Check out this story from the Watertown Daily Times.
Go to https://www.nny360.com/news/stlawrencecounty/student-enrollment-climbs-at-agriculture-academy-for-st-lawrence-county/article_71bf5420-7b7c-5aa4-a04c-934b1c91bc52.html to see the story about this agriculture academy.
Showing posts with label agriculture education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label agriculture education. Show all posts
Monday, September 9, 2019
Thursday, February 23, 2017
What Does It Mean to Be An 'Aggie?'
By ERYKAH GONZALEZ
John Bowne High FFA President
As an “aggie,” one of the first things we learn is the FFA motto, “Learning to do, doing to learn. Earning to live, living to serve.”
Joining the agriculture program has left an imprint on me by teaching me life skills that have helped me develop. Being part of the “ag” family has helped me find my passion and a sense of belonging.
I have developed qualities of a leader, a hardworking student and a responsible individual thanks to all the opportunities agriculture has presented to me.
Throughout life, there are various milestones we come across that show our development as a character. For me, joining the agriculture program at John Bowne High School was what influenced me the most.
Being in the agriculture program has brought so many opportunities to me. For example, it has introduced me to the National FFA Organization. FFA has become a key aspect in my life. I have learned how to be organized, responsible and I have also improved my communication skills.
It took hard work and dedication to make it to the New York State FFA Convention to compete in aquaculture. Our first year, we placed second in the state with our team and I placed fourth in the state individually. We were proud of our work and looked forward to next year’s competition.
This encouraged me to become even more involved in agriculture and motivated me to run for chapter officer. Fast forward, I became the 2015-2016 historian. With officer responsibilities, I have become more organized than before. I had to juggle AP classes, officer duties, regular school work, SATs, my internship and of course, my regular teenager life.
It was a challenge but, I became a well-rounded person from it. This year, as chapter president, the officer team and I have to focus on running the FFA chapter at our school.
The agriculture program has also given me the opportunity to conduct my own research project for my senior year. We will be conducting all research ourselves with supervision from our agriculture teacher. This will give us a taste of college and how to prepare for college classes.
Agriculture, specifically FFA, has impacted me and shaped me into the person I am today.
Thanks to the agriculture program, I am able to participate in a paid internship at Alley Pond Environmental Center. I’m an animal caretaker and educator there. I educate the public about our animals as well as maintain our animal facilities.
Throughout my high school years, agriculture has been my highlight. Being an officer has taught me how to be a leader. Being on the aquaculture team has taught me teamwork and dedication. Being an intern at Alley Pond Environmental Center has taught me patience and communication.
Without all these opportunities, I do not know who I would be today. The experiences and memories at Bowne will stay with me forever.
After my last year here ends, I will definitely miss being an “aggie.” I look forward to making the most of my senior year here and getting ready for the transition to the next step in my life.
Erykah Gonzalez is a senior at John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens and president of the school’s FFA chapter. She plans to attend New Haven University on a scholarship to study forensic science.
John Bowne High FFA President
As an “aggie,” one of the first things we learn is the FFA motto, “Learning to do, doing to learn. Earning to live, living to serve.”
Joining the agriculture program has left an imprint on me by teaching me life skills that have helped me develop. Being part of the “ag” family has helped me find my passion and a sense of belonging.
I have developed qualities of a leader, a hardworking student and a responsible individual thanks to all the opportunities agriculture has presented to me.
Throughout life, there are various milestones we come across that show our development as a character. For me, joining the agriculture program at John Bowne High School was what influenced me the most.
Being in the agriculture program has brought so many opportunities to me. For example, it has introduced me to the National FFA Organization. FFA has become a key aspect in my life. I have learned how to be organized, responsible and I have also improved my communication skills.
It took hard work and dedication to make it to the New York State FFA Convention to compete in aquaculture. Our first year, we placed second in the state with our team and I placed fourth in the state individually. We were proud of our work and looked forward to next year’s competition.
This encouraged me to become even more involved in agriculture and motivated me to run for chapter officer. Fast forward, I became the 2015-2016 historian. With officer responsibilities, I have become more organized than before. I had to juggle AP classes, officer duties, regular school work, SATs, my internship and of course, my regular teenager life.
It was a challenge but, I became a well-rounded person from it. This year, as chapter president, the officer team and I have to focus on running the FFA chapter at our school.
The agriculture program has also given me the opportunity to conduct my own research project for my senior year. We will be conducting all research ourselves with supervision from our agriculture teacher. This will give us a taste of college and how to prepare for college classes.
Agriculture, specifically FFA, has impacted me and shaped me into the person I am today.
Thanks to the agriculture program, I am able to participate in a paid internship at Alley Pond Environmental Center. I’m an animal caretaker and educator there. I educate the public about our animals as well as maintain our animal facilities.
Throughout my high school years, agriculture has been my highlight. Being an officer has taught me how to be a leader. Being on the aquaculture team has taught me teamwork and dedication. Being an intern at Alley Pond Environmental Center has taught me patience and communication.
Without all these opportunities, I do not know who I would be today. The experiences and memories at Bowne will stay with me forever.
After my last year here ends, I will definitely miss being an “aggie.” I look forward to making the most of my senior year here and getting ready for the transition to the next step in my life.
Erykah Gonzalez is a senior at John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens and president of the school’s FFA chapter. She plans to attend New Haven University on a scholarship to study forensic science.
How to Start an Agriculture Education Program
By CINDY GALLAGHER
Agricultural Science Teacher, Waterville Central Schools
Our Waterville Central School District is in the process of implementing a new Agricultural Education Program with classes to begin this fall.
The process leading up to this point began several years ago, with Board of Education, administrative, staff, community, Oneida County Cooperative Extension and Farm Bureau collaboration.
Our school district has been actively participating in New York’s “Farm to School Program” since the 2014-15 school year and was selected to participate in the 2015-16 Northeast Farm to School Initiative.
This program included: activities designed to teach students to make healthier food choices; the introduction of local food products into the school menu; the revitalization of our elementary school “Victory Garden” and implementation of farm and food curriculum by educators in the elementary school.
Our school board and administration had put together several committees which helped to foster success, including a Farm to School Steering Committee, a Farm to School Team as well as an Agricultural Advisory Committee. Our school business manager has also been a key participant in the process, especially helpful with obtaining grants.
The first step in beginning a new agricultural program is to assess your school and community needs. Next, you should gather facts and information that will help you to garner community support.
You should have a clear understanding of what agricultural education is, including the three-component model (classroom and laboratory instruction, supervised agricultural experiences and FFA). You should also familiarize yourself with the state and national Quality Program Standards.
You can find a wealth of information at www.nysffa.org and www.ffa.org .
