REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — Gov. John R. Kasich and Ohio Department of Agriculture Director James Zehringer recently announced the winners for the 2011 “Agriculture is Cool” visual arts contest. Ohio school children enrolled in school or home schooled during the 2010-2011 academic year  shared their personal interpretation of why Ohio agriculture is “cool” for their chance to win Brad Paisley concert tickets.

Entries, which included an original video, photograph, drawing, or painting, were judged in the four different age categories: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Seven entries were selected as winners in their respective categories.

Winners include: K-2 Drawing, Painting: Brandon Barr, Xenia, Greene County, age 8; K-2 Photograph: Kaitlyn Zeedyk, Hicksville, Defiance County, age 7; 3-5 Drawing, Painting: Annie Cvelbar, Euclid, Cuyahoga County, age 11; 3-5 Photograph; Thomas Gress, Shreve, Wayne County, age 9; 6-8 Drawing, Painting: Samantha Murphy, Fayetteville, Brown County, age 13; 6-8 Photograph: Sydney Black, Ashville, Pickaway County, age 14; 9-12 All: Diane Gress, Shreve, Wayne County, age 16.

A video produced by 16-year old Diane Gress of Shreve was chosen as the 2011 “Best in Show” entry.

All entries were judged by a panel that included representatives from the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Office of the Governor, and professionals in the areas of video production, photography, and other visual arts. 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois junior Angus members led 117 entries at the 2011 Illinois State Fair Junior Angus Heifer Show, Aug. 12 in Springfield, Ill. Joel Judge, San Luis Obispo, Calif., evaluated the females before naming winners.

FCF Proven Queen 022 was named grand champion female. Eric McClure, Saint Francisville, Ill., owns the March 2010 daughter of Dameron P V F Raptor 702. She first won division 4 champion.

PVF Proven Queen 0152 claimed reserve grand champion female honors. Brooke Haas, Downs, Ill., owns the September 2010 daughter of PVF ALL PAYDAY 729. She first won division 2 champion.

Parkway FFA Chapter attends FFA Camp, county fair

ROCKFORD, Ohio — In July, several Parkway FFA students attended Camp Muskingum, located in Eastern Ohio. The camp is a week long, filled with activities such as boating, trap shooting, team-building games, fishing, swimming, dances, and many more. Students that attended were Seth Houts, Kayla Walls, Rachel Hesse and Courtney Dickie. 

While at camp, students were able to meet other FFA members from different parts of Ohio. The camp is run by the Ohio State FFA officers, so students had a chance to meet and get to know their officers as well. Sports competitions were held daily between the camp chapters, including basketball, volleyball, cornhole, softball, ping pong and horseshoes.

The Mercer County Fair was held Aug. 12-18. The Parkway FFA Chapter was well represented throughout the week by students with shop projects, vegetable projects, animal projects, and working in the FFA food stand. 

There were a total of 400 non-livestock projects brought in by Parkway FFA members, with 118 of the projects earning the outstanding award. The following all received Best in Class awards: Courtney Dicke, Mixed Hay; Kayla Temple, Clover Hay; Tannor Eischen, Grass Hay; Tommy McDonough, Small Grains Oats; Tommy McDonaugh, Popcorn; Kayla Temple, Rye; Olivia Houts, Corn Stalks; Rachel King, White Potatoes; Lindsey Walls, Cantaloupe; Caden Hellwarth, Cucumbers; Tommy McDonough, Cabbage; Tommy McDonough, Banana Peppers; Josh Ford, Sweet corn (Bi-color); Jack Roth, Sweet Corn; Lindsey Walls, Zuchini; Madison Roehm, Green Bell Peppers; Rachel King, Watermelon; Rachel King, Green Tomatoes; Devin Adams, Pickles; Destinee Guggenbiller, Name Plate; Jared Rollins, Oxy- Acetylene Panel; Jared Rollins, Wood Shelf; Courtney Dicke, Mirror Frames; Garth Louth, Large Design; Cody Dugan, Cabinet; Josh Ford, Lamps; and Jared Rollins’, Table.

Many members exhibited livestock projects at the fair as well. Members showing beef projects included Olivia Houts, Seth Houts, Jamie Dicke, Dan Shellabarger and Kylie Snyder. Dan Shellabarger and Cami Hellwarth showed dairy animals. Devin Adams showed pigs, and rabbits were exhibited by Rachel Hesse and Tommy McDonough. Kayla Walls and Lindsey Walls both brought their horses to the fair, while Caden Hellwarth exhibited poultry. Trevor Eischen and Rachel Hesse showed goats. Also, Rachel Hesse showed sheep.

This summer, the Parkway FFA and Ft. Recovery FFA worked together to build a new food pavilion at the fairgrounds. Parkway and Ft. Recovery FFA members and their parents worked shifts at the stand throughout the week, selling deep-fried food items such as cheese sticks, pickles, fries, and many other items. 

The Parkway and Ft. Recovery FFA chapters would like to thank the Coldwater Young Farmers for matching the premiums on outstanding projects at the county fair.