Montana FFA advisor blogs from Afghanistan

From the Great Falls Tribune, http://bit.ly/gvP9o8

CHINOOK, Montana — Deployed in Afghanistan with the 219th RED HORSE Squadron, Chinook teacher Robin Allen may not be in a classroom, but she's still found a way to educate her students.

Recently promoted to master sergeant, Allen has been in the military for 11 years, working as a structural craftsman. For the last four, she's also taught eighth through 12th grade agriculture in Chinook and was the FFA advisor.

Not wanting to lose that connection with her students and community, Allen decided to post journal entries on the school's website to update people as to what she was up to.

"Living in a small town, everyone likes to know what everyone is doing," Allen wrote in an email to the Tribune. "I thought it would be great to have one place that I could send messages to and everyone could read them — family, friends, community, students, etc."

Allen has posted blogs almost every two weeks since she left. While her entries share details about what she's working on, they also describe what it's like to live in Afghanistan.

In her first entry, she told the students how difficult it was for her eyes to adjust to the brightness of the sun. In another she described how an almost powdery layer of dust covers everything.

Webpage manager Paula Molyneaux said that students and teachers alike follow Allen's updates.

"I think that it upped their awareness to have one in our staff shipped out," Molyneaux said. "Really, that's what Robin wanted. This was for them to be aware that she was over there and what was happening — to give them a bigger picture of what's going on in the world."

Allen is currently working on four projects to prepare for the next special forces group to come and take over. Her team is inventorying tools and equipment and doing repairs around the compound, including tinning a roof, sheathing a porch roof and adding some trusses and laying a deck. She expects to leave in the next month.

To read Allen's blog go to http://www.chinookschools.org/.

Minnesota FFA chapter tackles issues of hunger, poverty at banquet

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1448789

The Plainview-Elgin-Millville FFA chapter in Minnesota recently hosted a Hunger Banquet at their school to help their classmates gain a greater understanding of hunger and poverty.

At a hunger banquet,guests draw tickets at random that assign them each to either a high-,
middle-, or low-income tier–based on the latest statistics about the number of people living in poverty. Each income level receives a corresponding meal: the 15 percent in the high-income tier are served a sumptuous meal; the 35 percent in the middle-income section eat a simple meal of rice and beans; and the 50 percent in the low-income tier help themselves to small portions of rice and water. Guests can also assume characterizations that describe the situation of a specific person at the income level to which they’ve been assigned. Finally, all guests are invited to share their thoughts after the meal.


FFA member Kimberly Wingard says she first participated in a hunger banquet when she attended FFA's Washington Leadership Conference.

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Are you interested in hosting a hunger banquet at your school?

Free resources are available through Oxfam America.

FFA leads former member to interesting career in entomology research

Today, special guest blogger Candice Rogers writes about how FFA led her to where she is today.

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I am so grateful to have stumbled into ag and most importantly my local chapter of the FFA my freshman year at Wasco High School.

It was a stroke of fate that all of the regular biology classes filled up and the only biology class left was ag bio. I was reluctant to partake in the “ag” side of the bio class at first, because I was ignorant about where my food came from and didn’t give ag people the respect they deserved.

Luckily, my ag bio teacher gave me a little push when he encouraged me to enter the agri-science fair. The rest was history as I climbed my way from the tiny Kern county Agri-science fair to the National Agri-science fair held in Kentucky.

It was unlike anything I ever experienced, royal blue everywhere, like a vast ocean, and I dove right in. I learned that FFA isn’t just for ranch hands and people who grew up on a farm. Before high school, I had no experience with agriculture. Now, I am 25, the entomology research coordinator for one of the top ag companies in the world and so grateful to attribute the foundation of my knowledge to FFA.

As entomology research coordinator, basically I am responsible for carrying out and supervising all the research that goes on in our lab; it’s like a lab supervisor position except some of the experiments I help design and conduct myself. So not only do I get to make the visions of our research leader come alive, I also get to use my creative mind to think of new issues we can tackle. I work with major almond and pistachio insect pests and try to figure out how to eradicate them in the most cost efficient yet environmentally responsible way possible.

