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