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.

The Iron County Summer Youth Camp program was a huge success, providing 57 campers in grades 3-5 with an experience they'll never forget. Held from July 22-25 at the beautiful Trails End Youth Camp in Bruce, WI, the event was a highlight of the summer.

Led by 4-H Youth Development Educator and Camp Director Neil Klemme and his dedicated planning team, the week was packed with fun activities. Campers enjoyed archery, water activities, campfires, an obstacle course, and arts and crafts. Everyone was well-fed thanks to the delicious meals and snacks prepared by camp cook Toni White.

A huge thank you goes out to the 30 youth camp staff and volunteers who helped make this year's program such a memorable success. Their hard work and commitment made all the difference for the young campers.

The summer gets hectic around here. Stress levels run high and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension office here in Iron County turns into a beehive of activity. Having good summer staff makes my job a lot less stressful and makes the experiences of the youth in the programs better. That said, I need to send a big thank you to Emily Moore and Serena Tauer for their hard work and dedication to our summer programming.

From Chopped Day Camp through the county fair, I had the partners I needed to make my programming the best it could be. I can’t tell you how many times I would say “Hey, don’t forget we need to do (fill in the blank)," and they would say, “We did that already." Or when I showed up at the fair and Emily was on a ladder reattaching the shutter to the window because it fell off when they opened it.

These are just two examples of the support I had this entire summer, and I want them both to know I appreciate them and their efforts. This was one of the most collaborative teams I have had the pleasure of working with and I wish them the best.

Serena, as she starts here sophomore year at Gogebic Community College and Emily as she returns to her job as a Head Start preschool teacher. I hope to see you both next year.  

The Iron County Fair auctions were a huge success this year, setting new records thanks to the generosity of local businesses, organizations, and individuals.

The annual pie auction alone raised a record-breaking $22,025. A huge shout-out goes to Quality Collision for their record-setting bid of $2,550 on Ava Innes' delicious peanut butter apple pie! The silent auction also contributed significantly, bringing in just over $5,200.

All of the money raised will directly benefit the Iron County 4-H Leaders Association which supports the Iron County 4-H program through scholarships, registration fees for state and national events, and provides essential equipment like cross-country skis, canoes, and more. It will also help fund enriching programs, including camps, day camps, and project workshops.

A big thanks to Sheriff Paul Samardich, Miss Wisconsin Willow Newell, Jason Rowe, and Peter Thewis for their dedication as our 2025 4-H Pie Auction judges.

SILENT AUCTION DONOR LIST
PIE AUCTION BUYERS, BAKERS, JUDGES LIST

Pictured: Brodie Erickson, a recent Hurley School District graduate and member of the Penokee Range Livestock Club, stands with his steer, Metro, which was purchased by Enbridge at the 4-H Market Sale on Saturday, August 2. On behalf of the Penokee Range Livestock Club and the Iron County 4-H program, thank you to the bidders, buyers and supporters who helped make the 2025 4-H Market Sale a success. Check out a full recap of all the buyers on the Penokee Range Livestock Club Facebook page.

Iron County 4-H Green Team Meeting
Monday, September 8 - 5:30 pm
Location: Iron County Courthouse

Drive-In Movie Night - Happy Gilmore
Saturday, September 13 - 7:30 pm (gates open)
Movie starts at 8:30 pm
$10 per car
Location: Iron County Fair Grounds 

Penokee Livestock Club Meeting
Sunday, September 14 - 9:00 am
Location: Hurley School District

4HOnline Enrollment Opens for the 2025-2026 4-H Year
Thursday, September 4 - 9:00 am
More details coming soon!

The Hurley Kids Club has been busy this summer! Recently, the young members celebrated a successful harvest, gathering a variety of vegetables they helped grow, including carrots, radishes, peppers, and onions.

With guidance from FoodWIse Educator Deb Leonard and Kids Club staff, the students took on the responsibility of watering the garden beds all summer long. All their hard work paid off, and the kids were excited to take their fresh vegetables home to share with their families. This hands-on experience taught the children about gardening and provided them with a rewarding taste of their own success.

This July, the Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill was passed which included the elimination of SNAP-Ed funding nationwide. That means that the FoodWIse program will be funded until September 2025. In Ashland/Bayfield/Iron County, that means we’re winding down our SNAP-Ed funded FoodWIse programming, which will include layoffs for employees in the coming months, and our nutrition education and community efforts will come to an end unless we are able to secure other funding.

