This is behind the clover, real four h talk with real four h pros. A look at four h from the perspectives of four h professionals from Illinois and beyond with your host, Henry Kraft, Amy Henshin, and me, Ryan Littlejohn. Welcome back to Behind the Clover. I'm Ryan, one of your hosts along with Amy and Henry. Welcome back to the world of four h.
Ryan Littlejohn: 00:46We are excited that you are joining us for another fun episode. If you missed our last ones, go back and check them out. Today, we continue our journey through Illinois four h by learning about each of the various positions among our ranks. Our focus today is all on county directors. And to highlight that position, we have the wonderful Tara Beerster joining us.
Ryan Littlejohn: 01:06We'll do a full intro on Tara later, but we're going to invite her into our spitball roundup with the gang. So, Amy, what's happening up in your world?
Amy Henschen: 01:15As much as I like to talk about work, I have more important things going on in my life, guys. I'm a cat mom. I'm a cat mom. My lifelong dream of being a cat mom is a If
Ryan Littlejohn: 01:26you missed it, like, we had a call last week that Amy talked about cats for, like, what? The first ten minutes
Amy Henschen: 01:32of our call maybe? That I'd like to point out. That was, like, the preshow. We're just waiting for everyone to get there. It only went, like, one minute into the actual call.
Amy Henschen: 01:41But, yeah, we were just making chitchat before the meeting, and it just so happens some other cat people were on, and we were just talking about our cat lives. So I haven't had a cat since I was in four h as a kid. TuneSys was my kitty growing up, and he was amazing. That because because he liked to sit on he become Tuneses because he liked to sit on the tractor seat of our ride along tractor. So Tuneses is driving cats from SNL.
Amy Henschen: 02:02He was the best cat of all time. And then I left and went to college, and he passed away. And then I've never lived anywhere where you can have cats. So I bought my own house, which which we've talked about. And so, like, I was settled in my house.
Amy Henschen: 02:14I'm like, I'm gonna go make my cat dreams come true. So I might we do have two new additions to the Henshin family, Miles and Davis. They're brothers, and they're adorable. And they're two years old, and I love them. And I'm obsessed, and I'm sorry that you're probably all gonna hear about cats more just generally because they're really great.
Amy Henschen: 02:32So we're having the best cat time, and we're living our best cat lives. I just bought them hammocks for the window because they don't have enough stuff evidently. And I feel bad because, like, I stopped at PetSmart today. Was like, oh, do they need anything else? Like, I'm I'm out of control.
Amy Henschen: 02:46So that's kind of, like, my big deal right now. So work, who wants to think about that? I got cat. I got cat assistance. I got cat cat buddies.
Amy Henschen: 02:54It's the best.
Ryan Littlejohn: 02:55So, Amy, are you going to still keep your toilet paper hanging over because you have cats now?
Amy Henschen: 03:01No. I have it's all reversed. Although a couple people have been over, and then they put a new roll on, and they put it over. And I'm like, no. No.
Amy Henschen: 03:08No. Kitties, they're gonna just paw that they're gonna paw that whole roll off. So we've been learning. I've been and we've all we've had one Lego Lego casualty. Luckily, Lego casualties, you can put back together.
Amy Henschen: 03:20And one glass that we decided didn't need to be on my bathroom sink anymore that shattered into a bunch of pieces. So that's been replaced with plastic. So we're learning, but haven't had any toilet paper on rolls yet. And I'm hoping we we avoid that. We'll see.
Ryan Littlejohn: 03:37I saw a video on Facebook today. It was a cat got up on the counter and did it to the paper towel roll. So they put a chip clip there to hold it together. So maybe that's something to consider.
Amy Henschen: 03:47I'll keep that in mind. So all of that's on my brain as caps, but I'm sure you guys have some more interesting things happening in your lives. Henry, what's going on with you?
Henry Craft: 03:56Listen. I will just have to say Miles Davis is the classiest twin names that I've ever heard because what a great guy and a fantastic trumpet player.
Amy Henschen: 04:08I and we've been, like, we've been, like, listening to I just asked my little smart speaker to play Smiles Davis, and we've all been cheering on to it together, and they love it. So
Henry Craft: 04:18I bet they do. That's awesome, man. Oh gosh. This has been it's been a minute, y'all, audience. You probably won't experience this, but it's been a minute since we all got together.
Henry Craft: 04:29And I feel like we've all been, like, missing each other a little bit. So I am super stoked to be here. Since we met last, my life has gotten crazy. So much going on, and mine is a lot at work, and that's where my brain is. So I'm gonna keep it work related right now.
Henry Craft: 04:49I have been doing a lot of food challenges. I have two consecutive like, they're going at the same time food challenges. And let me just tell you, I've been trying to be there for most of them and really, like, be hands on with it, and it has been a lot, like, a copious amount of work. And so props to all of you food challengers out there, keeping it strong because it is exhausting. But also, I have been ideating a new program regarding tabletop games, and I am super excited about it.
