Many FFA members and others involved in Ag Day have made memories at Ag teacher and FFA adviser Mr. Ben Hepburn’s farm for FFA members and all others involved in activities such as Ag Day.
Most of these memories are made the night before, and the early morning of, Ag Day.
The FFA, or Future Farmers of America, officers spend the night before Ag Day at Hepburn’s farm to start the preparations, which is the most extended process included in Ag Day.
“I spent the night because I am an officer and we needed people to watch over the apple butter all night,” said senior FFA Vice President Aspen Gair.
Most of the night is spent boiling down the apple cider and keeping the fire at a constant temperature. It took eight to nine hours for the cider to boil down to the point of adding the apples.
FFA officers who stayed for the night spent those eight to nine hours in various ways. Some slept, some played card games, some listened to music, and some told stories.
But there was one thing that stood out.
When asked what the funniest thing that happened was, most of the students said that it was Hepburn mowing the grass at one in the morning. Hepburn said he had never mowed that early in the morning and enjoyed doing it.
Instead of having timed shifts, the officers spent the night taking turns. Whenever they could not sleep, they would come out and help, and those who were tired went to bed.
The younger officers stayed awake the longest, not going to bed until six in the morning and getting little sleep.
When asked how they stayed awake all night, sophomore Ethan Hendershot said he managed with “[A] Twelve-pack of iced tea I split with my girlfriend and listening to music.”
Others spent the night with friends around the fire, keeping an eye on it.
When asked, sophomore Bryson Lundy said he spent the night with “Leah Kaufman, Ethan Hendeshot, Colton Markel, Maddie Sleboda, Emmie Carson, Anna Baylor, Myken Barns, and Wyatt Fry.”
When asked about what would stick out in the future about staying at Hepburn’s farm, senior officer Myken Barnes said, “Being able to hang out with another school’s FFA and to share ideas and input on how we run each club.”
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