It is also helpful to investigate the career opportunities that exist for agricultural students as well as the career and college preparation that results from an effective Career and Technical Educational Program.
This information should be disseminated to your school administration and staff as well as to your community. You will gain support when they understand the opportunities an effective agricultural education will provide to the students.
A small minority actually participates in production agriculture. However, the entire agricultural industry encompasses endless career opportunities and these often require a technical education.
It has been projected that about 58,000 new jobs in agriculture will become available annually over the next five years.
It is also vital that your community understands the benefits students gain from inquiry and hands-on learning.
Finally, explain FFA through its mission statement: “FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.”
New York State Agricultural Outreach and Education staff will provide assistance and guidance for both new and existing programs. They are available to advise you on developing a program, career pathways, courses and curriculum. They will guide you through the process required to have your program approved as well as getting your FFA chapter chartered.
Other agricultural teachers are happy to share information and to collaborate with new programs. Visits to successful programs are certainly warranted and extremely beneficial to learn about the programs and to build partnerships.
Form an Agricultural Advisory Committee consisting of key community and local industry supporters, interested parents and students and involve the appropriate administrative staff.
This committee should help to: continue to identify needs, establish goals, encourage collaboration, explore partnerships, provide assistance and develop a task list and timeline for implementation. Utilize your committee to network and build support for your proposed program.
Finally, if you are going to need to bring a proposal to the Board of Education, be prepared, organized and have the information to back up your statements. Enlist community leaders for support.
Development and implementation of a new Agricultural Education Program takes time. Waterville’s development process has probably been slightly different in that it already had school board and administrative interest and support.
Our participation in the Farm to School Initiative provided a firm foundation that helped to bring school staff, parents and community members to a better understanding of the agricultural industry.
Most importantly, when beginning a new program, utilize support and assistance from local agricultural organizations and leaders, NYS Agricultural Outreach and Education staff, other agricultural teachers and successful programs.
Collaboration is key!
Agricultural Science Teacher, Waterville Central Schools
Our Waterville Central School District is in the process of implementing a new Agricultural Education Program with classes to begin this fall.
The process leading up to this point began several years ago, with Board of Education, administrative, staff, community, Oneida County Cooperative Extension and Farm Bureau collaboration.
Our school district has been actively participating in New York’s “Farm to School Program” since the 2014-15 school year and was selected to participate in the 2015-16 Northeast Farm to School Initiative.
This program included: activities designed to teach students to make healthier food choices; the introduction of local food products into the school menu; the revitalization of our elementary school “Victory Garden” and implementation of farm and food curriculum by educators in the elementary school.
Our school board and administration had put together several committees which helped to foster success, including a Farm to School Steering Committee, a Farm to School Team as well as an Agricultural Advisory Committee. Our school business manager has also been a key participant in the process, especially helpful with obtaining grants.
The first step in beginning a new agricultural program is to assess your school and community needs. Next, you should gather facts and information that will help you to garner community support.
You should have a clear understanding of what agricultural education is, including the three-component model (classroom and laboratory instruction, supervised agricultural experiences and FFA). You should also familiarize yourself with the state and national Quality Program Standards.
You can find a wealth of information at www.nysffa.org and www.ffa.org .
It is also helpful to investigate the career opportunities that exist for agricultural students as well as the career and college preparation that results from an effective Career and Technical Educational Program.
This information should be disseminated to your school administration and staff as well as to your community. You will gain support when they understand the opportunities an effective agricultural education will provide to the students.
A small minority actually participates in production agriculture. However, the entire agricultural industry encompasses endless career opportunities and these often require a technical education.
It has been projected that about 58,000 new jobs in agriculture will become available annually over the next five years.
It is also vital that your community understands the benefits students gain from inquiry and hands-on learning.
Finally, explain FFA through its mission statement: “FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.”
New York State Agricultural Outreach and Education staff will provide assistance and guidance for both new and existing programs. They are available to advise you on developing a program, career pathways, courses and curriculum. They will guide you through the process required to have your program approved as well as getting your FFA chapter chartered.
Other agricultural teachers are happy to share information and to collaborate with new programs. Visits to successful programs are certainly warranted and extremely beneficial to learn about the programs and to build partnerships.
Form an Agricultural Advisory Committee consisting of key community and local industry supporters, interested parents and students and involve the appropriate administrative staff.
This committee should help to: continue to identify needs, establish goals, encourage collaboration, explore partnerships, provide assistance and develop a task list and timeline for implementation. Utilize your committee to network and build support for your proposed program.
Finally, if you are going to need to bring a proposal to the Board of Education, be prepared, organized and have the information to back up your statements. Enlist community leaders for support.
Development and implementation of a new Agricultural Education Program takes time. Waterville’s development process has probably been slightly different in that it already had school board and administrative interest and support.
Our participation in the Farm to School Initiative provided a firm foundation that helped to bring school staff, parents and community members to a better understanding of the agricultural industry.
Most importantly, when beginning a new program, utilize support and assistance from local agricultural organizations and leaders, NYS Agricultural Outreach and Education staff, other agricultural teachers and successful programs.
Collaboration is key!
Happy Birthday, Smith-Hughes Act
By DEBRA J. GROOM
Empire Farm & Dairy magazine
About 100 years ago, a piece of national legislation became law and began U.S youth on a voyage that today has spread into schools, communities, factories and onto farms across the country.
The Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act of 1917 formally established federal aid for a network of vocational agricultural education to train people “who have entered upon or who are preparing to enter upon the work on the farm.”
The bill, signed Feb. 23, 1917 by President Woodrow Wilson, would eventually lead to agriculture programs cropping up in high schools across the country. It also would lead to the creation of Future Farmers of America, now called FFA.
“Our whole program here began because of Smith-Hughes,” said Steve Perry, assistant principal of the agriculture department at John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens.
Bowne’s agriculture program boasts more than 700 students and the school, located not far from the Long Island Expressway, has the largest FFA chapter in New York state.
Farming in New York City
There probably isn’t a better example of the importance of agriculture education than the agriculture program at Bowne High School.
But just how does an agriculture program and FFA chapter end up in the middle of Queens?
“This program initially started because of the people needed to replace male farmers during World War I,” Perry said.
“During World War I, young men and women were recruited from New York City to work on farms Upstate in order to fill positions of men fighting overseas,” states the school’s website. “Many of these boys upon returning requested to learn more about agriculture.”
“By a happy coincidence, a New York City reform school with a farm was being closed in Queens and so in 1917, the agriculture program began,” the website states.
“Initially the program was known as the Newtown Aggies, an annex to Newtown High School. The farm/land laboratory has shrunk considerably since then, with Queens College and then Bowne being built on the land. Since 1964 we have been the John Bowne Aggies and growing strong,” the website states.