Henry Craft: 05:25It really I think we're gonna make it a little thriving youth, kinda lean into that social learning that needs to happen, especially with our post COVID kids. And I am a nerd gamer. That is in a term of endearment. So I at no point is that considered derogatory in my world, but tabletop games like Settlers of Catan, Istanbul, Dominion, I'm into wacky games. It's just my kids are into trading cards like Pokemon and things like that.
Henry Craft: 06:01And there's a whole process to it, and there's math and social skills and all sorts of stuff that I'm really excited to get going. So that's on the table. It's it's a work in progress, but I am I'm kinda leaning into the University of California's work on that, and I'm stoked about it. That's kinda what's going on in the Henry world.
Amy Henschen: 06:23Okay. Was that an intentional pun? You were like, that's kind of on the table, or were you just like, I'm just that smooth?
Henry Craft: 06:29I am a punter. You are.
Amy Henschen: 06:30I'm just saying. As a fellow Nerd Gamer, especially, like, board games are my jam, I cannot be more excited about this, and I hope to see what you pull from other states because I know some other states have some stuff going on. So that sounds so great. I and I'm gonna throw out Wingspan. It's my favorite.
Amy Henschen: 06:46And you could tie in birds, environmental education.
Henry Craft: 06:50Seriously. Right. It's so it's phenomenal to me how many applications games cover because they are, like, endless genres. People have made a game about basically every subject. I mean, you wanna talk about biology and, like, diseases, pandemic is a game that you can get into.
Henry Craft: 07:10You wanna talk about resource management, sellers of Gatan, Wingspan. There's a tons of natural resource games. It's just really cool. And I think we are our expertise within four h really lends itself to the variety, but also really getting narrowed down to each of the various disciplines within games. So, yeah, I'm stoked about it.
Henry Craft: 07:35I really I know I've got some people that are already interested in being a part of it, so we'll just see where it goes from here because we do chess already, and that's a it's a huge hit. And chess is so narrow. Right? But still really valuable. Lots of similar concepts.
Henry Craft: 07:49So but that's what's up with me, Ryan. What do got going on, man?
Ryan Littlejohn: 07:53Oh, I just feel like this month has been never ending between work. I mean, I think we kinda all have experienced that. I know, like, as we were planning our podcast for this month, we were like, when are we gonna do this? Well, all four of us have very busy schedules this month, and things just flew on top that you didn't even know about in some cases. So I've been very busy with work, but I'm gonna go on the personal side because my wife and I were moving to a house closer to the farm.
Ryan Littlejohn: 08:20So she has packed up pretty much our whole house. I'm sure by the March, I'll be living out of a suitcase because she's, like, full on. We're gonna pack up this whole house. Another big thing we're doing right now to, like, kill our downtime, we're playing board games and Ticket to Ride. And a new one that I got for Christmas is called Union Stockyards.
Ryan Littlejohn: 08:40It's based off of the Chicago Stockyards that they had. So there's Henry, there's two ideas for you. But, I mean, that's pretty much my life besides work and, like, rearranging my office here. K? Like, Tara's laughing because this is, like, true story.
Ryan Littlejohn: 08:55I I've started here in Wayne County A Year ago. And, like, within the first week, I was I'm moving my office because this space isn't big enough for me. One night after everyone left in between a club meeting, like, that I had to go to, I moved my whole office to a different part of the building. And I dropped a desk on my foot. I swore I broke my foot.
Ryan Littlejohn: 09:16It hurts so bad. But that's what I get for doing it myself. And then rearranged my office three times in that room. And then I got the chance to get a new desk. So I was like, oh, great.
Ryan Littlejohn: 09:26This will work out perfect. So then I rearranged my office again. And then I finally decided, you know, I just don't like this setup. I can't see my office support person. I can't talk to her.
Ryan Littlejohn: 09:37So I moved back to the original office that I was in last month, and I have a different angle now. I can see out both my windows. I'm gonna brag because I have two windows that I can open, and the wind's been blowing. It's been great. It happens.
Ryan Littlejohn: 09:52You never know when it's gonna happen. I might just come in one day and be like, hey. I think I'm gonna rearrange my office. But I've had that problem since I was a kid. And I get it from my dad because, like, my dad, he would we'd come home one time from school, and he'd be like it was his day off because he was a police officer.
Ryan Littlejohn: 10:07He'd be like, I rearranged the house today, and the couch being a different spot and the TV. It was like, it always happens. So that's where I got it from. My wife absolutely hates it. I'm sure all my coworkers are like, why do you do this to yourself?
Tara Buerster: 10:20So just as a follow-up to that, when he moved back to the office with the double windows, that was my landing office, which I loved. And I walk in one day and I'm like, wait a minute. Where's my stuff? Where's my desk? He's like, this this works better for me.
Tara Buerster: 10:37So it's okay. I have a smaller little area now, and we've rearranged a couple times, haven't we, Ryan?
