• Home
    • About
    • History
    • Staff Directory
  • APPLY
    • Why Campion?
    • Apply Now
    • Campus Tours
    • Academy Days
    • Friends Day
    • Campion National Statistics
    • Enrollment Forms
    • Homeschool Students
    • International Student Application
    • Request Information
    • Returning Students
  • Finance
    • Tuition & Fees
    • Scholarships & Financial Aid
    • Student Employment
    • Pay Bill Online
  • Academics
    • Classes
    • Diplomas
    • International Students
    • Student Links >
      • Big Ideas Math
      • Google Classroom
      • Library Catalog
      • My Math Lab Pearson
      • Online Grades: RenWeb
      • Turn It In
      • Typing Club
    • Staff Links >
      • Adventist Learning Community
      • OneDrive
      • Teacher Evaluation Link
  • Life at Campion
    • Calendar
    • Live Streaming
    • Campus Ministries
    • Student Handbook
    • Drama
    • Music
    • Rocky Mountain Music Festival
    • Outdoor Club
    • Sports >
      • Campion Spiritwear
    • News
  • Alumni
    • Alumni Weekend >
      • Alumni Honorees
      • Lodging
    • Give >
      • Give
      • Amazon.com Fundraiser
      • RERewards
      • Tickets
    • Alumni News
    • Reeder Classic
    • Chapter Reunions
    • Scholarships & Awards
    • Alumni Weekend Cafeteria
Campion Academy

Agriculture program still growing under new leadership

7/15/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Russell Branham, husband of Director of Development and Alumni Relations Darcy Force, has been hard at work planting Campion’s summer garden as the new Program Director of Acquainting Agriculture. Branham took over the care of the garden and produce sales as a volunteer last summer through this spring, including maintaining a winter garden. After Campion Academy procured a grant from AdventHealth this spring, he has been able to manage the garden as a part-time employee. 

Branham has had previous experience working in greenhouses and gardens and has a personal passion for agriculture. “Long before I came to Campion, one of my personal goals has been to help teach people how to grow food for themselves,” he explained. “Agriculture seems to be a dying skill, and I think we need to get back to our roots. I’d like to see the young folks learn about growing and becoming self-sufficient.”

Without students or volunteers in the program this spring and summer (or the promise of a farmers market), Branham has kept the garden at a smaller, more manageable scale, and he plans to keep produce sales to our school and church community. Currently, he is growing crops such as bush beans, okra, brussel sprouts, beets, carrots, squash, radishes, turnips, asparagus, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, herbs, and raspberries. He expects to have produce available for sale in mid-August. With a future sweet harvest in mind, Branham has also started a small peach tree orchard from seed with 35 saplings growing strong. 

Picture
In early July, through the use of grant funds, Branham was able to purchase a BCS 739 walk-behind commercial tractor as a much-needed piece of equipment to increase his efficiency. The tractor has multiple implements and he is currently using it for tilling the ground and creating new rows for planting. He is working to improve the garden area overall for future harvests. “Right now I’m focusing on the health of the garden. It was very overgrown with weeds and I’ve been able to get that under control. I’m working on squaring off the sections we are using for growing and tarping off the areas around to reduce the weeds.” Branham uses all natural methods of weed and pest control without the use of chemical pesticides. 

In the fall, he plans to work with students to plant winter crops both in the greenhouse and in the ground using simple row covers. Campion is currently still seeking a classroom teacher for Acquainting Agriculture in order to offer it as a class, but Branham will work with students in the field. 

The grant received from Advent Health will cover the basic costs of employing Branham and a teacher for the program for the next year. However, the program will still rely on donations as it continues to get established. If you have an interest in helping the agriculture program please consider donating for the following needs: 

High Wind Tunnel Kit - $2,800
Implement - Rotary Plow $1,495 (to be used with the new tractor)
Used livestock tanks (items to be turned into large planters)
Large water containers (used is also fine, as long as no chemicals were used in it. Food Grade.)
campion.net/give | 970-451-1513


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe to Newsletter

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All
    Academics
    Academy Days
    Alumni
    Athletics
    Awards
    Backpacking
    Basketball
    Campion Staff
    Christmas
    Church
    Class Scramble
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Drama
    ELL
    Film
    Fun And Games
    Graduation
    International
    Library
    Literature Evangelism
    Miracles
    Mission Trip
    Mountain Church
    Music
    Outdoor
    Residence Hall Life
    Rocky Mountain
    Senior Class
    Seniors
    Service
    Soccer
    Spanish
    Spiritual
    Sports
    Student Association
    Student Testimonies
    Student Writing
    Travel
    Union College Events
    Video
    Volleyball
    Week Of Prayer
    Week Of Worship
    Work Program
    Workshop

Contact Us

For grades 9-12:
300 42nd St. SW
Loveland, CO 80537

Phone: 970-667-5592
Fax: 970-667-5104
Email: [email protected]
Picture

HMS Richards Elementary, pre-K to grade 8
Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church
© COPYRIGHT 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
    • About
    • History
    • Staff Directory
  • APPLY
    • Why Campion?
    • Apply Now
    • Campus Tours
    • Academy Days
    • Friends Day
    • Campion National Statistics
    • Enrollment Forms
    • Homeschool Students
    • International Student Application
    • Request Information
    • Returning Students
  • Finance
    • Tuition & Fees
    • Scholarships & Financial Aid
    • Student Employment
    • Pay Bill Online
  • Academics
    • Classes
    • Diplomas
    • International Students
    • Student Links >
      • Big Ideas Math
      • Google Classroom
      • Library Catalog
      • My Math Lab Pearson
      • Online Grades: RenWeb
      • Turn It In
      • Typing Club
    • Staff Links >
      • Adventist Learning Community
      • OneDrive
      • Teacher Evaluation Link
  • Life at Campion
    • Calendar
    • Live Streaming
    • Campus Ministries
    • Student Handbook
    • Drama
    • Music
    • Rocky Mountain Music Festival
    • Outdoor Club
    • Sports >
      • Campion Spiritwear
    • News
  • Alumni
    • Alumni Weekend >
      • Alumni Honorees
      • Lodging
    • Give >
      • Give
      • Amazon.com Fundraiser
      • RERewards
      • Tickets
    • Alumni News
    • Reeder Classic
    • Chapter Reunions
    • Scholarships & Awards
    • Alumni Weekend Cafeteria