The Logan County High School FFA/Agriculture Shop has been busy at work building bluebird houses for the area’s division of the National Resources Conservation Service. Logan County FFA began the seasonal project of building bluebird boxes for the NRCS in the late 1990s, under the guidance of former Agriculture Department instructor Mr. Doug Milliken.
Through the years, this has proven to be a great learning tool for freshmen and sophomore students, providing them with an engaging hands-on learning opportunity. Since its inception, it is estimated that 1,800 students have been involved with the creation of 4,000 bluebird boxes, benefitting the organization, the community, and the bluebird population.
The roughly 5”X6”X9” birdhouses were cut from rot and insect resistant cypress boards, allowing them to be used for multiple nests over the years. Entrance to each house is a 1 ½” hole; sized to discourage other birds from nesting in them. Included in the design is an access door—which is on occasion nailed shut by apprentice builders upon their first attempts—to clean out any previous year’s nest.
In southcentral Kentucky, Eastern bluebirds begin looking for places to nest in late February, so it is important to get this project completed and ready to send out no later than early March. The bluebird boxes are advertised on local radio stations each year to alert community members when they are ready.
FFA President Zach Milam commented, "The project not only helps the bluebird population but also gives our new FFA members the chance to build something that gives back to the community. This is a big part of our motto: Learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, and living to serve."