Ryan Littlejohn: 10:44We have. And you still have two windows.
Amy Henschen: 10:47But
Tara Buerster: 10:47But now I can't see Jessica.
Ryan Littlejohn: 10:51Yeah.
Henry Craft: 10:52That is a relationship right there. That is like, oh, yeah. Cool. Whatever. Take my office.
Henry Craft: 10:58Move my stuff. Ryan, that is that is bold and that's awesome.
Tara Buerster: 11:04It's just a landing office, so I was cool with it. If it had been my main office, I would've been like, Ryan, what just happened?
Henry Craft: 11:13Oh, that got me a snort even. That was intense. Wow. That's that's awesome.
Ryan Littlejohn: 11:19I know what I'm gonna do for an April fool's prank now. I'm not gonna share. I'll I'm sure I'll share later on on the podcast if I'm still here after it. But
Henry Craft: 11:31You got a new landing office, Ryan? Is that what's gonna happen? Yeah. Okay. Okay.
Henry Craft: 11:35Okay. Got you. Yeah. Wow. That's awesome.
Ryan Littlejohn: 11:38Anyways, yep, that's my life. Bunch of change. It's it's great. I'm adapting to change. I like change sometimes.
Ryan Littlejohn: 11:44I'm learning how to accept it, and this is my way to accept it, I think. Tara, what's up in your world?
Tara Buerster: 11:50Oh, okay. Well, it is really busy. In fact, last night, I had a a Farm Bureau annual meeting in one of our counties and and got home pretty late from that. So lot of late nights with that and county board meetings, and we've got a lot of lease agreements up and and different things. But on a personal side, let's see.
Tara Buerster: 12:08We have three girls, and one of them, the oldest just got married this past August in Michigan. So that was that was my first wedding to prepare and get ready for. And then, goodness, I think it was a month later, our next daughter, the the middle one, Hailey, gets engaged. And so we're planning wedding number two, and we're full on in wedding plans right now. She's getting married in October.
Tara Buerster: 12:38And last week, we actually have most of the details worked out. But the big one for me was finding my mother of the bride dress, and we did get that found last week and and ordered. So I'm very, very happy about that because that was probably one of my biggest stressors with both weddings. So that's probably the biggest thing I have going on right now. She's she's getting ready to graduate and then get married in the fall.
Tara Buerster: 13:02And then this week, actually, I'm getting ready to go on vacation next week. So that's kind of been on my brain or younger too. So Hailey, the one getting married, is a senior in at the University of Evansville. And our youngest is a freshman at the community college here, and they both have spring break the same week. Unbeknownst to me, they planned a spring break trip with, their grandparents, my parents to the Smoky Mountains.
Tara Buerster: 13:27And I found out about it and said, hey. I'm going too. So we're leaving and, going on vacation. Sunday, we'll be headed to the Smokies, and we're gonna be we're doing a a guided fishing tour on the river because my dad's a big fisherman. And we'll be doing a lot of hiking and fly fishing and stuff in the park.
Tara Buerster: 13:50So I'm really, really excited about that. I fun fact, I get very I love to travel, but I get very stressed before leaving for a vacation. I get worried about work and, you know, worried about all the details. But I was telling a fellow county director this afternoon that, okay, I'm past all that. I'm excited about the trip now.
Tara Buerster: 14:08So I'm trying to get everything in a row before I can leave. So that's what I've got going on.
Ryan Littlejohn: 14:13I mean, you don't have to worry. The Wayne County office is in good hands while you're gone.
Tara Buerster: 14:18That's probably the one I'll worry about the most, Ryan.
Henry Craft: 14:21You you might lose another office for sure.
Tara Buerster: 14:25Yeah. I probably will have no landing space when I get back.
Ryan Littlejohn: 14:29Yeah. That ice that ice machine might end up on your desk while you're gone.
Henry Craft: 14:35Well, congratulations, Tara. That's awesome. You guys too you're marrying off too, man. That's that's a lot of work and a a lot of I feel like that's stressful. I'm thinking about my wedding was super low key, and it was still, like, getting it all arranged and stuff.
Henry Craft: 14:52So, man, props to you guys because what is that's back to back years. Right? Where you're Yep.
Amy Henschen: 14:58Yep. Oh, wow.
Tara Buerster: 14:58We had August of twenty three and then October of twenty four. So
Henry Craft: 15:03Bless you. Bless you. You're a little cross there.
Amy Henschen: 15:06Yeah. Yeah. Poor dad indeed. I mean,
Henry Craft: 15:08I wasn't gonna bring up the money, but I
Amy Henschen: 15:10was just saying I was gonna have money.
Tara Buerster: 15:13Well, he the day that the second one got engaged, the older one might have snapped her father with broke dad. And he's like, yep. Just gotta keep working a lot.
Henry Craft: 15:24Overtime. Overtime. Yeah. That's funny.
