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Marshall FAA members collect more than 1,000 bushels during drive

Photo by Jenny Kirk Marshall FFA students (from left) Brady Larsen, Kyle Christensen and Thad Pease ask farmer Mark Gustafson to sign a form after he donated some corn — right from his combine to the FFA member's wagon — on a corn drive on Thursday.

MARSHALL — The windy conditions made it more difficult, but thanks to the generosity of area farmers and their own dedication, Marshall High School FFA members were able to collect more than 1,000 bushels in a corn drive on Thursday.

While some Marshall FFA students were on their way to the national FFA convention already, 10 members diligently traveled the countryside in search of farmers out combining their fields of corn.

“It was pretty fun,” junior Kyle Christensen said. “We went and got a bunch of corn from farmers. They were pretty generous. They were dumping corn in even when we told them to stop.”

Christensen drove the back roads with fellow FFA members Thad Pease, a sophomore, and Brady Larsen, a freshman.

“It was a good day,” Pease said. One farmer that we didn’t see right away — we came back later and he gave us a whole bunch of corn. The farmers were good guys.”

Larsen said the wind was definitely challenging — to drive in and even just to stand there and talk to the farmers. But overall, he said it was an enjoyable experience.

“I thought it was fun for us and for all the farmers that helped us, that donated corn,” he said. “It was pretty nice.”

Like other farmers, Mark Gustafson was harvesting as quickly as he could.

“I’m trying to beat the rain and snow,” he said. “It’s coming.”

FFA member Micayla Murphy cruised up and down the gravel roads with Madi Sires and Abigail Kesteloot.

“It went good,” Murphy said. “Farmers were really generous. One of them donated a lot. We got (the wagon) all the way to the top.”

Murphy said maneuvering the wagon behind them was easy when it was empty, but caused a few issues once it was completely loaded.

“At one point, we couldn’t back up the wagon very well,” she said. “When there wasn’t any corn in there, it was easy. But not once it got full. You have to back up the opposite of a car.”

At first, Murphy’s group had a difficult time finding a farmer out in the field.

“Our part was over by Ghent and County Road 8,” Murphy said. “We went around asking — at first, nobody was out and some of them were done (combining corn) already — but then we found some.”

Murphy said they upon one farmer who had just unloaded his corn from the combine.

“When we got there, he didn’t have much, so he combined some more and then back over to us,” she said. “It was worth the wait.”

Once any of the three wagons were full, they were brought to either the Milroy Elevator or ADM.

“Donations can still be made at either of those places if there are farmers we missed who come in,” Christensen said. “They can still donate (to Marshall FFA) even if we didn’t get to them.”

In addition to some cash donations, Marshall FFA adviser Michael Braithwaite said the students collected about 1,100 bushes of corn in the day-long effort.

“The proceeds will be going to the Marshall FFA Chapter with a percentage, as decided by the chapter in our November meeting, going to Camp Courage,” Braithwaite said.

One of the best parts, according to the FFA students, was making and providing lunch for the farmers they met.

“That was really fun,” Christensen said.

Braithwaite said the students gave out nearly 100 lunches that included sandwiches, water, chips and candy bars.

“The students gave out the lunches as a small thank you to our local farmers,” he said. “I am very happy with the connections that our students made with our local farmers as well as giving them the opportunity to thank our farmers during this busy and stressful time.”

FFA students Jarret Beebout, Ashley Zwach, Devon Sanchez and Jordan Clapsaddle also took part in the corn drive.

“We will continue to take any donations as this helps support many Career Development Events and other leadership opportunities for our future farmers,” Braithwaite said.

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