Over the first few weeks of May, members of the West Greene FFA Chapter have been busy providing for customers’ garden plant needs, whether it’s for the colorful flower bed in the front or the vegetable garden in the backyard.
Starting in February, students get their hands dirty preparing the pepper plants and begin planting everything else as the season progresses, ending with cucumbers last, at the end of April. The greenhouse has almost anything you’ll need for your garden—bell and hot peppers, a variety of tomato plants, cucumbers, squash and zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. The group grows over 400 hanging baskets and fills up the rest of the greenhouse with bedding plants like petunias, calibrachoa, marigolds, zinnia, begonias, geraniums, impatiens, pansies, and vinca. They also sell coleus, vinca, hypoestes, and spikes.
Junior Haylie Barner says, “The greenhouse is a great opportunity. I really like helping the customers and seeing the flowers/plants they pick out… talking to them and seeing how their day is going… seeing the little kids walking in the greenhouse and having the biggest smile when they see the flowers. When I think of a greenhouse, I can only think of good things because we have a great committee that will support the FFA Chapter.”
Freshman Madison Burns says, “[T]here are so many opportunities to learn and have fun. You get to experience how to plant properly and learn about them. I really enjoy planting and arranging the flowers. What I also enjoy about the greenhouse is being able to help customers.”
The students also operate the greenhouse in late autumn for holiday season poinsettia sales. Multiple colors of poinsettias are planted in mid-August and grow during most of the fall.
While the 15 students in the horticulture class do most of the work for the greenhouse, during the busiest times, it’s all hands on deck—from more than the 100 students taking part. The students get a lot from operating the greenhouse: a sense of accomplishment, pride, comradeship, interaction with the community and more.
MacKenzie Whipkey, a junior, says, “Working in the greenhouse is a wonderful opportunity because you get to watch all the plants grown from a little seed to a big colorful plant. I spend all my free time at the greenhouse doing all the things that may need done… I have spent around 36 hours out-of-school time in the greenhouse. But with the help of Ag-mech and Ag-Gen kids, we have come together and become one, for our greenhouse to become successful!”
Marissa Tharp, another junior, shared, “Within the greenhouse this season tremendous growth has taken place. Not only with the plants, but with myself and our FFA Chapter. Fostering an environment where it’s my responsibility to create something has given me a sense of pride. I’ve learned what it means to run a business and watch something grow out of nothing. Being with these people every day, and working towards the same goal, taught us all a lot about what it means to be an FFA family.”
The original greenhouse at West Greene was in operation from the mid-1980s until a new greenhouse was built in 1999. A grant in 2021 was used to upgrade the heating system, installed by the school’s agricultural mechanization students.
The greenhouse is part of West Greene’s Agricultural Department. Floral design courses are also a part of the program, and using outsourced supplies, students in the design courses create flowers for school events. The department is hoping to grow the floral design program into a bigger business.
“[W]e will hopefully offer more buying opportunities in the floral design business. As our community’s greenhouse/floral design needs continue to rise, along with student interest, we plan to expand right along with it.”
Funds raised from both the greenhouse and the floral design program are used to help pay for West Greene FFA trips and activities. With a membership of over one hundred members and a program of activities with over 20 events per year, the group is always busy. The profits help keep costs low for members.
“Our community is extremely supportive of our program in general,” says Wright. “While there isn’t a specific business that helps with the greenhouse regularly, I couldn’t help but take the opportunity to thank our community for their never ending support of West Greene FFA.”
“Additionally, Dr. Raleigh Daniels is our biggest individual contributor to the greenhouse as he donates an unsurmounted amount of time and knowledge to helping us in the greenhouse.”
If you missed the spring annual and perennial sale this year, don’t worry—the holiday poinsettia sale is still to come, and there’s always next spring. Follow “West Greene FFA Chapter” on Facebook to stay up-to-date with what’s happening!