Ryan Littlejohn: 15:27The other thing and I know there's some wedding plannings happening in my family. That's all I'm gonna allude to. It's not mine. I've been married. Okay?
Ryan Littlejohn: 15:36It's sister-in-law. But to book anyone around here is crazy. And I've heard it's like the year of COVID weddings that got postponed. So, like, our DJ that we had at my wedding, he only had 10 open Saturdays left for the rest of 2024, and six of them have already gone by. So, like, it is I just feel I can feel the stress.
Ryan Littlejohn: 15:59I get it. Not really because I didn't plan much at my wedding. And so
Tara Buerster: 16:05Yeah. We were very fortunate. We got Hailey was really good to get most of the items booked. But we did try to get Ryan's DJ, but he was he was booked. So but we've got one.
Tara Buerster: 16:14We're ready.
Henry Craft: 16:15Ready to party. Awesome. Well, I really enjoyed catching up with y'all. And, yeah, I was this has been this has been good. My heart needed this.
Henry Craft: 16:25So as we kinda transition here, we have important topics that we talk about every single week. And this week is no different. And we have a serious question that I'm gonna toss out first. Yeah. Here we go.
Henry Craft: 16:40So the question is, socks with sandals, fashion faux pas, or avant garde? In other words, are you brave enough to rock the socks with sandals look, or do you consider it a fashion crime? And I'm gonna toss the ball to Amy.
Amy Henschen: 16:59Okay. So I think it's a fashion crime, but I'm on board with it 100% because I've kind of just given up entirely about what people think about me. And so okay. Number one, you definitely if ever go on backpacking, the second you get to your campsite, you might wanna leave you want those hiking boots off your feet, but you might you want your toesies to get cold, so you put on your you leave your socks on, put your sandals on. And so you start doing that enough in a setting where it's okay.
Amy Henschen: 17:26Right? That then you start thinking, could I get away with doing this to Meijer or to Target? And then you just do, and there are zero consequences. And then you're like, maybe I'm okay with that. So if the easiest shoes to put on in my home are sandals, I don't have any other slip on shoes, and I just need to do a quick quick errand, there might I might be I might look like complete idiot, but I'm never like, I don't care.
Amy Henschen: 17:56They don't care. Like, they might they're judging me, but I'm not gonna interact with that person probably, maybe. I don't know. So I'm like, I'm down. You can think I'm have terrible fashion sense.
Amy Henschen: 18:06That's true. But it's I mean, like, it's practical.
Henry Craft: 18:09I feel like that's akin to my granddad. He would he started going to Rural King in his house slippers. And he was just like, I don't care. I mean, it is what it is. It's Charleston.
Henry Craft: 18:21Whatever. It doesn't matter. But, yeah, you would rock it at the Royal King just walking around in slippers.
Amy Henschen: 18:28I mean, at least we're self aware enough to know, like, yeah. I mean, this probably isn't ideal, but we're just gonna do it. But what are the consequences? So I don't know. Is anyone is anyone also on team socks with sandals, or are you all like, OMG.
Amy Henschen: 18:41I would never do that.
Ryan Littlejohn: 18:43Never. Never. I would never wear socks with sandals. And the reason for that is my feet get really hot and sweaty, k, wearing black socks and white socks, like, something trapping all of that heat in, I I would be I'd be burning up. No way.
Ryan Littlejohn: 19:00Speaking of sandals, k, so, Tara, you don't see what kind of shorts I have on. K? But I got my Chocos on today because it's 74 degrees. I've did not have anything to do besides record this podcast, so I kicked it back today since it's nice outside. It's February.
Ryan Littlejohn: 19:20It should not
Henry Craft: 19:21be but incriminate yourself on this podcast. Right? I know. I there
Tara Buerster: 19:26I clearly need to listen to the every session of these.
Henry Craft: 19:29No. No. Because I You need the unedited version because I try to help him out as much as possible. Yeah.
Ryan Littlejohn: 19:38See, it's like here, I'm fine. Like, I totally won't go to jail for the things that I talk about that I've done here. But my four h days, I'm sure my four h agents, if they ever heard this, they were like, that little liar. He told me he didn't go out skinny dipping at four h camp. K?
Ryan Littlejohn: 19:56I I
Henry Craft: 19:56There it is again. There it is. Just bringing keep bringing it up. Well, I mean I try. I try to help you every time.
Henry Craft: 20:02I mean
Ryan Littlejohn: 20:03I man, I gotta read this. I gotta read the cues better. I'm not very good at reading it between the lines.
Henry Craft: 20:09Tara, where are you at? Are you are you socks and sandals or no?
Tara Buerster: 20:12I would say I'm a a I'm a no. Now and I'm kinda like Ryan. I I my feet get hot. So summer comes. I'm I'm a flip flop girl.
Tara Buerster: 20:25Now having said that, you'll never catch me most likely outside of my home with socks on, with sandals. However, in the winter, if I've gotta sneak out to the garage or take the dog out, it could happen. But if I see someone pulling in the drive, I am probably going to run back into the house.
