Creek Cattle Company’s management team stands in front of the company’s facility.
Grace Ellis, Jaycee Snyder, Lila Tupper, and Briley Buckler are achieving great success not only through the Indian Creek FFA Chapter of Indiana but also through their chapter’s booming business, Creek Cattle Company.
The company was founded five years ago with the cooperation of the Indian Creek School Board and Indian Creek FFA Advisor Joseph Dunn. Dunn sparked the idea after visiting a middle school with a similar farm-to-cafeteria program. The school board enjoyed how hands-on the program was for the agriculture class and how it benefited the entire school corporation.
The company is incorporated into the curriculum by requiring a minimum of two monthly feedings for an assignment grade. Even the agriculture mechanics classes are involved by allowing the students to repair the facilities if needed or for the animal science students to learn about taking care of livestock.
Creek Cattle Company sits on a plot behind the school.
The ground beef from Creek Cattle Company’s steers goes to the school’s cafeterias. Whatever is left of the steers goes into the annual meat sale, which just ended last month. The profits go to feed the cattle, upgrade the barn and fences, and purchase new steers. This has been crucial to allowing the company to grow.
“We’ve found the most success in being able to do stuff on our own. When we first started out, we relied on donations but now we’ve started to be able to purchase our feed and supplies,” said Ellis. They have also given tours to other FFA chapters as far as eastern Kentucky.
“I’ve learned a lot more about the livestock side of the company. I didn’t have livestock growing up, so it’s been a unique opportunity to learn how to weigh, interact, and care for our steers,” said Tupper.
The unique program has given those who have not worked with livestock or agriculture, in general, the chance to learn. Both Tupper and Buckler were new to the livestock industry and are now passionate about it, serving as some of the company’s managers. Only 2% of the school has any experience with agriculture; through Creek Cattle Co., that 2% is becoming larger.
“Before Creek Cattle Company, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but through this opportunity, I’ve learned I wanted to do something in agriculture business,” said Snyder. The company teaches valuable life lessons and helps grow and advance the skills of the next generation of agriculturists.
