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Above, Shaley Barnes stands outside her travel trailer at the Old Chicken Farm Fall Show Saturday, Sept. 12. Photo/Chelsea Weeks.
Wellston junior Shaley Barnes received a silver Agricultural Proficiency award rating from the National FFA Association for her work in the area of nursery operations.
“It feels awesome to get my second national emblem,” she said. “I’m bound and determined to get gold.”
In 2018, Barnes and her team placed second in the state for Nursery Landscape and proceeded to nationals, where they placed silver as a team and Barnes placed silver individually.
Barnes said her Ag Teacher, Amber Cox, began encouraging her to apply for a proficiency award in nursery operations.
Barnes said she cried when she heard she got silver.
The idea of starting her own greenhouse started in 2018 and in February of 2019. Barnes was gifted some pieces of a greenhouse from her aunt. Since then, her business has grown.
“I own my own greenhouse and I feel like that is something awesome to be able to tell people,” she said.
Barnes said she currently has over 500 plants in her greenhouse and purchased a travel trailer to take to farmers markets to sell her plants.
Owning her own business has taught her how to overcome challenges like getting out of her bubble and talking to people, learning how to run a business and organize a fully loaded schedule.
“If it ends with an A, I’m most likely in it,” she said.
Barnes is involved in FCCLA, BPA, FFA and is a varsity cheerleader.
She said she has learned how to section off her time appropriately, not only for all the organizations she’s a part of, but also for her greenhouse.
Barnes said she loves being a part of the different side of FFA that most people don’t see: the plant life.
“It’s just doing what I love, “ She said. “I love plants.”
Barnes said she’s trying to keep an open mind as to what her future will look like, but knows that her greenhouse is something she will always do.
“I am bound and determined to go to OSU,” she said.
“Go Pokes.”