Henry Craft: 20:47The shame run. You're like, oh, yeah. No. Go. Go.
Tara Buerster: 20:53You do not see what I have on my feet.
Henry Craft: 20:55These are not the droids you're looking for. No. That's awesome. Amy, I'm gonna come on your team, man. I it's hard Someone
Ryan Littlejohn: 21:04agrees with Henry. Let's mark it down. Someone agrees with Henry.
Henry Craft: 21:08I went last, so I'm agreeing with Amy. So I'm not alone. Alright? Fine. So I would say I'm also I'm almost 40.
Henry Craft: 21:18I mean, I'm just like, it doesn't matter. I got kids. I got the dad vibes going on. But I'm with you, Tara. Like, if if I need to go somewhere and my tootsies are gonna get chilly, I'm I'm probably gonna put something under my feet.
Henry Craft: 21:32Right? So the easiest slip on and off is a sandal, but I'm not a big I don't like my feet. Alright? I'm the personal disclosure here. I'm not a big feet guy, and so I don't often wear sandals anyway.
Henry Craft: 21:45I own Birkenstocks, but I just I'm just not big on it. And so I I don't often frequent in the sandal, but I would say I would still say it's a fashion faux pas. Don't get me wrong, but that doesn't mean that I'm not willing to commit it. So the fashion crime is still being committed on my watch. It's just there.
Amy Henschen: 22:08Yeah. You're just you're you're aware of it while doing it. That's I'm on that team. Well, now I'm like, when can I commit this fashion faux pas to annoy Ryan? And so I'm like, oh, next camp a palooza, socks and sandals.
Amy Henschen: 22:20Cannot wait.
Ryan Littlejohn: 22:21I will write you a fashion ticket.
Amy Henschen: 22:23I'm gonna get some other people on board with this, and we'll just get some nice pictures I'm wearing socks and sandals. It's gonna be great.
Henry Craft: 22:29What is the sandal of preference, though? Because I used to travel internationally, and Chaco's were the only sandal.
Amy Henschen: 22:35I lived in Colorado. You have to buy them as soon as you move to the state. It's required. I own so many pairs. They got me through Peace Corps.
Amy Henschen: 22:44I love Chacos. Chacos for life.
Ryan Littlejohn: 22:46The Chaco is the new Croc. Right? It is a multifunctional piece of shoe.
Henry Craft: 22:53Really? You you equivocated the croc to the Chaco, Ryan? What?
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:01K. Hear me out
Henry Craft: 23:02here. Listening. It better be good.
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:04The Chaco is always in sport mode. Okay? It protects your foot. You're wrapped up. Right?
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:11Their shoe's not coming off. You wear your croc. You go chase after your kid because he's running after a ball or running away from you at fair because you told him to go home for the day. K? You don't have to kick your Crocs into sport mode.
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:24If you have Chocos on, you can keep running. K. First off, don't wear Chocos at fair. That's just a bad example. I shouldn't have said that.
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:30Right? But, I mean, Chocos, they're open. They're free like Crocs. K? You don't have to switch.
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:36Keeps your foot protected.
Henry Craft: 23:38You haven't been moving your office in open toed shoes, have you read? Don't answer that. Plausible deniability. It's fine. Alright.
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:45I played the fifth.
Henry Craft: 23:48That's funny. Okay. Well, I appreciated that conversation. Hopefully, there we got even teams this time too. So, hopefully, there's some other folks.
Henry Craft: 23:59Usually, Tara, just so you know, and and you'll know it if you listen to some of our older podcasts, which I hope you will and invite you to do so. I am always the oddball out. Like, I just and for whatever reason, I go first, and then everybody's like, leave Henry out hanging all by himself. So I'm happy to be on a team this time. Yeah.
Henry Craft: 24:19You can see it on their faces. They're, like, cringey on the on the off screen, so for all of you listeners. But, anyway, thank you for that. This was fun.
Ryan Littlejohn: 24:29Okay. Well, like we promised earlier on, we're gonna give Tara a proper introduction. And because we love AI so much now that's not artificial insemination on this podcast. That's what is it, Henry? Your favorite.
Henry Craft: 24:45Artificial intelligence. Generative to be clear.
Ryan Littlejohn: 24:50So AI is a big deal in the four h world right now. Everyone's using it. If you're not on it, you should get on it. We tried this with Kurt, and I hope I hope we post Kurt's AI. Like, if we ever get a social page, we have to post Kurt's AI story.
Ryan Littlejohn: 25:06But we'll we'll see how this goes. Introducing Tara Beerster, a dedicated professional hailing from Albion, Illinois with a passion for community development and outreach. As county director for unit twenty five encompassing Edwards, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, and Wayne Counties, Tara serves as a beacon of guidance and support for residents of these regions. With four years of invaluable experience within Illinois Extension, Tara brings a wealth of knowledge and a steadfast commitment to enhancing the lives of those she serves.
