Grafting Apple Trees
with Pioneer Valley FFA
Students had the opportunity to sharpen their horticultural skills Wednesday
March 5th when they learned how to graft one apple tree to another. The grafting
was taught to Pioneer Valley High School students by members of the California
Rare Fruit Growers (CRFG). The process involves attaching or connecting a new
variety on an existing tree to improve quality and production. Pioneer Valley FFA
agricultural students planned to start the learning experience in the classroom with
retired Cal Poly Professor Joe Sabol and other CRFG members followed by the
actual grafting as they wrapped it up in the greenhouse and horticulture area.
Students received one root stock variety and then picked what they wanted to
invent. The grafting choices included “Pink Lady”, “Red Fuji”, “Gala’’, and many
other apple varieties. FFA Advisor, Hector Guerra, believes students were up to
the rewarding challenge of starting a tree from scratch. “This is a skill that not
only can be used later in life, but also can be a gateway that shows students that
they have the ability to create,’’ Guerra said. “You get to witness the growth and
maturation of your hard work and it is a symbolic testament to individual growth
and maturation of our agricultural program and life.’’
Students stood ready to learn this new skill. “I am extremely excited to graft a
tree,’’ said Senior Mikey Ruiz (four-year ag student).”Before this class, I had no
idea this was a thing. And then we even got to take it home!”
The excitement and knowledge Dr. Joe Sabol brought to the activities just
amplified the learning process! His excitement is infectious to all whenever he
steps on campus. These types of learning activities serve as the hands-on real
life approach that the learn by doing motto that agriculture infuses in its daily
curriculum emphasizes. Along with this, it opens doors for many students that
normally would not have the exposure and opportunity of production agriculture
in their home. These kind of activities are a must in order to have a successful
agriculture education program as it helps catapult the FFA to the next level!
Alumni on the Go...
Feature YOUR
Chapter’s great
Alumni in the
next CA FFA News!
This is an opportunity to showcase alumni from your chapter and it’s
simple! Just answer the questions below about alumni who have been
out of the FFA for at least five years.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
California FFA News takes great pride
in its members and chapters; we hope
YOU take advantage of this great
opportunity to showcase outstanding
alumni of your chapter!
Name
Chapter you were a member of
List/Describe the FFA activities/leadership roles you were involved in.
List/Describe the projects you were involved in.
How did your participation in the FFA prepare you for what you are doing today?
Be sure to include what you do, responsibilities for, etc.
Additional information that would be of interest to our readers.
Please send Alumni On The Go information along with photos of “then” and “now” in
jpeg format to Jackie Garcia at [email protected] by the insert deadlines:
Date Magazine is Published
Material Due by 11:59 p.m.
Fall 2014 - September 1st Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Winter 2014 - December 1st Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Spring 2015 - March 1st Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Early Summer 2015 - May 15th Wednesday, April 8, 2015