NLCSO 2012

Post by Emily Hill, State FFA Treasurer

This past week, your Virginia FFA State Officer team traveled to New Jersey. At the National Leadership Conference for State Officers, we learned about developing ourselves as a team, applying our strengths, and creating some awesome material to use this year! We had the opportunity to meet state officers from Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and West Virginia and learn a little about their association, as well as the role agriculture plays in each state. We were able to spend the week with Alicia Hodnik, National FFA Central Region Vice President, as she offered everyone advice, as well as some great ideas for the year! We got to see the beautiful Rutgers College Gardens, as we competed to be the first to finish a scavenger hunt which included tasks such as recreating the Beetles famous crosswalk scene. Our last night was spent on a dinner boat cruise of the New York City Harbor. Seeing the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Ground Zero were such incredible experiences that truly made us appreciate where we are today.  I really enjoyed my time at NLCSO and am looking forward to using what I learned this past week, as my team and I serve the Virginia FFA Association this year!

Outstanding Young Agriculturalists at Young Farmers Expo

Post made by Emily Hill, State FFA Treasurer

Recently, my team and I had the chance to participate in the Farm Bureau Young Farmer Expo. At this event, I had the opportunity to compete in the Outstanding Young Agriculturalist contest, which gave me an awesome opportunity to meet some incredible young people with the same passion for the agriculture industry, which we as FFA members have. We also were able to sit in on a forum for the current Virginia Senator Candidates, George Allen and Tim Kaine. This allowed us to ask questions that we felt are important to our industry as we prepare to elect an official to represent Virginia in the upcoming years. Another one of my favorite parts of this weekend’s event was the local farm tours. This year, the event was held in Lynchburg, however we also toured some of the surrounding area. Stops included Royal Oak Farm & composting facility, the Department of Agriculture Research & Veterinary Laboratory, Knoll Crest Farm, Gardner Replacement Heifers, Briar View Farm, and Van Der Hyde Dairy. Each of these sites offered a diversified insight into the vast field of agriculture and offered an inside look at how each facility operates. We were able to see the three types of tobacco that is native to Virginia, be exposed to the use of bio-digestion in the dairy industry, and see an Autorotator Carousel milking parlor in action. This was such a wonderful opportunity and I would encourage others to consider attending this event in the future!

I had the opportunity to compete with other young people for the title of Outstanding Young Agriculturalist.

Foundation Golf Tournament

Post by Emily Hill, State FFA Treasurer

Our team with the winners!

 

My team and I had the opportunity to give back to our incredible sponsors who provide so much to our organization, as we helped in hosting the annual Foundation Golf Tournament. We were able to meet with several industry leaders, advisors, and individuals who spent the day with us at Sleepy Hole Golf Course. This was a really exciting event for me, as I had the opportunity to learn how to drive a golf cart from Dustin, our Virginia FFA State President, expanded my knowledge of the sport, and met some wonderful individuals who’s support helps make our association a success. I absolutely loved the experience, and I now know that if you  drive the golf cart in a golfer’s “line of fire,” you run the risk of a golf ball to the head. Congratulations to the day’s winners, and Virginia FFA looks forward to hosting the event again next year.

FFA Camp 2012

Post by Emily Hill, State FFA Treasurer

What an incredible week to kick off our year as the new Virginia FFA State Officer Team! It was great to meet so many amazing members and spend time learning many new things, from Snipe Hunting and Star-tipping, to informational and exciting tours of the beautiful property at Grave Mountain Lodge, I can confidently say that we have all made so many awesome memories! My favorite experiences were learning to swing dance and trying to avoid getting water-ballooned, although my goal next year is to come prepared to soak my teammates and some members! A great week came to an end as the camp officers conducted the banquet. After so much fun here, I know am looking forward to such an amazing year with the Virginia FFA Association.