For a quarter of a century, FFA members from high schools all over California have converged on Pierce High School the first Saturday in February for one of the largest agriculture field day competitions in the state.
This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Arbuckle Field Day, which grew from three agriculture-related contests and a handful of students in 1998 to about 20 contests with more than 1,000 competitors in 2023.
After a virtual event during the pandemic in 2021 and a scaled back event in 2022, Saturday saw the full return of the milestone event that effectively provided a venue for students to explore career opportunities, skills, and proficiency in the agriculture industry, through contests that emphasized critical thinking and problem solving.
“This is the first big event since COVID,” said Field Day committee member Alllie Traynham, 16. “It’s been great. I’m happy that we get to put this on.”
Contests included public speaking, floriculture judging, farm equipment operation, dairy identification, surveying, soil evaluation, vegetable crop judging, ag mechanics, wood working, veterinary science, and many others.
For about 80 ninth graders just starting out in the FFA high school program, reciting the FFA Creed emphasized their faith in the future of agriculture.
The FFA Creed outlines the organization’s beliefs regarding the agricultural industry, FFA membership, and the value of citizenship and patriotism.
“You have to recite five paragraphs written by E.M. Tiffany and then you answer three questions pertaining to the Creed,” said McKenna Dunlap, 14, of Maxwell High School.
For Dunlap, along with Straus Giffin, from Colusa High School, and Tyler Braunner, from Maxwell, it was their first Arbuckle Field Day, although they all have competed in the other events.
“I like competitions, hanging out with people, and doing the tests,” Giffin said.
The Creed is recited by FFA members as part of the requirements to earn the Greenhand Degree and contributes to their advancement in the FFA degree program.
Braunner said he prepared for the contest for months.
FFA members who qualified after their first round of contests advanced to the finals later in the day.
Amber Dias, of Colusa FFA, ranked first in AET Farm Records, leading her team to a second place finish behind the team from Elk Grove-Pleasant Grove.
Colusa’s Carlie Sanchez and Alena Sanchez ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.
The Arbuckle Field Day at Pierce High School is one of the first FFA competitions of the year. Chico State will host a similar event on Saturday.
While the Chico State event is facilitated by college staff, faculty, and volunteers, the Arbuckle Field Day is the largest student-organized Field Day held in California, although it requires dozens of adult volunteers from the community.
“It’s a massive event that just keeps going,” said Randy Johnson, Colusa County Farm Bureau volunteer who helped students prepare 1,300 pounds of tri-tip to feed about 1,500 students and volunteers.
At the end of the day, after the completion of the contests, students gathered in the gym to find where they placed in their contests and what chapters will advance to state competitions.
The 25th Arbuckle FFA Field Day also saw the return of beloved teacher and first Arbuckle FFA Field Day advisor Cindy Rhode, who was recognized as part of the anniversary celebration of the event.
Rhode, who retired in 2020, ran the Agricultural Mechanics program at Pierce High School for 31 years.
“Pierce has one of the biggest FFA programs,” said Traynham, who grew up in a Colusa County agriculture family and will graduate from Pierce High School in 2024. “I’ve made so many friends and learned so much about farming and the community around us. I think in the future, I will go into an agricultural-based job.” ■