Integrated pest management is the future of farming. I have a bachelor’s of science in biology, eight years’ experience in agriculture research, as well as about 45 units worth of agriculture science from a community college. I will also be getting my PCA license this year.

Today I want more people to get the same opportunities as I had. I want to encourage every high school student to become involved with FFA; you will not regret a minute of it!

Your food doesn’t just come from the grocery store, in fact, that was only one short leg of its journey. Knowledge is power, what you know could shape your entire life. My new goal is to educate others about the value of the responsible producers and sustainably grown produce.

Read more about me at my blog, http://theoldladyatheart.blogspot.com/.

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Candice Rogers is a former FFA member and National Agriscience Fair winner from Wasco FFA, California. She currently works in the agriculture industry and credits FFA for much of her success.

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Think you might be interested in a career as an entomologist? Check out this job description to find out what it takes!

Congratulations 2011 Ag Day Essay Contest winners!

Missouri FFA member Nora Faris recently won the 2011 Ag Day Essay Contest. Read her essay below or on the Ag Day website.
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Their faces peer out at me from the glossy cover of a magazine, the bold headline touting them as “America’s Most Valuable People”. Among their ranks are political pundits, ingenious inventors, humble humanitarians, and a host of other charismatic characters. Their varied accomplishments reflect a time-tested tradition of hard work and good ol’ American ingenuity, but their lofty title as our country’s “most valuable” citizens makes me wonder. Would Americans perish from “technological withdrawal” if Steve Jobs discontinued the iPad? No. Would a national crisis ensue if Lady GaGa retired from performing? I don’t think so. If Mark Zuckerberg terminated Facebook, would the world as we know it cease to exist? I think not.

Then it occurs to me: America’s “Most Valuable People” aren’t found on magazine covers. Rather, they are found in farm fields, feed stores, and livestock barns. They are American farmers, a group whose labors, although largely unrecognized, are vital to the lives of all U.S. citizens – or at least the ones that eat.

In this modern age of supermarkets and 24-hour fast food restaurants, it has become increasingly hard for the American public to fathom where their food comes from. Long gone are the days when a chicken dinner meant selecting a bird from the henhouse. Today’s consumer, faced with an endless array of choices, selects their poultry with little knowledge of its origin, unaware of the work that went into producing and dispatching the bird. They fail to realize the vital connection between farm and food, between production and consumption. Little do they realize that without our nation’s strong agricultural infrastructure of farmers, their grocery store shelves would be bare.

As America’s population continues to grow, a farmer’s job is to keep up with the escalating demand for food. They will have to play multiple roles in their quest to provide nutritious, affordable products for more than 300 million Americans. Farmers will become inventors, developing devices that will improve crop yields and abolish dated farming practices. They will become delegates for agriculture, lobbying for the advancement of farming in their legislatures. Most importantly, farmers will become naturalists, determining the best solutions for responsible soil, water, and resource management.

Although it’s unlikely that a soybean farmer from Kansas will ever steal Kim Kardashian’s VIP publicity, their true importance to their fellow citizens cannot be denied. American farmers’ dedication to maintaining an unrivaled level of food security makes them our nation’s “Most Valuable People”, even if they drive a Case instead of a Cadillac.

A Chicago-based high school teams up with an FFA chapter to study biofuels

(http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=420723)

Agriculture students from Mendota have found some friends in the big city, thanks to some old fry grease.

Both the Mendota High School FFA Chapter and the Whitney Young Magnet High School Biodiesel Club are interested in producing and promoting renewable fuels made from used cooking oil.

WYMHS math teacher/biodiesel club sponsor Brian Sievers said the five members of the WYMHS Biodiesel Club built a biodiesel processor and had enough materials left to build a second one. And the students wanted to share one with a school that didn't have access to as many resources, he said.

And so the first student-to-student exchange between the club and the Mendota FFA chapter was set for March 4.

