ND FFA Foundation

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Cole Vculek – Specialty Crop Production Entrepreneurship Proficiency Winner

 Cole Vculek from the Oakes/Sargent Central FFA Chapter is a very motivated person.  When he was 16 years old, he decided that he wanted to start a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program growing potatoes.  He already had a head start on this endeavor as he grew up on a diversified farming operation and had experience helping to grow potatoes.  

Cole first rented 15 acres from a neighbor and decided to raise Bannock potatoes.  “With our operation having new growth each year and certain seed varieties getting harder to get, I decided to start growing my own seed.  I wanted to find a new variety that would help our farm get premiums at the processing plant,” said Cole.  

With moral support supplied by his family, Cole acquired the land, seed stock, chemicals, fertilizers, equipment rental, storage rental, and irrigation rights.  After harvest, Cole sold all his seed potatoes to Brian Vculek Farms at market price but kept some of the potatoes for seed for the spring.  He was able to check the quality of the seed stock by sending samples to the North Dakota Seed Department.  The potatoes were grown out and tested for disease in Florida and Cole was happy to announce that he had a disease-free crop.  This year Cole is renting 45 acres and hopes for another great crop.  

Cole’s personal goals include becoming the ND FFA Star Farmer and being recognized as a top grower/producer in North Dakota while breaking potato yield records for the varieties he will produce.  He is already on his way; his 15 acres last year accounted for 70% of the state’s Bannock seed stock.  

The Specialty Crop Production proficiency awards are sponsored by David and Denise Swanson from Maddock.  A special $200 scholarship was also presented by Dakota Growers’ Pasta.

Ths page is sponsored by the ND Grain Growers Association

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Last modified: April 22, 2008