Friends and Neighbors: Hilary Cook

No doubt living in the area, you are familiar with, have read about on social media, or have heard of, the Bountiful Basket program that takes place on a bi-weekly basis.

In the beginning, Shelly Norberg of Bushnell found the program in the nearby community of Albin, Wyoming, and began working with others, such as Amira Moore to bring it coop to Kimball County.

It was Hilary Cook who took the steps necessary to make that happen.

She attended another Bountiful Basket site and did teleconferencing with others to learn the ropes of running the operation with help from Erin Heidemann.

"We had about ninety-six baskets bought within the first couple of months. We now average about thirty baskets each time," Cook said. "I would like to keep this in our community so that others can enjoy the fresh produce and the different types of produce than what is offered at our store."

Cook explains that through the program, her children have tried a variety of fruits and vegetables that they may not have tried if she were to just purchase it from a store.

"They actually like the different things offered. I'm surprised," she said.

Baskets are offered on a bi-weekly basis for pickup on Saturday mornings at the old West Elementary School building and more information can be found on the group's website.

The in-season produce that is purchased in bulk from Colorado, Arizona, and California ensures that the produce is fresh, according to Cook.

Running this program is just one of the many facets of Cook's daily life, in fact she tackles each day with will, determination and a sense of humor – and the fact that she is young, doesn't hurt either.

Cook grew up in Kimball, graduated from Kimball High School in 2003, and married her husband, Justin nine years ago. They now raise their three young children, twin six-year-old boys, Wyatt and Trey and three-year-old daughter, Allie, on a small farm just south of town.

The Cook family stays busy at home with a few head of cattle, goats, chickens, dogs, cats, and within the past couple of years – horses. Cook said that they breed the horses, and will then train the young horses to be haltered broke, ready for a saddle and then ready to ride. They also help teach them commands and once training is complete and the young horses are between one and two years old the family will sell them.

The children are old enough to have some chores regarding the animals, Cook said, even Allie enjoys helping her twin brothers with gathering the chicken eggs.

"She (Allie) tries to help.We get a lot of broken eggs, but that's okay," she said.

Cook added that she feels the children learn a sense of responsibility and more of a basic knowledge of life through the stewardship of the animals.

In addition to the work to be done at home Cook has maintained a full time job with the Natural Resources Conservation Service for the last seven years and her husband hauls cattle.

Cooks position at the NRCS as an administrative assistant allows her to work with producers on windbreaks, the Crop Reduction Program, pipelines, tanks, wells and more.

"The producers come into our office and ask us if we have funding for a project, like a well, or a tank to get their livestock watered – or even if they are interested in trees – then we will try to come up with a plan within our guidelines to help them," she said.

Cook added that they work with cost share programs to help the agriculture customer with their needs. "Basically, they put money out and we pay half of what they want to do." Cook said it is a job she really enjoys.

She also enjoys working as a co-leader of the Clover Kid 4-H Club, for children of five to seven years old.

She said that since the program began, last September, they have a membership of 15, but she and co-leader Katie Culek would love to see the club grow.

"They (the children) participate in hands-on activities designed to build life skills. We also teach them about the basics 4-H, and what it means to be in 4-," she said. "We also explain to them all the projects that you can do in 4-H, to get them prepared."

And, in her spare time, Cook enjoys running, working out, scrapbooking and spending time with her family. She has also volunteered with her sons' little league and soccer programs.

"Basically, if my kids are involved I want to be involved as well," she said.