A Williamsburg FFA member was one of 13 winners of the 2025 National FFA Agricultural Proficiency Awards presented during the fifth session of the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis.

Eleanor Brubaker was the winner in the Diversified Horticulture – Entrepreneurship/Placement category.

Brubaker operated EB Flowers, a cut flower business. She grew the flowers from seed and sold them as bouquets at farmers markets or at “pick your own” events. Brubaker managed the plant growth timeline, scheduled flower sales events and organized all of the business supplies for growing up to 15 varieties of plants. Brubaker is supported by her parents, Daren and Marina, and her FFA advisor, Robyn Bechtel.

Blair County farm preserved by state

A crop and livestock farm in Blair County has been accepted into the state’s farmland preservation program, ensuring it remains an agricultural property in perpetuity, according to state Rep. Scott Barger, R-Blair/Huntingdon.

Barger announced the Pennsylvania Agriculture Land Preservation Board approved a conservation easement for 236 acres owned by the Biddle Family Partnership in Woodbury Township.

The Blair County farm was among 24 properties recently preserved across Pennsylvania. Established in the late 1980s, the preservation program uses easements to prohibit commercial or residential development on prime farmland.

Registration opens for Ag Literacy Week

The Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation announced that registration is now open for the 2026 Pennsylvania Ag Literacy Week, scheduled for March.

This year’s featured book is “Cows Can Moo! Can You? All About Farms,” part of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library series. The book takes students on a tour of a farm while introducing them to the people, animals and science behind agriculture.

Registration is open through Dec. 12. Volunteers and community partners may register and purchase their book and classroom resources online at pfbfriends.com.

For more information, contact the Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation at 717-761-2740 or visit pfbfriends.com.

Penn State offers gardening series

Gardeners of all skill levels interested in learning research-based gardening methods can explore core gardening science and practical tips by attending an upcoming Penn State Extension webinar series.

The “Dig Into Gardening” series will occur from 6 to 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday from Jan. 20 to Feb. 24.

The series will include six live webinars, each lasting 90 minutes. Each webinar will offer a chance to dig into the science of gardening with sessions designed for new and experienced gardeners alike, combining essential garden science with practical, research-based insights.

Participants must register by Jan. 19 to receive the link to access the

webinars. Registration carries a fee of $150.

Spotted lanternfly may use toxic shield

Spotted lanternflies may season themselves to the distaste of potential bird predators, according to a new study led by entomologists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

The findings, which were published in the Journal of Chemical Ecology, showed that several species of birds were less likely to eat spotted lanternflies that had fed on the pest’s preferred host, Ailanthus altissima, commonly known as tree of heaven. This suggests the pest stores nasty-

tasting chemicals when they feed on the invasive plant that birds can detect, according to the research team.

Further, they said, the extent to which birds may play a role in pecking away at spotted lanternfly populations remains up in the air and depends on various factors.