Washington FFA wins 90-acre farm lease

    The Washington City Council unanimously awarded its farm lease to the Washington FFA Wednesday night. The lease is for about 90 acres of farmland on the north side of town that the school district previously owned. The Washington FFA bid $27,001 for the three-year lease.

    Two bidders came in above the FFA?s bid. Josh and Jonathan Vittetoe were the highest bidder at $31,600. Mike Berdo bid $30,471.14. The Vittetoes and Berdo announced that they would withdraw their bids if the council chose the FFA. The other two bidders were Brad Sheets ($24,001) and Nick Shelman ($25,490).

    The Washington FFA consists of 57 students (mostly high school) from the Washington School District. For the past decade, the FFA has used the land in question for its land lab program. The school acquired 45 acres of farmland in 2000, and then a few years later added another 45 acres.

    As a way of gaining experience for their future careers, the FFA members manage those 90 acres. They are responsible for talking to seed dealers, herbicide representatives and everyone else farmers speak with to order their needed supplies. FFA advisor Duane Van Winkle said the members are responsible for marketing that land as well.

    Austin Knupp is the chairperson of the Washington FFA. Knupp said the land lab provides him with exactly the kind of experience and know-how he?ll rely on when he becomes a farmer.

    ?We get a real life introduction into what grown-ups do, which is something we don?t get a chance to do everyday,? said Knupp, son of Zeus and Jackie Knupp. 

    Knupp explained that parents and contractors plant and harvest the crops, but the FFA members are responsible for obtaining all the inputs.

    ?We meet with seed and chemical dealers to discuss the products we?ll buy,? said Knupp.

    Mitchell Hora is the treasurer of the group. He said only one FFA member was able to fully participate in the land lab last year. He said he?s looking forward to getting his feet wet in the finer elements of farming, such as building relationships with the agricultural companies in the area.

    ?We take on a leadership role of raising our own crops without much supervision except the guidance of our advisor,? said Hora, son of Brian and Theresa Hora. ?I live on a family farm, and farming has always been a big part of my life. It is my top career choice.?  

    Van Winkle said the land lab makes farming ?as real as it can be? for the FFA members involved. He said the FFA?ers even negotiate deals on the sale of their grain. The only thing the FFA?ers lack is a place to store their grain. Van Winkle said the students make sure to lock in a profit on the crops ahead of time so they can sell the crops directly out of the field.

For more, see our Feb. 24 print edition.