Wilks kids represent 4th generation
The Wilks name is synonymous with local 4-H. Four generations of Wilkses have been involved with the local Prairie Dell club. THEY ALL agreed 4-H is unique for children living in Kansas City. Jenna has rabbits in their city home as well.
JD Wilks, along with his children Jackson and Jenna, and their cousin, Sarah, recently gathered at the home of their grandmother, Susie Wilks. Her farm is situated on old U.S. 169, south of Iola and north of Humboldt. A large, red barn borders the white farmhouse — this is where the Wilkses spend time working on their 4-H projects.
What’s different for this family, is that JD and his children, and their cousin Sarah, all live in Kansas City.
“They love it down here on the farm,” JD said of the children. His grandfather, the children’s great-grandfather, Don Nichols, was one of the founding members of Prairie Dell.
Jenna and Jackson spend as much time at their grandmother’s farm as possible during the summer, driving down with their father multiple weekends a month. They agreed the trip from Kansas City can sometimes be a bit of a hassle.
“We have to juggle everything,” Jenna said. “Between the chickens, my brother and my dad.”
JD said for the visit in early July, they drove down with a saddle and some rabbits in the back seat. During the winter, they don’t have the opportunity to travel down quite as much. Jenna makes it to the farm the most out of the three. Jackson is active on a baseball team in the city, and Sarah is quite the soccer player. But, they all love the experiences they make when they are in the country.
“I’ve made quite a few friends,” Sarah said of her time going to the meetings.
“4-H has given us a lot of chances that other people don’t have where we live,” Jenna said.
Still, urban 4-H clubs give young people an opportunity to make the most out of city living. Jackson crafted a large chess board out of wood during his time with the Kansas City 4-H club.
“There’s ways to find a local 4-H club, even if you’re in the city,” Jackson said.
It’s not the same as Susie’s 104-acre farm, though.
JD surveyed the land as they spoke about growing up in 4-H. Every member of their family, since Don Nichols, has been a part of the heritage at Prairie Dell 4-H. Their uncle, Donald C. Wilks, now owns the property and lets his nieces and nephews romp around on the land.
The group prepared to load back for their trip home. Their next trip down will be in preparation for the Allen County Fair.
