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.

Music and adventure filled the air July 21–24 at Trails End Youth Camp during this year's "Band Camp" themed Iron County Summer Youth Camp! A lively group of 56 campers (grades 3–5), supported by 27 youth staff (grades 8–12) and 11 adult volunteers, dove into musical activities like karaoke, group drumming, whistle-making with Saint Mauds, and themed crafts like wind chimes, spin drums, and wooden frog guiros. Alongside standard camp favorites—archery, nature, waterfront, and recreation—5th graders also set out on a canoe trip down the Chippewa River.

This unforgettable week would not be possible without the remarkable support of our local community. Thank you to all of our generous camp donors:

Ahonen & Tregembo, PLLC, Anonymous Donor, Binz Bros, Inc., Chippewa Valley Bank, Enbridge, Mark Fedora & Laura Scotford-Fedora, Flagstar Bank, Henry & Norene Gilbertson, Hitt's Fine Furniture, Hurley Area Animal Hospital, Hurley Lions Club, Iron County Community Credit Union, Iron County 4-H Leaders Association, Iron Nugget, Klassic Kruisers Car Club, Knights of Columbus #1396, Clara & Bruce Maki, Mercer Lions Club, Mercier-Kero Post 371 Saxon, Paul & Joyce Mullard, Northwoods Business & Professional Women, Ofstad Sales & Service, Quality Collision, Denny & Carolyn Smith, Vietnam Veterans of America, Wes Nasi Construction, Dale Wicklund, and Zak's Realty, Inc.

If you would like to check out photos from this year's camp program, feel free to join our Iron County Summer Youth Camp Facebook group. 

Thank you to our guides at Kosir's Whitewater Rafting for giving our Outpost Campers a memory they will never forget. They paddled hard, got absolutely soaked, and had an unforgettable time on the water. 

Check out some of our favorite shots here!

On Tuesday, July 21, AmeriCorps Member Ashley Basso teamed up with Dr. Chenin Limback, Biology Professor at Gogebic Community College, to lead an interactive science lesson for the Hurley School District Kid’s Club.

The young gardeners got their hands dirty testing crop pH levels ranging from 6.0 to 7.0 and reviewing soil N-P-K results to learn how nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium keep plants healthy. Through soil analysis, they identified their garden's workable Sandy Loam soil and discovered that recent topsoil and nitrogen additions gave their potatoes high moisture levels, while their cherry tomatoes needed extra watering. To cap off the day, the kids grabbed nets and jars to catch and identify local garden insects.

It was a fantastic session of hands-on discovery. Special thanks to Ashley Basso, the Hurley Kid’s Club staff, and Dr. Chenin Limback for making science so engaging!

Youth voices are shaping local decision-making! The Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA) highlighted Youth in Governance programs in a recent issue of Wisconsin Counties Magazine, showcasing how counties empower young citizens to take an active role in local government.

Through Iron County's Youth in Governance initiative, high school youth serve alongside county board supervisors on various committees, as well as local non-profit boards, gaining real-world civic experience, sharing valuable youth perspectives, and learning firsthand how county government operates. This effort has been supported through the past year by a Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment Grant.

View the August 2026 issue here. The Strengthening Civic Health Through Youth Voice article starts on page 28. 

The SISU Endurance Team (SET) Running Club officially wrapped up a fantastic season on Monday, July 27, with a final run at Ironwood Depot Park. Afterward, the youth participants celebrated their hard work and dedication with subs, snacks, and a special certificate presentation.

A big thank you goes out to all the 4-H leaders, parent helpers, and volunteers who dedicated their time to make this program a success. We extend a special thanks to coach Leah Nikula for her outstanding leadership throughout the season!

Thanks to our amazing bakers, buyers, and donors, this year’s pie auction was an incredible success (raising just over $15,000)!

Highlights from the event included Youth Grand Champion Wysteria Jewell, whose winning pie was purchased by Jason and Micki Rowe of Quality Collision for an outstanding $2,000.

Read the full recap to see how your generous support empowers local Iron County youth by visiting our website. 

The Penokee Range Livestock Club brought an impressive lineup to this month's Iron County Fair, showing off 12 pigs, 10 beef animals, 3 pens of broilers, 2 lambs, and a pen of turkeys!

Head over to the club’s Facebook page to browse photos from steer showmanship, market class, judging, auction day, and all the hard work behind the scenes.

You will also find a full list of this year's buyers and bidders—a huge thank you to our local businesses and community members whose continuous support and generosity make it all possible!

Iron County 4-H Summer Assistants Eva Krall and Serena Tauer completed their service last week and we are so grateful for the hard work they put in to make the summer programming so successful.

From the June programming at the Hurley School through the Iron County Fair, the programming we offer Iron County youth in the summer could not happen without them.

Serena wrapped up her second summer with us and her attention to detail and experience as a former 4-H member was invaluable. Eva added a fun and fresh perspective to the 4-H programming we offer and her experience working with youth with varying abilities and dedication to creating an inclusive program made her a great summer assistant.

We hope they will consider coming back again next year and the positions are theirs if they want them. Best of luck to Serena as she heads off to Northern Michigan University and to Eva as she heads back to Stevens Point. 

4HOnline Enrollment Opens for the 2025-2026 4-H Year
September 2026
More details coming soon!

