Grassland FFA

Over Valentine’s Weekend the Grassland FFA Chapter traveled to the PA FFA ACES (Agricultural Cooperation Establishes Success) conference in Harrisburg. Students whom attend this conference learn about teamwork and how to improve their leadership skills. All FFA members are welcome to attend. Students participate in various workshops where they get to meet new students from other chapters.

Sophomore Samantha Eberly had this to say about the conference:

ACES was a wonderful experience! We got to meet a lot of new people and make some new friends. We learned about different leadership conferences and ways that we could help the community. We also learned a variety of interesting and new facts about agriculture. The activities were very fun and the people that went essentially got to know each other better. It is something I would suggest that all FFA members should try at least once. The conference is an event that is very memorable and I can’t wait to go again.  

Everyone looks great!

1st session – we are ready!

Sadly getting ready to leave ACES but a funny picture is always needed!

Everyone looks great in their official dress!

Pumped for the first session of ACES!

New teachers having a little fun!

Becky, Morgan and Kelly ready for the 1st session!

Check out our awesome ACES t-shirts!

Official Dress Funny Picture.

Writing letters of support to our troops, veterans and wounded warriors.

Getting ready for the first session of ACES!

At the dance on Saturday night.

Writing letters to support our troops, veterans and wounded warriors during ACES community service.

On February 6th, 3 Grassland FFA members (Jenna Diehl, Bethany Sauder and Jessica Zimmerman) traveled with Miss Pray to Longwood Gardens for the Today’s Horticultural Symposium. Jenna, Bethany and Jess applied for and received scholarships to attend this amazing conference. They spent the day learning about the Wild World of Succulents, the Disorder of Plant Diseases, Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener, Vegetable Gardening with Flair, Managing Natural Lands in the 21st Century and Garden Design. In addition to the lectures, the students also had the opportunity to meet industry people during the luncheon and had time to walk around and study the many plants found at Longwood!

The girls had this to say about their experiences:

Today’s Horticulture at Long Wood gardens was something I will not forget. Not only was the food excellent, I especially loved the fruit tarts, but the speakers grabbed my attention. I really enjoyed the speaker on Plant breeding, his presentation definitely made me excited for spring to come. I can’t wait to see the different flowers I can make and start creating new varieties of tomatoes with my dad’s tomato plants.  I also found the presentation on Succulents to be intresting, it’s amazing how many varieties there really are out there. I especially liked the looks of the Dudleya Candida and the Agave Impressa. Thanks again for the opportunity to attend the Symposium.  – Jenna Diehl

I really enjoyed my experience at Longwood’s Horticulture Symposium this year.  I liked seeing all of the different succulents and variations of them in the one presentation and I also enjoyed seeing the many different orchids that Longwood had on display.  Throughout the day I learned a lot about different ways to garden and how to make it more fun and experimental.  In particular I enjoyed the one talk about making hybrids of your own plants.  Overall, I had a very enjoyable day and I was able to learn many things that I could take home with me and that I will be able to apply in my own horticulture experience.    – Bethany Sauder

I enjoyed the symposium because I was able to learn about all the different topics in one day. One that I really liked was “Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener” because it is something that I can try out and do at home. I thought it was interesting how he was able to grow all the different colors of corn, and how he experiments with tomatoes and gets so many different colors, sizes, and tastes. From “The Wild World of Succulents, Out of the Wild and into the Gardens” I learn that there are many more succulents than I realized and I enjoyed his stories about going and finding plants in their natural habitats.    – Jessica Zimmerman

At the entrance to the Symposium!

All of the High School students and their Teachers in attendance

If your business recently received a letter from Grassland FFA about ordering Whole Hog Dinners via the Google form, the form is available by clicking the link below:

http://goo.gl/forms/W0DfzrRTv6

Grassland FFA had an amazing day at the PA FFA Midwinter Convention!

Congratulations to Roy Bramm, Brian Beck, Tyler Scarle, Brina Martin and Jen Sarro for getting their free FFA jackets at Mid Winter Convention! These awesome freshman students wrote essays and submitted them to the jacket essay contest that is sponsored by the PA FFA Alumni.

The freshmen getting ready to put on their FFA jackets!

Don’t they look great!

We also had an amazing group of seniors whom received their Keystone Degrees. This is the highest degree in the PA FFA that a student can receive. These students completed their SAE projects and met the requirements set forth by the PA FFA. Congratulations to Bethany Sauder, Jessica Zimmerman, Becky Sensenig, Jenna Diehl, Morgan Mueller, Kelly Seifrit, Ethan Yoder, Derick Weaver, and past program graduate Holly Schnader.

Jenna and her parents.

Jenna Diehl

Morgan Mueller

Bethany Sauder and her parents

Bethany Sauder

Ethan Yoder and his parents

Ethan Yoder

Derick Weaver and his parents

Derick Weaver

Jessica Zimmerman

Kelly Seifrit and her parents

Kelly Seifrit

Becky Sensenig

Becky Sensenig and her Dad

Ethan Yoder

Ethan Yoder

Derick Weaver

Derick Weaver

Jenna Diehl

Jenna Diehl

Morgan Mueller

Bethany Sauder

Morgan Mueller

Jessica Zimmerman

Jessica Zimmerman

Bethany Sauder

Kelly Seifrit

Kelly Seifrit

Becky Sensenig

Becky Sensenig

Grassland FFA would like to congratulate Kelly Seifrit’s parents for receiving a special award at the convention for having their 5th child obtain a Keystone Degree. Also congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Mueller for being recognized at convention for having their 3rd child obtain her Keystone Degree.

