As the school year comes to a close, Buckhannon-Upshur FFA member Colin Bailey is looking ahead to a bright future. What started as a simple summer project has turned into a growing landscaping business and a clear career path. Through his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), Bailey has worked hard, gained hands-on experience, and found something he truly enjoys.
Bailey first got interested in landscaping by watching and learning from his dad, who enjoyed working outdoors. That inspiration led him to start fixing up the yard around his house the summer before his sophomore year. As he worked, he realized he liked it and was good at it.
“I started doing it around my house to make it look nice again, like how he had it,” Bailey said. “Then I figured I could turn this into something, so I started doing it for work to make some money, and I’ve just built off of that.”
Since then, Bailey has offered several landscaping services. He designs and plants flowerbeds, lays mulch, builds walkways, and creates koi ponds. He enjoys working on different projects and seeing how the finished result improves the space. His business has helped him learn responsibility, time management, and how to work with people.
As his business grew, so did his involvement in FFA. The program gave him a place to apply what he was learning while also growing as a leader. Colin has taken part in many chapter events and service projects. He has also helped with the Upshur County FFA Chapter’s student-run greenhouse, where he’s worked alongside classmates to grow and care for plants, prepare them for sale, and serve local customers. This hands-on experience in landscaping and greenhouse work has helped him build strong skills in horticulture.
This fall, Bailey will attend West Virginia University to study horticulture and plant science. He plans to continue landscaping while in college and hopes to run his own full-service landscaping company one day.
Bailey’s story shows how passion, hard work, and FFA opportunities can help turn a simple idea into a successful future.
