We invite you to catch up on the impactful work our Extension Iron County educators and staff provide to the community in the form of this monthly newsletter! Below are highlights from each of our program areas.

Huge congratulations are in order for SISU Endurance Team members, Liam Schoeller and Marlo Brand, who delivered fantastic performances at the ABR Opener 2025 Highschool Race (5.0 km) last weekend!

These incredible results are a testament to their dedication, particularly their consistent attendance at weekly practices. Their commitment to showing up week after week demonstrates the true grit and determination that defines our club and the Iron County 4-H program.

Way to go, Liam and Marlo! We are so proud of your commitment to the team, both on the course and at every single practice. Keep up the great work!

Our office, supported by a Rural Partnership Institute Grant, now hosts hands-on toolkits focused on understanding and preparing for extreme weather. These resources, designed for educators and youth leaders interested in climate, are available for check-out. 4-H Youth Development Educator Neil Klemme is coordinating the check-out program for the northern region.

The kits include infrared sensors, pinpoint thermometers, wind speed sensors, and a craft project to teach about tree cover. The lesson plan includes information about how a shift in temperature in a microclimate might impact the plant and animal life that call this area home.

Neil used these tools during his nature program at summer camp as well as an Earth Day lesson at the Hurley School last spring.

If you would like to check out these tools, contact Neil at 715-561-2695 or email him at neil.klemme@wisc.edu.

Adventurers of the North 4-H Club members have been buzzing with holiday cheer! They've been busy decorating festive cookies, creating gorgeous porch pots, and adding a personal touch by signing Christmas cards for their upcoming fruit boxes. Everything looks absolutely fantastic! 

Caught in the act of giving!

Penokee Range 4H Livestock Club members Payton Maslanka and Nick Walesewicz were spotted dropping off amazing donations for the Iron County Fire Association's "Christmas for Kids" toy drive at the Iron County Community Credit Union.

The Penokee Range Livestock Club also successfully assembled 70 festive Christmas goodie baskets for local families during their monthly meeting, which took place on Sunday, December 14. This large-scale effort was a fantastic collaboration with the Town of Kimball and the Kimball Fire Department. Each basket was packed with fruit, cheese, sausage, crackers, and cookies, and members personally delivered them to assigned families to ensure the holiday cheer was spread far and wide.

Penokee Range Livestock members also collected and brought donations to HOPE Animal Shelter, making the season brighter for the animals in need and volunteered at the Saxon Boating Club's annual Christmas party! We are so proud to see our 4-H'ers making a difference! 

The Iron County Green Team 4-H Club kept the spirit of the season alive during their December club meeting by focusing on their annual tradition of creating special gifts for local seniors. Members spent their time making handmade holiday cards and festive crafts for the residents of local nursing homes. 

This heartwarming project is a beloved annual event for the Green Team, emphasizing the importance of community service and connection during the holiday season.

Iron County Extension Office Closed - Holiday
Wednesday, December 24 and Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day), Wednesday, December 31 and Thursday, January 1 (New Year's Eve, New Year's Day)

Iron County 4-H Green Team Sledding/Ski Party - Open to all 4-H clubs
Sunday, January 11 - 12:00 - 4:00 pm
Location: Mount Zion

Adventurers of the North 4-H Club Meeting
Sunday. January 18 - 10:00 am
Location: Saxon Community Center

SISU Endurance Team - XC Ski Club Sunday Session Begins
Sunday, January 18 - 2:00 pm
Location: ABR Ski Trails

SISU Endurance Team - Snowshoe Club Begins
Monday, January 19 - 5:00 pm
Location: Miners Memorial Park

Iron County Leaders Meeting
Wednesday, January 21 - 5:30 pm
Location: Iron County Courthouse

Penokee Range Livestock Club Meeting
Sunday, January 25 - 9:00 am
Location: Hurley School 

The second annual Iron County Entrepreneur Boot Camp is right around the corner, and the schedule is loaded with amazing local entrepreneurs, regional business development resources, and expert presenters. Taking place Monday, January 5 through Friday, January 9 around Iron County, the 2026 iteration will serve as a starting point for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, starting a local business, or connecting with support organizations to strengthen their existing business. Using a combination of easily accessible business planning tools, local storytelling, and self-directed learning opportunities, Boot Camp participants will learn what goes into a dynamic business plan and how to connect entrepreneurial ideas with next steps.