Congratulations to the FFA 12 class for designing and assembling the winning Table Centerpiece in the Horticultural Display.

The 1st place Table Centerpiece in the Horticulture Display made by the FFA 12 class.

A huge congratulations goes to Jenna Diehl for being named the State Star in Agriscience. Jenna went through the interview process and was named the eastern region star in Agriscience. She then went on to compete at the mid winter convention in another interview process. Jenna’s next step will be to compete at the Big E later this year. If she places first there, she will have the opportunity to compete at National’s! Jenna’s SAE project focuses on her falconry project and her bird Comet.

Jenna and her State Star Award!

Congratulations to our new Grassland FFA Officer team!

President – Will Horning
Vice President – Austin Mueller
Asst. VP – Liz Mumma
Secretary – Kaila Stoltzfus
Asst. Secretary – Sam Eberly
Treasurer – Bria Taylor
Asst. Tres – Adam Weber
Reporter – Sam Shirk
Sentinel – Grant Sauder
Chaplain – Carson Lehman
Historian – Sara Eberly

Those of you attending Farm Show tomorrow!!
– if there is a 2 hour delay all vans will be leaving at 930 am.
– Those of you working the Penn Ag food booth if there is no school then you will not be going
– Those of you going to get jackets or Keystone Degrees – if there is no school we cannot take you, however the mid winter convention will still occur so if your parents would like to take you, you can still attend! If not we will get your awards to you at a later date

Officer Application Packet

Fill out the above application and return it by Dec. 19th if you are interested in running for an FFA office! Interviews will be held Jan. 8th! If you cannot make this interview date but still want to apply please let Mr. Wright or Miss Pray know ASAP!

Each year the sophomore members of the Grassland FFA participate in a growing project to help support the Foods Resource Bank (FRB). FRB raises resources to help support 50 to 60 overseas programs which focus on developing sustainable small-scale agricultural operations. After learning some basic agronomic concepts, the students are in charge of planning and implementing all the management decisions. They decide what should be planted, and when to plant, fertilize and harvest. They also decide what project to support and how to raise money to cover the cost of rent for land. In the past 9 years the Grassland FFA has raised over $52,280.27 for 9 different projects supported by the FRB.

For the 2013-2014 school year, the students were able to increase the number of acres planted to 10 and chose to plant corn. This year, after harvesting, we have raised $7900. The funds will support an agricultural research project involving food insecurity in the Central Africa Republic – Gamboula. Research is being done with new varieties of staple crops, vegetables, beans, fruits, animal husbandry and fish culture. Once the research has been completed, the successful varieties and sustainable farming methods are presented to farmer cooperatives. These cooperatives then train farmers to use these methods to help them become more food secure.

Grassland FFA and the Agriculture Education Program at Garden Spot High School would like to thank it’s sponsors from the 2013-2014 FRB project:

–          Eby’s

–          MM Weaver and Sons

–          Garden Spot Village

–          Yoder’s

–          Martin’s Ag

–          Martin’s Trailside Express

–          Penn Dutch Sportsman Club

–          Weaver’s Toasted Gran

–          King’s Agriseed

–          Pioneer

–          Timac

–          Garden Spot High School Faculty and Staff

The Grassland FFA would also like to thank Jeff Stoltzfus for all his help with the project and Gene Martin for donating his time, land and machinery to helping us make this venture work.

If you are interested in supporting our 2014-2015 FRB project please contact Garden Spot High School Agricultural Educator and FFA Advisor Heather Pray at heather_pray@elanco.org

FFA 9 and FFA 12 students had the opportunity to see how corn is harvested and also had the opportunity to ride in the combine.

FFA 9 students had the opportunity to see how corn is harvested and also had the opportunity to ride in the combine. This will help them have a better understanding of how organizing the FRB project works when they take FFA 10.

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FFA 9 and FFA 12 students had the opportunity to see how corn is harvested and also had the opportunity to ride in the combine.

FFA 9 and FFA 12 students had the opportunity to see how corn is harvested and also had the opportunity to ride in the combine.

These signs were made by the FFA 10 students to show support for our FRB project sponsors near our fields of corn which are located on Mr. Gene Martin’s Farm.

These signs were made by the FFA 10 students to show support for our FRB project sponsors near our fields of corn which are located on Mr. Gene Martin’s Farm.

These signs were made by the FFA 10 students to show support for our FRB project sponsors near our fields of corn which are located on Mr. Gene Martin’s Farm.

The Grassland FFA is at it once again! The students are excited to be partnering with PowerPro to complete a Chicken BBQ Fundraiser as part of their Mahindra Days. All proceeds of the sale will go back to the Grassland FFA Chapter and support the students in traveling for conferences and competitions.

Where:                 PowerPro, New Holland, PA

When:                  Saturday, September 6, 2014

Meals are available from 10 am – 3 pm

Price:                     $7 per meal

Meals include: Chicken, baked potato, coleslaw, a roll, a cookie, and a drink

Contact Caleb Wright (caleb_wright@elanco.org) or Heather Pray (heather_pray@elanco.org) to purchase tickets. Help us spread the word!

Not sure if you will be around on Saturday? No worries! You may purchase BBQ tickets the day of the even at PowerPro! However limited quantities will be available for day of purchases – so arrive early!