Growing Good with the Next Generation of Farmers: SAE Grant Project Update

At Bob Evans Restaurants, we recognize that good doesn’t just grow at our farm, but at many other farms across the country—and as part of our Where Good Grows initiative, we’re supporting the next generation of the farming community through our ongoing partnership with the National FFA Organization.

Earlier this year, we shared the names of nine FFA high school students who were recipients of $1,000 Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) grants that we proudly funded. Over the past several months, these students have been hard at work on their agricultural projects and putting those funds to use growing gardens and businesses. We took a moment to check in with these aspiring farmers to learn about their progress, challenges and successes. Below are a few common themes and lessons learned.

It’s all about the weather

Most students have shared that the weather has been one of the hardest challenges they’ve faced, which is understandable, as it’s something outside of their control. With a few below-freezing nights in the spring and a hotter and more humid summer season, students have found it challenging to grow plants successfully from seed. Fortunately, the students found innovative ways to work around the issues like setting up irrigation or hydroponic systems or utilizing their greenhouses for protection. Also, experimentation and simply more experience helped students learn the warning signs from their plants and identify the right balance of water and sun. All of the students now have worked through thesechallenges and are seeing great growth results with their plants and plantlings.

Sustainability is key

Another element has been learning about sustainability practices. Many students have demonstrated this through purchasing and using eco-friendly materials and solutions, like drip hoses to conserve water or compost bins to help nourish their soil. All of these practices have helped the students save on costs, while helping the planet at the same time.

Invest in the future

This group of students has been very savvy with their finances, making smart purchasing decisions and looking for ways to sell crops and flowers for a profit to then put back into their businesses. In the grant applications, a majority of the students mentioned they plan to purchase and utilize a greenhouse. This structure proved invaluable when trying to protect plantlings from harsh and hazardous weather conditions, but it’s also something they can utilize in years to come. Other students have purchased tillers and wood to build garden boxes—both are items that will last for a long time if cared for properly. Students noted they did their research in order to find the best value before purchasing new equipment and also sold their initial plants and crops to help offset these bigger one-time costs. The students quickly saw a return on these bigger investments in the forms of security and efficiency.

What’s next?

With this year’s projects a little more than half way complete, we look forward to seeing them continue to be successful in growing, harvesting and selling their crops, as well as marketing themselves and their businesses.

Interested in becoming a recipient for next year’s grant program? The online application for the 2022 FFA SAE grants opens in October and closes at 8:00 p.m. EST on Nov 15. To learn more, visit: FFA SAE Grants