Encouraging the next generation of farmers and agricultural industry workers for Coshocton County is the focus of a new farm program through Ridgewood Local Schools.
The school district acquired the five-acre farm with barns in January 2022. It's on Ohio 751 next to the district's bus garage.
The Ridgewood FFA advisers and agriculture program instructors are Logan Pyers and Sue Davis. Pyers said the FFA chapter has about 200 members with around 15 working regularly on the farm.
He said the FFA chapter is footing half the cost of operations and the school district the other half. Money comes from vocational funding and grants. They're also starting a Funding Future Agriculturists non-profit to assist. When the farm makes money from animals and crops, dollars will go back to operations through the fund.
Of the FFA members, Pyers said a majority don't live and work on farms.
"It teaches them self-reliance. They don't have to, in theory, rely on (stores) for food. 'I can go buy a steer, feed it and call a butcher and make an appointment.' They also learn they can make money from this," Pyers said of the farm program.
Agriculture is the largest industry in Ohio and Coshocton County. The Ohio State University Extension Office reports Coshocton County farmers produce more than $100 million worth of products annually while being caretakers of more than $1 billion in land, machinery and livestock.
The farm has four cows and there are plans to add move livestock, including pigs and chickens. Students will learn how to feed, breed and process the variety of different animals.
A greenhouse is also planned. Hay was grown in the past year to help feed the cattle. Planting crops, such as corn and soybeans, is in the works. Pyers said they also want to add a picnic shelter and an educational facility to do programming with elementary students.
"It was already in good shape, we're just trying to update it to be a better agricultural education facility where the kids can be hands-on," Pyers said of the farm. "The idea is to be self-sufficient and sustain ourselves. We're not in this to make money, but we're not in it to go broke."
The facility also has a meat processing room where students will learn how to process the cows and other animals. The meat can't be sold, but can be eaten by the youth and their families or donated.
Junior Hayden Kilchenman is the FFA student adviser. He always wanted his own dairy farm, but is now considering becoming a truck driver transporting agricultural products.
"Being out here at the farm I prefer to being inside a school," he said. "Being out here, I've learned a lot more about farming. I've learned how to drive two different tractors. I love being out here working."
Source: coshoctontribune.com
Photo Credit: istock-dusanpetkovic
Categories: Ohio, Education, General