Picture courtesy of Wade Hall, Ceres Alumni Association President

Ceres, VA is a small farming community within Bland County. Ceres gets its name from the ‘Goddess of Grain’. The locals say that anything you plant in the soil here will bear and bear well.

Apparently, Henry C. Groseclose was in tune with the soil in Ceres. His influence and hard work laid the groundwork that led to the Future Farmers of America  (FFA). Henry initially started the FFA in Virginia in 1928. The organization has helped promote farming, family and community focus that God gave us as a people to steward.

This year (2008) marks the 80th anniversary of the FFA. On June 21st we traveled to Ceres to attend a meeting of the Bland County Historical Society as they saluted all the efforts of Henry and the legacy he has left behind. The meeting left us understanding the sacrifices given by those who give their lives to keep us fed. Little do people realize that much of the world is fed through the efforts of farmers who were members of the FFA. We, as a people, owe much to Henry and those who have stewarded his program.

Article used with permission of the FRONT PORCH MONTHLY, a newspaper that covers news from five counties in Virginia and West Virginia, with headquarters in Pearisburg.