As storm clouds moved in during the early afternoon, Animal Science teacher Sara Dugas said she was thrilled with how the 2nd Annual FFA Community Agricultural Fair unfolded.
"It's been a really successful day," she said. "I'm thrilled that the weather held up for this long. It's fantastic to see so much community involvement."
The event was hosted at the school by the FCTS Chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA). The highlights included a tractor pull, petting zoo, cow plop bingo, face painting and more. The Culinary Arts program was in charge of preparing and serving the popular pig roast (the pig was raised by the Animal Science program), complete with a variety of side dishes and desserts.
Agriculture-related vendors set up tables to sell crafts, maple syrup and, in the case of organizations like the US Department of Agriculture, provide information.
The school's Animal Science and Landscaping and Horticulture students worked hard to help organize the event with FFA advisors Dugas and Amanda Mattison, Landscaping and Horticulture teacher. The Ag Day started at 10 am and was slated to conclude at 3 pm. A downpour began a little after 1 pm, which effectively shut down the event for the day.
Twenty student volunteers worked on the day of the fair, which demonstrated the Franklin County Technical School spirit. The Culinary Arts program teachers and students did their always outstanding job of preparing and serving delicious food for attendees and volunteers. Beside the volunteers, Dugas appreciated the donations made to the event.
"It's special to see our agricultural community come together to support our FFA and support our students," she said. "My favorite part is seeing the students show up and pitch in. Any event that gets teenagers up and out of bed on an early Saturday morning is a good thing."
Mattison said the weather may have scared some people off, but there was a good, steady flow of people throughout the morning. She added that she hopes to expand the number of vendors and demonstrations in the coming years.
"It's all about highlighting the hard-working agriculture culture in the area," Mattison said.