Today, the Bowne agriculture program is the most comprehensive in the state, Perry said. Students study plant and animal sciences in fields such as floriculture, horticulture, landscaping, landscape architecture, retail, greenhouse production and marketing, small animal and large animals
“There is a wide variety of interest from our kids,” Perry said. The program’s students runs a 4-acre farm, run a farmstand in the summer, gather and sell eggs from 200 hens and operate a farm truck selling items grown on their farm.
“We’re the round peg in the square hole,” said Perry. “Agriculture education is provided here to give the students the opportunity to pursue their passion. There may not always be a chance for that in an urban setting.”
Perry said these city kids got into studying animals and plants through having parents who lived on farms, seeing other people working with animals and plants or simply coming into contact with these subjects at some time and falling in love with studying them.
“We have to let them pursue that interest,” he said. And even if the students do not go on to study animal science or plant science in college, “it is never wasted. They will always have an appreciation for that field.”
Perry said 90 percent of the Bowne ag students go on to college and 46 percent go on to ag majors at colleges such as Cornell, Penn State, University of Connecticut, Rutgers, SUNY Cobleskill, Farmingdale State College and Delaware Valley.
Ag education importance
Agricultural education is important because this knowledge helps feed our nation and the world, said Keith Schiebel, the ag teacher and FFA adviser at the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School in Oneida County.
This FFA chapter, which runs its own maple syrup business, has won the New York State Agricultural Society’s FFA Chapter of the Year award numerous times and is well known for its traveling maple syrup exhibit.
“Our forefathers had the vision to prepare the younger people so farming could produce the food for our country,” Schiebel said.
“The population today doesn’t have the connection with where the food comes from and safety of our food.” “Historically, ag has been concentrated on farming,” he said. “But today, it’s much more and agriculture is not necessarily on the farm.”
Schiebel said students studying agriculture today learn about food processing, food inspection, marketing, how to develop new food products and research into how to grow food without pests or disease.
“In maple, there is more and more of a resurgence in the product and marketing is important,” he said. “We have shown there is more variety in the use of maple, such as a sweetener.”
Both Schiebel and Chuck Chafee, superintendent of the Waterville Central Schools in southern Oneida County, say ag education is becoming more and more important in today’s society.
About 20 to 25 years ago, almost every school district — especially rural ones — had agriculture classes and a FFA chapter.
But as the years went on, those chapters dissolved and ag education faded into the sunset.
Chafee and his school board have worked for the past couple of years to bring agriculture back to Waterville classrooms. The first ag program and FFA chapter in the school in more than 20 years will begin in the fall of 2017.
It will be headed by Cindy Gallagher, a well-known dairy farmer in the Waterville area and co-owner with her husband Paul of Luckyvale Farm. They milk about 100 Guernsey cattle and are active in the New York Guernsey Breeders’ Association.
The Waterville program grew out of the district’s Farm to School Program, which expanded the use of locally grown foods in school and boosted knowledge of the importance of eating healthy foods.
“This is a rural community and even though we are diversified here, the core population is ag-related,” Chafee said. “In the last budget, we included money for building a greenhouse and then discussed how to put that to use.
In March, Cindy Gallagher will begin writing the curriculum for our (ag education) program and then we’ll move ahead to obtain an FFA charter.”
Ag education in 2017
Chafee said he hopes Waterville can obtain some of the money proposed for ag education and FFA chapters included in the governor’s budget for 2017-18.
According to a news release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, agricultural education has long been a priority in New York with programs that pre-date the Smith-Hughes Act and the oldest urban agriculture program in the U.S.
“The state was also one of the first in the country to allow girls to pursue these curriculums and continues to set an example for the rest of the nation with cutting-edge programs that influence more than 10,000 students annually,” the news release states.
To continue this agricultural learning, Cuomo has proposed a record $1.3 million in his 2017-18 budget to support 100 new FFA chapters through start-up grants, expand the New York Agriculture in the Classroom program, which is administered by Cornell University, and to double the number of certified agricultural educators from 240 to 480.
Cuomo also has proposed a state-of-the-art test kitchen and food science lab at the New York FFA Oswegatchie Educational Center in Lewis County.
“This test kitchen will offer instruction in food safety, basic food preparation and food processing to more than 6,000 annual visitors, including both students and veterans from nearby Fort Drum,” according to the news release.
“Agriculture education is so much more than dairy farming,” Chafee said. “Today, here is New York we have breweries, wineries — and that’s agriculture. There’s marketing, food processing. There are so many jobs that are ag-related. I’ve heard from 20 to 25 percent of jobs are ag-related.”
He said Waterville will have ag classes for all seventh-graders and will offer animal and plant science classes, food and natural resources classes along with an introduction to ag business class.
And to think, all of this began 100 years ago with the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act.
“We want to offer as much as we can,” said Chafee in Waterville. “There’s a resurgence in studying agriculture and a renewed interest from kids. It’s cool to be in ag again.”
BOX
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Smith-Hughes Act, the New York Association of FFA and New York Association of Agricultural Educators hosted a dinner Feb. 6 at the Albany Hilton Hotel.
Speaking at the dinner were state FFA President Camille Ledoux of Beaver River schools, Lewis County; National FFA Eastern Region Vice President Ashley Willits of Copenhagen, Lewis County; state Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball; and other dignitaries.
There also was a conference day for FFA members Feb. 7 in Albany.
BOX
Smith-Hughes Act
Adopted in 1917, the law provided federal aid to the states for the purpose of promoting pre-collegiate vocational education in agricultural and industrial trades and in home economics. The law helped to expand vocational courses and enrollment.
Its adoption lead, years later, to the creation of FFA. The National FFA Organization was chartered in 1928.
Empire Farm & Dairy magazine
About 100 years ago, a piece of national legislation became law and began U.S youth on a voyage that today has spread into schools, communities, factories and onto farms across the country.
The bill, signed Feb. 23, 1917 by President Woodrow Wilson, would eventually lead to agriculture programs cropping up in high schools across the country. It also would lead to the creation of Future Farmers of America, now called FFA.
“Our whole program here began because of Smith-Hughes,” said Steve Perry, assistant principal of the agriculture department at John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens.
Bowne’s agriculture program boasts more than 700 students and the school, located not far from the Long Island Expressway, has the largest FFA chapter in New York state.
Farming in New York City
 |
| Working the farm at John Bowne High School in Queens |
But just how does an agriculture program and FFA chapter end up in the middle of Queens?
“This program initially started because of the people needed to replace male farmers during World War I,” Perry said.
