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The Grand Canyon FFA chapter had a very successful week at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, January 7th – 14th in Harrisburg, PA. The chapter had a variety of members participating throughout the week and achieved great things throughout the event. On today’s Ag Happenings, members were interviewed about some of their successes and what their achievements meant to them.

FFA members participated in the Mid-Winter FFA Convention on Monday January 9th. During the convention 12 Grand Canyon FFA members received their first year FFA jacket that they earned through writing an essay in a contest. 391 members throughout the state were able to zip up their FFA jackets for the first time.

Grand Canyon FFA members that achieved this honor include: Alexa Patterson, Jenna Webster, Garrett Kaltenbach, Delilah Massey, Melaina Love, Alanah Starkweather, Nikkida Costley, Katerina Shabloski, John McConaghy, Mike Losinger, Vincent Keck, and Addison Harlan.

Senior members received their Keystone FFA Degrees at the ceremony including James Patterson, Natasha Maddox, Conner Baker, and Lindsey Kline. These members had to meet a variety of requirements including earning $1,000 or working 300 hours in their supervised agricultural experience projects, being an active chapter member, and completing at least 25 community service hours.

Several members in the chapter showed animals at the farm show this year. Lindsey Kline, Paige Murdock, and Karah Blackwell all showed rabbits on Friday January 6th. Blackwell’s New Zealand buck was selected as the best opposite of breed and was awarded the right to stay the week on display. Grace & Justice Harlan showed a market hog and market steer respectively on Sunday January 8th. They both earned 5th place in their market classes and qualified to sell their animals during the livestock sale on tuesday. Garrett Kaltenbach showed his market goat on Monday January 9th and was 7th place in his class. Natasha Maddox showed her shropshire breeding ram during the latter part of the week and was awarded the reserve champion shropshire ram in both the open and the youth shows.

Garrett Kaltenbach also participated in the FFA Auctioneering Contest on Monday January 9th. He was the 2nd place individual and received a gavel and a prize. Alumni member Nina Coolidge spent the week serving on the Farm Show Junior Committee, and she was selected as a Farm Show Scholarship recipient where she was awarded a $4000 scholarship.

Members also participated in the floral and horticulture displays. Many members were awarded top placings. Dakota Crotsley, Alexa Patterson, and Ana Perry were the top three recipients in that order, in the corsage and boutonniere class out of 60 exhibitors. Natalie Cleveland was 2nd place in the sweet treat floral class out of 20 participants, and 3rd in the all American BBQ centerpiece class. Silas Prybycien was 1st place in the fresh floral using vegetables class, and 1st place in the succulent arrangement in a mug or tea cup class out of 30 participants. His succulent design was awarded a Best of Show as the most creative foliage and flowering design. Alexa Patterson was 5th place in the cascading bouquet class out of 15 exhibitors. Kailey Zuchowski was 1st place in the door decoration using artificial flowers class.

Lastly, the FFA chapter competed in the Window Box Display class where they bested a field of 14 FFA chapters with their display titled “Soil Your Undies” which highlighted awareness of soil health and soil microbes in different soil types. The first place display was a group effort of the entire chapter as well as several other community landowners and farmers who allowed them to conduct research last summer.

The Grand Canyon FFA is thrilled with the efforts of all chapter members to participate and take in the Pennsylvania Farm Show this year. They are excited for the members to carry this motivation with them throughout the rest of the year and in other projects they have coming up.