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KIRKSVILLE, MO -- Meet 16-year-old Allie Kelsey of Kirksville. Agriculture has always been around her due to her dad’s cattle farming business, but her interest in it didn’t spark until her older brother got involved in FFA. She joined the Kirksville FFA when she got in high school and decided to focus on something unique…horticulture.

“I guess I don’t mind to get my hands dirty and play in the soil. I enjoy watching something grow from a seed to something bigger, something that prospers or productive,” Kelsey said.

For her FFA projects, Allie grows vegetable produce in her own garden. But in the past few months she has expanded her horizons and works in the gardening business at Taylor Flowers in downtown Kirksville. Allie said taking care of plants requires a lot of tender loving care.

“It’s more labor intensive to be in a garden or a greenhouse. It takes more of a people person to work in a flower shop because you are interacting with other people. You have to keep the shop looking clean and taking good care of the plants,” Kelsey said.

Despite the hard work, Allie said it has been an amazing learning experience.

“I never thought I would go into the floral industry until I got the opportunity. I like all the pretty flowers and smell them. They’re fun to arrange,” Kelsey said.

Allie plans to keep agriculture in her life and wants to educate others on the importance of the field.

“I think it’s important to educate about agriculture whether it’s a six or forty year-old. I think everyone should learn where their food comes from,” Kelsey said.

When not working at the flower shop, Allie is planting her blue ribbon peppers, onions, tomatoes and pumpkins in her garden. She is planning to go to the University of Missouri for college and study Ag business or Ag economics.

Congratulations Allie on being this week's Ag Kid.