Farm Briefs for 3-29-09

March 28, 2009 10:53 pm

— Cherokee FFA students compete in shows

By Sabrina Wilber, Cherokee FFA reporter

Cherokee High School ag students have been at stock shows during March.
The first show was the Northwest District Junior Livestock Show at Enid. Students participating by showing sheep were Kristen Shepard and Michael Shepard. Nichole Unruh was first in lamb lead and showed her goat, along with Brayden Nixon and Kelby Franks. Cattle showers were Jace White, Amy Treece, Jessica Unruh, Garrett Starks, Macy Starks, Joshua Shepard and Kristen Shepard. Swine showers rounded out the week with Kelby Chace, Chase Wallace, Grant Wilber, Grant DeWitt, Chase Puffinburger and Cole DeWitt.
After the district show, it was off to Oklahoma City for a week as Chase Wallace, Grant DeWitt, Cole DeWitt and Grant Wilber exhibited swine, and Jace White, Amy Treece, Garrett Starks, Macy Starks and Kelsi Hadwiger showed cattle.
FFA members will start their annual plant sale Monday. Prices range from 50 cents to $4 for individual plants. Hanging baskets that contain from four to five different types of plants are available starting at $8.

FFA activities, harvest keep Mason busy

By Lathan Nichols, Ringwood FFA reporter

Spring for Mark Mason and his family is always a busy time as they prepare to spend the summer traveling.
His family, which custom cuts from Texas to the Dako-tas, leaves Okla-homa as soon as school is out in May and returns shortly before school begins in August. Mason’s first responsibility with the harvest crew consisted of making sure the windshields on all of the vehicles and combines were clean. Now he runs a combine.
With summers so busy, it is hard for Mason to participate in leadership activities in the summer. But, it is important to him to be involved, so his family and he make a special effort. Some summers he has ridden to alumni camp with chapter members they are near at the time. Not only did Mason attend alumni camp last summer, he also had the opportunity to participate in the Washington Leadership Conference. The week-long program helped him improve his leadership skills and prepare him for a leadership role in his chapter, community and in his future. Mason, who has served his local chapter as vice president this year, is not only involved in the leadership aspect of FFA, but has participated in numerous speech contests, and shows steers and barrows. He is also active in the community. He helps the fire departments in Ringwood and Meno each year with their yearly pancake dinner fundraiser. He participates in food drives with his local 4H chapter, and he volunteers at his church.
He represented Oklahoma with other members of his chapter, in the ag communication contest at the National FFA Convention in October. The group, consisting of Mark and Katy Mason, Michael Hiebert, Kara Davidson and Kayla Wostal, received a bronze emblem. He finished ninth as an individual in the contest and received a $500 scholarship.
His senior year in high school has been busy and rewarding. He recently announced his plans to run for state FFA secretary.
He appeared before a nominating committee of 10 people, going through a series of interviews with each. The committee narrowed the candidates down. Since that time he has been spending much of his time attending events across the state.