Growing Our Communities

“Why do you want to be the FFA Garden manager?” When this question was asked by my FFA advisors during an interview, I stumbled on it. Why did I want to be a garden manager? Other than the fact that the garden is all I have known for the past couple summers, I couldn’t think of a logical answer why hours upon hours of work was worth it. After a minute of thought, I realized the garden wasn’t about me, it was about community outreach. Getting to know others around me is something I have always enjoyed, and this summer job would be no different by combining two of my passions -- horticulture and relationship building.

The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Garden at the Howard Lake - Waverly - Winsted High School was my home for four summers. Every day, 5 or more other individuals and I would toil in this garden for hours, but each Wednesday, delivery day, all that work would be recognized. On this special weekday, we would harvest the ripe fruit, vegetables, and herbs, putting immense thought into their design so customers could see the best aspects of our garden. Produce was always the highlight of our shareholders’ weeks, especially when there were a number of different colors represented in the basket.

Each week we packed 15 baskets into the truck and set off on the three hour trip to deliver  produce to our shareholders, unsure of what to expect. House by house, one of the other garden workers, Keith, and I drove the usual route, delivering vegetables. Along this delivery trip we found joy in the diversity of the individuals in our area, and discovered the significance of our CSA enterprise was not quantity based, but rather its purpose was to engage with those in Howard Lake, Waverly, and Winsted - all places that members of our FFA chapter call home. Our community members easily represented the baskets we would end up delivering throughout the summer months -- beautiful, diverse, and joyful.

This summer, although I didn’t work in the garden, I have kept that value of community with me everywhere I travelled. At the end of June we held the State Leadership Conference for Chapter Leaders (SLCCL) where members came from chapters all around Minnesota to Deep Portage to exchange ideas and learn how they can grow their chapters. One large component of this conference was to share activities on “Building Communities.” To get started, we asked “What is a need your community has?” This question was similar to the one I was asked during my interview; many members had to pause and really think about it. However, what came from these leaders following the pause was truly amazing.

Members shared ideas of how to resolve their communities’ needs in ways ranging from “Feed-A-Farmer” to highway cleanup to various safety programs and so many more. These members have realized they can have an impact in their area during any time of year, just like my chapter does with CSAs in the summer months. FFA is an organization that can truly make a difference in its communities. How will you ensure that your FFA chapter is involved in the community?  What can you do this month to meet a need in your community?
Stationed by the Door,

Maddie Weninger