“During World War I, young men and women were recruited from New York City to work on farms Upstate in order to fill positions of men fighting overseas,” states the school’s website. “Many of these boys upon returning requested to learn more about agriculture.”
“By a happy coincidence, a New York City reform school with a farm was being closed in Queens and so in 1917, the agriculture program began,” the website states.
“Initially the program was known as the Newtown Aggies, an annex to Newtown High School. The farm/land laboratory has shrunk considerably since then, with Queens College and then Bowne being built on the land. Since 1964 we have been the John Bowne Aggies and growing strong,” the website states.
Today, the Bowne agriculture program is the most comprehensive in the state, Perry said. Students study plant and animal sciences in fields such as floriculture, horticulture, landscaping, landscape architecture, retail, greenhouse production and marketing, small animal and large animals
“There is a wide variety of interest from our kids,” Perry said. The program’s students runs a 4-acre farm, run a farmstand in the summer, gather and sell eggs from 200 hens and operate a farm truck selling items grown on their farm.
 |
| A llama which is part of the Bowne High ag program |
Perry said these city kids got into studying animals and plants through having parents who lived on farms, seeing other people working with animals and plants or simply coming into contact with these subjects at some time and falling in love with studying them.
“We have to let them pursue that interest,” he said. And even if the students do not go on to study animal science or plant science in college, “it is never wasted. They will always have an appreciation for that field.”
Perry said 90 percent of the Bowne ag students go on to college and 46 percent go on to ag majors at colleges such as Cornell, Penn State, University of Connecticut, Rutgers, SUNY Cobleskill, Farmingdale State College and Delaware Valley.
Ag education importance
Agricultural education is important because this knowledge helps feed our nation and the world, said Keith Schiebel, the ag teacher and FFA adviser at the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School in Oneida County.
This FFA chapter, which runs its own maple syrup business, has won the New York State Agricultural Society’s FFA Chapter of the Year award numerous times and is well known for its traveling maple syrup exhibit.
“Our forefathers had the vision to prepare the younger people so farming could produce the food for our country,” Schiebel said.
“The population today doesn’t have the connection with where the food comes from and safety of our food.” “Historically, ag has been concentrated on farming,” he said. “But today, it’s much more and agriculture is not necessarily on the farm.”
Schiebel said students studying agriculture today learn about food processing, food inspection, marketing, how to develop new food products and research into how to grow food without pests or disease.
 |
| A V-V-S FFA member gives a presentation about maple in NYC in 2012 |
Both Schiebel and Chuck Chafee, superintendent of the Waterville Central Schools in southern Oneida County, say ag education is becoming more and more important in today’s society.
About 20 to 25 years ago, almost every school district — especially rural ones — had agriculture classes and a FFA chapter.
But as the years went on, those chapters dissolved and ag education faded into the sunset.
Chafee and his school board have worked for the past couple of years to bring agriculture back to Waterville classrooms. The first ag program and FFA chapter in the school in more than 20 years will begin in the fall of 2017.
It will be headed by Cindy Gallagher, a well-known dairy farmer in the Waterville area and co-owner with her husband Paul of Luckyvale Farm. They milk about 100 Guernsey cattle and are active in the New York Guernsey Breeders’ Association.
The Waterville program grew out of the district’s Farm to School Program, which expanded the use of locally grown foods in school and boosted knowledge of the importance of eating healthy foods.
“This is a rural community and even though we are diversified here, the core population is ag-related,” Chafee said. “In the last budget, we included money for building a greenhouse and then discussed how to put that to use.
In March, Cindy Gallagher will begin writing the curriculum for our (ag education) program and then we’ll move ahead to obtain an FFA charter.”
Ag education in 2017
Chafee said he hopes Waterville can obtain some of the money proposed for ag education and FFA chapters included in the governor’s budget for 2017-18.
According to a news release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, agricultural education has long been a priority in New York with programs that pre-date the Smith-Hughes Act and the oldest urban agriculture program in the U.S.
“The state was also one of the first in the country to allow girls to pursue these curriculums and continues to set an example for the rest of the nation with cutting-edge programs that influence more than 10,000 students annually,” the news release states.
To continue this agricultural learning, Cuomo has proposed a record $1.3 million in his 2017-18 budget to support 100 new FFA chapters through start-up grants, expand the New York Agriculture in the Classroom program, which is administered by Cornell University, and to double the number of certified agricultural educators from 240 to 480.
Cuomo also has proposed a state-of-the-art test kitchen and food science lab at the New York FFA Oswegatchie Educational Center in Lewis County.
“This test kitchen will offer instruction in food safety, basic food preparation and food processing to more than 6,000 annual visitors, including both students and veterans from nearby Fort Drum,” according to the news release.
“Agriculture education is so much more than dairy farming,” Chafee said. “Today, here is New York we have breweries, wineries — and that’s agriculture. There’s marketing, food processing. There are so many jobs that are ag-related. I’ve heard from 20 to 25 percent of jobs are ag-related.”
He said Waterville will have ag classes for all seventh-graders and will offer animal and plant science classes, food and natural resources classes along with an introduction to ag business class.
And to think, all of this began 100 years ago with the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act.
“We want to offer as much as we can,” said Chafee in Waterville. “There’s a resurgence in studying agriculture and a renewed interest from kids. It’s cool to be in ag again.”
BOX
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Smith-Hughes Act, the New York Association of FFA and New York Association of Agricultural Educators hosted a dinner Feb. 6 at the Albany Hilton Hotel.
Speaking at the dinner were state FFA President Camille Ledoux of Beaver River schools, Lewis County; National FFA Eastern Region Vice President Ashley Willits of Copenhagen, Lewis County; state Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball; and other dignitaries.
There also was a conference day for FFA members Feb. 7 in Albany.
BOX
Smith-Hughes Act
Adopted in 1917, the law provided federal aid to the states for the purpose of promoting pre-collegiate vocational education in agricultural and industrial trades and in home economics. The law helped to expand vocational courses and enrollment.
Its adoption lead, years later, to the creation of FFA. The National FFA Organization was chartered in 1928.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Fantasy Farming Gives Students Chance to Get in the Game
Something interesting out of Nebraska.
Check it out http://netnebraska.org/article/news/1055165/fantasy-farming-gives-students-chance-get-game at this link.
Check it out http://netnebraska.org/article/news/1055165/fantasy-farming-gives-students-chance-get-game at this link.
Friday, May 20, 2016
How to Introduce School Officials to Ag-Related Careers
From New York Farm Bureau Foundation
Do you want to make a difference for the next generation?
Have you brought The Food & Farm Experience information to your local school counselors, Board of Education, or Superintendent?
