Fall is officially ''Ripe in the Land of Oceana,'' bringing all the traditional happenings of the season with it. Day and nighttime temperatures are cooler along with shorter daylight hours and longer evening hours. Football is in season, and fall colors are appearing on deciduous trees. Fall harvest season is also ripe.
Corn silage chopping is progressing rapidly, and the early planted grain corn harvest has started. A few soybean fields have been run, and winter wheat planting is beginning. The green bean harvest is ongoing, and squash is rolling into the processing plants.
Apple harvest crews are busy picking an already small crop with Golden Delicious, Red Delicious and Spy coming off the trees. The weather has been mostly favorable, and overall quality is good. Some orchards have San Jose Scale, and growers will need to implement more effective control measures in 2027 to manage this pesky insect. Some processors are actively seeking all varieties and are offering attractive pricing to obtain these apples. Many growers are short on most varieties.
Agri-science classes and the FFA are ripening nicely at Shelby High School. Ms. Scheffler has a large number of agri-science students that are becoming very interested in the activities of the program. They are currently raising some broiler chickens and following the FFA guidelines even though the contest deadline escaped them. An FFA Alumni and Support Group has been chartered, and plans are being developed to assist the teacher in a number of activities. These include fundraising, developing possible mentors for the students SAE's (Supervised Agricultural Experiences), identifying possible field trip sites, developing leadership team activities and planning a trip to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis later this month.
The FFA Alumni group is open to community adults who could assist the program in any way. Former FFA membership is not a requirement to be involved. Currently, a raffle for, among other prizes, a chance to win a John Deere Gator is being conducted statewide. Tickets purchased through a local alumni return one half of the ticket price of $10 to the local chapter activities.
October is one of the deadliest months for vehicle accidents and farm machinery on the roads.
Traveling at 55 mph requires 300 feet (the length of a football field) to brake and decelerate enough to prevent a collision. As in every month's article, please be observant when traveling our rural roads.
