Scales Mound plant sale goes virtual: Oellerich continues to grow plants in greenhouse, prepares for sale

SCALES MOUND–The Scales Mound FFA was intending to hold its annual plant sale as Lisa Oellerich’s horticulture class was working on the flowers in the Scales Mound School District greenhouse throughout the late winter months. But the greenhouse became strangely quiet after schools were shuttered by the state on March 17.

“Anything that is flowering now, the horticulture students had the opportunity to transplant,” said Oellerich. “Anything not flowering is what has been worked on after school closed.”

Since school closed, Oellerich has put in five hours a night, five days out of the week, typically from 1 until 6 p.m., tending to the plants that were started by her students months ago.

Oellerich has had some help from two of her teaching colleagues who volunteered a couple of the days. Oellerich said they were a big help in getting everything ready.

“Sometimes things don’t get done exactly the way I want (when we have class) but I miss the chatter,” said Oellerich. “I miss the kids being in here far more than I care about something getting mislabeled anymore at this point. I am definitely missing them being here.”

The FFA auction, held in March, is the agriculture department’s biggest annual fundraiser; however, the plant sale still brings in a significant amount for the organization. Any money that is raised from the annual plant sale is put back into the greenhouse and is used to purchase the following year’s plants and supplies.

The plant sale has to be completed by the standard end of the school year in late May and early June due to no cooling feature in the greenhouse. The warmth would damage the plants.

Oellerich said that the latest executive order on Thursday, April 9 that suspended in-person sales in businesses such as greenhouses has caused agriculture teachers who have annual plant sales to rethink how they will sell the plants that have been produced by the students and to continue the fundraiser for their organizations.

“Through the ag teacher network, which is so very strong in Illinois, there were suggestions,” said Oellerich.

Oellerich found a website called Cheddar Up which solved many of her problems. She gave it a shot.

Oellerich said she and the students have had tremendous support from the community and staff and already have many orders that are ready to be picked up.

Instead of having people enter the greenhouse, people will be asked to wait curbside and Oellerich will deliver the plants to vehicles.

“We are blessed here in Scales Mound. There is a greenhouse right outside of town who does a fantastic job and she has a huge offering,” said Oellerich. “I am very thankful for the people that support both of us and help Scales Mound look beautiful with all of their flowers.”

Oellerich said that social media and ads in the newspaper have helped her spread the word about the changes to the plant sale.

Oellerich feels blessed to have the opportunity to continue to tend to the flowers and to take care of the plants that the students started.

“It is definitely a passion of mine,” said Oellerich. “Before I started teaching, I had my own garden store. It has been such a blessing to be able to get out and do this. It is a mental relief for me.”

The website for ordering plants from the Scales Mound FFA plant sale is my.cheddarup.com/c/greenhouse-plants-43070