Bailing hay and feeding cows aren’t part of an average student’s afternoon activities. 4H is a program at Wagner Farm that gives young Glenview residents a rare opportunity to experience farm life.

According to Todd Price, director of the Wagner Farm branch of 4H, the initial purpose of the program was to teach kids without higher-level education the skills necessary to follow in their parents’ footsteps in working on farms.

“These early 4H clubs learned things how to grade corn, which was important during that time,” Price said. “For the female members, they would talk about how to raise kids or prepare meals.”

Price explained that although 4H has changed since its start, it still teaches kids important life skills.

“I don’t think [the program] has [lost its value] because it still is teaching lessons that I don’t think you can get anywhere else,” Price said.

Junior Claire Rowlands is in her ninth year at 4H and is now the vice president.

“In my first five years, I raised lambs, then for five years I raised cows,” Rowlands said. “We have to buy them, walk them, clip them, feed them, wash them and address any other needs.”

Junior Marguerite Daus, member of 4H, talked about the added responsibility of the dairy program.

“The [cow] program is a lot more rigorous than the lamb program because it’s older kids, more responsibility and a bigger animal,” Daus said. “So, you have to do more chores, more walking and more training.”

Rowlands talked about how at the end of July, all of their hard work culminates in the Lake County Fair, which occurs in Green Lake, Wisconsin and includes many games, activities and food, according to Rowlands.

“Every year at the end of July,we take them to this big event at the Lake County Fair where we stay there for a week and show our animals,” Rowlands said.

There are many requirements that go along with being an active member of 4H, according to Daus.

“You need to be involved with at least two events every year,” Daus said. “For example, I make different family recipes every year, or [you] can choose to make creative poster boards and knit.”

Along with individual responsibilities, Daus emphasized how the members of 4H must function as a group.

“We meet once a month every Tuesday during the school year,” Daus said. “During the summer we don’t […] since we’re always at the farm anyway.”

Rowlands has created positive and lasting relationships with many of the other members of the 4H.

“Wagner Farm has been basically my second home,” Rowlands said. “I spend so much time there with a great group of friends that I’ve made through the program.”

Price described the high demand in the community to be a member of the program.

“Our club is usually about 50 members, which is one of the biggest clubs in the state of Illinois,” Price said. “And in the past few years we have had upwards of 80 people on the waiting list.”

According to Price, it is difficult to be chosen due to the popularity of the program. The new members of 4H are chosen using a random lottery system whenever a new  spot opens.

Daus feels lucky to have been chosen to participate in 4H program.

“I definitely think it’s a great and an extremely unique opportunity because many kids who live in the suburbs of Chicago don’t usually get the opportunity to own an animal and have this experience,” Daus said.

Price believes the 4H program is an opportunity for members to discover their passions and gain valuable experience not attainable elsewhere.

“I have a program that’s going to bring you to life,” Price said. “I think that everyone has different niches and this is a great program for people who have this interest. So I don’t think this program is better than any experience you could get on a sports team or doing anything else, I just think it’s a different one.”