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GREEN CITY, MO. -- Meet 16-year-old Samantha Coulson of Green City. Her interest in agriculture began when she was 9 years old showing rabbits in 4-H. Then when she was a freshman at Green City R-1, her Ag advisor presented an opportunity to plant mums in the greenhouse. It was something new she wanted to learn and grow.

“I did not know when I started that if my mums came in a seed. I just had no idea. I have been able to learn a tremendous amount over the years in how to grow them, market them, customer skills, how to mix the soil, look for bugs...things for that,” Coulson said.

Samantha is a member of the Green City FFA and the Green City 4-H Workers. During these past three years, she grows her mums in the summer and sells them in the fall. She has kept excellent records in her book and has received much recognition at the Missouri FFA State Convention. But it has required Samantha to put in a lot of time and responsibility.

“The first major thing is ordering them then planting them when they arrive. Once you get them planted, then you water them and mix in the fertilizer in there," Coulson said. "With how hot it gets during the summer, you’ll have to water them every day.”

Samantha said despite all the hard work, in the end it all pays off.

“As a freshman, I agreed to take on a project that you have no idea what you are doing. Now going into my senior year, I’ve learned and accomplished a lot such as winning two state awards and a bronze in nationals,” Coulson said.

Samantha said agriculture has helped shaped her into the person she is today and plans to keep it in her life.

“Through years of classes and all the wonderful people I met through FFA, I have done so much. It just made me decide that I want to continue this for the rest of my life,” Coulson said.

When not in the greenhouse, Samantha is involved in FBLA, Student Council, and Prom Committee. She plans to go to Mizzou for college and study Ag education to become a teacher.

Congratulations Samantha on being this week's Ag Kid.