Montgomery FFA Wins Top Awards at State Farm Show

Student-led restoration of 1945 Farmall A tractor earns top honors

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The Montgomery Area School District Future Farmers of America (FFA) club brought home two top awards from the recent Pennsylvania Farm Show for their restoration of a 1945 Farmall A tractor. This was the first time the club had submitted an exhibit since being chartered in 2020, though they have attended the agriculture career expo for the past five years. The restored tractor, originally purchased by the county in 1945, was acquired by the district at an equipment dispersal sale and became a community outreach project for the FFA students.

Why it matters

The FFA club's restoration project highlights the importance of hands-on agricultural education and community engagement. By taking on the challenge of restoring a historic tractor, the students gained valuable skills in mechanics, research, and public speaking, while also preserving a piece of the county's agricultural heritage.

The details

The FFA students forewent the normal progression of the agriculture mechanics class, which typically starts with small gas engine repair, and instead focused their efforts on restoring the Farmall A tractor in order to have it ready for the farm show. All costs associated with the restoration were covered through the club's funds, which were a mix of donations and fundraisers. The students also conducted extensive research on the history of the county farm and the tractor, which will be displayed alongside the restored tractor at the Hughesville Fair.

  • The Montgomery Area School District FFA club acquired the 1945 Farmall A tractor at an equipment dispersal sale in August 2025.
  • The students restored the tractor over the course of several months in order to have it ready for the Pennsylvania Farm Show in February 2026.
  • The FFA club won top awards for 'Most Authentic Ag-Ed Antique Tractor Restoration' and 'Best Video Ag-Ed Antique Tractor Restoration' at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in February 2026.

The players

Montgomery Area School District Future Farmers of America (FFA)

A student-led agricultural education and leadership organization at the Montgomery Area School District that focuses on hands-on learning and community engagement.

Christopher Ulrich

The advisor for the Montgomery Area School District FFA club, who teaches technology education and agriculture at the high school.

Hailey Bitler, Madison Price, and Weston Taylor

Three students from the Montgomery Area School District FFA club who were selected to present the restored Farmall A tractor at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

Larry Beach

A former operator of the county farm from 1946 until last year, who provided the FFA club with a wealth of information and historical photos about the farm and the Farmall A tractor.

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What they’re saying

“We put almost as much work into the history of the county farm as we did restoring the tractor.”

— Christopher Ulrich, FFA Club Advisor (sungazette.com)

“They get no personal gain out of this project at all. Technically, it can almost be considered community service hours, because this is a community service piece for the county farm and Lycoming county itself.”

— Christopher Ulrich, FFA Club Advisor (sungazette.com)

What’s next

The Montgomery Area School District FFA club plans to do a light restoration of another Farmall tractor donated by an FFA alumni family member, with all proceeds from the auction going to the club's funds. The club is also gearing up for a spaghetti dinner fundraiser and a cornhole tournament to raise additional funds.

The takeaway

The Montgomery Area School District FFA club's restoration project demonstrates the value of hands-on agricultural education and the importance of preserving local history and community engagement. The students' dedication and hard work have earned them well-deserved recognition and have inspired the local community to support their future endeavors.