Staunton Star - Times - Published in the Interest of the Staunton Community for Over 143 Years

By Jillian McLaughlin, Staunton FFA Chapter Reporter The Staunton FFA took 19 individuals on an agriculture-based trip to northern Michigan in order to learn about and understand some of Michigan's spe- cialty crop productions. On the first day, the bus departed from Staunton High School and traveled to Fair Oaks Dairy Farm where we attended a guided tour of the dairy cattle operation on farm 2. While on the tour we were able to view two of the many cattle barns, the milking parlor, as well as listen to informational speeches from the guides to learn more about their operation on that specific farm. After the tour we continued the drive up to Traverse City, Mich., where we would be staying for the remainder

of the trip.

On day two, we traveled to Mackinac

City and took the ferry over to Mackinac Island. On the island, students split off into groups and were able to tour the island on foot, by bike, or by taking one of the many horse-drawn carriages due to the ban on automobiles in 1901. While on the island students had the opportunity to do a variety of activities including hiking, touring the famous Grand Hotel, visiting one of the many historic forts, and seeing all of the natural wonders the island has to offer.

Day three of the trip involved two agriculture-based tours, both of which covered some of Michigan's highest specialty crop productions. The first tour was of Northwest Michigan Hor- ticultural Research Station's cherry and apple orchards. Since its establish- ment in 1979, the Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Station has 137 acres of land that are actively producing products such as wine grapes, apples, plums, hops, and two different variet- ies of cherries including both tart and sweet. The cherry operation there accounts for 83 percent of the sweet cherries grown in Michigan and around half of the sweet cherry supply for the country. The tour guide walked students through the fields of their production and walked them through the entire process of planting, maintaining, and harvesting the crops as well as speaking about how to get into both the cherry and apple business. At the end of the tour the guide concluded by speaking about the upkeep of the farm itself and what they do to help ensure they have a successful harvest.

The next tour was at New Mis- sion Organics, one of the many local hops farms in the surround- ing area. New Mission Organics began their journey in the farm- ing business back in 1998 when the owners purchased the land in order to stop it from becoming a subdivision. After the purchase of the land, New Mission Organics began building their business and planting their choice of specialty crop, hops. A plant known as the humulus lupulus produces small, cone-shaped buds that are green in color which are called hops. Inside of these small cones is a substance known as lupulin, which is used in beer in order to give it its bitterness, scent, and overall flavor. At New Mission Organics, they grow around 10 different varieties of hops which are all sold to the 200 local brew- eries in the area. Throughout the tour, we were able to see multiple hop fields all in different stages of growth, the machinery respon- sible for processing the hops, and finally the cooling area where they are stored until they can be sent to the breweries.

To conclude their trip, students stopped once again at Fair Oaks Dairy Farm where they were able to tour the swine production. During the tour, the students got to walk through simulations, see multiple viewing rooms, and lis- ten to informative speeches given by the tour guide from each of the different areas of production.

The Staunton FFA would like to thank the Staunton FFA Alum- ni for sponsoring and providing this wonderful experience for the Staunton Jr. High and Staunton High School agriculture students. All year the Alumni fundraises for the Staunton FFA providing us with these trips, helping to pay for convention costs, providing classroom equipment, and so much more. If you or someone you know would be interested in joining the Staunton FFA Alumni, please reach out on their Facebook page or at their email address, stauntonffaalumni@ yahoo.com.