By DEBORAH BEHRENDS
Indiana Correspondent PAOLI, Ind. — To most people, $125,000 is a lot of money. The members of the Paoli FFA Chapter, however, are confident they can raise that much to build a new agricultural laboratory building on the grounds of the junior/senior high school. Their goal is to have the new building ready for the start of the 2018-19 school year. Chapter members hosted an open house at the school on Nov. 16 to show what they have accomplished with the pigs they are raising in the greenhouse and the lettuce being grown hydroponically in the shop. But they’ve outgrown the space they have available. “These kids are always looking to figure out what’s next,” said teacher and FFA sponsor Cory Scott. Lack of space has put limitations on production of hogs, fruits and vegetables; they can’t expand vegetable production because the greenhouse is in use, limiting them to cool-weather crops. They want to be able to grow and learn about strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers and more, and they hope to have space for different animal species, as well. What comes next, after doubling the number of ag-related classes available, are several projects. The students have mounted a vertical growing system on one wall for herb production. They have plans for the new ag lab to house pigs. Only four are on-site in the school’s greenhouse, which they understand is not the best home for pigs. Others are being tended at area farms. The lab will be built near the greenhouse, with plans for a second story to house an archery range. “This is the future of growing food,” FFA Vice President Harley Bush told visitors. With big plans already underway, Scott said he’s often asked about the biggest problem they face. His response: Pig waste. Students determined one of the best ways to handle it is by composting. They also discovered the cafeteria sends tons of organic waste – compostable material – to the landfill every school year. The day of the open house, Scott said he was notified they will receive a $39,000 grant for the composter they need. When it is running, they will be able to sell bags of organic compost to the public. For more information on the proposed ag lab, visit https://phsagriculture.wordpress.com or follow the FFA on Facebook at @PaoliFFA All corporate and private donors will be recognized with a permanent display in the new building, with tags and advertising on webpages and social media accounts. Specific levels for corporate sponsors are Super Sires ($25,000 or more), Platinum ($10,000), Gold ($5,000), Silver ($2,500), Bronze ($1,000) and Litter Mates ($500). For more information, email ag teachers Scott at scottc@paoli.k12.in.us or Kyle Woolston at woolstonk@paoli.k12.in.us or send a message via Facebook Messenger; administrators generally respond within an hour. |