Starting with local entrepreneurs on both sides of the Montreal River, the goal for the first night is to get inspired and begin thinking about the most basic elements of entrepreneurship: identifying problems for a given community and taking steps to provide solutions to those problems. Participants will hear from Nancy Zak at Zak’s Realty Inc. about her pivot from Zak’s Design to real estate in 2017, including what led to the change and how her family supported the transition. Karl and Charlie Zinsmaster will talk about their journey to starting a wood-working makerspace in a vacant church in Pence and how Saint Maud’s evolved from a Limited Liability Company to a non-profit organization along the way. Then Amanda Brown from Papa Dave’s Pizzeria will share her family’s roadmap from catering events to running a community-focused pizza shop that truly embodies the term “family business”. And last but not least, we’ll hear from Neil Balduc at Tritegrity Machine LLC about his path from apprentice machinist to a single-machine setup in his home garage to a high-tech 2,500+ square-foot manufacturing facility that supports clients around the country.

A mix of local presenters and regional resources round out the rest of the week, which will include financial preparedness and legal considerations, a resource night chock full of great organizations, recordkeeping and accounting, and a marketing and outreach workshop. Each night will feature different entrepreneurs and business support organizations—if you’re interested in entrepreneurship, whether now or in the future, this is an excellent opportunity to gain a fast-tracked understanding of what goes into business development!

Iron County Entrepreneur Boot Camp
Monday, January 5 through Friday, January 9 - 5:30 - 8:30 pm
Location: Varies (see schedule)

Iron County Economic Development Committee Meeting
Wednesday, January 14 - 6:00 pm
Location: Iron County Courthouse Board Room
Agenda: The agenda will be posted to the Iron County website in coming weeks. 

Now that the snow is here to stay, we want to remind everyone that our office has community snowshoes that can be checked out by schools, organizations, and families. The best part is that it's FREE!

We have youth sizes (20"), teen/adult sizes (22"), and a small handful of adult sizes available. 

For more information on how to reserve snowshoes for your next adventure, feel free to contact Extension Iron County Office Manager, Rebecca Holm at 715-561-2695.

Photo credit: Linda Slining

UW-Madison Division of Extension provides valuable programs and resources to all Wisconsin residents, not just those in Iron County! Explore statewide opportunities that can support your family, business, farm, or community, no matter where you are in the Badger State. This month, we are highlighting:

Get ready for next year’s growing season by learning the process of identifying plant problems. Plant Diagnostics: The Step-by-Step Approach to Identifying Plant Problems teaches the basics of the plant diagnostic process in an easy-to-understand way. Gain a deeper understanding of pest identification, insect and wildlife damage, plant diseases and disorders, and management options through in-depth videos, helpful readings, and interactive online activities.

Register before Jan. 19 to receive an early bird registration discount. Regular registration runs through Jan. 29, 2026. Register and learn more about the Plant Diagnostics course.

We are so grateful for our incredible volunteers who made a difference in November! Through their dedication, and thanks to our amazing partners at Second Harvest Northland, we successfully served 178 families (268 individuals) with a wide variety of nutritious food.

Families went home with staples like non-perishables, plus fresh items including carrots, squash, apples, and turkey breast!

Mark your calendars for our upcoming distributions:

To learn more about the Iron County Mobile Food Pantry program or other food security resources available to our community members, visit our website! 

Follow Extension Iron County on social media or by visiting our website linked below!

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming in compliance with state and federal law.