MINFORD, Ohio – Having a need for expansion, Minford Local School District in Ohio purchased a farm that abuts the property of Minford High School. On that farm property is an Ohio Bicentennial Barn. That purchase was music to the ears of Minford High agriculture instructor Kristen Stringer.

“We’ve been given the opportunity to use the farm as a learning laboratory farm for our program,” Stringer said with excitement. “While we’re so excited for this opportunity, I’m sure those who have driven by this farm realize we have our work cut out for us.”

After the purchase of the property earlier this year, the Minford School Board approached Stringer to see if she and her FFA chapter would be interested in using the farm and the barn as well, though the Bicentennial Barn is in need of much repair. Stringer has plans of renovating the barn and using it as a laboratory.

“Because the barn is right there in the center of town, I don’t feel anyone would want to see the barn torn down,” she said.

The school district has plans for other parts of the property, but is willing to allow room for Stringer and her FFA chapter to engage in agricultural projects.

“The farm part of it, we plan to have chickens and hopefully ducks, because normally when we hatch eggs in the classroom, I get those from local people around town,” Stringer said. “If we raise our own chickens from the eggs we hatch, we will always have our own supply and can sell the eggs as a fundraiser.”

As of now, there isn’t a lot this FFA chapter can do animal-wise, but the group plans to start a garden and harvest produce. Stringer also has plans for a pumpkin patch for things they would be able to use in the fall when they come back to school, allowing students to see the end product and be able to sell those as a fundraiser to help fund the renovations.

“We won’t be confined to the classroom as much and we can do more hands-on than we do in-class small scale,” she said. “I wanted to get it as soon as possible so that would get started because a lot of the time, when people announce a project, it takes so many years for anybody to see anything come out of it. We can at least start growing vegetables this year and it’s like, OK, they are getting a little head start and able to use it the first year.”

The Minford FFA teaches primarily classes in plants and animals because that’s what people around the area are geared toward. Also taught are classed in soils. Plans are to have similar classes at the junior high school as well next fall.

“The students have had the classroom aspect of agriculture but with the purchase of the farm the students will be able to have Supervised Agricultural Experiences, or SAEs,” Stringer said. “With the SAE our students can take a project and keep a record book of their work. With the addition of this farm the students can do gardening, landscaping, flower beds and things like that.”

Stringer envisions having beehives on the property and possibly small livestock like sheep or goats. Such opportunities would allow for SAEs and provide work outside the classroom.

To help get her project up and running, Stringer and her classes are building a National FFA Organization Booster Club for any community members wanting to support the project.