When it comes to agriculture education, students at Central Haywood High School (CHHS) are learning about more than just the basics of growing crops and raising livestock.

Under the leadership of Agriculture Education Teacher Barry Feldman, CHHS has revamped its ag education curriculum, gained new tools, and completed multiple outdoor projects around the school.

“I’m hoping that my ag class sparks new student interests and opens the door for students to discover future careers,” Feldman explained. “We are so grateful for the community’s support of our program and our students.”

This past school year, students in Feldman’s class improved and maintained a nearby riparian wetlands area – land that is adjacent to a body of water that supports vegetation dependent on large amounts of water in the soil.

Feldman and his students discussed the importance of riparian zones to local ecology, environmental management, and civil engineering decisions.

Feldman also received a grant to purchase mobile weather stations to monitor changing conditions, and created several specialized raised bed gardens.

Feldman is looking forward to adding more garden tools and a new tractor with implements for his class in the 2017-18 school year.

“All of these improvements to our school and program will allow more students to participate in hands-on learning,” Feldman said. “The incredible outpouring of community support is going to positively affect our students for years to come.”

Special thanks to the following businesses and community members for their support of the CHHS agriculture program: Young’s Tractor and Equipment, Haywood EMC, Evergreen Packaging, Duke Energy, Carolina Farm Credit, Soil and Water Conservation District, Haywood County Farm Bureau, Kiwanis Club of Waynesville, North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, Calvary Road Baptist Church (John Swanger & Mark Golden), Dellwood Baptist Church (Bobby Rogers), Graybeard’s Marine and Tractor (Greg Shelton), Clyde Alignment (Steve Schultz), Old Grouch’s Military Surplus (Tim Glance), Smoky Mountain Cremations (Amanda Della Savia & Ronnie Surreth), Asheville Mulch Yard (Daniel Pope), Sherrill’s Pioneer Restaurant (Dean, Lisa, Zeb, and Melody), Clyde Florist (Rhonda Smathers), David’s Home Entertainment (David Sutton), Junaluska Feed Center (David Farmer), Mac Sutton, Alan Shelton, and Jimmy Rodgers.