Amy Henschen: 25:39Yeah. So what is it act like, accurate? Accuracy rating? What do we think? I mean I know Ryan's giving you two thumbs up for beacon of guidance and support because
Tara Buerster: 25:50he agrees with that statement. I feel a lot better about myself after hearing that, to be quite honest. I'm we're finding new uses for AI every every podcast, I think.
Henry Craft: 26:02AI loves the adjectives and as do I. That's why I like it so much, I'm sure. But very welcome, Tara. We're we're happy to have you with us. That's a lot of counties, by the way.
Tara Buerster: 26:14Mhmm. We've got five. Yeah.
Amy Henschen: 26:17Yeah. So we just let AI introduce you. No. Let's let you introduce yourself. So is there what what would you like to if we said, tell us about yourself.
Amy Henschen: 26:25What would you share with us?
Tara Buerster: 26:27Okay. So let's start off professionally. I have actually worked in higher education for twenty four years now. I started out with our local community college system, which is Illinois Eastern Community Colleges. It's a one of two multi community college systems in the state of Illinois.
Tara Buerster: 26:46The other one is City Colleges of Chicago. So I worked there for twenty years. I started out actually as a student recruiter. Then I moved into personnel, as we call it at the time. Worked in that department for about a year.
Tara Buerster: 27:02And then I was invited to apply for the administrative position as director of human resources for the entire college district. And so I did that. Oh, the last eighteen years that I was there, I served as their director of HR, handled union negotiations, got into accreditation. I was actually a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission, which accredits universities and colleges throughout The United States. I was in charge, co directed our accreditation for IECC.
Tara Buerster: 27:36Really, really enjoyed my time and work there. And then I also taught as an adjunct for one of our colleges there, Olney Central College teaching medical reimbursement because I actually have a business background in in the health field. And what else did I teach? I'm trying to think about this for a minute. Medical reimbursement, HR law, and personnel management, I believe was the third course.
Tara Buerster: 28:02I came here during COVID. I do not recommend changing jobs during a situation like that. It was a little strange. I actually accepted the position with extension right before leaving on a personal trip to Jamaica. I I did my background check and everything from Jamaica all while the country's starting to close down, and I'm really not aware of everything going on.
Tara Buerster: 28:24And until a few few days into the trip, my mother messaged and said, do you realize what's happening here in The United States? And I said, no. You know, what's going on? And so we were fortunate to get back. But when I when I left for that trip, I told my staff at ICC, hey.
Tara Buerster: 28:42I'll see you on Tuesday. And I never got to come back because I had traveled out of the country. They wanted me to work from home. So I ended up giving notice from home to move into this situation. I started this job with extension from home, met my staff in five counties, via Skype because that's what we were using at that time.
Tara Buerster: 29:04It was really different. And I remember my first time coming to Champaign. We were still having to wear masks, but that was our first face to face meeting. And I was trying to figure out who everyone was with a mask on based on their voice from the Zoom meetings we had been in. And that was that was a little different.
Tara Buerster: 29:23So that's kinda my background from a a professional standpoint. Personally, been married to my husband, JR, for it'll be twenty six years in May. We have three girls, Sydney and her husband, Josh. So I now have a son. And then we have Hailey who's getting married in October and graduating in May and will be a CPA.
Tara Buerster: 29:46So we're very excited about that. And Sydney's a nurse. Haley's gonna be a CPA. And then then we have JC who graduated high school this past May, has started at Wabash Valley College and is studying early childhood education. So that's my family.
Tara Buerster: 30:03And then I have we have a dog. I'm not really a cat person, Amy, but I do share custody, of two cats with our minister and his wife who are our neighbors. But these two cats have somehow migrated to our house. And so we just joke that we share custody of the two cats, and we feed them and take care of them. But so those are our two cats.
Tara Buerster: 30:26And then we have a dog. We have a mini Aussiedoodle. It's our first house dog, and her name is Mia. And, she's my baby. So
Amy Henschen: 30:34I mean, if you're feeding and playing with neighbor kitties, you're not you're you're a cat you're you can't be a cat person.
Tara Buerster: 30:42I get I guess I am. And we're country their way into your heart slowly. They they have. And we're you know, I live in the country, so it's not like they're right next door. They have to travel across the field to get to us.
Tara Buerster: 30:56But but they've kinda, like, I think, permanently moved in.
Amy Henschen: 31:00They've adopted you. I love it. My in Paraguay, when I was in Peace Corps, the neighbor's cat definitely was like, this lady's a sucker. I'm gonna get extra food from her. And I was like, yes.
Amy Henschen: 31:09Yes. I am. Come here, little kitty, and I'll semi adopt you. But he always went home, and I was sad every time. I'm kidnapping cats now, guys.
Amy Henschen: 31:19I'm terrible.
