While Green County and Hart County FFA were at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, they enjoyed an educational tour of the department and attended a goal-setting workshop.

Picnic tables, when thought about, are often the quiet center of many common, lighthearted memories. At outdoor community and family gatherings, you may often sit at a picnic table. At cookouts during the warm summer months, you may often sit at a picnic table. When overseeing young children at the local park, you may often sit at a picnic table. When taking your break during work hours on a sunny spring day, you may often sit at a picnic table. The list could go on and on.

Have you ever thought about the hands that made those tables, though? Whoever it was, the experience and materials needed to provide the centerpiece can almost always be traced back to agriculture. After all, agriculture is the center of civilization — the roots of communities. 

On Dec. 9, 2025, Green County FFA and Hart County FFA combined to deliver two picnic tables and one coffee table to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. 

Green County FFA members with the picnic tables that the Ag Construction class built and donated to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

The Green County Agricultural Construction Class built and donated the handcrafted picnic tables, and an agriculture class at Hart County High School built and donated the coffee table. The coffee table was constructed from lumber salvaged from a Green County barn owned by Shaun Murray. The collaboration between these classes and FFA chapters embodies the genuine sense of connectedness that agriculture fosters in those involved. 

While Green County and Hart County FFA were at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, they enjoyed a visit and conversation with the Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, Jonathan Shell. The chapters were able to participate in an educational tour of the department and attend a goal-setting workshop led by Bethany Mattingly. This experience provided both FFA chapters the opportunity to listen and take some advice from real-world agricultural leaders, such as Commissioner Shell. 

Green County FFA visits with the Kentucky Agricultural Commissioner, Johnathan Shell.

The Green County Ag Construction Class, as well as the Hart County Ag Class, worked diligently on their projects.

Green County FFA Vice President, Ty Bonta, commented on the procedures used to make the picnic tables during the class:

“Our ag teacher assigned the class a blueprint of a basic picnic table that the class agreed upon. Each student was separated into groups of four to five students. The process of building the picnic tables took around six weeks. The cumulative price of lumber, screws, etc., of each picnic table averaged around $100. We agreed to sell them to the public for $200. Our class decided to build the picnic tables to challenge our teamwork skills and cooperative thinking. The picnic table met our standards, and we decided upon it. It was a very fun assignment, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

The two picnic tables were donated and personally delivered to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. This project provided insight into many different aspects of the industry of agriculture for both classes.