FFA Member Emily Hobson a State Finalist

A State Finalist in Wrestling, NO that’s Joseph Camacho. League Champs, NO that’s our Football Team, or how about Santa Paula’s Future Farmers of America member Emily Hobson, who recently made it as a State Finalist with her Poultry Production project. For the last three years, Emily has owned her own business selling eggs to a long list of local clientele and at the Port Hueneme Farmer’s Market. Emily has been in the FFA since the summer following her eighth grade year. While a freshman, her advisor, Alex Flores gave her 93 pullets following a feed trials project. Emily raised the hens and when they began laying eggs in April 2006, she obtained a Certified Producers Certificate and began selling eggs at local farmers markets. Her business is called “Emily’s Eggs.” The profit Emily earns from her egg sales goes toward supporting her other SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) project, which is breeding cattle. Emily has increased the number of hens to 130. Emily’s flock consists two breeds - 90 “Red Stars” which lay brown eggs and 40 “Araucanas” which lay blue/green eggs. Currently the hens are laying between seven and eight dozen eggs per day, about 50 dozen a week or about 200 dozen a month. In addition to her laying hens, Emily has learned how to grade eggs, hatch chicks, package the eggs, administer medications and care for her hens. She has won numerous awards throughout the State because of her projects.Emily was also nominated as the South Coast Region “Star in Agribusiness” and is in competition with other winners from the other five regions in California. The winner will be announced in April at the State FFA Conference in Fresno.Two California State FFA officers judged Emily’s project on Tuesday, February 24th. State Vice President Graham Blagg and State Reporter Brad Mendes interviewed Emily for the State Star in Agribusiness award. The interview with the state officers took place at the Santa Paula FFA school farm where Emily was able to demonstrate how she cares for her hens and prepares the eggs for sale. Her hens are cage free and housed in four coops where they have access to sunshine and can scratch in the dirt.