z Monthly Chapter Meetingz

The monthly chapter meeting well be held on Monday, October 19th , 2009 at 7:00 P.M. in the Ag. Center. Members are required to attend and stay until the Ag. Challenge is done. The Ag. Challenge is the Straw Bale Toss. Seniors won the last meeting Ag challenge, which was the egg toss. Keep it up Seniors! Also, at the last meeting the chapter decided to purchase all FFA jackets from domestic sources with the chapter paying for the extra cost. The way it was working was that the materials were made and cut here then shipped overseas to be assembled then returned to the U.S. Our chapter will now be buying jackets that are made and assembled here in the U.S. - additional $10 cost. Due to the economic downturn, the chapter feels it is important to support American - made products!

*National FFA

Convention*

The National FFA Convention is an annual convention of FFA members from around the nation and abroad. It is the largest youth convention in the country. The National FFA Convention was held in Kansas City, Missouri from 1928 to 1998. It was held in Louisville, Kentucky from 1999 until 2005. The convention is now held in Indianapolis, Indiana. During the National FFA Convention, a member can attend many sessions with thousands of other FFA members from all fifty states plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. During each session, the current national FFA officers will give knowledgeable and inspiring speeches. During the final session, you will be able to witness the installation of the new national FFA officers, which is always an exciting time. The Career Show is filled with booths from companies such as: Ford, John Deere, NASA, Dewalt, most state FFA associations and many others.

The convention runs from Oct. 21st through the 24th. The National FFA Convention is a great experience that you shouldn't miss out on! During the 4 days at National Convention, you do several activities. This year, those attending will tour Heatherbrook Farms, go to the Career Show, attend several sessions, tour English’s Buffalo Farm, tour Kelsay Dairy Farm, participate in leadership activities and attend the Toby Keith Concert. The members attending this year include: Colleen Trapp, Reba Hyme, Caitlin Robinson, Taylor McFarland, Mikaila Drake, Jazmine Schorr, Cheyenne Jepsen, Samantha Miller, Becca Bentz, Macy Riffle, Kayla Porter, Nick Brumfield, Nate Seitz, Eric Ruble, Seth Sayre, John Miller, Taylor Mets, Josh Hampshire, Aaron Miller, Jimmy Praither, Alex Norris, Camron Drake and Relja Klikovac. In addition, our National Ag Communications CDE team will be competing for the 3rd year in a row. This years team consists of Hannah Chenetski, Sarah Vannoy, Emily Cordle, Kelsie Sharp and Andrea Hollett. It is a great trip; all members should try to attend.

We want to wish good luck to our National Ag Communications team!

CDE’s

Soils

The Rural Soils Contest evaluates student knowledge and understanding of soils for agricultural usage. At present, the contest consists of a test and the judging of four soil pits. The district contest is held in a different county each year and a chapter may enter up to five team members, with the top three scores making-up the team score. A team must place in the top five in the district to proceed to the state contest, where four members comprise the team. The team placed 15th in the district contest. Cheyenne Jepsen, Josh Hampshire, Hunter Ricketts and Sierra Jepsen made up the soils team this year.

Forestry

The Forestry CDE tests student knowledge and understanding of the forestry industry. At present, this contest includes a multiple-choice general knowledge test, tree species identification, tool identification and various practicums such as timber cruising and map reading. A chapter may enter up to eight team members, with the top three scores making-up the team score, at the state level. Starting with 2003, the district contest was discontinued and considered an invitational contest and a chapter can enter an unlimited number of members. An Invitational was held on September 24th with the state competition on October 3rd. This years team placed 7th in the state (for the 3rd time- highest ever was 6th), with Aaron Miller placing 8th individually. The members that were participating this year are: Josh Hampshire, Dan Quincel, Aaron Miller and Seth Johnson.

Trap Shoot

Starting in the 1990's, the chapter has sponsored an annual Chapter Trap Shoot in the Fall. In recent years, Lonnie and Barb Green have hosted this event. This activity provides an opportunity for members to learn about firearm safety and enjoy testing their accuracy at shooting at clay pigeons. Many members, their parents and past members normally attend this October activity. Members can just shoot for fun or compete for various door prizes provided by the chapter or other sponsors. Normally, this activity is held on a Sunday afternoon and a cookout-style lunch is provided by the chapter and the Greens. The chapter Trap Shoot is at the Green’s residence on Sunday, Oct. 18th starting at 1:00 P.M. Permission forms and the 5 dollar deposit are due by Friday, October 9th.

Hog Roast

The Hog Roast is right around the corner on November 4th. In the fall of each year, the Amanda-Clearcreek FFA Chapter holds it's annual chapter Hog Roast. At the A-C FFA Hog Roast, the chapter provides the roasted hog, drinks and rolls while every FFA member and their families are invited to bring a covered dish, with the freshmen, sophomores and juniors bringing a dinner item and seniors bringing a dessert item. This is an excellent way to show your parents what the FFA is all about and what we do in our organization. The Hog Roast is always an enjoyable social event for our chapter members, their families and our community supporters. All who receives this letter is invited to come to this event. Please make sure everyone brings their own table settings (plates, silverware). Those who receive this newsletter who do not have a son or daughter in FFA are also invited to the Hog Roast. Please bring a food item to share.

County Fair

Members of the Amanda-Clearcreek FFA are active in the Fairfield County Fair, the last in the state, held annually in October. Each year, members set-up a booth in the fair's FFA building where they display such projects as: electrical wiring projects, tree identification scrapbooks, woodworking projects, welding projects, grains and hay projects. Members also have the opportunity to exhibit other projects, such as market hogs, breeding rabbits, dairy feeder calves, goats, etc. The Fairfield County Fair is going to be held from October 11th through 17th. We have approximately 84 members either entering their animals, welding, leaf scrapbooks, wood working projects or electric projects at the fair this year.

Fruit Sale

As with most FFA chapters, the Amanda-Clearcreek FFA sells bulk fruit as a fund raiser each year. This annual fruit sale takes place each Fall. The fall fruit sale is the biggest fundraising activity that the FFA Chapter does. The fruit sale has grown substantially over the years, with the chapter members routinely selling over 1,500 boxes and baskets of fruit annually. Also, the sales offerings have grown, with the chapter now offering 24 different fruit products. The fruit sale pays for the large majority of the chapter's activities, such as field trips, bus fuel and awards. As you can see, this is a very important fundraiser for our chapter. Therefore, if the chapter could have everyone sell at least 10 box/baskets of fruit our chapter would be in good shape! The fruit sale starts Friday, October 9th. Please see any FFA member to order or call the Ag Ed. Dept. at 969-7381 and leave a message- an FFA member will be in contact with you. All orders must be prepaid this year. All FFA members will have a receipt book this year, so please don’t pay for fruit without receiving a receipt.

Fall Flower Bulb Sale

The Fall Flower Bulb Sale is a small fund raising activity that has been intermittently used in the past but now has become an annual activity of our chapter. Members sell bulb packs of various types of flowers to individuals within our community. Profits from this activity can be used by the FFA member who earned them to help pay for the National FFA Convention trip, purchase an FFA Jacket or for other costs a member might incur through FFA activities. All flower bulbs are 6 dollars, no matter the amount of bulbs in the package. Therefore, every package of bulbs you sell, you earn 3 dollars toward any activity or jacket you want to purchase. The Fall Flower Bulb Sale ended on October 7th. Flower bulbs will be sold again in the spring.

By: A-C FFA Reporter

Brittany Stevens