Jeff Stoltzfus left and Gene Martin  have instrumental in the success of the FRB Project (Food Resource Bank Project).

Thanks to the continued support of members of the local agricultural community, the Grassland FFA completed another year of service to the Foods Resource Bank.  Members of Bob Lauffer’s FFA Leadership 9 class witnessed the harvesting of the final two acres of this year’s project. Several members had the opportunity to get a birds-eye view of the harvest as they rode in the combine with Mr. Gene Martin. Mr. Martin has graciously volunteered to provide all of the field work for the project since its inception. While in the combine, students were able to see a read out on the GPS that showed yield differences in different parts of the field, moisture levels, soil fertility. This can all be printed with overlay maps to show how any number of parameters overlap. The soybeans will then be sold to Mr. Earl Weaver, owner of Weaver’s Toasted Grains, Mr. Weaver is also a perennial supporter of the FRB project. Last year the FFA 10 class under the leadership of Connor Bender, James Martin, Jordon Horst, Kyle Hurst, and Seth Yoder laid the groundwork for the project. They solicited donations of land from ELANCO school district (next to the bus garage) and GS alumnus Burton Shaffer.

 

Members check the readiness of the soybeans.

FFA Leadership 9 with combine after harvest.

The seed was donated by Pioneer Hi-bred and the fertilizer by TIMAC. Because of the tremendous outpouring of support by the agricultural community we have been able to have all of the inputs to raise a crop donated . This means the project is able to send all the funds generated through the sale of the crop to a designated growing project. In the past the project has supported a variety of projects around the world. The Grassland FA was the first FFA chapter to undertake a FRB growing project due to the encouragement of adult agriculture instructor Jeff Stoltzfus who made them aware of the opportunity. To date more than $40,000 has been raised by the Grassland FFA’s FRB projects. The FFA 10 class researches the available options and makes a decision about which growing project to sponsor. They usually to pick a project that will lead to sustainability such as a water system project or an erosion control project. This year the funds will go to Uganda-Teso where the project is aimed at increased sustainability through diversifying crops and training of better post-harvest techniques.  A goal is to have the 1200 residents able to take 3 meals a day. The current baseline is an average of only 1 meal a day. The Grassland FFA would like to thank all of the community members for their generous support in helping FRB reach out around the world.  To learn more visit the Foods Resource bank website.  http://www.foodsresourcebank.org/welcome-foods-resource-bank