Abbotsford FFA members sell fruit and nuts

A total of 52 FFA members were involved this past Nov. and Dec. selling fruits, nuts and mixed boxes of fruit to many customers in Abbotsford and the surrounding communities.

The oranges, grapefruit and mixed boxes sold in the sale came from Russ Davis Wholesale in Merrill. The peanut items came from the Florida Farm Bureau marketing division located in Gainseville, Fla. The apples, grown in Washington state, were delivered to school by Indianhead Food Service, located in Eau Claire.

Selling the most fruit was Calley Ruesch, followed by Landon Ploeckelman, Aaron Dukelow, Khloe Frahmann, Abby Hovland, Taylor Hammel and Jordan and Matt Jakel.

The sale included selling 20 and 40 pound boxes of navel oranges and pink grapefruit. The apple selection included thirteen 20 to 40 pound boxes of Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Braeburn apples. Also available were mixed gift boxes of oranges, apples and grapefruit. Nuts were also on the sale form, including chocolate covered pecans and peanuts, mixed nuts, cashews, skinless peanuts, honey crunch and butter toffee peanuts and some nut gift packs The fruit sale is a major fundraising activity for the Abbotsford FFA member. By selling fruit, students learn skills involved in salesmanship, record keeping, customer relations and deliver of items to their customers.

Money raised is used to help finance activities for the year to recognize the efforts of the members selling fruit. A trip took place on Saturday, Jan. 29, to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.

A second fruit sale will take place during National FFA Week, which is the third week in Feb., where similar items will be sold by FFA members. Items will be delivered to customers in early March.