FFA Plants Seeds of Success for the Patterson Family
Photo credit: Jon Morgan/AP Images for Farm Credit Mid-America
Farm Credit Mid-America customers Luke and Buddy Patterson share how their time in FFA shaped their family’s operation.
Nestled in McMinnville, Tennessee, also known as the “Nursery Capital of the World,” Cedarwood Nursery & Pumpkin Patch is a family-owned operation with a remarkable story.
In 1982, inspired by a high school horticultural class and FFA involvement, Buddy Patterson started the nursery. His father’s plumbing and electrical work for several local nurseries allowed Buddy to take cuttings off their plants, empowering him to begin his own venture.
With support from Farm Credit Mid-America, a local loan officer assisted Buddy in further developing his nursery. The business continued to grow when Buddy’s son, Luke Patterson, joined the operation and helped establish the family’s public pumpkin patch.
As they look back, the family shared how FFA and agricultural education helped them develop the necessary skills to begin and grow a successful operation.
“I wasn’t raised on a farm, but I watched the other kids in FFA and how hard they worked,” Buddy says. “That’s the lesson I carried with me.”
As a second-generation producer, Luke followed in his father’s footsteps by taking high school agriculture classes and joining FFA.
“FFA helped me develop leadership skills and build relationships that continued beyond my high school years,” Luke says. “Competitions also allowed me to gain hard skills I can use on a daily basis, like plant identification.”
Today, both Luke and Buddy take any opportunity they can to support local FFA members – many of whom come back as customers or colleagues at the nursery and pumpkin patch. “This support is an important part of keeping young people interested in agriculture in our community,” Luke says.
Farm Credit Mid-America shares this view and is committed to growing the next generation of agriculture by supporting FFA. To learn more about Farm Credit Mid-America and how they secure the future of rural communities and agriculture, visit fcma.com.
See more: McMinnville, Tennessee: Nursery Capital of the World
I wish we had one or more places close to us where we could go pick beautiful flowers. I’m in Blount County. Did I miss any that are close to me. I’m in the part of Blount just south of Knoxville and realize this county touches North Carolina also.