Henry Craft: 31:20I love all the whole content, like, all the words put together. That becomes, like, my minister, who's my next door neighbor, shared joint custody of cats. Man, all that together makes a beautiful tagline for any story I could ever hear, and I love that joint custody.
Amy Henschen: 31:39Okay. I also cannot believe you you started right at that COVID, like, drop because then it was just such a time to be here. And I know I think I think maybe I was the only one who was working here before that started of the four of us. But, like, it was crazy because, like, we were like, oh, we're closing the offices for, I don't know, two weeks. Like, we
Henry Craft: 32:00had no
Amy Henschen: 32:00idea what was coming. And, like, I can't imagine being abroad that week that that was, you know, being all just decided in the background. Because I wouldn't if I was in on a beach in Jamaica, I'm not thinking of I'm not checking in back home. I'm just enjoying my my life. We
Tara Buerster: 32:15were we were having a great time till about Thursday when we realized what was going on. And then then I wasn't enjoying so much. I was getting a little concerned about getting home. So
Henry Craft: 32:25Man, I worked on campus during that time. I just started a new job. I was two months in, and I was working with international students on campus. And within, I mean, that short amount of time, we had no international students. So this was University of Illinois, the second most populous international student home for in The US, and that was that was a huge time.
Henry Craft: 32:52I feel like it's almost like, the COVID stories are, like, akin to well, I mean, everybody had a story about nine eleven. Everybody had a story about these world events, and COVID definitely became that. And for those of us that were working and changed to complete remote work, it just changed the world. And, we're I mean, it's crazy because our four h jobs and our lives in extension are affected still to this day by COVID. And I sorry.
Henry Craft: 33:21I just get super super heady about that because I'm like, man, that's just how much that changed everybody. But to be, yeah, out of the country not knowing I mean, that story reminded me all of all my students who were just scrambling. And you were trying to get back in, and they were trying to get home. Some of them were stranded. You know?
Henry Craft: 33:39It was crazy. It was just nuts. Yeah. So I'm glad you're here. I'm glad you made it back.
Henry Craft: 33:44Although you probably like permanent beach vacation, I guess. I mean, whatever. Funny. Well, okay. So a little transition here.
Henry Craft: 33:53And this is kind of a two parter. It's it's kinda developed that way, but because they're essentially the same question. But how do you, Tara, decompress? But also, it it kinda leads into what are your hobbies. Right?
Tara Buerster: 34:07Okay. Okay. So how do I decompress? So I love to work, and I can get wrapped up in things. I really can.
Tara Buerster: 34:16But that's not how I decompress. So for me to decompress, I need to get away and get where maybe there's not a good Wi Fi signal, maybe don't have cell service. And really my I I love the water. We I'm a beach girl. Siesta Key, Florida, to be specific, is one of my favorite places to vacation.
Tara Buerster: 34:41We oh gosh. We started taking our girls there when Hailey was two. They kinda grew up there every summer when we would vacation there and absolutely loved it. And I really didn't think I would. First time my husband took us, I'm very structured.
Tara Buerster: 34:56I like to schedule things. I like to be on the go. And I usually used to would go into a vacation with an agenda. We had a schedule for every day and what we're gonna do and how much fun we're gonna have. And he made me just go to the beach the first day, and he said, just try relaxing and see how you do.
Tara Buerster: 35:15And I threw away the schedule that night, easily decided I could become a beach bum in retirement, if possible. And so we spend a lot of time at the beach. I prefer clear water, salt water. I like to see what's in there with me. But in these last couple years, we have bought a boat and spent time at the lake, and I really enjoy that.
Tara Buerster: 35:37I had to get over the fear of getting into water that I can't see what's in there with me, and that was a major, accomplishment for me for last summer. And my staff heard about it a lot, that I finally got over that fear. But I love being in the water, on the water, and just relaxing and visiting people. And really just anything with my family, I truly enjoy. Hobbies.
Tara Buerster: 36:02That was my next your next question was what are my hobbies? I love to quilt. I'm a quilter. I really enjoy quilting. I've always been very crafty.
Tara Buerster: 36:12When I was a four h member, I did not have livestock. I was the general show girl and always made it state fair with my cross stitch project. I was very proud of that. And but as I got older, I learned more about quilting. I come from a long line of quilters, and I absolutely love to sew.
Tara Buerster: 36:30I am not a seamstress, but I love quilting photography. I enjoy that. And, again, anything with family. You know, if they're happy, I'm happy. So I enjoy doing things that that they like to do.
Henry Craft: 36:43So that is a two part question, but a lot of people interpret it as, okay. My hobbies are my decompression, but I really appreciate the fact that you have, like, a decompression zone and it doesn't necessarily include your hobbies, but your hobbies, like, you have, like, a a tangible hobby. A lot of people I'm finding I mean, we're finding that not a lot of people have that. Right? It's more super incorporated.
Henry Craft: 37:10So I think it's cool. I don't know. Maybe it's a a generational thing or something. But, I mean, it's just like, how do we incorporate in different levels? You know?
