Thinking outside-the-box is a must for Cornell FFA

Thanks to one of the chapter members, the other students got to see a more unique chicken breed – a silkie. Submitted Photo

Picking up right where they left off, the first week back in school, Cornell FFA students took their learning outside, and discovered the importance of forests and the benefits they have, for wildlife and humans. While in the outdoors, the youth challenged themselves in tree indentification.

Back inside, the students experimented with cooking hamburger at different temperatues, to test how crosscontammination affects quality, as well as exploring heredity concepts, by comparing observable traits of apples and collected data.

Thanks to one of the students, others were able to see an unique chicken breed – a silkie.

“Being able to confirm their findings about this particular breed was beneficial to their learning,” said at that time adviser Danielle Mihalski. “Shout-out to the food science class, for processing applesauce for everyone.”

The chapter then headed to the World Dairy Expo. “These members had a great time networking with companies, and seeing the newest and best dairy technology,” said Mihalski. “Well worth the trip.”

To show how corn is an a-maizing plant, sixth-grade agriculture students made corn bioplastic, demonstrating that it is not only used for food, but also fuel and plastic.

Students were also paid a visit by the Section 1 State FFA officer, who spent the day with all the Cornell Agriculture Education classes.

The highlight of the year, so far, was the trip a handful of students and Mihalski took to the Nation FFA Convention. In the midst of the first snow of the year, the Cornell chapter left home and arrived at their first tour, Hummel Livestock farm. The family raises unique animals in their business, including Savannah exotic cats, a show goat operation, Argentine cattle and even a pet kangaroo.

“The most recent project was figuring out how to breed an exotic wild Dingo (found in Australia) to a Collie,” said Mihalki. “They had success and are currently going to be selling puppies soon. This family has done some untraditional and outside-the-box thinking in all of these areas.”

Finally, the chapter wrapped up their trip from Indianapolis, Ind., after general sessions, a career fair and a stop at Fair Oaks Farms, for a tour of their dairy, crop and swine facilities.

“We had the best week, soaking up all of the opportunities National convention had to offer,” said Mihalski.