NHS FFA Celebrates 25th Annual Plant Sale

Submission by Narragansett High School graduate Ryan Field.

This May marks the Narragansett, Rhode Island chapter of the FFA’s 25^th annual plant sale since its induction in 1987.

The students of the Narragansett FFA are inviting you to come celebrate on May 18 at the Narragansett High School. FFA advisors and agriculture teachers Greg Breene and Meredith Ashworth, along with their students, are planning an action packed day that is sure to appeal to everyone who drops by.

In addition to the general public, the Narragansett FFA is extending the invitation to its alumni from the past 26 years to help take part in the festivities.

Starting at 8 a.m., there will be close to 8,000 plants available for purchase. The Narragansett FFA offers a wide variety of 300 hanging baskets, 700 perennials and 7,000 annuals. You will be pleasantly surprised by what you will find within this vast selection.

In addition to plants, the chapter’s famous homemade maple syrup will be for sale (not complete without our made to order pancakes) as well as maple syrup cotton candy! Several of the student’s SAEs (Supervised Agricultural Experiences) will be on display. Some of these projects include products available for purchase, such as picnic tables and farm raised chickens.

Hungry? Stop by for our cookout. For $12, you get a tasty selection of food, including delicious barbecue chicken. The chicken has been raised, processed and will be served by Narragansett FFA Senior Jimmy Kershaw, as a part of his SAE and Senior Project. The chicken will also be cooked on the chapter’s hand crafted BBQ Chicken Cookers and handcrafted grills.

There will be plenty to do on the 18^th. Be sure to come by and see an array of animals including a baby calf, a piglet and a turkey. Also on display will be the chapter’s chickens in a coop made by Narragansett FFA Senior Greg Hamilton, as a part of his Eagle Scout project.

One of the highlights of the Plant Sale will most certainly be the Farm Olympics. Taking place over the course of the day, the current Narragansett FFA students will have the opportunity to take on some of the returning Alumni record holders.

Do not miss the action with events like tractor driving and wood chopping. Not into the Farm Olympics? Try your luck at the dunk tank and see if you can drop Mr. Breene into the cold water bellow. Some other things on display will be the chapter’s hand built tractor, the statewide tractor restoration project, and the famous Sugar Shack.

A part of the funds raised from the Narragansett FFA Plant Sale will go to benefit the 2014 agriculture facility renovations. The Plant Sale also supports other yearly projects such as maple syrup production, mums and poinsettias sales and the Landscape Design Project (Narragansett FFA is always a top contender at the Big E Festival).

If you cannot join Narragansett FFA for the fun on May 18, do not worry. The Plant Sale will be open again the following Saturday, May 25 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information and updates on the 25^th Annual Plant Sale, be sure to friend Greg Breene on Facebook. We hope to see you there!

For further questions, please contact either:

• Greg Breene: gbreene@narragansett.k12.ri.us
• Ryan Field: r.field21@hotmail.com