FFA gears up for greenhouse sales

By BRENDA TENBOER
Horticulture and agriculture science students at Riverside High School have worked hard to make the annual FFA plant sale a success this year.
Nasturtiums, pansies, dahlias and snapdragons abound at the FFA greenhouse in Basin.
FFA instructor Nathan Adels said the students this year are also responsible for planting flowers they grew in pots placed around town by the Basin Chamber of Commerce.
Larger pots of flowers will also be placed at the fairgrounds and cared for until the Big Horn County Fair rolls around in late July.
Keonna Herman, a RHS senior, has always had a green thumb and said she took the class specifically so she could grow flowers and vegetables.
Junior Amber Getzfreid, found horticulture to be a good fit quite accidentally when she took the class to fill a requirement and now admits she enjoys gardening.
The annual greenhouse sale is a fundraiser both for FFA and the high school classes that allows them to buy supplies and add a little extra to the general FFA fund, Adels said.
“We have strawberries, peppers and three kinds of tomatoes,” he said. “All of the flowers will be in complete bloom by May 10 when we start selling.”
Greenhouse hours are Monday through Friday after school until 5 p.m. Prices range from $2 per six pack to $1 per geranium or individual plants for as low as 50 cents each.
“We’ll have some hanging flower baskets also ready for sale,” Adels said.