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She just started her job, and she has only six weeks to get used to it before the county fair, the biggest 4-H event of the year.
But Tracy George, 24, the county's new Extension educator, is no stranger to being busy. She's run her own business for several years, first while earning her master's degree and now while she's at the Extension Office.
"The plan is for my brother, who's at Purdue now, to take over (the business)," she said recently.
George, who is originally from Wakarusa, is a graduate of NorthWood High School and earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural education from Purdue University and a master's from Purdue in agricultural and extension education.
After she received her bachelor's degree, she said, she started her own business, Top Crop, which offers GPS mapping services, soil sampling and fertility advice. Consulting with farmers and fertilizer companies in northern Indiana and southern Michigan, while overseeing two employees, on top of learning a new job, is keeping her busy.
Even with her own business, she said, she wanted to put her degrees to use by getting involved with 4-H kids.
"I've always wanted to work with youth. That's been my goal," she said. She likes 4-H because of the "diversity of experiences" and wants to get kids in the area to realize that 4-H doesn't mean just livestock.
"There's a lot of different things you can do, a lot of different opportunities," she said, citing trips and scholarships as just two benefits of 4-H membership.
A 10-year 4-H member herself, she has been going to board meetings, talking to board members and 4-H leaders, getting her feet wet, learning her way around.
She has some ideas about things she would like to get started or expand upon in the county's 4-H programs, which she says are strong because of community support.
For example, even though most townships in the county have their own 4-H organizations, she would like to organize more cross-township clubs, such as the Beef Club that recently began and includes members from several townships.
"I'd like to get more clubs going, clubs that focus on topics instead of areas," she said.
She also wants to work with organizations within the community, such as the Boys and Girls Club and local FFA chapters, and would like to tap into the state 4-H program that meets the needs of kids with disabilities.
The daughter of Jim and Deb George of Wakarusa, she's just taking the time now to settle in and get to know the county and the people.
And as far as the Kosciusko County Fair goes, she's looking forward to it, but she doesn't expect to take the bull by the horns, so to speak, and shake things up by making lots of changes - yet.
Asked if she'll be ready by July, she rolled her eyes and laughed. "This is pretty much the break-in year," she said.
