by CrownRandall | Jan 28, 2025 | Agriculture
COLUMBUS – Recently, members of the Versailles FFA participated in the State FFA Food Science and Technology Contest in Columbus, Ohio at The Ohio State University.
The contest required students to identify aromas, conduct a triangle test, take a written test on food quality and safety, identify safety problems from a customer complaint letter, solve math problems, and identify food processing tools. Students also were given 1 hour to complete a product development plan based on developing a product that was given to them by Ohio FFA which this year focused on developing a plan for a protein bar.
Versailles FFA earned the right to compete in the state contest after placing 2nd in the district. Versailles FFA placed 9th in the state contest and team members consisted of Eden Barga, Greta Broering, Gabe McGlinch and Ruthie Smith. The team was led by Eden Barga.
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by CrownRandall | Jan 26, 2025 | Agriculture
VERSAILLES – On Saturday, February 22nd from 7:30 am until 12:00 p.m., the Versailles FFA & FFA Alumni will be hosting an Omelet Breakfast to recognize the local agriculturalist and promote the agriculture industry. There will be free omelet breakfasts for all in attendance. This breakfast is free but will require RSVP to ensure proper breakfast.
The breakfast will also include: a farm toy show, kiddy tractor pulls, agriculture displays to promote the industry, and farm displays created by the local youth. This event will be open for all of the public to enjoy.
Toy Show Vendors that will be present at the breakfast include: Kris Hinton from Rockford, Kris’s collection includes custom farm toys, small-scale livestock and machinery buildings, Jim Ford of Athens collection focuses on: 1/64 scale farm toys and custom-built farm toys, Tom Barga of North Star collection focuses on custom and scratch built farm toys and 1/64 scale farm toys, Roger Heckman of Versailles with various tools and 1/64 scale farm toys and Winner Farm Toys of North Star with assortment of Ertl and New Ray farm toys from 1/64 scale up to 1/16 scale. Buckeye Farm Toys will be available from Austin Timmerman and he will be selling 1/64th scale farm barns, buildings and more.
On behalf of the Versailles FFA chapter, we like to personally invite and encourage the youth of Darke County to participate in a farm toy display contest. Again, this contest is completely cost-free. Awards and monetary prizes will be awarded for each division sponsored by the Darke County Farm Bureau. All participants will receive a small prize; however, first place in each division will receive $25.00, second place $15.00, and third place $10.00. All displays along with a tag with your name and age must be delivered to the Versailles FFA advisor, Mrs. Dena Wuebker, at Versailles Schools near the Greenhouse door (door 4) from 7:30 am to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 20th. All displays will be judged prior to the breakfast and the Farm Displays will be displayed on the stage of the cafetorium all attendees will be enabled to view the displays. Farm displays can be torn down and loaded out between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 pm on Feb 22nd.
The rules and regulations for the Farm Youth Display can be received by emailing [email protected] find the information on the Versailles Exempted Village School website under the high school followed by the FFA link.
Please RSVP for the breakfast to either Dena Wuebker at 937-423-2369 or through the above email, or contact Taylor Bergman at [email protected] or 937-621-9136 or contact Versailles FFA President Colin Batten at 937-621- 6909. Please RSVP for the breakfast by Feb 18th.
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by CrownRandall | Jan 26, 2025 | Agriculture
VERSAILLES – Versailles FFA & FFA Alumni Soup & Sandwich Social Set for this Friday, Jan 31st. The Soup and Sandwich Social will be in conjunction with the Versailles Home Basketball Games Varsity Basketball game against Delphos St Johns. Due to scheduling conflicts, the soup and sandwich social will be held on Friday, Jan 31st and we will be serving from 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
The Versailles FFA Alumni & FFA Chapter will conduct their 29th Annual Soup and Sandwich Social this Friday, January 31, 2025 in the Versailles Schools Cafetorium at 280 Marker Rd, Versailles, Ohio. Serving will run from 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm. All the proceeds benefit the Versailles FFA and Versailles FFA Alumni Activities and Scholarships.
