Fairfax Kiwanis’ FFA Corn Yield participants and advisor included Ian Hedlund, Tacy Mitchell, Jordan Sutter, Advisor Jeremy Palmer, Gena Mitchell, Wyatt Burke, and Zach Garrison.

Submitted by Marilyn Alldredge
The Fairfax Kiwanis Club’s Annual Corn Yield Contest – 2017 was held with the Fairfax FFA Chapter last November. However, the winners were not celebrated until recently with a lunch and special recognition at the regular Kiwanis meeting, Tuesday, January 16, 2018, at the Community Hospital-Fairfax conference room.
The top three students recognized for their honors in accordance to bushels per acre with an engraved picture plaque presented by Kiwanis Treasurer and Corn Yield Chairman Bob Alldredge were: 1st Place, Ian Hedlund – 297.74; 2nd Place, Tacy Mitchell – 264.28; and 3rd Place, Jordan Sutter –  256.10. Additional students recognized with a certificate and a group picture included: 4th Place, Gena Mitchell – 249.65; 5th Place, Wyatt Burke – 245.79; and 6th Place, Zach Garrison – 223.31.
FFA sponsor and instructor Jeremy Palmer was in charge of obtaining the corn yields. The increase from last year’s yields were quite impressive, from the highest of 238.64 up this year to 297.74 to the lowest of the six last year being 218.18 up to 223.31 this year.  All indications, the crops far exceeded overall this year in this area.
The Fairfax Kiwanis Club has sponsored this event since 1947 and has seen many changes in the corn yields, technology, the equipment used, means of obtaining the corn for counting and student participation. Some past winners were present for this year’s event. Bob Alldredge shared some history on this youth project.
Each honoree gave the formulas used for their particular crop production and introduced their guests for the day. Their guests included Chris and Marisa Hedlund, Tony Mitchell, Tim and Leslie Sutter, Herb and Anita Sutter, Chris Burke, and Instructor Jeremy Palmer. Kiwanis members joining in the celebration were: Secretary and acting president Marilyn Alldredge, Eddie Taylor, Treasurer Bob Alldredge, Andrew Sanders, Gene Bradfield, Gene Carder, Jon Davis, Julie Jones, Nathan Johnson, Doyne Swan, and Kris Umbarger. The meeting concluded with brags and the Kiwanis Defining Statement.