40 Sleepy Eye FFA Members worked at the Kiddy Barn during shifts at the Brown County Fair. This is the crew from Wednesday night. Pictured l to r – front: Jace Schauman, Karina Martinez, Daniel Armstrong, Anders Coulson, Noah Rossbach, Carter Lazatin, Breanna Lopez, Madi Martinez, Nora Coulson, Camryn Maher, Kenedi Wersal. Back: Eric Lozano, Mateo Hornsby, James Moore, Robert Romberg, Kayden Klein, Logan Ludewig, Jaelynn Schauman, Charlie Hoffmann.
Isaac Lendt (right), of the Sleepy Eye FFA, earned all Corn Champions and Overall Best in Show in the Crop Show at the Brown County Fair. He is pictured with Noah Rossbach (left), Chapter Treasurer.
Nathan Rathman, of the Sleepy Eye FFA, earned the Overall Best in Show for Ag. Mechanics at the Brown County Fair with his Horse Shoe Tire Rim Fire Pit.
Winsten Nienhaus, Sleepy Eye Member, earned the Best in Show Poultry Exhibit Award at the FFA Show at the Brown County Fair as well as Reserve Overall for rabbits.
Leah Kucera of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter was the Overall High Point Exhibitor for the Horse Show at the Brown County Fair.
Sleepy Eye FFA chapter members had many different roles at the 2024 Brown County Fair from August 7-11. The members showcased their crop, mechanics, Ag. literacy, and livestock projects and also helped run the FFA Kiddy Barnyard and FFA shows at the Brown County Fair.
Livestock exhibitors included: Dairy- Rachel, Jared, and Dustin Portner. Beef- Elsie Trebesch, Ethan Feucht, Jasmine Petermann. Poultry- Winsten and Carsten Nienhaus. Sheep- Elsie Trebesch. Swine- Ethan Feucht. Rabbit- Winsten and Carsten Nienhaus. Horse- Mia Walter, Millie Lax, Leah and Nolan Kucera, Sydney Zarn, Kaylie Piehl, Kenedi Wersal.
The Sleepy Eye FFA chapter was very successful with their projects. Our members earned a total of $2888 in FFA premium money at the Brown County Fair this year for exhibiting all of these projects. The following are their placings and the resulting champions for exhibitors at the Brown County Fair.
Crops Champions
Ear Corn: Champion – Isaac Lendt
Ear Corn: Reserve Champion – Alex Confer
Shelled Corn: Champion – Isaac Lendt
Shelled Corn: Reserve Champion – Jasmine Petermann
Soybeans: Champion – Logan Mack
Soybeans: Reserve Champion – Jose Castorena
Oats: Champion – Oliver Trebesch
Oats: Reserve Champion – JP Montemayor
Winter Wheat: Champion – Gavin Fischer
Winter Wheat: Reserve Champion – Wyatt Feucht
Spring Wheat: Champion – Wyatt Feucht
Spring Wheat: Reserve Champion – Oliver Trebesch
Miscellaneous: Champion – Makayla Strong
Miscellaneous: Reserve Champion – Cassie Muehlbauer
Organic Ear Corn: Champion – Jasmine Petermann
Organic Shelled Corn: Champion – Jasmine Petermann
Organic Shelled Corn: Reserve Champion – Jasmine Petermann
Organic Soybeans: Champion – Makayla Strong
Organic Soybeans: Reserve Champion – Ava Sellner
Organic Oats: Champion – Alex Confer
Organic Oats: Reserve Champion – Jasmine Petermann
Organic Wheat: Champion – Ethan Feucht
Organic Wheat: Reserve Champion – Jasmine Petermann
Ag Literacy:
Animal Science Grades 7-9
Champion – Laylana Hoffmann
Reserve Champion – Mia Walter
Leadership Grades 7-9
Champion – Jace Schauman
Reserve Champion – Megan Sellner
Plant Science Grades 7-9
Champion – Natalie Fulmer
Reserve Champion – Jaxon Saenz
Plant Science Grades 10-12
Champion – Emma Weilage (Overall Best in Show)
Reserve Champion – Kyle Capacia
Natural Resources and Environmental Systems Grades 7-9
Champion – Ethan Feucht
Reserve Champion – Elsie Trebesch
Natural Resources and Environmental Systems Grades 10-12
Champion – Gavin Strong
Reserve Champion – Noemi Rodriguez
Animal Science Grades 10-12
Champion – Kadence Hesse
Reserve Champion – Kadence Lund
Food Products and Processing Grades 10-12
Champion – Jose Castorena
Reserve Champion – Kadence Lund
Ag Mechanics:
Electrification
Champion – Nathan Rathman
Reserve Champion – Katalina Gonzalez
Metals:
Small Project
Champion – Brayden Suess
Medium Project
Champion – Kamille Capacia
Reserve Champion – Makayla Strong
Small Decorative Project
Champion – Kennedy Braun
Reserve Champion – Cameron Schottle
Medium Decorative Project
Champion – Logan Mack
Reserve Champion – Caden Evers
Large Decorative Project
Champion – Nathan Rathman (Overall Best in Show)
Reserve Champion – Cameron Moore
Multi Class/Other:
Small Project
Champion – Carsten Nienhaus
Reserve Champion – Arianna Hernandez
Medium Project
Champion – Ari Krzmarzick
Reserve Champion – Logan Ludewig
Large Project
Champion – Jasmine Petermann
Reserve Champion – Winsten Nienhaus
Wood Working:
Small Project
Champion – Jared Trebesch
Reserve Champion – Caleb Suess
Medium Project
Champion – Manuelle Poplow
Reserve Champion – Jared Trebesch
Large Project
Champion – Ari Krzmarzick
Reserve Champion – Logan Ludewig
LIVESTOCK RESULTS
FFA Beef: Breeding Beef
Reserve Champion – Jasmine Petermann
FFA Poultry:
Chickens Overall Champion, Best in Show – Winsten Nienhaus
Ducks
Reserve Champion – Carsten Nienhaus
FFA Rabbit:
Large Breed Champion, Reserve Overall Best in Show – Winsten Nienhaus
FFA Sheep:
Reserve Champion Ewe Lamb – Elsie Trebesch
The FFA chapters within Brown County also conducted the FFA Kiddy Barn during the five days of the fair. It was a huge success thanks to the many FFA members from Sleepy Eye, Springfield, and New Ulm who worked shifts during the fair as well as the people who donated animals for the Kiddy Barn. 40 members of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter participated in helping children have a great experience with baby animals and learning about farm safety and agriculture while at the fair.
The FFA Kiddy Barnyard exhibited newborn farm animals donated by several families including: Spring Creek Dairy (Holstein Calf), Port Haven Dairy (Brown Swiss Calf), Alex Schroeder (Ayrshire Calf), and Cold Creek Farms (Piglets), Runnings (Chicks).
The FFA Kiddy Barnyard also had an agriculture coloring & activity station as well as a safety carnival. At the safety carnival, FFA members conducted several games with safety questions covering grain, ATV’s, tractors & machinery, animals, and chemicals. The members of the Sleepy Eye chapter had a great time teaching youth at the Kiddy Barnyard about animals and safety as well as showcasing their FFA projects during the Brown County Fair.