Sterling landowner lends plot to FFA program

STERLING – The Sterling High School Future Farmers of America are getting a little help thanks to a land use donation from Sterling landowner Kevin Duncan.

Duncan decided to lease the land at the corner of Science Ridge Road and Sixth Avenue in Sterling after speaking with FFA Alumni Rich Witmer.

“It wasn’t about the investment in the land. It was giving the kids an opportunity to have something close to town,” said Duncan.

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Ken and Marcy Duncan have donated 6 acres of land to the Sterling FFA program. The plot is located at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Science Ridge Road in Sterling. (Alex T. Paschal)

The school’s FFA program is a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on application, but students only get to go to the FFA’s Rock Falls farm plot once or twice a year.

“Trying to get 30 kids over there after school on the same day is rough,” said Witmer. “With this new location being so close to the high school, we hope they’ll get to go during their Ag classes and do a few things.”

The FFA Alumni are helping oversee the hands-on portion of the program while also securing donations for necessary resources.

“We know everyone in the local farming industry, so we were able to get donations for things like corn seed and spray lined up quickly,” said Witmer. “We’re letting the students do as much as they can themselves, except for spraying chemicals.”

Meg Stanley is an FFA adviser and one of the agricultural educators running the FFA program at Sterling High School. Stanley says she plans to get the students out in the field as much as possible.

“It just depends on where we’re at in the curriculum,” Stanley said. “If we’re talking about soil structure and soil testing, then they might be out there every day doing soil tests for that portion of the curriculum. Then, they would spend a couple of weeks in the classroom learning about the next part.”

Students also learn about plant nutrition, how plants are processed in soil, the use of plant growth regulators and herbicides, crop science, plant diseases and crop pests.

“Having that hands-on application will really hit home to the concepts that we’re hoping to teach students through that curriculum,” said Stanley. At the end of the season, the money from the harvested crops is put back into the FFA to help fund future projects. This also provides students with an opportunity to learn the business of farming.

“Once we get this up and going and we have all the numbers, then that class will be able to use those numbers and see what they really mean in farming,” said Witmer. “They’ll learn what all your outputs and your incomes would be and what your risks are.”

Although Duncan will not be directly involved in the program’s oversight, he requires that the students report their progress to him.

“I want to give them a homework assignment,” said Duncan. “I want to know what they did. What fertilizer they used, and their yield information so I can help them learn. I’m glad to be a part of the program and happy to help.”

For information or to get involved, call Sterling High School at 815-625-6800.