Welcome everybody to midday magazine for this Thursday, September 5th, 2024.
Have your host James with you and we are joined by our great friend, Laura Huber, for
H Educator with UW Madison Extension Wood County.
Laura, always good to see you.
It is so good to see you too.
Happy fall.
I know technically it's not fall, but we're so close.
I love autumn.
So yes, I'm good with that.
Those per months, they're the best ones.
Oh, they are sweater weather.
Coming up.
And before we get too far ahead, I do want to rewind for a second with you.
We were fortunate to be at the Central Wisconsin State Fair.
We had a booth down there.
We had a great time and enjoyed ourselves.
And I know you guys were down there too.
How did it go?
Yeah, this year was a fabulous fair.
Can I say like the weather was so fantastic.
And so it's just a real highlight for 4-H, for FFA and for all of the youth who participate
in the fair.
They look forward to it every year.
They build new friendships.
They learn so much from the judges.
It's really just a phenomenal time.
And if I can, the fair is actually one of the best ways that we can recruit for new
members and things.
It's my own story.
Taking my young son before he started 4K to the fair and he saw Lego projects with ribbons.
So right now in the extension office, I'm getting the calls from people asking like, hey, how
do I get my child involved in 4-H?
Or the one I just got the other day was, hey, my nine-year-old just got a rabbit.
Is this something we can join 4-H for?
That's awesome.
Yeah, it's the beginning of a brand new year.
The fair is just a fabulous way to cap off the last year, to highlight what the kids
have learned, to celebrate all they've done, and then get them psyched up and ready for
the next 4-H year.
It's so interesting you brought up the recruiting part of this and the idea of spreading 4-H
and what you guys do there because I haven't been that a fair in a while.
And as soon as I showed up there, I saw llamas, I saw animals, and I immediately thought
of you in the 4-H immediately and thought, wow, this is not only a great way for people
to learn about what 4-H does and how they're incorporated with our local fairs and some
of these things, but the importance of this and what this brings to a community.
I hadn't really looked at it from that perspective before and it was really cool to be able to
think about that, think about these kids and not only them learning, but them getting
to share that knowledge and those things and teach people like me that some of these
things.
It's a really unique opportunity and a big shout out to the Central Wisconsin State Fair
to all the kids that were there and parents and everybody that did such good work there
and those animals, shout out to those animals too.
Yeah.
They work hard too.
You mentioned that the fair as much as we love and enjoy it, it is kind of the wrap-up
of the year for 4-H, so as you're getting ready for a new year, what are some of the basics
Laura that we can go over for the audience?
Yeah, so 4-H, what's it all about?
I had a volunteer in the other day who actually said, you know, when I hear from a parent that
says something like, wow, I wish that I had learned the very first thing that this volunteer
says is, you know what, then you should get your kids involved in 4-H because all of
the things that you wished you learned about as a kid, you can learn about as you're
learning alongside your child at the very same time.
And you know, sometimes we focus so much on those individual pieces, like, well, this
mom that just reached out saying that their daughter just got a rabbit.
How can she learn about caring for her rabbit and showing her rabbit on all those things?
Yes, she can learn all those things through 4-H, but what I think is more important is
the other skills, kind of the soft skills that go along with those project pieces.
So when I talk about 4-H, I talk about learning by doing, it's all hands-on.
Kids get to choose what they learn about, so it's self-determination.
What are the things that I'm most interested in as opposed to what are the things that other
people think I need to know?
And then young people get to go as far as they want to in it.
And so often they're just having so much fun, making friends, meeting other people that
can help them learn the things they want to learn, that they don't even realize all
of the other skills that they're gaining along the way.
And I think that's one of the greatest strengths in 4-H regardless of if you're talking to teachers
at school, if you're talking to parents or if you're talking to the other volunteers,
the adults around the youth can see the development that's happening while the individual kids
might not realize it at all.
One of the things that I enjoy about 4-H, and I am one of those adults that wishes
I had been in 4-H, and will make don't sure that my, oh boy, my oldest is, I got a child
on the way, and this is the second interview in a row, I brought it up, and I'm not going
to apologize at all, just excited.
But I want that little one to be in 4-H, like her mom and like others were and stuff.
It's not only great for so many of the things, all the things you mentioned there, Laura.
One other add on to that that I think that is a very big similarity between this and
why we encourage, I encourage kids, specifically, to be involved in theater if they can.
