Auxiliary News

By Devin Zarda, WPGA

Six years ago, I was invited to a meeting for something that I didn’t know anything about. It was for the Wisconsin Potato Growers Auxiliary (WPGA). OK, but who or what was the Auxiliary?

I really couldn’t answer that question heading into the meeting. But afterward, I found myself wanting more.

I wanted more information. I wanted to help more. And for the next six years, I poured myself into the Auxiliary. But my term on the WPGA Board has come to an end, so I thought I’d write an article alongside my fellow exiting board member, Brittany Bula, about our experiences.

Consider this article our swan song. Now, to our interview:

Question (Q): What’s your favorite program that the Auxiliary runs?

Brittany: I love the Kids Dig Wisconsin Potatoes program. I had the opportunity to volunteer at several harvest parties over the years, and watching the kids dig the potatoes they planted from seeds is priceless. All their hard work paid off at the end of the party, no matter how big or how small the potatoes ended up being. They were so excited!

Devin: I second the Kids Dig program. It’s an amazing way for us to reach out to tens of thousands of children to help them realize where their food comes from. And while it’s not specifically a program, our baked potato booth at the Wisconsin State Fair has always been a great time.

Q: What is a favorite memory from your time on the Auxiliary Board?

Brittany: I would have to say when we get to interact with small groups of kids in the Spudmobile, talking to them about potato facts, sharing different varieties and having conversations about the whole growing and packing process. They were full of so many questions and the amazement in their eyes was priceless.

Devin: At the State Fair, there is a stage in our building, just outside of our booth area. Last year, we had a spot where we could do a demo on the stage. My fellow board members asked me to do a cooking demo on this stage. I won’t lie. I was terrified! Were my cooking techniques on par? Could I actually teach anyone anything? And what was I going to cook on one burner? Well, I didn’t end up cutting myself and no one got sick, so I’d call my jalapeno, corn, and potato chowder demo a success.

Q: How would you like to see the Auxiliary grow in the future?

Brittany: I would love to see more members become active in volunteering with the many programs the Auxiliary offers. I would also like to reach more areas of Wisconsin to educate people on potato nutrition and break the stereotype that potatoes are only bad carbs and with little nutritional value.

Devin: I’m hoping our outreach programs continue to grow. But, like Brittany said, we need your help to run these programs. I’d love to see our members be a little more involved. I’m also excited to see how our partnership with Alice in Dairyland keeps growing.

Q: Why should someone think about joining the Board?

Brittany: By being a board member, you can help promote potatoes to people of all ages, from 4th grade to adult. Getting out in the community has been great, watching people listen while you explain how a potato can be healthy and talk about the many varieties, and observing their jaws drop makes it all worth it.

Devin: I was raised in a lifestyle where giving back is core to who we are. The potato industry has blessed my life, so it’s only right for me to give back and teach others about potatoes.

If your life has been touched by ag, consider helping spread the good word about our industry. You get to educate people, meet some fun characters along the way, and help our industry.

In closing, Brittany: While my time on the Board has ended and the six years have really flown by,

I appreciated my time and all my fellow board members. Thank you for being a great group to work with.

I can’t wait to see what new and exciting things the Auxiliary will come up with next. Thank you!

Devin: And that’s a wrap, friends. Six years, a couple dozen meetings, a lot of Badger Common’Tater articles, and meeting a ton of pretty amazing people, this will be the last time I sign off for a while.

I’m grateful for my time on the Board, but it’s time to pass the torch to the next round of board members. So, it’s my pleasure to introduce the 2023-’24 Auxiliary Board in the photo leading off this article.

The Board held its Annual Meeting, June 20, at Ponderosa Pines in Bancroft, Wisconsin, and elected Heidi Schleicher as president, Datonn Hanke to the vice president position, Becky Wysocki as secretary/treasurer, and Jody Baginski, Erin Meister, Dakotah Smiley, and Misti Ward to director positions.

We are pleased to have Meister and Smiley as new board members, and we’ll be introducing them further in future articles. Congratulations to our new president, Schleicher, and secretary/treasurer, Wysocki.

Our next column will be written about Smiley so we can get to know a bit about her.

Be safe out there,

Devin Zarda