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SE FFA at the Brown County Fair

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In the top left image Jaxon Steffl earned overall best in show in Beef with his market animal. The top right image features Ava Sellner who won overall best in show in crops with her shelled corn sample. In the middle right is Carter Lazatin who won best in show Ag Literacy with his model crappie. In the bottom left image Carsten Nienhaus stands with his New Zealand rabbit which won best in show in the Rabbit Exhibit. In the bottom right,  Madelynn Mangen holds one of her Copper Marans that won overall best in show in the FFA Poultry Show.

Sleepy Eye Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter members had many different roles at the 2026 Brown County Fair from August 12th-16th.

The members showcased their crop, mechanics, Ag. literacy, and livestock projects and also helped run the FFA Kiddybarn and FFA shows at the Brown County Fair.

Livestock exhibitors included: Dairy- Jared and Dustin Portner. Beef- Elsie Trebesch, Ethan Feucht, Jasmine Petermann, Jaxon Steffl, Alex Confer.  Poultry- Carsten Nienhaus, Ava Sellner, Alex Confer, Ethan Feucht, Logan Hinderman, Kayden Klein, Karina Martinez, Noah Rossbach, Madelynn Mangen. Sheep- Elsie Trebesch, Madelynn Mangen. Rabbit- Carsten Nienhaus, Alex Confer, Paola Gonzalez, Kayden Klein, Karina Martinez, Miah Rayas, Kylie Fischer. Horse- Millie Lax, Kenedi Wersal, Kaylie Piehl, Avery Steffl.

The Sleepy Eye FFA chapter was very successful with their projects. The following are the Sleepy Eye FFA members who won overall best in show in their area.

 

Crops Champion

Ava Sellner – Shelled Corn

Ag Literacy Champion 

Carter Lazatin – Leadership 10-12 (Wildlife Fish Project)

FFA Beef:

Jaxon Steffl – Market Beef

FFA Rabbit:

Carsten Nienhaus – Large Breed

FFA Poultry:

Madelynn Mangen – Egg Production

 

The FFA chapters within Brown County also conducted the FFA Kiddy Barn during the five days of the fair. It was a huge success thanks to the many FFA members from Sleepy Eye, Springfield, and New Ulm who worked shifts during the fair as well as the people who donated animals for the Kiddy Barn. Members of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter participated in helping children have a great experience with baby animals and learning about farm safety and agriculture while at the fair.

 

The FFA Kiddy Barnyard exhibited newborn farm animals donated by several families including: Spring Creek Dairy (Holstein Calf), North Star Pork (Piglets), and Runnings (Chicks).

 

The FFA Kiddy Barnyard also had an agriculture coloring & activity station as well as a safety carnival. At the safety carnival, FFA members conducted several games with safety questions covering grain, ATV's, tractors & machinery, animals, and chemicals. The members of the Sleepy Eye chapter had a great time teaching youth at the Kiddy Barnyard about animals and safety as well as showcasing their FFA projects during the Brown County Fair.

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