For the past five years, Los Banos High School senior and Future Farmers of America (FFA) member Owen Baffunno has planted an eighth acre of land with over 21 varieties of pumpkins and gourds to sell at his Southpaw Pumpkin Patch.
The pumpkin patch, so named because Baffunno is also a left-handed pitcher on the Tigers Varsity Baseball team, is the senior honor student’s entry into the Merced County Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), which includes over 14 different FFA chapters in the local area.
His entries over the years have earned Baffunno several awards, as well as county-wide recognition.
According to Baffunno, the patch, which operated on the weekend of Sept. 28 to 29, “garnered hundreds of local pumpkin purchasers and was an outstanding success, which I am proud to say helps some of our local FFA members.”
As he has done in all four past years, Baffunno selects a worthy cause and donates 10 percent of the net proceeds. This year he selected new FFA members who might need help getting their blue and gold corduroy jackets.
Baffunno plans to study Ag Business in college in the fall, with hopes of attending Texas A&M University.