The Mendota FFA chapter had considered building a biodiesel processor and now not only will gain a system but also expertise from fellow high school students through the exchange.

"It will be a great experience for our kids to see their research and hear their perspective," said Jeff Landers, Mendota High School ag teacher and adviser to the 70-member FFA chapter. "Our students are very excited about this opportunity."

Landers plans to integrate the biodiesel processor into his agriscience classes and the biodiesel use into his ag mechanics classes.

FFA chapter members will use the biodiesel in farm equipment used on their 18-acre land lab, where they grow corn, soybeans, pumpkins, squash and gourds.

The Whitney Young club collected used cooking oil, built one biodiesel processor and produced biodiesel. Club members tested the emissions of their fuel at an Illinois Department of Transportation vehicle testing facility in Chicago.

At the same facility, they conducted tests that compared a vehicle's performance on diesel with the biodiesel they made from new oil and used cooking oil.

The students reported the biodiesel reduced emissions by about 80 percent when compared to using diesel in the same vehicle.

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Want to find out more about biofuels? Visit the National Renewable Energy Laboratory website.

California FFA chapter in need of donated farm equipment

Donated farm equipment that works is the only thing that will save an FFA chapter’s 11-acre alfalfa farm.

The chapter’s 380 members are ready to roll up their sleeves and do everything to keep the farm alive. But they don’t have the right tools, according to a Morgan Hill Times article today.

And unless they find someone to donate mowers, balers and tractors so they can get to work, the farm, located behind Sobrato High School, will be history.

FFA members manage the operation of a greenhouse and livestock barns and can continue taking care of those operations. But their lack of equipment has led to their alfalfa acreage to lie underdeveloped.

So students are asking their community to give any functioning farm equipment to FFA. They’re looking for tractors, power-takeoff implements and three-point implements to move dirt, till, mow, plant, level and harvest their crop. The school’s metal shop classes will also accept equipment that needs minor repairs so they can work on fixes and get the machines to work for FFA.

Sobrato’s agriculture mechanics and veterinary science teacher Joe Martin is the one to contact if you have equipment to give or can help his FFA chapter in any way. E-mail him at joseph.martin@mhu.k12.ca.us.

ILSSO > Steak, Sun, and Struggling Farmers

Bienvenidos a Rosario, Argentina!

We started yesterday off bright and early to our first authentic Argentine breakfast. Then, we departed Buenos Aires for Pergamino to visit Alejandro Calderon at his livestock and row crop farm. There he told us about his rotational grazing practices with his red and black angus beef herd.

He has discovered that raising bulls for stock is much more profitable than selling a finished animal. He also explained to us his cropping system, which includes a winter and summer rotation of corn, soybeans, wheat, and green peas. Soybeans are their preferred crop, even though there is a 35 percent export tax on anything that is sold. This tax seems to be just one of the many governmental regulations that Argentina farmers struggle with on a day-to-day basis. Even so, Alejandro has been successful with his cropping operation and has expanded to include for-hire crop services.

During the heat of the early afternoon, we broke for lunch at the fairgrounds of the Sociedad Rural. Here we were treated to a three course meal. At first we were given a meat tray that we mistook for the main course. After accidentally loading up on bread and Coke, we were than treated to a large, delicious Argentine steak! Just when we thought the meal was done, they brought out a cup of ice cream and frozen fruit. It was a refreshing treat for the warm weather.

After lunch we went to Alejandro’s machinery shed. He is one of the few farmers in the area who is able to own his own machinery. He explained the uses for his machinery and how he has begun to implement technology such as GPS.

Next we traveled to their equivalent of a local elevator. We learned that they take wheat from the local farmers, but they only trade soybeans. This 19,000 metric ton storage facility was also a dealer for agrochemicals and fertilizer. We recognized many brand names from the United States.

Finally, we boarded the bus and headed to Rosario where we stayed for the night. Many of us adventured out on the town to enjoy more local cuisine. We look forward to tomorrow and another sun filled day in Argentina where we'll add on to today’s sunburn!

Adios Amigos!

