Local Q & A
PHYLLIS GRIFFIN
1 . Who are you and what do you do ?
Phyllis Griffin . I am the County Extension Agent in charge of the Texas A & M AgriLife Extension-4-H and Youth Development program in Cooke County .
2 . How did you wind up in Cooke County ’ s extension office ?
By way of several moves related to my late husband ' s work . We started in Muskogee , Oklahoma , then moved to Parkersburg , West Virgina , Toledo , Ohio , San Antonio , Gainesville , Benbrook and then finally back to Gainesville .. This has been my hometown for over 20 years .
3 . Kids and their educational experiences have changed over the years . What was 4-H like when you and I were young , and how has it changed ?
When I was a member of Oklahoma 4-H , it was a very traditional 4-H program , prior to the passage of Title IX . So that meant girls had more home economics and family and consumer science projects like sewing , baking , canning and home improvement , while boys did the livestock and ag mechanics type projects .
Now boys and girls can take and specialize in any project they may have an interest in pursuing .
4 . The perception of 4-H is raising hogs , cattle and goats , but there ’ s a good bit more to it . What is your recruiting pitch to students and their parents ?
I usually show them the Texas 4-H project and tell them , ‘ What do you have an interest in , we can and will build a project around it .’ There are five main areas : Agriculture & Livestock Natural Resources , Family & Community Health , Leadership & Community Service and STEM . decades , with the advent of factory farming and greater integration of rural , suburban and urban living . Is a career / life in farming available to kids today , or are they entering the general workforce and working the land as they have time to do it ?
I believe there is both , especially in our area of Texas .
6 . What ’ s keeping you busy at work these days ?
Today , Cooke County has 10 teams at the District IV Food Challenge contest . So , I am in Sulfur Springs cheering for all of our teams to have a successful day ! We have been validating livestock animals for the CCJLS and the major livestock shows starting in January . Everyday is a new day , there is always something different to do each day .
7 . What do you do in your spare time — don ’ t say gardening .
When I ' m home I really enjoy streaming home and garden series on TV . The one I ' m watching now is called Salvage Dawgs . They save items thru salvage then they re-imagine those items into useful items .
5 . Farming has changed a good deal over the last several
HOLIDAY 2023 19 GAINESVILLE LIVING