FFA feeds the farmers as harvest goes on

Truck by truck, farmer by farmer, the Nodaway Valley FFA chapter took time last week during a no-school day to say thank you to farmers for their efforts all year, but especially during harvest, through a “Feed the Farmer” event.

The FFA members were able to serve hamburger or bratwurst lunches to farmers hauling grain into 21st Century Cooperative locations in Greenfield and Fontanelle Friday.

Orient-Macksburg FFA members were doing a similar event that was scheduled for Tuesday night.

“We did this give back to farmers. They’re the ones who are feeding us,” said Jorja Holliday. “We wanted to show our support for them as they also support all our chapter does.”

Kerigan Brown said doing events such as these is great exposure for the FFA organization, showing the community that these students are willing to be involved in the local area.

This year, the FFA chapter did a “Fill the Tractor” food drive at a football game where donations were taken to local food pantries. They participate in many local parades and plan to continue giving back to the community in many ways as the school year carries on.

21st Century Cooperative’s Trent Raasch, who manages the Greenfield location, said that yields have been strong around the area despite still dry conditions.

“Beans are pretty much done and corn’s coming along, but there’s still quite a bit of corn left out in the fields,” Raasch said. “Hopefully we can hold it all. We’re starting to fill up a little on room, but we’re trying to make room by hauling some of it out.”

Raasch said that 21st Century’s Massena location was at capacity and Fontanelle was closing in on capacity, however they’re able to store some outside.

“Yields have been real nice. Beans were pretty good and it’s amazing how well corn’s yielding based on how much rain and moisture we got,” Raasch said. “We were fairly dry, we just had some timely rains.”