Henry Craft: 37:18I don't mean it like that. Don't don't don't be like that. Everybody's laughing.
Tara Buerster: 37:21It's Ryan that's laughing. Oh,
Ryan Littlejohn: 37:25I oh, I I see I see it as, like, work life balance. Right? That was something we we've talked about before is having this this work life balance. I think that's what we struggle with. I know all four of us struggle with it in our jobs because we're very dedicated to what we do, and we care about it.
Ryan Littlejohn: 37:42And then speaking as one of her staff members, she'll let you know. If you have a program this weekend, I'm at the lake. Good luck trying to get ahold of me because there's no cell service. Right? It's not that dramatic.
Ryan Littlejohn: 37:53But but it shows that, like, you know, she's been been around the block. I'm not gonna call her old. I got in trouble one time for that. K?
Henry Craft: 38:03Seriously. We give you so much space not to do this
Amy Henschen: 38:06to yourself. Right? You continue to do it.
Ryan Littlejohn: 38:08She knows. She knows. I've made up for it multiple times. But it just shows, you know, she comes. She understands this.
Ryan Littlejohn: 38:17And I think that's something that I find value in as an employee that's kind of under her supervision. Right? She she makes and stills kind of that characteristic in us. So, like, if there's anything that I hope people get from that is, like, find your thing. Find your place, your go to place.
Ryan Littlejohn: 38:35Like, find your hobby because we all have them. And it it might take years to develop. I mean, Terrace finally can get in Wren Lake out of all the nastiest lakes there are in the world. So
Amy Henschen: 38:47Well, I'm also on team no cell service. It's the greatest gift in the history of the world. But I love that you're upfront about it too. Like, don't even try it. And, like, I think more of us could set that boundary even if you have to pretend you have no are gonna have no cell service, guys.
Amy Henschen: 39:02Just tell people, like, you're not gonna be able to reach me. I'm on a it's there this technology just doesn't work in this place. I mean, sometimes it's not true. But most of the time, you can find a place where it is true and it's glorious. Not checking your work email, not because I Andrea in my office always likes to to say, like, is there really is this really an is four h stuff really an emergency?
Amy Henschen: 39:24Like, do you really is it is it when it comes down to it? And it's like, most of the time, no. It's not. Like, we can figure it out. The world is not gonna end.
Amy Henschen: 39:33So I love that you set those boundaries, and I hope your staff take note and do that themselves because that's really important.
Tara Buerster: 39:39No. They they are really good at that. I do have to say, though, The Cove, of all places, does have signal because I was taking calls from The Cove, during I had an interim. Last summer, I had another unit I was interiming for, and and it was we had shows going on that weekend. And Casey was able to track me down, and she said, I know you're on the lake.
Tara Buerster: 40:00And I said, yeah. I'm literally on the lake right now. I'm surprised this call's coming through, but we worked through the problem. It was fine.
Henry Craft: 40:08It's funny. Not to date our podcast, but the the big nationwide outage happened not too long ago. And everybody every got a everybody got a free no cell service day. I don't I mean, it seemed like some people took it in stride a little better than others. But, yeah, I I should take notes honestly because I don't my theory is I don't like be this to be surprised.
Henry Craft: 40:30And so and that comes from I was a hall director in the past. I was in sales. I mean, it was like you were on your phone. It just was what it was. So I should get I should get better at that.
Henry Craft: 40:44But, yeah, honestly, work life balance is so important, especially as we're I mean, and county directors. Oh my gosh. I mean, you guys have so many people vying for your attention. You gotta really be able to turn it off. Okay.
Henry Craft: 40:57I completely get that. So awesome.
Amy Henschen: 41:01Alright. We have another kind of fun question for you because we like to lighten it up every now and then. So if what's one thing on your bucket list that you haven't done yet but you want to do someday?
Tara Buerster: 41:12Okay. So I do have a bucket list. And because I've been in the search system so long, I've I've been working on this list for a while, things I wanna do. I would say one thing, I wanna travel when we retire and go to Europe is definitely on my bucket list. My mother, her before she retired with her position as a corporate controller, was in Europe a lot when I was a kid traveling for work, and she would bring us back Belgium chocolate and all these neat things.
Tara Buerster: 41:45And Europe is one place I'd really like to visit whenever I do get to retire. That's that's one thing definitely on my list I wanna do.
Ryan Littlejohn: 41:54I knew she had a bucket list. That's why I threw that question in there. I've heard about this bucket list.
Tara Buerster: 42:00Actually, there was something we were talking about this weekend at home, and I'm like, that's on our bucket list, honey. And my husband said, we have a bucket list? And I'm like, you know we have a bucket list.
Henry Craft: 42:09Refer to the bucket list. We have to go here. Alright. Dang it.
Ryan Littlejohn: 42:14Join us next time as we continue our conversation with Tara about the role of accounting director in the four h program.