“The Red Hot Chili Peppers”

Ryan, Iowa
John, Nebraska
Jeff, Kansas
Travis, Idaho
Paige, Washington
Brady, South Dakota
Cody, Illinois
Allison, Texas
Kaite, Michigan
Alec, New Jersey
Lynsey, Florida
Derek, Minnesota
Gaby, Puerto Rico
Sarah, Tennessee
Clay, Florida
Holly, Georgia



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Current and past state FFA officers are invited to participate in the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers (ILSSO). Participants spend 10 days traveling abroad and learning about international agriculture and the global marketplace. Find out more about National FFA Global programs on ffa.org.

ILSSO > Touched Down and Ready to Tango

Hola FFA amigos from Buenos Aires, Argentina!

The day we were all waiting for finally arrived! Bright and early yesterday morning, the ILSSO participants boarded their flight to Argentina, “The Land of Silver."

If you have ever taken a road-trip, you know how time can fly when you are having fun! Card games, new friendships, conversations, studying up on our Spanish “skills”, a couple naps, pictures and various other activities filled our nine hour flight. Some of the scenery we saw from the plane's windows included the Caribbean Sea, Andes Mountains, Amazon Rainforest and many of the small towns that dots across South America.

We safely arrived last night just as the sun went down and were greeted by customs and a considerably warm climate.

As we left the airport, we were greeted by an Argentine tour guide. Although we had just entered a new country, we felt right at home as our tour guide held up signs that read “FFA.” We boarded a motor coach and headed for the Hotel Presidente. We learned pieces of Argentine history along the way as our tour guide gave us a little taste of the city life.

Tonight we are resting up in order to begin our tours of Argentine agriculture tomorrow! Our guides Jorge Cazenave and Jimmy Murphy will be taking us to a corn, soybean, and wheat farm, and we'll visit with a director of the farmer’s union. We will find our rest tomorrow evening in Rosario!

Adios Amigos and hasta manana (see you tomorrow)!

“The Exploring Jaguars”

Jamie, North Carolina
Laura, Tennessee
Rebecca, Virginia
Justin, Minnesota
Michael, Iowa
John, Illinois
Amy, Ohio
Nicole, Florida
Garrett, Kansas
Michelle, Florida
James, Virginia
Johanna, Kansas
Kirby, Minnesota
Brianna, Washington
Reva, Oregon
Debra, Nebraska

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Current and past state FFA officers are invited to participate in the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers (ILSSO). Participants spend 10 days traveling abroad and learning about international agriculture and the global marketplace. Find out more about National FFA Global programs on ffa.org.

FFA Advisors Help Soldiers' Mission in Afghanistan

The Indiana National Guard' Agribusiness Development Team is preparing students in Afghanistan to become the future leaders of their country's agriculture industry.



And, they're getting a little help from Indiana's agriculture teachers and FFA advisors.



The 3-19th agribusiness team requested lesson plans from each of Indiana's 186 National FFA Organization chapters to help provide Afghan youth with practical experiences in agriculture.



Financial management and record keeping are critical tasks for the Afghan students as they work towards establishing profitable, sustainable agribusinesses.



U.S. Army Maj. Jeremy Gulley, who oversees the program, explains the purpose of their mission:



"Improved education will illuminate the path to a future that thirty years of war has made impossible and unknowable."



We thank the 3 - 19th agribusiness team, and all U.S. soliders, for helping secure a better future for our country and for the world.



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For more information about the 3-19th and their mission, and agriculture in Afghanistan, check out these links:

• Press Release: Indiana Future Farmers Assisting Khost Agricultural Students


• Agribusiness Development Team's Website


• Agribusiness Development Team's Photo Essays
  
• Agriculture in Afghanistan (USDA)

Meet FFA's First Lumberjack Team

The Wamogo High School FFA Chapter in Connecticut recently started what is believed to be the first-ever FFA Lumberjack Team.

Before the invention of chainsaws, feller-bunchers and other modern logging equipment, lumberjacks were men who harvested and transported trees for processing into lumber and other forest products. Today, we usually refer to people who work in this industry as "loggers."