If not, do it now and be part of the force that will introduce counselors to more than 300 ag-related careers for their students.
The participants will meet with industry experts, employers, and post-secondary educators. A two-day in-depth experience tailored as an agricultural education encounter has been created for this specific audience.
Participants will be selected via nomination/application. Food, lodging, and workshop material costs are covered by the Foundation.
The Food & Farm Experience is scheduled for Oct. 19-21 in Batavia, during which participants will have the opportunity to share with individuals representing agriculture. Participants will visit and tour a variety of stops along the journey from farm to fork, and get a feel for the multitude of career opportunities available in the agricultural industry.
They will receive high-quality materials and resources that will provide easy access to the core of New York agriculture, as well as being exposed to panels representing agricultural expertise, jobs, and education.
Interested in attending the 2016 Food & Farm Experience or know someone to nominate? Contact New York Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agricultural Education at (800) 342-4143.
The application is available here http://nyfbfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/FFX-2016-Fillable-Application.pdf and the brochure is available by http://nyfbfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2016-FFX-Brochure.pdf clicking here.
The deadline to submit an application is July 15. You will have to open the application with the Adobe Reader program in order to fill it in electronically.
Have you brought The Food & Farm Experience information to your local school counselors, Board of Education, or Superintendent?
If not, do it now and be part of the force that will introduce counselors to more than 300 ag-related careers for their students.
The participants will meet with industry experts, employers, and post-secondary educators. A two-day in-depth experience tailored as an agricultural education encounter has been created for this specific audience.
Participants will be selected via nomination/application. Food, lodging, and workshop material costs are covered by the Foundation.
The Food & Farm Experience is scheduled for Oct. 19-21 in Batavia, during which participants will have the opportunity to share with individuals representing agriculture. Participants will visit and tour a variety of stops along the journey from farm to fork, and get a feel for the multitude of career opportunities available in the agricultural industry.
They will receive high-quality materials and resources that will provide easy access to the core of New York agriculture, as well as being exposed to panels representing agricultural expertise, jobs, and education.
Interested in attending the 2016 Food & Farm Experience or know someone to nominate? Contact New York Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agricultural Education at (800) 342-4143.
The application is available here http://nyfbfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/FFX-2016-Fillable-Application.pdf and the brochure is available by http://nyfbfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2016-FFX-Brochure.pdf clicking here.
The deadline to submit an application is July 15. You will have to open the application with the Adobe Reader program in order to fill it in electronically.
Monday, February 22, 2016
It's National FFA Week
 |
| State Sen. Patty Ritchie meets with FFA members during a Senate Ag Committee meeting |
Please join me in thanking all those FFA students who learn so much about agriculture and the environment and then turn around and share their expertise with all of us.
And thanks to all the FFA advisers who also share their wisdom, knowledge and time to help these FFA students learn and prosper.
To learn more about FFA and National FFA Week, go to https://www.ffa.org/ffaweek
Saturday, November 21, 2015
More Ag Teachers Needed in New York State
Another of my stories from the December issue of Empire Farm & Dairy magazine:
By DEBRA J. GROOM
Empire Farm & Dairy
Agriculture is a growing industry in the United States.
And along with that, agriculture education is also expanding.
Studies done in 2015 by Purdue University in Indiana and the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that agriculture and food production is a growing field in need of workers.
The study shows close to 60,000 jobs being created each of the five years through 2015 in the agriculture, food and natural resource sectors and there are not enough workers to fill these jobs.
A study by the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences says more food will be needed by 2050 to feed earth’s increasing population, which means more people with expertise in agriculture will be needed.
To meet that need, the U.S. must churn out more ag teachers to help middle schools and high schools get students interested and involved in the field early on.
That is happening in various spots around New York state, including the north country. During the 2014-15 school year, students at the Northwest Technical Center at the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES resurrected its FFA chapter after an eight-year absence. The BOCES center now offers two full years of agriculture education and FFA.
“We adhere to the three-circle model of agriculture education,” said Northwest Technical Center ag teacher Patricia Gilbert. “FFA, classroom instruction and SAE (Supervised Agriculture Experience).”
Gilbert said all three components equip students with the basics of agricultural education along with leadership skills, planning skills and management skills.
Numerous national magazines and publications have published stories in the past year about the increase in popularity of ag education throughout the country.
And ag jobs aren’t just running a dairy or crop farm. Job titles are many and diverse, ranging from forestry (including maple production, forest management and logging), horticulture (including floral design, landscaping and greenhouses), sales of seed, feed and farm equipment, food production, food nutrition research, food safety, farm equipment maintenance, veterinarians and vet assistants, animal nutrition, soil management and alternative energy sources.
“No longer just about cows and plows, the modern agriculture industry encompasses subsectors such as urban forestry and agricultural biotechnology, which includes the genetic engineering of crops,” stated a recent story in U.S. News and World Report. “As the industry has grown, so has the interest in teaching teens more about it.”
This is exactly what Gilbert is doing.
The first year of the Northwest Tech program is about forestry. She said students learn about forest ecology, chainsaw safety, harvesting, anatomy and physiology of trees, tree identification, Christmas tree management and managing a sugarbush.
“I have quite a few students who want to go on to Paul Smith’s (College) or the Wanakena Ranger School (SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) for forestry studies,” Gilbert said.
Alyssa Gagnon, 17, a senior at Madrid-Waddington Central School in St. Lawrence County, is a member of the Northwest Tech FFA and attended the FFA national convention in Louisville, Ky. in October.
She is looking at a conservation or forestry management career, possibly with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, and plans to attend Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smiths, Franklin County.
“At first, I was skeptical about joining FFA, because I play sports and it’s hard to keep up with everything,” she said. “But I’ve met so many people and learned so much — communications skills, leadership and through the classes, I’ve done maple syrup tapping, working with the DEC on projects, ran a chainsaw and learned over 40 types of trees and why they grow where they do.”
“It’s opened my eyes to what the world really is,” Gagnon said of FFA and her ag education.
About 15 percent of the U.S. workforce works in agriculture-related careers, according to statistics from the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Gilbert said the big draw to FFA and ag classes in school is the hands-on experience the students receive. Gagnon said she never would have had the chance to tap a maple tree or operate a chainsaw if not for FFA and her ag classes.
Shayla Peters, a senior at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School in Oneida County and president of the V-V-S FFA chapter, said she had the chance to experiment with grains to find out which ones are digested best by cows. She put grains into the first stomach of a cow and was able to compute the rate of digestion of the various grains she tried by testing through a blood-sugar monitor.
This was especially interesting to Peters, who wants to study dairy management at Morrisville State College leading to a career as a livestock nutritionist or dairy feed sales consultant.
