Farmer donates to local Uniontown FFA

UNIONTOWN -- Many schools around the country are giving students the opportunity to get "down and dirty" during class time.

These schools are starting gardens, which provide students with an agricultural hands-on learning experience they cannot receive in the classroom. The Uniontown FFA will now be able to join the trend thanks to a local farmer and America's Farmers Grow Communities.

Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, gives farmers the opportunity to win $2,500 for their favorite local nonprofit organizations.

Henry Ericson was the winning farmer in Bourbon County. He recognized the need to support agricultural education and directed the donation to the Uniontown FFA.

The FFA plans to use the $2,500 to purchase land to plant crops, a news release said.

"Our school recently developed a horticulture program," FFA Advisor Kevin Gleason said. "There is a plot of land north of the school that we would like to use to plant sweet corn, a pumpkin patch and other plants. We would even let some of the elementary students use some of the land so they can learn how to garden. This would be a great learning experience for all of the students."

In a ceremony held on Thursday, April 12, at Uniontown High School, Ericson got the chance to present the Uniontown FFA with the $2,500 donation.

Through America's Farmers Grow Communities:

* Farmers in 1,245 eligible counties have the chance to win $2,500 for their favorite community nonprofit organizations.

* The Monsanto Fund has invested more than $3.1 million to rural communities this year alone.

* More than $580,000 in total has been donated to nonprofits in Kansas.

* A list of all winners and more information can be found at www.growcommunities.com.

Grow Communities is part of a broad commitment by the Monsanto Fund to invest in farm communities, such as Bourbon County. It aims to highlight contributions farmers such as the ones Ericson makes to society every day, the release said.