Or that the confidence building this can have, and not just in public speaking or working
with others and working with their peers and that, but the personal confidence that can
be built from taking pride in something, whatever that project is, because it's so cool
the way you do this where kids get to follow pursue their interests and the things that
spark them, and once they start doing those things, learning more about it, maybe getting
to explain it to an adult or another peer or something, they build confidence from that.
And while we don't know what they might do in their lives, we know they could use some
confidence in whatever it is they do.
And 4-H helps build that.
Absolutely.
Sometimes I think about it as, first of all, just learning how to try, because so often
I think, well, first of all, I think that we are all our own worst critic.
And we judge ourselves far harsher than anybody else judges us.
But in 4-H, one of the things that we're always working on is just encouraging those young
people to step out of the comfort zone and just try something.
And it can be a great place to succeed, and it can also be a safe space to fail.
Because if we teach our young people early on to be afraid of failure, they're never
going to step out and try all of those things.
They're never going to gain the confidence because they're always going to be questioning
their abilities.
And you know what, when we teach our young people that it's okay to step out and for things
to not go quite right, but then step out of that comfort zone again and try again.
That's how they build confidence.
That's going to carry across all of the things in life.
It isn't necessarily just, you know, I can be confident when I step on a stage or I can
be confident when I walk out with my cow or anything else.
It's like, boy, I failed before I can try this too in all sorts of different avenues.
Yeah, it's such a great point.
It's something that I don't think about often enough, but giving kids a net to be able
to do beyond that highway around and there's a net down there.
That is so important in life and unfortunately, unfortunately, how everyone will look at it.
As adults, we don't have that net very often.
So give it to them while we can and let them learn in these safe spaces and build that
confidence in these safe areas.
I mean, so that's coming from an internal drive is so important instead of, you know,
we don't in adult land.
We don't always have somebody coming up behind us and saying, okay, you can do it, but
you can do it or you need to take this next step.
We need that internal drive and I think 4-H and teaching that internal self-worth,
that confidence, that's what's going to lead to that confidence and that, you know,
stick to it, if this and everything in adulthood.
And to those out there that did attend 4-H as kids or when they were young,
or maybe they were the parent of a kid that did, there are always and still the things
that you love and cherish about 4-H while it is also evolved and grown in many years.
So to the other side of that, if you're, well, my child doesn't have anything, any big
of an interest in farm animals or something, there is 1,000 other things for your kid to
do a 4-H.
100 percent.
So and the thing is, is as we are shifting gears and modernizing and opening up new
opportunities, then we're also working with the fair all the time too, so that young
people can continue to find the fair irrelevant example.
But if I could just talk one, you know, we think about the world right now and it's so
digitized.
And sometimes we as adults are like, oh my gosh, what a shame.
But I've got a couple of 4-H's that they're young ladies in high school, but they've started
their own businesses.
And now if you would see the TikTok videos that they create to market the products that
one crochets and one makes earrings, but the videos that they're developing so that
they can sell their product online.
They are amazing skills, they are, they're using their creativity, they're building income
from it.
It's like all of the things.
And that's maybe not what we would have ever thought about 4-H, like what teaching video
production or any of that kind of stuff.
Those kids are on their phone, but what are they doing on their phones?
It's amazing stuff.
And so we, we make space for this because we want to encourage this, yes, kids might have
learned how to crochet 100 years ago, they might be using it for different purposes today.
So let's, let's honor our roots, but let's grow that tree taller and wider because this
is how we make a change in the world and this is how we stay relevant for today's young
people.
Perfectly worded in a perfect example, Laura.
Thank you for that.
That was awesome.
And shout out to those girls, man.
That's awesome.
That's amazing.
That's so cool.
I, you know, it's another great thing that just talking to you, let alone being around
the kids or learning more about 4-H that is infectious, I just feel so good about the
next generation.
When we're talking about these things, I have a very, a lot of hope and a lot of faith
in them.
It's, it's really cool to hear those stories.
We're speaking with our good friend, Laura Huber, 4-H Educator, UW-Madison Extension
Wood County.
One other thing I wanted to touch on, Laura, with this and getting your kids involved
in 4-H, regardless of what their interests might be, even if they don't have necessarily
an interest in some of these things, it is a great way to create empathy with our children
and create a bond, hopefully a lifetime bond between them and our ag industry.
And because no matter what they do, what industry they go into, I'm going to be eating.
They're going to want food on their table.
And usually if not, you know, all the time comes from our ag industry and our farmers.
