I started in 9th. grade. We used to go on field trips to castrate bull calves & pigs, shear sheep, cut cow horns, dock lamb tails. Mr. Kresge taught us a lot about life growing up. Everyone had a "project" animal with record keeping which we all got graded on. There were cows, bulls/steers, pigs, chickens, rabbits, sheep, goats, & horses. He was also our wood & metal shop teacher too. Our school was small, 25 - 30 kids in the senior year graduation class. We had an old '53 Chevy panel truck that we'd all pile into. Sure can't do that today. Mr. Kresge is in his 90's now.

Yes.

Nope, but I grew up less than a mile from their former HQ, they had an awesome piece of land with big hardwoods and tidal creeks with lots of fish. As kids, we were all over that place.

Yep, still have my jacket and pins 45 years later.

No they had FFA before, and after I was in High School.

I wasn't but most guys were. Our FFA instructor back in the 70's is now well into his 90's and just received a state-wide award for his contributions to agriculture. I still see him out on the tractor but his work is, of course, somewhat limited. His son took over his teaching job and he's now retired as well. They are a stand-up family - active in school and church, ran a vegetable and flower stand that everyone visited. I hear he still does a funeral service once in a while.

I was not in it. Wanted to be but I was in Bldg Trades and already had 7 classes and was on honor diploma pathway.

All my buds was in FFA though.

Got my daughter into so I could live vicariously extended through her. They have a big ass greenhouse and aqua/hydroponic now. Can take plant or animal Ag.

Yes. But our focus was on taxes and investing. Once in a while pig, sheep and cow judging. If I'd of been smart I'd of done more with cattle. My dad had a nice little herd he was building.

kwg

Yes, in west central Ks, all four years in high school in the late 60s. Learned arc welding, oxyacetylene welding/cutting, land judging, insect identification, grain grading and other things.
Out teacher was Ed Brenner, and he was a disciplinarian. There was no BS in his class. It was 100% boys and mostly farm kids. Now there’s quite a few girls in that class.
Wish I still had that blue corduroy coat, not that it would fit.

That's great your daughter is in the FFA. One of our local papers just had a photo from a school in our area with it's FFA members. Probably 20 kids & most were girls. FFA has really changed and gotten diverse over the years which is good for the kids. A lot more project options now.

Yup 9th thur 12th ..then moved 3000 miles ills away..... so I didn't have to baby sit cows etc..

I was in Ag class 9, 10, 11. In 12 grade it conflicted with Physics.

Never was in FFA, but I did all the same activities before and after school. The only thing I missed out on was parlimentary procedure. That would have come in handy later in life. But I learned on the run.

I was in FFA all 4 years of high school. I loved every minute of it.

Osceola, Ia. Class of 73. Dolecheck and can't remember the other's name. Good guys. Enjoyed it lots.

Neighbor girl is working with a pig. She named him Porkchop.

FFA actually means Father's Feeding Animals.

Good kid wants to be a vet.

Yes . All 4 years of high school. Class of 80. We had a very good teacher ... Mr. Jake...

Yes

If you are a former member, do you force your family to hold meal-time discussions according to Robert's Rules of Order?

Mr. Stuteville was my Ag teacher and I was in FFA all 4 years of high school.
Mr. Stuteville taught welding, a little wood working and mostly classroom stuff.
Mr. Stuteville was the manager for the local peanut co-op.
We spent quite a bit of time building equipment they used at the co-op.
We also built pipe gates that were sold through the co-op.
Can't say that I ever saw a penny for all the blood and sweat I donated in the shop!

I wasn't but both my kids raised sheep and pigs. Since they're feeding and working them every day we'd buy an extra animal for our freezer..

yes, back in the late fifties,

Yup, all 4 years. Mid 80’s

I am the Sentinel, stationed by the door...

Sure was

We drank a lot of beer in FFA.

Yep. 4 yrs

yes all four years.
sophomore year secretary
junior year secretary
senior year president, and student advisor. area 8 vice president.

State farmer my junior year. competed on the national level in dairy products cattle judging and farm management.

Chapter,and regional president. State officer 80-81.Still best of friends with one of the guys on our officer team.Now serve on state board of trustee's for Kentucky FFA .Still love seeing the Blue jackets being worn.

I was, picked up a lot of things I use today. Roland Rawls was our Vo Ag teacher, salt of the earth, never knew a finer man. Won State land leveling and Parliamentary Procedure awards.

All 4 years. Last to I was assigned as secretary to keep track of things. Good class that all kids need to take. Edk

I was for 3 years in HS. I have a granddaughter who is in FFA now.

I was. It was pretty much the school fraternity for all of us po' boys. Mr Wray, out Agriculture teacher was a good guy, too. He'd paddle your ass if you pissed him off. But it took a whole lot to piss him off. Unless you just made a serious jerk of yourself he'd just laugh it off.

We bought a big load of seasoned oak and built mangers to generate money for the club one year. We had a lot of fun hanging out back of the school during lunch and after school building those mangers. Every now and then during the after school times somebody would sneak a few cold beers out there and we'd drink a couple while we worked. Nobody got drunk,..and we slipped around to hide it from Mr Wray. But I'm sure he knew what we were up to. As long as we didn't show our ass about it he acted like he didn't know.

Good times.

UHM, Around here, FFA is not a class. It is a club.

Vo-Ag is the class. The former is not not necessary for the latter.

Good times back then

Yes. I was president in high school

Our chapter was the largest in southeast Texas for awhile.Still got the jacket but it don't fit anymore.

Yes. Still have my jacket and I tried it on for my daughter (still fits) who was our local chapter President. Competed in speaking contests for years.Always won divisionals and usually ended up second at state until this past year. Which meant she spoke and competed at Indy. Made it through prelims and into semis and that was as far as she got.

She was elected to a state office here 11 months ago. Now working on the state convention and all that goes with it. Writing her retiring address which will be her FFA swan song. Bittersweet to see it coming to an end.

Very proud of her and proud to see her wearing an Association jacket. Some would like to see her run for a national office. But I think she is ready to move on to college.

Great organization that has evolved a lot since I was a member. But still a very positive influence on youth that participate.

Yep. My high school had wood shop, metal shop, and vocational agriculture as industrial arts.
I was always a nuts and bolts sorta guy, and I rightly figured Vo Ag was my best shot at rebuilding engines and such in shop.
Me and Larry Hyde might’ve been joined at the hip! we were always working together on engines and such. He brought in an old Chevy pickup, and we did a frame up restoration on it over our junior and senior years.
I don’t know what became of my FFA Jacket though.
I know it was in the closet at home when I left for the Army. When we cleaned out the house after The Old Man died, I never found it, and to be honest, with all the other stuff, I didn’t give it any thought.
I was active in the FFA up until I left though. Many of my family and neighbors loved the citrus (especially the tangelo) we sold, and I sold and helped sort up until I left home.
7mm