A young innovator in Paxton, Nebraska, has turned school land into a thriving corn test plot, proving that seeds of opportunity can yield incredible results.
Landon Drews, a sophomore at Paxton Consolidated Schools, jumped on the opportunity to farm a piece of land owned by the school. His agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor, Corey Turner, encouraged him to pursue the venture as his Supervised Agricultural Experience, or SAE. In order to do so, however, he had to present his plan to the school board for approval.
After detailing his ideas, Drews was enthusiastically given a green light.
“They jumped right on it,’ said Drews.
With some encouragement from his older brother, Dalton, Drews decided to turn the land into a dryland corn test plot. From there, he approached local seed dealers and began working with companies like Beck’s, Channel, DeKalb, Golden Harvest, Pioneer, and Hoegemeyer Hybrids. Each dealer contributed four different seed varieties, allowing the test plot to become a practical experiment for different seed types.
“The community has been very supportive,” Drews noted. “Everyone I talk to in town says the corn is looking good.”
At the end of the month, Drews will harvest his test plots with a combine loaned by the Nebraska Harvest Center in Ogallala. He and the Paxton FFA Chapter will host a Dryland Test Plot Harvest Day that will feature a grill-out, giveaways, and good old fashioned fun.
“I’m excited to get the school and community involved,” said Drews. “That is my goal.”
Looking to next year, Drews has already begun talks with seed dealers to build on this year’s experience. One thing is certain: there will be plenty seeds of opportunity that arise from this 10-acre test plot.
Join the Paxton FFA Dryland Test Plot Harvest Day Celebration!
Date: Wednesday, October 30th
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (MT)
Location: West Highway 30, next to the bus barn in Paxton, Nebraska
Listen to our interview with Landon Drews here:
