FFA Winter Selection Sales take on a new local look

EMMALLEE PARLSEY STEVENS

Grant Tribune Sentinel

The Perkins County FFA chapter is putting a fresh spin on a long-standing tradition this year. What began decades ago as the familiar FFA fruit sales has now evolved into something distinctly local — the FFA Winter Selection Sales. This year’s fundraiser will feature only locally grown or locally processed products, marking a new era for the chapter and its connection to the community.“FFA fruit sales have been a tradition in our chapter for as long as I can remember,” said FFA Advisor Seth Burge. “We had a fruit fundraiser when I was a member (2008), and it existed long before that.”While FFA fruit sales are common across the state, Perkins County’s version has long stood apart thanks to its partnership with Hatch’s Super Foods. “Our fundraiser became unique over the past decade through a partnership with Hatch’s Super Foods, which allowed us to source fruit directly from their warehouse rather than through out-of-state fundraising companies,” Burge explained. “This local partnership kept more of the proceeds in our community, and we are grateful to Hatch’s for their many years of support.”In recent years, the fundraiser began featuring locally made products like popcorn and locally raised meats. In 2020, the chapter officially renamed the event FFA Winter Selection Sales to strengthen recognition within the community.This year, the chapter is taking a major step by fully embracing local partnerships. “After reflecting on our goals, we decided to take a leap; we are dropping the fruit entirely and focusing solely on locally grown or locally processed products,” said Burge. “This change supports local food producers and processors while also removing the most perishable product from our lineup.”The new product lineup showcases the best of Perkins County and the surrounding area. Burge Pork is contributing breakfast sausage and hot sauce; Tjaden Ranch is offering ground beef, sirloin steak, beef sticks, and beef jerky; La Familia is adding fresh tortillas and sweet chips; Nodlinski Farms is supplying caramel popcorn, white cheddar popcorn, and yellow popcorn; Golden Plains Honey is providing locally produced honey; and Regier Coffee Roasters is contributing an assortment of coffee bean blends.FFA members have taken an active role in building relationships with these businesses. “Some chapter members have enjoyed reaching out and building relationships with local vendors, many of whom provided samples for members to taste during our October chapter meeting kickoff,” Burge said. “This new approach aligns with the Economic Development Quality Standard set by the National FFA Organization, allowing the fundraiser itself to serve dual purposes.”Several products even have direct connections to FFA members and their families. Sophomores Olivia Gengenbach and Morgan Day are raising succulents as part of their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project in the school greenhouse — one of the many student-led products in this year’s selection.“My hope is that this new format gives students a greater sense of purpose beyond simply raising funds for the chapter,” Burge added.Although fruit will no longer be part of the chapter’s fundraiser, community members who still wish to purchase fresh fruit gift boxes in December can place a special order directly with Hatch’s Super Foods by October 31.The FFA Winter Selection Sales will run through November 3, with product delivery scheduled for December 11. Anyone interested in supporting the Perkins County FFA fundraiser or having a member visit them for a sale can contact seth.burge@perkinscountyschools.org.