Balers In The Hay Business

Back in 1998 San Benito High School purchased some land off Nash Road to build a new campus. The new campus was completed in 2004 and the rest of the land behind the campus turned into everyone’s dumping ground. Not long ago, teacher Kelly Bianchi and some students talked about growing hay on the land behind the campus. That idea became a reality and today hay is a few inches tall. The FFA, the Ag Advisory Council and a group of Ag students are definitely standing a little taller.
Two plots of 17 acres and 22 acres were planted with a forage mix. Students and parents cleared the parcels, prepared the soil, and planted the hay. Students, with the help of another teacher, Renee Reed, studied the mechanics of the planting process and even got involved in the actual work. Parents like Chris Brigantino and Bret Johnson stepped up with equipment and expertise. The students continue to study the process including the biology of the planting and growth monitoring, and the economics of the whole adventure …the cost of seed, preparing the land, planting, harvesting, bailing and storing.
Come June or July when the hay is ready for harvesting it will be used for FFA projects on campus. The remaining hay will be sold to cover the costs of planting and growing. Hopefully, there will be some profit for the FFA and the Ag Advisory Council to share and enough to fund planting again next year.
Students have been involved in all aspects of this project. Because the land was mostly abandoned before, some people used it as a dump. The students who cleared the land marveled at the amount of junk that was hauled away. They reveal an obvious pride as they describe the process and survey their growing handiwork.
Hats off to Kelly Bianchi, her students, and their parents who have turned a potentially dangerous eyesore into a great hands-on learning
experience full of biology, agriculture, and economic lessons.

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