The menu for Soup and Sandwich Social will consist of Homemade soups, sandwiches and desserts. Carry-outs are available; make plans to attend the 29th Annual Versailles FFA Alumni & FFA Chapter Soup & Sandwich Social on a new date this Friday, Jan 31st.
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by CrownRandall | Jan 26, 2025 | Agriculture
DARKE COUNTY – A project involving local community members with lived experience of substance use disorder (SUD) is being featured as a success story of the HEALing Communities Study (HCS) in Ohio. In 2022, the Adult Probation Department of the Darke County Common Pleas Court assisted with the recruitment of participants for a Photovoice project led and funded by the HCS.
Photovoice is a research methodology where participants take photographs to highlight strengths or concerns in their community. They then meet as a group, along with researchers, to discuss, assess, analyze, and propose solutions to the issues, assigning captions to the photographs, and ultimately sharing the project with community leaders and decision-makers. The goal is to amplify the voices of and empower vulnerable and marginalized individuals, like those experiencing or in recovery from substance use.
Darke County’s HCS Photovoice Project featured themes related to stigma toward those with SUD and the successes and challenges faced during recovery. Their work has been shared with the Coalition for a Healthy Darke County, members of Governor DeWine’s RecoveryOhio Advisory Council, and other organizations.
One participant notes the project’s positive impact: “This was probably the first time I felt it was okay to share my feelings of being an outcast, a throw-away, and someone who didn’t deserve another chance.” They continue, “My hope through this research is to remove the barriers and stigma…and to encourage people to not be ashamed or afraid to get some help.”
From January 2020 through June 2022, Darke County took part in the HCS intervention as one of 19 participating counties in Ohio. The study allocated funding for county coalitions to lead a community-engaged, data-driven process to select and implement evidence-based practices. A health communications campaign was also implemented in each county to reduce stigma and increase demand for evidence-based practices. The study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term®) Initiative.
“People in recovery from or living with substance use disorder can provide us with guidance on how best to support them along their journey. As researchers, we need to listen to and work with them to identify solutions that lead them to recovery and help them maintain recovery long-term,” says Bridget Freisthler, Ph.D., who worked as one of the principal investigators of the study at The Ohio State University. “We are so appreciative of the community members who participated in this project and taught us about their experiences with addiction.”
More information about study results, as well as the full success story, can be accessed by visiting https://u.osu.edu/hcsohio
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by CrownRandall | Jan 24, 2025 | Agriculture
GREENVILLE – We’re thrilled to share some exciting news about a group of talented students from our community who recently showcased their skills at the County Ag Power & Diagnostics Competition, hosted by Koenigs Equipment!
Mason, Marissa, Bo, and Wyatt each competed in this highly competitive event, testing their knowledge and expertise in agricultural mechanics, diagnostics, and problem-solving. Their hard work, preparation, and passion for agriculture were on full display as they took on a variety of hands-on challenges, from troubleshooting machinery to diagnosing and repairing complex systems.
Highlights from the Competition:
Mason demonstrated exceptional problem-solving abilities, quickly diagnosing issues with agricultural equipment and applying his technical skills to repair and optimize performance.
Marissa impressed the judges with her precision and attention to detail, excelling in the diagnostic challenges and showing a true knack for understanding the mechanics of agricultural machines.
Bo brought his team spirit and determination, tackling each task with confidence and a keen understanding of agricultural technology, proving that teamwork and skill go hand in hand.
Wyatt showcased his advanced knowledge of agricultural systems, solving difficult issues with efficiency and demonstrating a true passion for working with cutting-edge machinery.
This competition was a fantastic opportunity for these students to apply their classroom learning to real-world scenarios, and we couldn’t be more proud of their achievements. They’ve gained valuable experience that will serve them well in their future agricultural careers.
A huge thank you to Koenigs Equipment for hosting such a fantastic event and for providing these students with the chance to shine. We look forward to more opportunities like this to support and nurture the talents of our young agricultural professionals.
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