentation on Rabbit Genetics, Brianna
earned a Blue Rosette.
Mya Neary from the Screaming Stirrups 4-H Club did
her Visual Presentation on Teacup Pigs.
Plymouth County 4-H’er Nicholas Ryan (middle) poses
with his buddies Daniel and Trevor Clapp from Bristol
County 4-H at State 4-H VP Day.
Pantry Paws
The Round of A Paws 4-H Club is holding a food drive
for pets! The club is working with two local food
pantries to collect food for pet owners who can’t afford
food for their cats and dogs. The 4-H Club has been
dividing up large bags of food and labeling them and
distributing them to pantries to get the food out to pet
owners who need it. If your 4-H Club would like to
help, please drop off donated pet food at the Plymouth
County Extension Office, weekdays 9-4. Please call
ahead 781-293-3541 to make sure we can accept your
donation.
 Plymouth County 4-H Camperships
and Scholarships
The Plymouth County 4-H Advisory Council will again
be offering camperships to Plymouth County 4-H’ers
who would like to attend a Massachusetts 4-H Summer
Program or 4-H summer camp like 4-H Camp Farley.
Please email Molly Vollmer at
mvollmer@umext.umass.edu or call 781-293-3541 to
request a copy of the campership form. All forms must
be submitted to the Plymouth County 4-H Advisory
Council at least 6 weeks before the camp or as soon as
possible before the event. Campership requests for
4-H Camp Farley, Mashpee, MA are due to the
Plymouth County 4-H Advisory Council by April 1.
The Plymouth County 4-H Advisory Council would also
like to remind all graduating seniors that the 4-H Gilbert
P. Robery Scholarship is available for those pursuing a
degree in Animal or Veterinary Sciences. Each year the
4-H Advisory Council gives out a $1000 scholarship to a
male and female 4-H’er who are looking to further their
education in animal studies. Please contact Molly
Vollmer at mvollmer@umext.umass.edu or 781-293-
3541 for more information
National 4-H Horse Round-Up
Plymouth County 4-H’ers Brittany Pothier and Paige
Mechan proudly display their national ribbons from the
National 4-H Horse Round-Up in Kentucky last
November. Brittany and Paige participated in the Horse
Judging portion of the event and represented
Massachusetts 4-H at the contest.
Marshfield Fair
It is never too early to start thinking about fair season!
There are going to be some changes at the fair this year
and we would like folks to be aware of the updates.
4-H Day
WEDNESDAY, August 24. Agricultural Awareness/
4-H Day will now be on Wednesday during the
Marshfield Fair. This is a change from previous years,
please plan ahead to participate in 4-H activities this day.
4-H Day Activities will no longer have premiums
attached to the placings. 4-H’ers who participate will
receive ribbons for their participation and also be invited
to have a pizza dinner on 4-H day. NO PREMIUMS
WILL BE AWARDED. We hope to have several
4-H’ers participate in this fun day. The 4-H T-shirt
contest, tractor contest, obstacle course, costume parade
and other activities will still be offered.
Marshfield Fair Exhibitor Book
The Marshfield Fair Exhibitor Handbook will no longer
be mailed to participants. All entry forms and
information will be available online at
www.marshfieldfair.org Please check this website
during the late spring for updated information and dates
for the 2011 Fair. If you do not have access to the
website please contact the Extension Office 781-293-
3541.
4-H Teen Council
Plymouth County 4-H Teen Council did an apple bake
off in March for Johnny Appleseed month. The Teens
baked several pies and then delivered them to a local
homeless shelter in Brockton as their monthly 4-H
community service project.
Teen Council is getting ready for several 4-H Animal
programs this spring including visiting local libraries
with baby farm animals. The Council will also play a
large role in planning the Plymouth County Extension
4-H Awards Program.
If you are interested in joining 4-H Teen Council, please
contact the Extension Office at 781-293-3541 or email
mvollmer@umext.umass.edu
 Contact Us
Plymouth County Extension
Box 658, High St
Hanson, MA 02341
Phone:781-293-3541
Fax: 781-293-3916
Email:
plyctyext@mindspring.com
mvollmer@umext.umass.edu

“Learning by Doing”

Molly Vollmer, Extension Educator

Plymouth County Extension 4-H Program