By Allison Peck | North Platte Post/Sandhills Post
Listen to the full interview with Caitlyn Jacobson and Leo Walz on our Kubota Podcast
A Logan County sixth grader is gaining hands-on farming experience through 4-H, using a wheat agronomy project to learn both the fieldwork and business side of agriculture.
Leo Walz, a fifth-year 4-H member, joined Nebraska Extension Educator Kaitlin Jacobson in the studio to talk about his project and what 4-H has meant to him so far.
Walz said joining 4-H felt natural, as it’s long been part of his family. “That’s where my mom and dad met,” he said. “So it kind of just came naturally. It’s a family thing.”
Over the years, Walz has explored a variety of projects. “My first two years, I showed cattle and then I did some shooting sports,” he said. “This last year, I did some baking projects and then this agronomy.”
When asked what he’s enjoyed most, Walz didn’t hesitate. “I liked showing cattle,” he said, adding that shooting sports has also been a favorite.
His current wheat agronomy project focuses on his family’s farm and a push toward more natural farming practices. “It involves our farm and everything we’re trying to do to get our farm back to not trying to use herbicides and chemicals,” Walz explained. “Kind of go in the natural route.”
That approach has come with challenges. “In today’s world, killing weeds is harder without chemicals,” Walz said. “So trying to keep the weeds down without chemicals is hard.”
Jacobson said projects like agronomy showcase 4-H’s “learn by doing” philosophy. “Agronomy is really just a prime example of the 4-H model,” she said. “4-Hers learn by doing.”
She explained that the project goes beyond fieldwork and includes detailed record-keeping. “He has a red binder with him, and that’s the record-keeping aspect,” Jacobson said. “You document all your expenses, what you make — all those things.”
Walz said much of that information came directly from his family’s farming operation. “Pretty much everything that my dad already has written down in the computers,” he said. “He was able to just give me that information right from his phone.”
Jacobson said that experience gives youth a realistic look at farming. “These are things that farmers have to do,” she said. “If a youth finds their spark in agriculture and wants to pursue being a farmer, this is great experience.”
Walz said the financial side of the project taught him a lot. “When we were doing the money aspect, like the breaking even stuff, I learned a lot about that,” he said.
Looking ahead, Walz plans to continue in 4-H. “This next year, I hope to do a couple more agronomy projects and some more wood and baking projects,” he said.
For youth thinking about joining 4-H, Walz offered simple advice: “Follow what you want to do and try your hardest.”
Jacobson said agronomy is just one of many project areas available. “The bottom line is you learn by doing,” she said. “It’s fun, and 4-Hers get life skills they can take with them into their adult life.”
4-H enrollment is currently open. Families can enroll online at v2.4honline.com, stop by the Nebraska Extension Office on West State Farm Road, or call 308-532-2683. Updates are also shared on the Lincoln Logan McPherson County 4-H Facebook page.