Mon, 26 Sep 2022 07:57:13 CDT
The 2022 Oklahoma FFA Star in Agribusiness is Shaley Barnes, a member of the Wellston FFA. She is also the Central area Star in Agribusiness.
Barnes was named the statewide Star in Agribusiness during the Wednesday afternoon General Session of the 96th Annual Convention of the Oklahoma FFA in Tulsa.
Barnes and the other State Stars over Oklahoma will each receive $23,673 in scholarships or capital grant funds through a $3.2 million gift from the Carl C. Anderson Sr. and Marie Jo Anderson Charitable Foundation. The late Carl C. Anderson, after whom the State Star awards are now named, was born in Naples, Oklahoma, in 1911. One of 10 children, he dropped out of high school to earn money and support his family. From those modest beginnings, the Anderson Corp. grew across the country as well as in Canada and South America.
After her name was called out- a video produced by Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays and JD Rosman with the Oklahoma Youth Expo. Watch that salute by clicking on the play button in the video box below.
Barnes project involved her two business, Sha’s Nursery and Sha’s Produce.
Sha’s Nursery is a greenhouse operation, Barnes said, and is a facility she uses to raise cacti, succulents and foliage. Sha’s produce is a canned good and garden operation, she added.
Barnes said she sells all of her items out of her 17-foot travel trailer which she uses to travel to different farmer markets and festivals.
“I enjoy the sales,” Barnes said. “I typically set up in my front yard for sales just so I can sell to my community.”
Barnes said she started her business venture off in 2020 to help her community have food stability in an uncertain time. It is nice to have her travel trailer, Barnes added, which allows her to sell in exciting new places.
Barnes is grateful for the help of her ag teacher and family members for giving her plants to start off with. Barnes received a greenhouse for her 15th birthday, she said, which helped her start growing her many different products.
“I am admitted into Oklahoma State University and hoping to minor in horticulture,” Barnes said.
Barnes hopes to continue with her businesses in whatever area she moves to in the future.
“I am actually going to become a mathematics teacher,” Barnes said. “I am very excited to do that and to continue it on to a new area, and my parents will continue it in the area we still have in Wellston.”
Click the LISTEN BAR below to hear KC’s full interview with Shaley Barnes
Click here for all the information available about the 2022 State FFA Convention as found on the Oklahoma FFA website.
Our coverage of the 2022 Oklahoma FFA Convention is sponsored by Hilliary Communications, serving more than 19,000 customers with telephone service in 22 counties throughout Oklahoma & Texas. The company also offers IP television service and internet speeds up to 1 Gig. Hilliary Communications continuously researches the marketplace for innovations and strives to improve underdeveloped areas, offering services that exceed customer expectations. Click here to learn more about Hilliary Communications.
Our stories from the 2022 Oklahoma FFA Convention will be located on our website within our Blue Green Gazette pages- and stories from this year and last can be seen by clicking here.