Of course, a problem with starting ag education classes or FFA chapters is money. In these days of school budget cuts and scaling back on programs, education about agriculture at times seems to be something kids can do without.
But can it?
The National Association of Agricultural Educators has stated students in ag programs and FFA not only learn about agriculture and ag careers, but also step deeply into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields and also expand their English concepts.
Jay Jackman, the association’s executive director, said students are able to put the math and science they learn to use when studying agriculture.
“Rigor without relevance is just noise,” he said. “If a student takes algebra, he learns the phythagorian theorum. But put him into an ag mechanics class, and now he uses A-squared plus B-squared equals C-squared to square a frame on a door or put a roof on a barn. It’s meaningful to the student.”
Jacksman said students use chemistry, biology, language arts and math in their hands-on agriculture classes.
“We make it meaningful for them,” Jackman said. “Agriculture education enhances their understanding of math and science.”
There are a few colleges in New York that offer agriculture education teaching degrees. Cornell University and Ithaca College recently joined forces to offer a Master of Arts in Teaching program to help meeting the growing demand for qualified agriculture teachers. The first group in this new program will begin classes in May 2016.
SUNY Oswego also offers a master’s in education degree with a major in agricultural education.
By DEBRA J. GROOM
Empire Farm & Dairy
Agriculture is a growing industry in the United States.
And along with that, agriculture education is also expanding.
Studies done in 2015 by Purdue University in Indiana and the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that agriculture and food production is a growing field in need of workers.
The study shows close to 60,000 jobs being created each of the five years through 2015 in the agriculture, food and natural resource sectors and there are not enough workers to fill these jobs.
A study by the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences says more food will be needed by 2050 to feed earth’s increasing population, which means more people with expertise in agriculture will be needed.
To meet that need, the U.S. must churn out more ag teachers to help middle schools and high schools get students interested and involved in the field early on.
That is happening in various spots around New York state, including the north country. During the 2014-15 school year, students at the Northwest Technical Center at the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES resurrected its FFA chapter after an eight-year absence. The BOCES center now offers two full years of agriculture education and FFA.
“We adhere to the three-circle model of agriculture education,” said Northwest Technical Center ag teacher Patricia Gilbert. “FFA, classroom instruction and SAE (Supervised Agriculture Experience).”
Gilbert said all three components equip students with the basics of agricultural education along with leadership skills, planning skills and management skills.
Numerous national magazines and publications have published stories in the past year about the increase in popularity of ag education throughout the country.
And ag jobs aren’t just running a dairy or crop farm. Job titles are many and diverse, ranging from forestry (including maple production, forest management and logging), horticulture (including floral design, landscaping and greenhouses), sales of seed, feed and farm equipment, food production, food nutrition research, food safety, farm equipment maintenance, veterinarians and vet assistants, animal nutrition, soil management and alternative energy sources.
“No longer just about cows and plows, the modern agriculture industry encompasses subsectors such as urban forestry and agricultural biotechnology, which includes the genetic engineering of crops,” stated a recent story in U.S. News and World Report. “As the industry has grown, so has the interest in teaching teens more about it.”
This is exactly what Gilbert is doing.
The first year of the Northwest Tech program is about forestry. She said students learn about forest ecology, chainsaw safety, harvesting, anatomy and physiology of trees, tree identification, Christmas tree management and managing a sugarbush.
“I have quite a few students who want to go on to Paul Smith’s (College) or the Wanakena Ranger School (SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) for forestry studies,” Gilbert said.
Alyssa Gagnon, 17, a senior at Madrid-Waddington Central School in St. Lawrence County, is a member of the Northwest Tech FFA and attended the FFA national convention in Louisville, Ky. in October.
She is looking at a conservation or forestry management career, possibly with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, and plans to attend Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smiths, Franklin County.
“At first, I was skeptical about joining FFA, because I play sports and it’s hard to keep up with everything,” she said. “But I’ve met so many people and learned so much — communications skills, leadership and through the classes, I’ve done maple syrup tapping, working with the DEC on projects, ran a chainsaw and learned over 40 types of trees and why they grow where they do.”
“It’s opened my eyes to what the world really is,” Gagnon said of FFA and her ag education.
About 15 percent of the U.S. workforce works in agriculture-related careers, according to statistics from the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Gilbert said the big draw to FFA and ag classes in school is the hands-on experience the students receive. Gagnon said she never would have had the chance to tap a maple tree or operate a chainsaw if not for FFA and her ag classes.
Shayla Peters, a senior at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School in Oneida County and president of the V-V-S FFA chapter, said she had the chance to experiment with grains to find out which ones are digested best by cows. She put grains into the first stomach of a cow and was able to compute the rate of digestion of the various grains she tried by testing through a blood-sugar monitor.
This was especially interesting to Peters, who wants to study dairy management at Morrisville State College leading to a career as a livestock nutritionist or dairy feed sales consultant.
Of course, a problem with starting ag education classes or FFA chapters is money. In these days of school budget cuts and scaling back on programs, education about agriculture at times seems to be something kids can do without.
But can it?
The National Association of Agricultural Educators has stated students in ag programs and FFA not only learn about agriculture and ag careers, but also step deeply into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields and also expand their English concepts.
Jay Jackman, the association’s executive director, said students are able to put the math and science they learn to use when studying agriculture.
“Rigor without relevance is just noise,” he said. “If a student takes algebra, he learns the phythagorian theorum. But put him into an ag mechanics class, and now he uses A-squared plus B-squared equals C-squared to square a frame on a door or put a roof on a barn. It’s meaningful to the student.”
Jacksman said students use chemistry, biology, language arts and math in their hands-on agriculture classes.
“We make it meaningful for them,” Jackman said. “Agriculture education enhances their understanding of math and science.”
There are a few colleges in New York that offer agriculture education teaching degrees. Cornell University and Ithaca College recently joined forces to offer a Master of Arts in Teaching program to help meeting the growing demand for qualified agriculture teachers. The first group in this new program will begin classes in May 2016.
SUNY Oswego also offers a master’s in education degree with a major in agricultural education.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Erie County Fair Offers 'Little Hands on the Farm'
Cool story out of Buffalo.
Go to http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/erie-county/little-hands-on-the-farm-teaches-young-fairgoers-about-agriculture-20150810 to check it out.
Go to http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/erie-county/little-hands-on-the-farm-teaches-young-fairgoers-about-agriculture-20150810 to check it out.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Cornell University, Ithaca College Offer Master's Program for Ag Teachers
From Cornell University and Ithaca College:
Cornell University and Ithaca College will offer a new Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program to help meet growing demand for qualified agricultural educators.
