Community Fall Day
Written by Rebecca Colnar
Students Learn About Agriculture with Pumpkin Patch
Big Timber, Sweet Grass High School Field
Drive past the Sweet Grass County High School in early October and see a field of beautiful orange orbs. It’s the FFA class pumpkin patch, which started six years ago. Taylor Standley serves as the agricultural education teacher at the high school and the FFA advisor. She grew up on a wheat farm in Richey, Montana, then attended Montana State University, becoming an agricultural education teacher. Her husband, Austin, also teaches agricultural education at Sweet Grass County High School.
Taylor teaches agricultural courses and students who signs up for FFA—not just the kids in agriculture.
“We have a population of children whose parents work at the mine and are not involved in agriculture, so FFA is a wonderful way to learn new skills,” explains Taylor.
The program works on developing student leaders and student career success, with a focus on agriculture as well as honing communications and interviewing skills. Students have a unique opportunity to travel to national FFA events in other states like Texas and Oregon.
“Our FFA students work on a variety of projects, such as bringing animals to school so they can learn to work with them, there are lamb shelters so kids not on ag land can raise sheep for the fair, and also the successful pumpkin patch,” says Taylor.
The Sweet Grass Community Foundation leases five acres at no charge to the FFA chapter so the students can share the experience of a pumpkin patch with the community.
The pumpkin patch—which boasts 500-600 pumpkins this year—is part of the plant science course. The students work the ground, plant the seeds and nurture the plants as they grow.
"The students realize that when work needs to get done, it needs to be done," said Taylor. "Sometimes it becomes more than just a class project—it can become an entire school project. Even kids in the welding class will help. The students gain valuable knowledge regarding what it’s like to raise food or any type of ag product. We have students selected to care for the pumpkin patch in the summer when school is not in session.”
In addition to a few helpful students, the Standley’s sons—5 years old, 3 years old, and 1 year old, help as they can with watering and weeding.
The FFA students plan an educational day for third-grade students a week before the pumpkins are sold and set up educational stations where they teach to the younger ones about soil and plants. After visiting all the stations, the third graders take pumpkins home with them.
"Our FFA students enjoy interacting with the young kids," notes Taylor.
During the community fall day, which this year will be held on October 5, the pumpkins will be sold to the public, and the event will include games and prizes for children. Not only do the FFA students sell the pumpkins, but also sell popcorn and other goodies.
“The patch has been an excellent event for parents and grandparents to bring their kids out and bring home a pumpkin grown in our town,” said Standley.
The event can vary year-to-year between people wading through a tangle of dried pumpkin vines to the patch already cleared and pumpkins picked and ready for sale.
The Standleys hope to keep their children involved in their agricultural heritage.
“My husband came from a ranching family, and although neither of us is actively farming or ranching, we like to keep our children involved in things like the pumpkin patch. We have always allowed them to help, letting them believe it was their idea. We say ‘Should we make sure the pumpkins are doing OK?’ and explain why pulling weeds and watering the plants are important.”
The mom explained that she and Austin truly value family. “My parents are still on the farm, so the boys go there every summer and help with the harvest. They get to ride in the combine and tractor and learn from uncles and grandparents. It opens them up to new experiences.”
Rebecca Colnar is Director of Public Relations for Montana Farm Bureau and a freelance writer from Custer, Montana.
