IDA, Mich. — Monday, December 2, 2019 will be the 58th Monroe County Agriculture Banquet, 6:30pm at the Prince of Peace Community Center, 1920 Lewis Avenue, Ida, MI.
The evening’s program will be Derek Kevra, from Detroit Fox 2 Weather Authority talking about “Weird Ag Weather.” 2019 has been a year of weather extremes that even farmers with 60 years of experience do not recall happening before. Derek is originally from Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Meteorology from the Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Department. He has been a Meteorologist in Medford, Oregon and New Orleans, Louisiana before returning to Michigan and Detroit Fox 2 television. In 2012 Derek was awarded the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) seal from the American Meteorological Society.
Prior to the main speaker, Andy McCain, the Coordinator of the new Agriculture Program at the Monroe County Community College will give an update on the status of the new ag program at MCCC. MCCC has partnered with the MSU Institute for Agricultural Technology for some specific agricultural curriculums, including a new offering scheduled for the Fall 2020 semester that Andy will introduce. FFA students from all the chapters in Monroe County have been invited to attend.
A dinner of stuffed chicken breast, sauerkraut and kielbasa, mashed potatoes and gravy, glazed carrots, broccoli salad, rolls and butter will be catered from Back in the Day catering and served at 6:37pm along with Costco cake and Calder’s chocolate and white milk, coffee and water. Poinsettias from Lehmann’s Greenhouse will be on all the tables and given away at the end of the evening, courtesy of the MCCC Student Agriculture Club.
Tickets for the event cost $10 and will be available starting Monday, November 18 from Ag Council members; Richard and Mary Janssens, Bob Ferencz, Glen Wickenheiser, Alan Matthes, Bob Potter, Walt Irodenko, Frank Deutsch, Phil Selter, Ed Reaume or Ned Birkey. Promotional posters and tickets are also available at: Agri-Parts of Temperance; Ida Farmers Co-op and Monroe County Farm Bureau in Ida; Al’s Implement and Masserant’s Feed and Grain in Newport; Carleton Farm Supply in Carleton; Greenstone Farm Credit Services, J&R Tractor, Monroe County Conservation District and the Monroe County Extension office in Monroe, Wilbur Ellis in Dundee; Ottawa Lake Co-op in Ottawa Lake; Leckler’s in LaSalle; Shettenhelm’s in Milan; Maybee Farmers, Inc. in Maybee; Nutrien Ag Solutions (formerly CPS) and Michigan Agricultural Commodities in Blissfield and Mike Gaynier of Spartan Crop Insurance.
For more information or directions, contact Ned Birkey at 734-260-3442, or any of the ticket sellers. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
— Ned Birkey, Spartan Ag/ MSU Extension Educator Emeritus
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