Sugar-Salem Future Farmers of America runs first pumpkin patch
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SUGAR CITY – A new pumpkin patch is packed with events to raise money for future farmers.
The Sugar-Salem High School Future Farmers of America has teamed up with Food Dudes to run its first pumpkin patch.
Jamie Ashcraft, owner of Food Dudes, came up with the pumpkin patch idea after several suggestions from customers. She thought the Sugar-Salem Future Farmers of America would be a great group to help.
“It was kind of my idea, and just searching for help, I figured the FFA are always looking for ways to earn money for their trips and things so it was a good combination,” Ashcraft said.
FFA is an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture. The Sugar-Salem FFA often visits agricultural businesses to learn more. The trips can be expensive, so sales from the pumpkin patch will go toward future trips.
The patch has been a valuable learning experience for FFA as it have learned about sales, marketing and public outreach.
The pumpkin patch is geared toward children and includes a small straw maze, corn pit and food trucks. Once a week, the FFA sells fresh french fries from potatoes one of the members grows.
On Friday Oct. 18, the pumpkin patch will host First Responders Night. The event will feature an ambulance, EMTs and other emergency workers. Kids can test their speeds in a relay race and compete in a pumpkin carving contest. Carving starts at 4:15 p.m., and EMTs will judge the jack-o-lanterns at 5:15 p.m. Winners will receive prizes by age.
Next week, the FFA will go to the National FFA Convention & Expo in Indiana, so the Sugar-Salem High School orchestra band and choir will take over running the pumpkin patch. They will sell baked goods and host a free country dance party on Oct. 26.
“I think it’s been a good experience so far,” Ashcraft said. “It’s been fun to work with everybody.”
The Sugar-Salem FFA pumpkin patch is at Food Dudes at 2981 East 2000 North in Sugar City.
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