And creating more of an understanding of what our farmers go through and do, I grew up
in, where I grew up, there's plenty of beef, there's plenty of farms and all that, but
I grew up in the city and understood that my food was coming from these farms and surrounding
Chicago and all that, but I didn't have much understanding until I moved out here and
my grandparents took me to a farm at like 5.30 in the morning and I really got an understanding
a little bit.
And it just created a lifetime love of not only like farm animals, but the ag industry.
And that was from a young age and it took me a long time to still learn more and more about
it.
While I don't work in that industry, I've got a lot of love and a lot of respect for
the industry and what it does.
I think that those things can go very far as well and create different sparks and then
that we have no idea of.
You bet.
And agriculture is critically important to the economy here, not in just the state of Wisconsin,
but right here in Wood County.
And it is such a diverse industry.
We think about farmers and I think about fiercely independent people who have really
incredible skills.
They have so many skills just to be able to function on the farm, but what is the infrastructure
around that's supporting it?
So we need welders, we need, you know, truckers, we need researchers.
We need like it is so broad.
And one of the things that we can do in 4-H and in other youth programs is to build that
independent spirit that I can do it, spirit, you know, all of the things.
So then when they get old enough, when young people get old enough, they can really make
a difference in the spaces that they want to make a difference in.
And hopefully they can find a career right here in Central Wisconsin because one of the
things that I think is terribly sad is to, you know, develop these incredible young people
and then watch them think like, oh, there's nothing for me here that they have to go elsewhere.
But there is so much right here in Central Wisconsin.
They will help us build our communities into the future as well.
Laura, we have gotten people encouraged by 4-H and a whole new year of 4-H activities.
How can they enroll?
So a couple of pieces to think about is, first of all, like, how to find a club?
We have two great clubs that meet here in the southern part of the county.
So we have the Wittenberg workers in Nicosa and we have Snyder 4-H club here in Wisconsin
Rapids.
Two great clubs with really different personalities.
So one of the things I always talk with families about when they're trying to find a fit is
like, what are your kids interested in learning about?
When are you available?
Families are busy.
So there are so many different ways to choose a club.
What are their strengths?
What are the club's strengths?
What days do they meet?
What nights do they, or what time do they meet?
And even things like, where do you already have friends?
People are able to join a club anywhere in the county, any place that's a good fit.
And so rather than just jumping in and joining one, I encourage people to contact me first.
And let me learn a little bit more about your family so I can help you find a really good
fit because every club is different, every family is different.
And I really do strongly believe that we can find a great fit.
And the best fit that we can find is going to make the best experience for not only the
child, but also the family as a whole.
That's a really cool aspect of this.
And I don't think we hear this with a lot of clubs.
Most of it usually comes down to location or something like that.
The idea of finding out a little bit more information about the kids and the parents being
able to, you know, as a dad, right away I thought of, well, I feel even more confident
doing this.
Like, you know, hopefully you feel great about it no matter what, but it always adds to
stuff when you're able to communicate and talk about this and figure out what's the best
fit for your kid.
Yeah, what are they interested in learning about what are their ages, right?
I wouldn't want to put a five year old in a club that's full of high school students
where, you know, that five year old is all by themselves and all of the kind of stuff.
So, right, I work really hard to get to know families.
I work really hard to get to know the personalities of the clubs and the leaders, right?
So that we can all help each other to be as successful as possible.
Are there any age requirements or anything people like that that people should keep in
mind when reaching out to you, Laura?
Yep, absolutely.
So first of all, young people have to be in fifth or five year old kindergarten in order
to be able to join.
And then they get to stay through a year after their high school graduation, right?
So we've got a really wide breadth.
We've got public schoolers.
We've got private schoolers.
We've got home schoolers.
So there's no requirements there or restrictions there.
And, you know, I think just a willingness to share, sometimes I feel a little awkward
like asking private questions like, is it weird for me to ask you about how many children
you have and what their ages are?
I hope it doesn't feel that way because really it's just me trying to connect you to the
very best fit that I can.
So...
Those are great questions, I think.
And honestly, while I understand, you know, and every parent is different, again, just
speaking for myself as a parent, I want you to ask those questions.
I'm glad you're asking those questions because it means you're engaged, you care, and
my kids are going to find the right fit, the right club for them.
I think those are great questions and really insightful.
I actually really appreciate you sharing that with us.
Did you do that?
I think that's really unique and cool.
Again, it just adds to finding the perfect fit for your little one and making sure that
they have the most fun, the most interesting and excelling of a time with 4-H.
And I want to say too, you know, I mentioned that 5-year-old kindergarten piece.