Today's lumberjack and lumberjill can be found at Timbersports competitions. These competitions acknowledge the rich history of forestry and logging and keep agricultural traditions alive.

The Wamogo FFA team participated in their first competitions this past fall at two local fairs in Goshen and Bethlehem, Conn.

Events included the axe throw, two person cross cut saw, and log roll.

The members are planning to add the Jack and Jill cross cut next year, and the Bow Saw in two years.

In this year's events, team member Erik Bagley placed 6th out of more than 50 participants in the axe through at the Goshen fair. And, the team placed in the log roll at the Bethlehem fair.

The lumberjack team got its start with the help of professional lumberjill Shannon Strong of Warren, Conn. Shannon was a participant in ESPN's "Great Outdoor Games."

The team's members are Patrick Lucas, Hunter Garlasco, Erik Bagley, Matt Squires, Devin Savoy and Kimi Sekorski.

Want to learn more about logging and forestry careers?

• Check out this cool 3-D tour of modern day logging from the History Channel's "Ax Men."
  
• Learn more about FFA's Forest Management and Products Proficiency Award and Forestry Career Development Event.

Giving Thanks...

This week, millions of Americans will gather around dinner tables with their families and friends to celebrate all the things for which they are grateful. And, as Americans, we have a lot to be grateful for, don’t we?

It’s likely that all of the food on your table this Thanksgiving was fairly easy to come by. The head chef of your holiday feast probably drove a short distance to the nearest grocery store to find the turkey, ham, potatoes, cranberries, green beans, corn meal, milk, pumpkin and other goods used to prepare your meal.

The fact that such a diverse array of foods is so readily available to you, and at affordable prices, is nothing short of a miracle. And for this miracle, you have America’s farmers and agriculturists to thank.

Millions of people in this world aren’t as fortunate. There are many countries that do not have an abundance of natural resources, a temperate climate or an infrastructure which would allow them to produce a surplus of food. In these countries, stopping by the nearest grocery store and choosing from among thousands of affordable food products is not an option. Finding and producing enough food to feed a family is a daily struggle.

Even here, in our land of plenty, there are many families who don’t have easy access to enough healthy, nutritious food. Some don’t have the money to purchase the food they need. Some don’t have reliable transportation to and from a grocery store. Many lack both income and transportation.

As aspiring farmers, scientists and business leaders, FFA members are poised to take on these food supply challenges in the coming decades. As the world’s population grows toward an expected 9 billion people by 2050, new agricultural technologies, farming techniques and food distribution methods will need to be developed in order to prevent widespread famine and starvation.

We encourage all FFA members to study hard and to apply the skills and knowledge they’re developing today to serving others tomorrow. Our livelihood is dependent upon our food supply, and in the years to come, our food supply may very well be dependent upon you.

Here at the National FFA Organization we’re thankful for today’s farmers. We’re thankful for all of the farmers who came before them and taught them well. And, we’re thankful for all of our future farmers, who will ensure a brighter tomorrow for us all.

Have a safe and happy Thankgiving, everyone!

Members who know risky business travel to Washington D.C.

Risk Managment Essay Contest Award Trip

Last Wednesday, May 5, the ten Risk Management Essay Contest winners ventured to Washington D.C. for an action packed award trip. How did each FFA member win this all-expense paid trip for themselves and their advisor? By writing an essay addressing how address risk in their supervised agricultural experience program (SAE). Check out the top essays on the National FFA Risk Management Essay Contest page.

After the journey from Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas to D.C., everyone was ready for dinner. Ten students and 13 chaperones, one national FFA officer, guests from Risk Management Agency (RMA) and a few national FFA staff sat down to meet, greet and eat. After introductions and pizza, the night was topped off with a walk across the Francis Scott Key Bridge to Georgetown Cupcake for a delicious dessert.

