Future Farmers

Do these gals look like Future Farmers to you? My how the world has changed. It is also small.

Tonight, Noel and I headed over to Joe's Crab Shack at Post Road and I-70 here in Indianapolis, to meet my niece Ashley who lives back in Patrick County, Virginia. Ashley is an offier in the Future Farmers of America. (All the FFA officers in the hometown chapter are girls.)

Her adviser is Mr. Terry, Wendell Terry. Wendell graduated a little ahead of me and married my PE teacher, Cindy. (She lovingly referred to me and Rhonda Haden Rakes as Motor Mouth One and Motor Mouth Two.) So we sat in Indianaopolis over clam chowder and caught up on the gossip in Stuart, Ararat, Woolwine, Meadows of Dan, and Patrick Springs. As we were leaving, a busload of kids came in. I saw a handful of KU and K-State sweatshirts among them and walked up to their adviser. Where are you from?

She smiled sweetly and replied, "We're from Kansas," as if to say, "We're from Timbuktoo. I'm sure you've heard of it, but you've certainly never been there."

Where in Kansas? I pressed.

"Well," she hesitated, "Wamego, Onaga, Frankfurt. . . ."

I laughed and told her I was from Topeka. Her students' eyes got big as saucers!

About 50,000 students and teachers are gathered here for the FFA's national convention. Years ago, Kansas City hosted this event but the FFA outgrew the accommodations. It's a shame we couldn't keep them there. What a great bunch of teenagers!

Top Photo: Courtesy of Indy Star, FFA members at the convention dance to music at the Tractor Supply Co. exhibit booth at the Indiana Convention Center.