You don't have to start in 5-year-old kindergarten.
Those two young ladies that I talked about with the TikTok videos and the crochet in earring
businesses, they started at 13 and 15.
Because that's when they were finally ready to jump in and great.
You know, they found their fit, they didn't, they don't have to rely on, you know, 7 years
of experience to succeed in 4-H in high school.
You can jump in because this is really self-paced, you know, and discover self, right?
Instead of, you know, sometimes we think about sports.
Boy, if they don't start in that little league when they're in kindergarten, they're never
going to succeed in high school, that's not the way it works in 4-H at all.
It's a great note, Laura.
I appreciate you mentioning that.
And we certainly want to mention as well how important it is for you to, you know, communicate
with your kid, communicate with Laura and find the right fit for them.
That's certainly a great part of this, but keeping that in mind is well.
I think that, say you bring it up with your kid when they're 9 and they don't have the
interest or maybe the focus or some of those things.
You can always bring it up again in 10, 11, 12, you know, there's, every kid grows and
changes and evolves differently or matures differently, so it's never a bad idea for
that.
And I think it's also noteworthy something you brought up earlier for parents out there.
Something to live vicariously through these kids and through some of these moments and
everything.
I again wish my kids were younger just so they could do this and I could live through
their life.
Sure.
I'm not, you know, sports wise, I'm not a fan of that kind of stuff always, but there's
something like this.
I encourage it.
It's something that's, you know, could be really fun for the whole family because so much
of 4-H is community, family, it's these things, bringing these things closer together.
Absolutely.
And one of the things I want to say too is we do a lot of things at the club level, but
I also offer a lot of opportunities at the county level.
So there's lots of opportunities.
You don't have to have to have a child who's like really targeted on learning that one
thing.
If you just have that child who's like, oh boy, I want to learn.
I want to go out and have fun.
Like we're offering those opportunities too.
So 4-H is not just for those kids who are single-minded and on a mission already.
It's for everybody.
And you mentioned a little bit of this earlier and I just want to touch on before we let
you go, Laura.
The time commitment of this is not gigantic either.
It's really what you make of it.
It's something that I wouldn't, I'm not to speak for you, but I know you've mentioned
before.
It's not a requirement that you're at every single 4-H club meeting, but you know, certainly
encouraged.
And the meetings aren't necessarily, you know, all night kind of things.
Some events, others, you know, some may last longer than others, but it's not a gigantic
time commitment either.
Right.
And it's that, you know, the more you put in, the more you'll get out.
So we have, you mentioned Lama's earlier.
So we have a county wide Lama program.
So if your child is interested in Lama's or we have a county wide dog program or a county
wide shooting sports program like all of those kinds of things, those are above and beyond.
They're not required.
So if it's something your family is interested in going in there and taking advantage of
the opportunities, excellent.
If you just want to show up for those meetings when you can, that's okay too, right?
But the more often your child is in spaces, the easier it is for your child to get to
know the other people who are in that space.
It's easier for the friendships to build and everything.
So the learning, the project learning might not be top notch, but the learning how to make
friends, the learning how to deal with disagreements and stuff.
That stuff is going to happen and they're going to have fun doing it.
We have amazing public schools.
We have amazing teachers out there, but there are certain things in certain areas that
are gray areas and there is no class for.
And so many of these things and skills you can learn through 4-H.
Laura, if people have filed questions, want to know more about enrollment or the clubs
or any of the great things we have talked about today, how can they reach you?
Yeah, so easiest way to reach me is either by phone or email.
Our phone number in the extension office is 715-421-8439.
My email is Laura L-A-U-R-A dot Hubert H-U-B-E-R at Whisk, that's W-I-S-C dot E-D-U.
And this is a really busy time of year for all of our folks, but I will work really hard
to get you in connection.
And if you're interested in joining 4-H, one of the other things that I suggest doing
sometimes is visiting several clubs meetings and just seeing what that fit is to.
And I can absolutely help you find those clubs, find those meeting times and connect you
to the volunteers.
That's a really good idea.
And you can find out more about the things we've talked about at 4-H dot extension dot
Whisk dot E-D-U, 4-H dot extension dot Whisk dot E-D-U.
Laura, already looking forward to the next conversation.
Thanks so much for joining us.
Thanks so much, James.
I really appreciate it.
Keep up the great work in our community.
We appreciate you.
Awesome.
Today magazine for you coming up at 97-5 FM 13-20 AM WFHR, we are locally grown radio.