Adventurers of the North 4-H Club (Mushroom Foraging)
Saturday, September 12 - Time TBD
Location: TBD

Iron County Green Team
Monday, September 14 - 5:30 pm
Location: Iron County Courthouse

Iron County 4-H Leaders Meeting
Wednesday, September 16 - 5:30 pm
Location: Iron County Courthouse

Penokee Range Livestock Club Meeting 
Date: TBD
Location: TBD

On Monday, August 17 and Wednesday, August 19, Joseph traveled to Marengo to facilitate a zine workshop series for the Town of Marengo’s Historical Committee. The Committee was tasked with creating informational displays and handouts for the Marengo Town Picnic on September 7 and focused on the prominent Verville Brothers and historic properties in town.

The workshops were a great opportunity to highlight the Verville family, which sent 8 of 9 sons to the U.S. Army to fight in World War II. During the Post-War period, a federal team was tasked with finding the American family who sent the most sons to a single branch of the armed forces. Shortly thereafter, the Verville family was awarded with a one-of-a-kind medal designed and cast to honor their dedication and service.

To learn more about Marengo’s history or to pick up a zine, check out the Marengo Town Picnic on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Contact the Marengo Town Hall at (715) 278-3276 for additional information.

And if you’d like to schedule a Zine Workshop for your group or club, get in touch with Joseph by calling 715-561-2695 or emailing joseph.w.miller@wisc.edu.

Prepare to slay the NaGa DeMon! November is National Game Design Month, a friendly challenge and celebration of the game design process. It may seem like the pixelated horizon of November is far off, but if Samus Aran has taught me anything, it’s that you can’t go from zero to hero overnight.

National Game Design Month is a celebration of all types of games: video games, tabletop games, card games, board games, ball games, and whatever type of games they’re playing in Philadelphia. The point is to create, play, share, and talk about games and the process of creating them—because games and gaming have always brought people together. And studies routinely show the positive effect gaming (physical games especially, like card games, board games, tabletop RPGs, and low-impact athletic games) has on the brain for every age group.

Dev’s Club will have its first meeting on Thursday, October 22 at 5:30pm. Our first meeting will focus on the basics of game design and game theory. We’ll talk about what constitutes a game, different types of gaming, and the history of games with an emphasis on video games and tabletop games. Then we’ll get an introduction to GDevelop5, a user-friendly video game development tool that will come in handy for slaying the NaGa DeMon!  

Dev’s Club is for everyone, and a great way to connect over the process of creating something together. Stay tuned for more information or complete this short form to be added to the Dev’s Club email list: https://forms.gle/5iuuVRzQDCWT4eaf8.

If you are in need of a laptop to participate in Dev’s Club, no-cost laptops are available through the United Way of Wisconsin’s Techquity program. Contact Joseph by September 6, 2026 to receive a device!  

Summer keeps chugging along, and the cool mornings are bringing the scent of autumn, glorious autumn. The Wisconsin Rural Entrepreneurial Venture (WI REV) Program is working toward some big updates for current REV teams, and the news should arrive before we’re all carving big birds. In the meantime, the Hurley and Mercer teams are marching toward their goals and managing adversity. There is much work to be done, but it has become increasingly clear to me during my time at Extension that a lot of organizations, partners, and collaborators throughout the state and Northwoods are truly invested in helping Iron County thrive.

Stay tuned for updates in Hurley regarding an Entrepreneur Faire in October. If you or someone you know has a business idea or entrepreneurial itch, it’ll be a great opportunity to connect with local resources and business owners, as well as regional business development specialists.

Folks in Mercer are excited about the number of opportunities available in town and are taking local supply chain and logistics issues into serious consideration. Long-term, the team is focused on supporting the Town’s youngest and oldest while encouraging family-friendly business development.

My hope is that football and hoody weather brings exciting updates for both teams. I also hope everybody gets a couple more opportunities for camping, boating, hiking, biking, and summering before the leaves start to give us a show. Oh, and a good apple harvest!

Iron County Economic Development Committee Meeting
Wednesday, September 2 - 6:00 pm
Location: Iron County Courthouse Board Room

Visit the Iron County website to view meeting agendas. 

It might be mid-summer, but exciting winter news is on the horizon for local outdoor enthusiasts! Extension Iron County Office Manager Rebecca Holm recently secured a $1,000 SISU Ski Fest grant on behalf of Iron County 4-H. These funds were used to purchase 14 new pairs of Crescent Moon EVA foam snowshoes, expanding the county's Community Snowshoe Checkout Program to over 60 pairs for youth and adults.

This grant helps replace worn gear, keeps the checkout program entirely free for the community, supports local partner events, and lays the groundwork for a future youth snowshoe club.

A huge thank you to SISU Ski Fest for their incredible support in keeping Iron County active year-round!

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:

Did you know that 50% of all mental health disorders begin by age 14? You can make a real difference in a young person’s life by getting the tools to support them.

Join the UW–Madison Extension for Youth Mental Health First Aid—an evidence-based training designed for adults supporting youth ages 12–18. Learn how to recognize the signs of mental health or substance use challenges and connect young people to the care they need.

The training takes place on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. This 2-part program includes a 2-hour self-paced online module followed by a live, interactive skills session.

The registration fee is $50, which covers both parts, and you can sign up by visiting go.wisc.edu/6nw4h7.

Got questions? Reach out to healthandwellbeing@extension.wisc.edu.

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.