FFA, 4-H member Emily Vigar prepares for busy fair season

Emily Vigar, a 16-year-old sophomore at Rochester High School, has found an impressive amount of success in the world of agriculture and raising show animals for someone her age.

For three years, she has been a member of FFA and is going on her ninth year with the 4-H.

Last year she won the “double double” at the Fulton County 4-H

Fair: double grand championships in sheep, grand champion ewe and grand champion market lamb.

“Having a double grand is a feeling that is unmatched. It’s great for any showman, not just myself, when something like this happens. It tells you you’re doing something right and that you’re not spending all your summer in the barn for no reason. It all shows your work ethic paid off.

“I’ve always been told, ‘If we’re going to do something, then we’re going to do it right.’ I’ve always been a competitor, not only in 4-H,” said Vigar.

During this time of year, she has her work cut out for her.

Preparing for this coming fair season means cleaning out their barn and organizing tack.

This is also the busiest time of year, as it is birthing season, and they are taking care of kidding and calving.

She is also assisting the Rochester FFA Chapter in preparing for the annual FFA auction Saturday, March 25, at the Fulton County Fairgrounds.

Vigar explained they don’t keep sheep at her farm yearround, as they do not have the room to raise them. She primarily raises beef and dairy cattle and dairy goats. When the season approaches, they purchase sheep from market.

“My sheep get raised and walked at least 4 times a week, sometimes more,” said Vigar. During this time they also “work leg hair,” where they wash and condition the sheep to help the growth and volume of their leg hairs for showing.

“Winning any spot in the grand drive is a huge accomplishment, not in just the sheep project. This is the feeling when you know all your work paid off. It’s a feeling that is kinda unexplainable,” said Vigar.

She humbly added, “I can’t take all the credit; my family has a huge part in everything I do and accomplish. They spend those hours in the barn with me. They push me to work harder and encourage me on the days I need it. Stiffler Club Lambs and family help me present my sheep to the best of their ability. Their time and effort to help me be successful is something I will always be thankful for, along with the quality time and friendships I have

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Regenerative gardening

Regenerative gardening focuses on biodiversity and working with nature to create a balanced habitat of interdependent plants and animals, from the fauna, fungi and bacteria that live in the soil, to the insects and animals that we interact with day to day.

To promote a healthy backyard ecosystem, we must seek to understand the natural cycles that are part of our world.

Growing food plants is itself an earth-friendly practice in that it eliminates “food miles” and the carbon costs of producing and trans- porting food. Here are some ways to bring holistic management practices into the vegetable gardens:

• Plant lots of flowers and herbs along with vegetables to create a healthy ecosystem. A diverse garden will have pests, such as aphids and cabbageworms. It will also attract pollinators, as well as lady beetles and parasitoid wasps that will help keep pests in check.

• Compost kitchen and garden waste. Or, bury food waste and coffee grounds in the soil. Our food wastes are nourishment for soil biContinued on page 21

FFA, 4-H member

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Unfortunately, she explained this year has been less than perfect. The grand champion cow that “started it all” for her has been down lately.

“Each step we take we get closer to being back to the normal, but it takes time that seems like ages. This has taken a toll on my family emotionally. Anyone in the show life or farm life will say, ‘If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.’ And this is a real truth. So much goes into it that people don’t realize,” said Vigar.

Despite the struggles, the benefits are worth it. Some of her favorite things about being a member of the 4-H is the relationships she grows with her animals, the countless hours in the barn and spending time with her family. The memories and friendships she has made during her time in both 4-H and FFA are something she says she will always be grateful for.

“FFA has really gotten me out of my comfort zone. I’ve become an overall better person through FFA and the opportunities I have been given,” said Vigar.