This is not just a loss of funding – it is a loss of services that have been vital to communities across Wisconsin. FoodWIse’s staff of more than 90 educators across the state have directly helped families with limited incomes make a healthier choice for their future. The impact will be felt in schools, food pantries, and community centers where our educators have helped families make healthier choices and stretch limited food dollars.

FoodWIse has always been about more than just nutrition education. It’s about empowering communities to thrive. We know that SNAP-Ed makes Wisconsin healthier. We are proud of the work we have done and the lives we have changed for the better. Thank you for supporting our staff, our programs and our mission. 

The Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, and Iron County FoodWIse Team will continue to provide their impactful programming and monthly newsletter through December. 

Want to stay up to date on what the Ashland, Bayfield, Iron County FoodWIse team is up to? Be sure to check out their monthly FoodWIse newsletter, designed in partnership with Extension Iron County Office Manager, Rebecca Holm. 

Join us at the Farmers Market Saturday August 30th from 10:00am – 1:00pm to practice the art and craft of zine-making! Unsure what a zine is? The folks over at The Bindery in Milwaukee—a specialty print shop and custom bindery that uses historic equipment and traditional techniques to create small-batch custom print jobs and books—describe zines like this:

Because of their adaptability, reproducibility, and unique nature, zines are an excellent storytelling tool. Using 11” x 17” paper as a canvas and some very basic origami, you’ll create your very own book to share with other “zinesters." Use it to tell the story you want, whether it’s a superhero story about your cat turning into a radioactive mutant that shoots bees out of its ears and recruits a team of dinosaur robots to fight crime or a fairytale about a space alien who crash lands in Hurley circa 1926 and joins the Capone brothers on a wild ride through the Northwoods (or something else?). We’ll have templates, prompts, pencils, pens, paper, collage elements, stencils, and everything else needed to make something unique. Once you finish your masterpiece, you’ll be able to create a scan to preserve it in our community zine archive.

Local printer and artist Ashlyn Skahill will share some tips and tricks for putting together an eye-catching and expressive zine. Stop by the Farmers Market to learn more about this unique art form and join the zinester ranks!

On July 31st, Community Development Educator Joseph Miller drove through dense wildfire smoke to attend the Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship (OBE) Small Business Clinic in Ashland, a joint effort between OBE, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Northwood Technical College, and the Ashland Area Development Corporation (AADC). The free event was jam-packed with a full day of presentations and 1:1 consultation workshops, including general small business consulting; Marketing, Social Media, and e-Commerce; International Trade; Legal Services; Accounting and Finance; Artificial Intelligence; Taxes w/ the WI Dept. of Revenue; and an LLC Formation Lab for launching a business. Presenters, partners, and participants represented a wide range of industries and resources available to folks in the Northwoods.

Stay tuned for more entrepreneurship and small business events in our area!

This month, we’re thrilled to shine the spotlight on Stephanie Bakker, the dedicated FoodWIse Coordinator serving Ashland, Bayfield, and Iron Counties. Stephanie has been a vital part of Extension’s FoodWIse program for over a decade—beginning her journey as an Educator and now leading the regional team as a supervisor.

Stephanie’s leadership is rooted in collaboration and community impact. She works closely with her team of Educators to deliver high-quality, meaningful programming across three counties and two tribal communities. Her favorite initiatives include: youth gardening programs, senior engagement and StrongBodies classes and food sovereignty efforts. 

Stephanie is especially proud of the strong relationships her team has cultivated within the community and the deep care they bring to their work every day.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie finds joy in spending time with her husband and two young boys, exploring the shores of Lake Superior, and diving into hobbies like rock painting, cooking, gardening, snowshoeing, running, sports, and connecting with others. 

Iron County is excited to announce a new logo and slogan: "Come. Stay. Explore." This rebrand is more than just a fresh look; it's an invitation to everyone to discover the unique charm and endless opportunities Iron County, Wisconsin, has to offer.

Led by Extension Iron County Office Manager Rebecca Holm, this new visual identity is a key part of the new county website project, set to launch this October. The new logo (with three logo variations) and slogan were designed to honor Iron County's rich past while looking forward to a bright future. They're a visual testament to our community's identity and are made to resonate with residents and attract new visitors for years to come.

For more information on the rebrand process, check out the Brand Overview that Rebecca shared during the July Iron County Board of Supervisors meeting. 

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

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An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.