The Sleepy Eye FFA members had a fun-filled day of learning on the Summer Ag Tour. Pictured at Schmidt’s Meat Market - L to R, front: Arianna Guerra, Arianna Moore, Neveah Moore, Isabella Robb, Ellie Weilage, Peyton Erickson, Aubree Rathman, Sam Rodriguez, Kylie Fischer. middle: Kenley Jensen, Madi Martinez, Ava Sellner, Paola Gonzalez, Arianna Hernandez, Ruby Tauer, Ella Arkins, Karina Martinez, Cassie Muehlbauer, Breanna Lopez. back: Michael Pool, Emerson Johnson, Mateo Hornsby, Noah Rossbach, Robert Romberg, Cameron Moore, Ethan Feucht, Carsten Nienhaus, Cesar Martinez and Jony Flores.

SLEEPY EYE – Twenty-nine members of Sleepy Eye’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) took part in an agriculture tour of the surrounding communities in order to learn about each and the career opportunities within them.

The day started with a trip to Schmidt’s Meat Market in Nicollet, MN. Since 1947 Schmidt’s has been supplying the community with their award winning smoked products. While touring, students first learned the history of the market before seeing how the meat is processed, smoked, and stored.

Next, the group traveled to Ziegler CAT in Mankato, Minnesota. Ziegler sells, services, and rents equipment for both construction and agricultural uses. Students were able to walk through their service center, see how parts are organized for field repairs, and climb into some of their equipment.

The third tour was to Big Gain Feed, a feed company in Mankato. Big Gain buys corn from local producers to be used in creating custom formulated diets. As the group toured, they were able to see the entire process from the unloading of grain to seeing it stored and shipped.

Each year, Sleepy Eye FFA conducts one-day tours in the summer with at least three educational stops. This is a way for our members to gain first-hand knowledge of different aspects of careers and explore the various career pathways. From different geological formations to the metal fab shop, the trip provided a range of numerous career opportunities.