www.ffa.org Open in urlscan Pro
2620:12a:8001::1  Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

GET /search-results/

<form role="search" method="get" class="search-form" action="/search-results/">
  <i class="fa fa-search"></i>
  <input class="text searchbox" type="search" placeholder="Search FFA.org" name="_sf_s" id="search-input">
</form>

Text Content

Skip to main contentEnable accessibility for visually impairedOpen the
accessibility menu






Skip to content
 * HOME
 * SHOP
 * SUBSCRIBE
 * ROSTER

 * HOME
 * SHOP
 * SUBSCRIBE
 * ROSTER


Menu
 * Explore FFA
   * Get To Know FFA
     * About Us
     * FFA Leadership
     * FFA History
     * FFA Membership
     * FFA Alumni and Supporters
     * Chapter Locator
     * Media & Brand
     * FFA Video Center
     * Educator Resources
   * Awards & Competitive Events
     * Career & Leadership Events
     * Agricultural Proficiency Awards
     * Agriscience Fair
     * National Chapter
     * American FFA Degree
     * American Star Awards
     * Honorary Awards
     * Grants & Scholarships
   * Events & Conferences
     * National FFA Convention & Expo
     * National FFA Week
     * FFA Member Leadership Series
     * ILSSO
     * New Century Farmer
     * State Officer Leadership Continuum
     * Washington Leadership Conference
     * Next Gen Conferences
   * Programs & Resources
     * Living to Serve
     * Give the Gift of Blue
     * Literacy & Advocacy
     * Local Engagement
     * AgExplorer
     * Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE)
     * Teacher Ambassadors
     * AFNR Value Chain
     * FFA Blue 365
     * FFA Help Center
 * News
   * Submit Your Story Idea
 * Foundation
 * Dashboard
   * Teachers | Advisors
   * Student Members
   * Alumni Members
   * State Staff
   * Alumni State Staff
   * Alumni Leader
   * Post-Secondary Educator
   * State Officers
   * State Foundation Staff
 * * 
 * Donate



Home/Career Pathways, FFA New Horizons, SAE, The Feed/Standout SAE Mints a
Farmer


STANDOUT SAE MINTS A FARMER

By Lauren Denton|2022-12-28T10:45:24-05:00December 28th, 2022|Career Pathways,
FFA New Horizons, SAE, The Feed|
 * View Larger Image

 * 
 * 

Brock Ashley didn’t grow up on a farm, but he found his place — or rather,
agricultural placement — on one. In 2017, at the end of his freshman year, he
joined a morning farmhand program for high school students at Gumz Farms in
Endeavor, Wis., and with the exception of a semester at college in fall 2021, he
has been there since.

“I knew I wanted to do something in ag, and that was the closest opportunity
that worked for me,” Ashley says. “My parents just had to drop me off at school,
and the bus took us there.”

While Gumz is a 6,000-acre diversified-crop farm “with something different to do
every day,” the former Portage FFA president carved his niche among the
specialty crop mint. His harvesting and oil extraction supervised agricultural
experience (SAE) won him the 2021 Wisconsin FFA Fiber and Oil Crop Production
Proficiency Award and the spot as Wisconsin’s finalist for the 2022 American
Star in Agricultural Placement.

“I was really shocked [by the accolades],” Ashley says. “A lot of other kids
have been working their farm jobs their entire lives, and I thought I was a
nobody.”

Clearly not. So how did Ashley, who professes he “paved his own way in ag,”
steer himself to a standout SAE? First, he points to FFA, which he joined in
middle school. “My aunt was an FFA advisor at another high school, so I always
joked that I didn’t have a choice,” he adds. He credits her and his other
advisors, which includes his cousin, for pushing him to submit his SAE.

He also acknowledges that FFA “prepared me for what to expect” and introduced
him to industry connections, which opened the doors for conversations. “Don’t be
afraid to talk to people about what you’re interested in,” he advises. “A lot of
farmers want to see young people get involved. My employer was always really
interested in my FFA journey and growth.”

Ashley also had a willingness to learn. “I couldn’t have worked my way up
without it,” he says. “It may mean picking rocks for about a year or so, but
everybody’s got to pick rocks.”

Ashley’s commitment to the task at hand — whether it was clearing fields,
harvesting mint, learning to drive tractors or changing tires in the shop during
the winter — has led the way to more responsibilities and opportunities at Gumz
Farms. The latest, working in the agronomy department and experiencing seed
sales, has sparked his interest for the future, where the field remains wide
open.

“I don’t really plan on finding a different career,” he says.

To learn about other SAEs and get inspiration for your own, visit SAEForAll.org.

SHARE THIS STORY

FacebookTwitterLinkedInWhatsappPinterestEmail



RELATED POSTS

 * PAINTING THE PAST
   
   January 13th, 2023 | 0 Comments

 * WHAT’S IN AN EMBLEM?
   
   January 9th, 2023 | 0 Comments

 * TIPS FOR SCHOLARSHIP SUCCESS
   
   January 4th, 2023 | 0 Comments

 * 24 HOURS OF GIVING FOR GROWING THE FUTURE
   
   January 1st, 2023 | 0 Comments

 * 5 TIPS FOR FARM SAFETY IN COLD CONDITIONS
   
   December 28th, 2022 | 0 Comments

 * WARRENTON COMMUNITY FUNDS CHAPTER’S FUTURE
   
   December 28th, 2022 | 0 Comments

 * 6 UNUSUAL CAREERS IN AG
   
   December 28th, 2022 | 0 Comments

 * MEMBER‘S LEGACY OFFERS OFFICIAL DRESS
   
   January 20th, 2023 | 0 Comments

 * IMPROVE YOUR PUBLIC SPEAKING WITH IMPROV
   
   January 20th, 2023 | 0 Comments

 * GO FOR MORE INCLUSIVE GOALS
   
   January 13th, 2023 | 0 Comments


 * Popular
 * Recent

 * FAQ: Changes to Official Dress Guidelines
   January 26th, 2017
 * Predictions: Top 5 Agriculture Careers in 2020
   August 31st, 2017
 * 2018-19 National FFA Officer Team Elected at the 91st National FFA Convention
   & Expo
   October 27th, 2018
 * The Fight for Female Membership
   February 15th, 2019

 * Member‘s Legacy Offers Official Dress
   January 20th, 2023
 * Improve Your Public Speaking With Improv
   January 20th, 2023
 * Go for More Inclusive Goals
   January 13th, 2023
 * Painting the Past
   January 13th, 2023

LATEST ISSUE

Spring/Summer 2023 FFA New Horizons
Read more publications on Calaméo
 * About FFA New Horizons
 * Magazine Archive (1952-2010)
 * FFA New Horizons Teaching Guide
 * Digital FFA New Horizons Lessons

GET TO KNOW FFA

 * About Us
 * Leadership
 * Membership



AWARDS & COMPETITIVE EVENTS

 * Career and Leadership Events
 * Proficiency Awards
 * Agriscience Fair
 * National Chapter Award
 * American FFA Degree



EVENTS & CONFERENCES

 * National FFA Convention
 * National FFA Week
 * FFA Member Leadership Services



CONTACT

National FFA Organization
6060 FFA Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46278-1370

1-888-332-2668
Contact us

Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST



© 2023 National FFA Organization  |  Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service   |
 Bias Protocol |  Accessibility Policy  |  Contact  |  Help  |  Careers  |  Site
Map  |  HOME  |  SHOP  |  ROSTER
FacebookTwitterYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn




X



Go to Top