Activities, projects, planning occupy MV officers

   This year’s Maquoketa Valley FFA Chapter officers have led and participated in many activities, while thinking about the future and managing a variety of SAE projects.

   Here is a look at MV’s officer team.

   Name: Lainey Knipper

   Year in school: Senior

   Office held: President

   Parents/Guardians: Mark and Carmen Knipper

   Hometown: Hopkinton

   SAE project: My registered Boer goat herd in Hopkinton. I breed, raise, market and sell my show-quality Boer goats to local producers for meat production or for the show industry. I started my SAE project in the fall of 2021 with two does; I now have a herd of goats that consists of 10 does and two bucks.

   FFA activities: Ag Biotechnology, Chapter Website, Greenhand Test, Chapter Test, Delaware County Farmer for a Day, Fed in the Fields, Farm Safety Day, Fruit Sales, Pedal Pulls, Floriculture and Plant Sales.

   Most memorable FFA activity or accomplishment: Attending the National FFA Convention in 2022. This was my first time attending it, and I had lots of fun with a great group of people.

   Future plans: Attending Iowa State University with a major in elementary education and a minor in agribusiness. I plan on continuing my SAE project.

   Name: Ethen Brockhohn

   Year in school: Senior

   Office held: Vice President

   Parents/Guardians: Keith and Angie Brockhohn

   Hometown: Delhi

   SAE project: Breeding and raising show swine. I currently have five breeding-age gilts and one boar.

   FFA activities: County Fair, Team Ag Sales, FFA Test Plot, plus many others.

   Most memorable FFA activity or accomplishment: Going to National FFA Convention.

   Future plans: Enter the workforce and continue my SAE.

   Name: Kody Hoeger

   Year in school: Senior

   Office held: Vice President

   Parents/Guardians: Dan and Donna Hoeger

   Hometown: Earlville

   SAE project: Placement in Diversified Livestock as a hired hand on our family farm.

   FFA activities: Farm Business Management, Soil Judging, Ag Mechanics, Agronomy, Fed in the Field, Pedal Pulls, and Farm Safety Day.

   Most memorable FFA activity or accomplishment: Attending state and national conventions.

   Future plans: I plan to enter the workforce and farm with my family.

   Name: Leah Reicher

   Year in school: Junior

   Office held: Secretary

   Parents/Guardians: Nick and Tracey Reicher

   Hometown: Hopkinton

   SAE project: Beekeeping and Honey Production Entrepreneurship.

   FFA activities: Conduct of Meetings, Extemporaneous Speaking, Floriculture, Food Science, Soil Judging, Farm Safety Day, Fed in the Field, Pedal Pulls, Greenhouse/Plant Sale, and many other activities.

   Most memorable FFA activity or accomplishment: When we as a chapter traveled to Ames for State Convention 2023.The night we arrived, we ate at Jethro’s, and after we were finished we were able to be in the game room as a chapter.

   Future plans: Attending an undecided college to major in elementary education.

   Name: Alia Domeyer

   Year in school: Senior

   Office held: Treasurer

   Parents/Guardians: Dewey and Jeannie Domeyer

   Hometown: Delhi

   SAE project: I have worked the last four years on developing my small dairy herd. I have three cows and two calves that I raised from the original Jersey cow I purchased in fourth grade. My work on my SAE includes feeding, bedding and other daily maintenance for calves and heifers. I also milk cows for the farm where my cows go once they calve. Working on my small farm and milking cows at Kunde Jersey farms has taught me so much. I obtained my Iowa Degree last spring.

   FFA activities: Creed Speaking, Public Speaking, Dairy Evaluation and so many more activities.

   Most memorable FFA activity or accomplishment: In my sophomore year, my Dairy Evaluation team competed at the state level, where I won the contest as an individual, and as a team we also placed first. This placing secured us a trip to the National Convention, where we competed against other states. At the national contest, we placed third. The top three teams from this contest earned a trip to Europe. So my team went to Scotland and Ireland, where we competed at the Royal Highland Show and a few other European-style judging contests. The trip was very memorable, and I will forever be indebted to the community that helped us get to that point.

   Future plans: I am going to the University of Northern Iowa to double major in finance and marketing. I have considered working in a bank as an ag loan officer or marketing an agricultural product.

   Name: Haley Ronnebaum

   Year in school: Senior

   Office held: Reporter

   Parents/Guardians: Mitch and Jenny Ronnebaum

   Hometown: Earlville

   SAE project: Dairy Production Placement at Ronnebaum Dairy.

   FFA activities: Team Ag Sales, Dairy Judging, Milk Quality and Products, Floriculture, Livestock Judging, Pedal Pulls, Fed in the Field, Farm Safety Day, Plant Sales, and helping with fundraisers.

   Most memorable FFA activity or accomplishment: Placing third at the National FFA Convention in the Dairy Evaluation Contest, and being able to travel to Europe with my team.

   Future plans: I will attend Iowa State University and major in dairy science on the pre-vet route.

   Name: Kaya Knipper

   Year in school: Senior

   Office held: Reporter

   Parents/Guardians: Mark and Carmen Knipper

   Hometown: Hopkinton

   SAE project: Diversified Agriculture Entrepreneurship with my herd of goats, as well as corn and hay crops.

   FFA activities: Ag Broadcasting, Ag Biotechnology, Agronomy, Soil Judging, Livestock Judging, Ag Mechanics, Public Speaking, Greenhand Test, Diversified Agriculture Proficiency, Pedal Pulls, Fed in the Field, Farm Safety Day, Plant Sales, and helping with fundraisers.

   Most memorable FFA activity or accomplishment: Definitely the 2023 National Convention. I loved taking the trip to Indianapolis as well as Louisville, and the many sights we got to see along the way.

   Future plans: Attending Iowa State University for ag education and life sciences, with a minor in animal science.

   Name: Nathan Beitz

   Year in school: Junior

   Office held: Sentinel

   Parents/Guardians: Dan and Shawna Beitz

   Hometown: Hopkinton

   SAE project: Beef Production Entrepreneurship.

   FFA activities: Conduct of Meetings, Parliamentary Procedure, Marking Plan.

   Most memorable FFA activity or accomplishment: Swimming at State Convention.

   Future plans: Undecided.