Students in the graduate program will earn a degree in agriculture education from Ithaca College in collaboration with Cornell Connect, a program of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).
“This unique M.A.T. in agriculture education combines the strength of an established, highly regarded education program at Ithaca College with the internationally recognized agricultural knowledge of Cornell,” said Jeff Perry, education specialist in CALS’ School of Integrative Plant Science.
“Students will graduate with a strong knowledge of the agricultural education community while also being comfortable with their general education peers,” he said.
This cross-university partnership, unique in the United States, reflects CALS’ commitment to agricultural science education.
“Our goal has been to expand opportunities for Cornell students to obtain teacher certification. This innovative program is a true partnership with Ithaca College’s nationally accredited, state-approved and much-respected teacher education programs,” said Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
“Ithaca College and Cornell University have been collaborating in the preparation of teachers for many years,” noted Linda Hanrahan, chair of graduate programs in education at Ithaca College. “The newly approved M.A.T. program in agriculture education provides us with yet another avenue for continued collaboration.”
The intensive 13-month program is an extension of other articulation agreements that exist between the two schools, including the transition of prospective teacher candidates from Cornell’s education studies minor program into the M.S. in childhood education or the M.A.T. in adolescence education at Ithaca College.
The program comes at a time when agricultural education programs are growing in popularity in suburban and urban high schools throughout the country.
According to a 2014 National Association of Agricultural Educators supply-and-demand report, more than 200 additional agricultural teachers are needed due to program growth and expansion each year.
In the 36-credit program, 27 credits will be taken through Ithaca College in general education and field experience and nine credits will be taken in agriculture through CALS’ Cornell Connect.
The first cohort in the new program will enter May 31, 2016, and will be eligible for graduation, initial certification and a teaching position by the following summer.
Cornell University and Ithaca College will offer a new Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program to help meet growing demand for qualified agricultural educators.
Students in the graduate program will earn a degree in agriculture education from Ithaca College in collaboration with Cornell Connect, a program of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).
“This unique M.A.T. in agriculture education combines the strength of an established, highly regarded education program at Ithaca College with the internationally recognized agricultural knowledge of Cornell,” said Jeff Perry, education specialist in CALS’ School of Integrative Plant Science.
“Students will graduate with a strong knowledge of the agricultural education community while also being comfortable with their general education peers,” he said.
This cross-university partnership, unique in the United States, reflects CALS’ commitment to agricultural science education.
“Our goal has been to expand opportunities for Cornell students to obtain teacher certification. This innovative program is a true partnership with Ithaca College’s nationally accredited, state-approved and much-respected teacher education programs,” said Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
“Ithaca College and Cornell University have been collaborating in the preparation of teachers for many years,” noted Linda Hanrahan, chair of graduate programs in education at Ithaca College. “The newly approved M.A.T. program in agriculture education provides us with yet another avenue for continued collaboration.”
The intensive 13-month program is an extension of other articulation agreements that exist between the two schools, including the transition of prospective teacher candidates from Cornell’s education studies minor program into the M.S. in childhood education or the M.A.T. in adolescence education at Ithaca College.
The program comes at a time when agricultural education programs are growing in popularity in suburban and urban high schools throughout the country.
According to a 2014 National Association of Agricultural Educators supply-and-demand report, more than 200 additional agricultural teachers are needed due to program growth and expansion each year.
In the 36-credit program, 27 credits will be taken through Ithaca College in general education and field experience and nine credits will be taken in agriculture through CALS’ Cornell Connect.
The first cohort in the new program will enter May 31, 2016, and will be eligible for graduation, initial certification and a teaching position by the following summer.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Deadline Feb. 16 for Ag Society Foundation Grants
News from the New York State Agricultural Society:
The New York State
Agricultural Society Foundation will be awarding a total of $10,000 in
grants this spring to organizations across the state with a focus on
“Building the Agriculture Intellect of Youth.”
The Foundation will
consider programs targeting youth – junior high age and older – that
improve awareness of how agriculture works.
Founded
in 2011, the organization is leveraging charitable contributions and
partnership opportunities to support agricultural education, leadership
development and industry recognition; the mission of the NYS
Agricultural Society.
“We want to continue to be a vehicle for action,”
said Ann Noble Shephard, foundation chair. “Our goal is to plant
seeds of influence today to help positively change the playing field for
agriculture in the future. Partnering with non-profits in local
communities to help spread the message is a tool that can be very
effective.”
The
new Foundation funded its first round of grants in 2014 — six grants,
totaling $10,000 reached 266,000 people.
Applications for 2015 are due Feb. 16. Details at: http://www.nysagsociety.org/
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Ag Education Spreading
What a great story.
Go to http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2014/03/31/agriculture-education-blooms-in-urban-rural-high-schools?src=usn_tw to check it out.
Go to http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2014/03/31/agriculture-education-blooms-in-urban-rural-high-schools?src=usn_tw to check it out.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Ag Secretary Urges Students to Get Involved in Agriculture
Go to http://dairyline.com/wpbackend/?p=7178 to check out the story.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Ag Degree Will Be Worth More than an MBA in the Future
Here's something to think about, all you high schoolers ready to enter college.
Check it http://www.cnbc.com/id/101087391 out here.
Check it http://www.cnbc.com/id/101087391 out here.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Oswego County Harvest Dinner Oct. 18
That's the Oswego County Harvest Dinner, this year set for 6:15 p.m. Oct. 18 at the American Foundry in Oswego. The event features local chefs using vegetables like onions, fruits like apples, various cuts of meat
and other foods grown right in Oswego County to make delectable dishes.
This year boasts the fourth annual Harvest Dinner and believe me, the event has grown in popularity each and every year. Tickets sell out fast.
Tickets for the event are $35 for one or $65 for two and must be
purchased
ahead of time. Prepaid reservations can be made sending payment to Cornell Cooperative Extension
of Oswego County, Harvest Dinner, 3288 Main St., Mexico, NY 13114. No
tickets will be sold at the door.
I went to this dinner last year and believe me, it is worth the price. The food is excellent and it really is thrilling to hear about the foods grown in Oswego County and the hard-working farmers behind them.
The evening begins
with a social hour, including a sampling of Oswego County beverages.
Guests will be served a six-course meal showcasing the scrumptious and
diverse agricultural products grown and made in Oswego
County.
She also is the creator and producer of the "On the Farm" video series that helps children and adults understand farming, the work that is done on the farm and how all of that work is responsible for the food we eat each day. Her videos have won four Telly Awards, three Parents' Choice awards and many other honors. She won the Ag Promotion Award this year from the New York State Agricultural Society.
There also will be raffle
baskets featuring Oswego County’s finest agricultural products and more.
For more information on the Oswego County Harvest Dinner please call 315-963-7286 or e-mail lkw39@cornell.edu.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Middle Schoolers Learn About Agriculture
As all the kids are now back in school in New York, check out this video from USDA.
Go to http://youtu.be/PlydujoFByk to see the video about middle schoolers learning about agriculture.
Go to http://youtu.be/PlydujoFByk to see the video about middle schoolers learning about agriculture.
Monday, July 29, 2013
New Interactive Ag Kiosk Presented at Tompkins County Winery
News from Frontenac Point Vineyard-Estate Winery:
The New York Farm Bureau Ag Master Kiosk will be available at Frontenac Point Vineyard-Estate Winery through the fall.
The New York Farm Bureau Ag Master Kiosk will be available at Frontenac Point Vineyard-Estate Winery through the fall.
The kiosk allows people to test their knowledge about
agriculture, watch the process of growing grapes to make wine, juice and jelly,
or take a self paced “Visit to a Dairy Farm.” The Ag Master Kiosk can be an interactive “Ag Jeopardy”
style game or, if you choose, a informational presentation.
 |
| Ag Master Kiosk |
People can watch a variety of subjects,
including one on the History of New York Agriculture, or play the Ag Master
Game. The contemporary template engages youth and adults with
customized agricultural visuals, questions and information.
Developed by the New York Farm Bureau, Promotion and
Education Program, the Ag Master Kiosk can be found at various locations
throughout the year. It will be at Frontenac Point Vineyard – Estate Winery through
the fall for anyone to use.
Farm Bureau states "The interactive display is not only eye-pleasing, but compliments
agriculture and relates a true picture and creates an understanding via a
first rate presentation."
"The program includes 10 categories (five
on-screen for each game) with multiple choice and true-false questions
in a “Jeopardy” style format," according to the Farm Bureau website. "Photographs enable the player a clear
visual of all the agricultural categories. A rotating database of
questions presents tremendous variety and differing game boards. The
pictures represent agriculture at its best and supply needed visuals for
the consuming public."
The winery, on Route 89 in Trumansburg, Tompkins County, was started in 1982 by Jim and Carol Doolittle
and the tasting room is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; noon to 4:30 p.m. Sundays; and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays.
The Ag Master Kiosk if free to use
and a fun diversion for people who are too young to taste wine or who do not want to take part in a wine tasting.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Graphic Shows Relationship Between Ag Education and Ag-Related Jobs
Go to http://twitpic.com/c3ryn3 to see an interesting graphic by the Wall Street Journal about agriculture education and ag-related jobs.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Celebrate National FFA Week
Hey, all.
It's National FFA Week.
Taken from the FFA website: "FFA Week gives members a chance to educate the public about agriculture. During the week, chapters host teacher appreciation breakfasts, conduct 'Ag Olympics' competitions, speak to the public about agriculture, volunteer for community service projects and more.
"The week of George Washington’s birthday was designated as National FFA Week in 1947 at a National FFA Board of Directors meeting. FFA Week always runs from Saturday to Saturday, and encompasses Feb. 22, Washington’s birthday."
There are many FFA chapters in New York state. Go to http://www.nysffa.org/ this link to learn more about FFA in New York.
State officers are: president, Amanda Rhodes, Belleville-Henderson FFA, Jefferson County; vice president, Paige Levandowski, Albion FFA, Orleans County; secretary, Leann Green Jasper-Troupsburg FFA, Steuben County; treasurer, Ryan Willits, Lowville FFA, Lewis County; reporter, Marcie Hauri, Cattaraugus Little Valley FFA, Cattaraugus County; sentinel, Kaylin Broadwell, Hamilton FFA, Madison County; district 2 president, Brady Rogers, Tri-Valley FFA, Sullivan County; district 5 president, Heather Staelens, Madison FFA, Madison County; district 6 president, Ashley Willits, Lowville FFA, Lewis County; district 9 president, Adam Eick, Medina FFA, Orleans County; and district 10 president, Ivy Jean Reynolds, Cuba-Rushford FFA, Allegany County.
The FFA website also states there are 557,318 FFA members, aged 12‒21, in 7,498 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
** 44 percent of FFA members are female; women hold about 50 percent of state leadership positions.
** 73 percent of FFA membership is white; 15 percent is Hispanic/Latino; 7 percent is Black/African-American; 5 percent is American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander.
** 9 percent of FFA members are enrolled in grades 6-8; 87 percent of FFA members are in grades 9-12; 4 percent already have graduated from high school and may be engaged in postsecondary studies.
** FFA chapters are in 18 of the 20 largest U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.
** The top five membership states are Texas, California, Georgia, Missouri and Oklahoma.
It's National FFA Week.
Taken from the FFA website: "FFA Week gives members a chance to educate the public about agriculture. During the week, chapters host teacher appreciation breakfasts, conduct 'Ag Olympics' competitions, speak to the public about agriculture, volunteer for community service projects and more.
"The week of George Washington’s birthday was designated as National FFA Week in 1947 at a National FFA Board of Directors meeting. FFA Week always runs from Saturday to Saturday, and encompasses Feb. 22, Washington’s birthday."
There are many FFA chapters in New York state. Go to http://www.nysffa.org/ this link to learn more about FFA in New York.
State officers are: president, Amanda Rhodes, Belleville-Henderson FFA, Jefferson County; vice president, Paige Levandowski, Albion FFA, Orleans County; secretary, Leann Green Jasper-Troupsburg FFA, Steuben County; treasurer, Ryan Willits, Lowville FFA, Lewis County; reporter, Marcie Hauri, Cattaraugus Little Valley FFA, Cattaraugus County; sentinel, Kaylin Broadwell, Hamilton FFA, Madison County; district 2 president, Brady Rogers, Tri-Valley FFA, Sullivan County; district 5 president, Heather Staelens, Madison FFA, Madison County; district 6 president, Ashley Willits, Lowville FFA, Lewis County; district 9 president, Adam Eick, Medina FFA, Orleans County; and district 10 president, Ivy Jean Reynolds, Cuba-Rushford FFA, Allegany County.
The FFA website also states there are 557,318 FFA members, aged 12‒21, in 7,498 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
** 44 percent of FFA members are female; women hold about 50 percent of state leadership positions.
** 73 percent of FFA membership is white; 15 percent is Hispanic/Latino; 7 percent is Black/African-American; 5 percent is American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander.
** 9 percent of FFA members are enrolled in grades 6-8; 87 percent of FFA members are in grades 9-12; 4 percent already have graduated from high school and may be engaged in postsecondary studies.
** FFA chapters are in 18 of the 20 largest U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.
** The top five membership states are Texas, California, Georgia, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)