The Sleepy Eye FFA members had a fun-filled day learning about many areas of agriculture in Southwestern Minnesota on the Regional Summer Ag Tour. Pictured in Austin, MN where the SPAM museum is located – Front (L-R): Sam Price, Hannah Meyer, Jimena Arroyo, Maria Galaviz-Camacho, Maddi Helget, Presley Bauer, Carmen Lendt, Nayzeth Luna, and Katelyn Capacia. Middle (L-R): Priscila Chuc-Feliciano, Angela Galaviz-Camacho, Miah Brown, Morgan Hoffmann, Lee Wahlborg, and Devyn Rempel. Back (L-R): Abigail Hornsby, Zach Ziegenhagen, Alex Joramo, Josh Sellner, Adam Johnson, Hailey Meinert, Gunny Coulson, and Jake Price.
By: Brooke Arneson, Chapter Reporter
On Tuesday, June 22, 23 FFA members visited a variety of businesses from the surrounding communities in order to learn about each business and the career opportunities within them. Mary Hoffmann, McKenzie Cselovszki, Katie Emmett (Sleepy Eye FFA Advisors), and Taylor Peck (Summer Ag Ed Intern) attended the tour as well.
The day started with a trip to Niagara Cave, located in Harmony, MN. Members toured the cave and were able to see the famous 60-foot waterfall, as well as stalagmites, stalactites, and even fossils. Students also learned about cave formations and the numerous careers that are in the geological field.
The next stop in the fun-filled day was the SPAM Museum, located in Austin, MN. Students were able to learn more about the history and origin of SPAM, as well as its place in world culture. Members were also educated in the way SPAM is produced and processed, along with the many job opportunities in the livestock industry.
Third, the trip included a trip to G & S Manufacturing, located in Courtland, MN. G & S Manufacturing is an industrial steel fabrication and welding shop. At this location, students got to see the various things that they make and how they use robotic machines to assist in the creation of their products. Workers also showed the students around their work area, and how they “revive” metal before it can be created into other products.
The day ended with a trip to the WOW Zone where members were able to enjoy pizza, bowling, and play laser tag. It was a fun way to end the day and was an opportunity to make even more memories with fellow FFA members.
Each year, Sleepy Eye FFA conducts this one-day tour in the summer with at least four area agriculture stops. This is a fantastic way for our members to gain first-hand knowledge of different aspects of agriculture locally and explore the various career pathways. From different geological formations, fabrication and welding of metals, and the processing of foods, the trip provided a vast range of numerous career opportunities in agriculture.