Bright and early Thursday morning, the group headed to Pennsylvania Avenue for a tour of the White House and then it was off to the Ronald Reagan Building for a quick lunch followed by a Metro ride to Capitol Hill. After talking to staff members from the House Committee on Agriculture, the group parted ways to visit with individual congress members and discuss FFA, the essay contest and their interest in agriculture. Up next, an interactive dinner! Alex Henry, the National FFA Eastern Region Vice President, helped them bust some myths about agriculture (issues like “Farming is easy” and “FFA is just a high school activity”) and then scoured DC for a photo scavenger hunt. Check out her blog, The Adventures of Alex, for all the busted myths and photos.

A night of taking photos around D.C. helped prepare the students for their photo session at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Friday morning. After meeting more of the RMA staff, the group proceeded to the essay contest recognition ceremony and picked up Dr. Larry Case along the way. Michael T. Scuse, USDA Deputy Under Secretary was just one of the USDA officials to congratulate and pass on words of wisdom to the members. The ten winners listed below each received a certificate, gold medal, embroidered blanket and trip to Washington D.C.!

• Amanda Aycock, Elm City, NC; member of Hunt FFA
• Katelyn Brown, Grapeland, TX; member of Grapeland FFA
• Emily Fanning, May, OK; member of Laverne FFA
• Colton Hansen, Syracuse, NE; member of Syracuse- Dunbar- Avoca FFA
• Jordan Hieber, Ubly, MI; member of Ubly FFA
• Denton Lowe, Amber, OK; member of Amber Pocasset FFA
• Keith Mentnech, Swansboro, NC; member of Croaton FFA
• Abbey Nickel, Mount Vernon, OH; member of Mount Vernon FFA
• David Walden, Plant City, FL; member of Durant Sr. FFA
• Zachary Weichel, Cordell, OK; member of Cordell FFA

After the ceremony, a delicious lunch in the Secretary’s Dining Room wrapped up the day at USDA. Friday night the group strolled to Georgetown for dinner and had the evening to explore the area. Saturday morning brought sunshine and a quick Metro ride to the Arlington National Cemetery. After witnessing the changing of the guards, the students and chaperones split to scour the city and investigate all the sights, scenes, monuments and museums that D.C. has to offer. Sunday ended the award trip, which wouldn’t have been possible without the Risk Management Agency of USDA, as the students and chaperones made the journey back to Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

Wish YOU could have been one of the ten members who traveled to D.C., interacted with USDA officials, busted ag myths, and met fellow students from around the U.S.? Submit an essay for the 2011 contest for a chance to be part of the fun next year! Start thinking about how you manage risk in your SAE and visit the National FFA Risk Management Essay Contest for more information or e-mail jmantey@ffa.org.

Until next year,

Jill Mantey

National FFA Program Manager
Risk Management Essay Contest

Day 5 Costa Rica Experience

Blog for June 22

The day started off on a sad note as we departed from our "new" houses (a.k.a. our host family's houses). Then we were off to start our adventure at the local farmer's cooperative where we were given the opportunity to purchase an authentic machete. After that we split into our different buses and headed to the mini-vegetable farm. We were able to see how they grow and package different types of produce including: carrots, broccoli, beats, celery, parsley, and cabbage. It was interesting to learn that just four employees work over eleven acres of land doing everything by hand. The majority of the vegetables went to a local market but some was exported to the United States, primarily Miami, as well as Italy. We then traveled to a coffee plantation, where we learned how coffee beans were harvested. We were able to learn the process from seed to store. This was also a family operated farm where all of their merchandise is distributed over the Internet and in local stores. We drank lots of coffee and ate yummy chocolate covered coffee beans. Some of us bought wayyy too much stuff for our beloved family back home. Afterwards, we had a very late lunch. Followed by a very, very long bus ride through the rain....with only one bathroom break! We finally arrived at our hotel (airconditioned!! yippee!!) at 7:15pm. We were greeted with a refreshing pineapple drink as we departed from the bus and checked into our hotel rooms. We were also able to try a mimone fruit, a spiny fruit with a big seed in the middle surrounded by a sweet, fleshy fruit. The day ended with a delicious dinner, and a celebration of Melody's birthday.