FFA Plant Sale

First-year Eureka Springs High School agriculture teacher Cheyenne Fortson is hoping for a big final three days of the annual FFA plant sale.

“We still have a whole bunch of plants,” she said.

The sale, which started April 21, will continue from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 6, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, at the high school greenhouse.

Students worked to get the growing process started for the plants, which include annual flowers, succulents, herbs and vegetables.

“We still have some different vegetables such as tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and peppers,” Fortson said. “We also have quite a few annual plants, some perennial plants and a whole bunch of different hanging baskets that students have designed and created.”

Fortson, who is from Hartford and recently received her agriculture education degree from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, admits being new to the area has been a bit of a disadvantage to her for this year’s sale.

“I think I’m struggling a little bit just because I don’t know very many people [in the area],” she said. “The former teacher did very well because he knew a lot of people and was able to get people in to buy plants. I’m still trying to make those connections that I haven’t made yet.”

One connection that is continuing this year is with the Eureka Springs Parks and Recreation Department, which will again use some of the student’s plants around the city.

“They tell us they want to get such and such plant and the kids do everything and take care of everything,” Fortson said. “The city is able to get them and plant them.

“The students will get to see hanging baskets around the city that they designed. And they’ll see plants that they grew themselves. They can tell their parents, their friends and their family that they were part of that.”