Coastal town known for dairy, but students get well-rounded ag education
Tillamook, Ore., is known for dairy, but a student from this coastal community won a national FFA title for her flower business.
Tatum Lancaster took first place in the entrepreneurship proficiency category at the 2026 National FFA Convention & Expo, held Oct. 21-24 in Indianapolis, Ind.
Lancaster’s business, Western Grace Floral Co., sprouted from a floriculture class at Tillamook High School.
“I really fell in love with every aspect of it, but never thought it would go anywhere,” Lancaster said.
She started competing in FFA events and discovered she enjoyed making elaborate arrangements.
Western Grace Floral Co. began by providing corsages and boutonnieres for high school homecoming and prom dances.
The business blossomed with arrangements for weddings and other special events, as well as floral design classes.
“I figured this was something I was really passionate about and I could see myself doing down the road,” Lancaster said.
Lancaster, who sources flowers from a California wholesaler, had at least one or two wedding clients a month in the summer.
“That was plenty busy because I do it all on my own,” she said.
She added it feels amazing to be a part of the most special day of people’s lives.
“I actually grew up on a dairy farm, so doing flowers wasn’t expected,” Lancaster said.
Her FFA advisors, however, encouraged her to try new things, said Lancaster, now an Oregon State University freshman studying marketing.
A well-rounded ag education
Tillamook FFA advisor Hayden Bush said his chapter often wins dairy judging at the state level.
Lancaster’s win, however, shows FFA programs can — and should — provide a well-rounded ag education, no matter the location, Bush said.
“Some of the classes we teach can literally lead to careers in the future, or businesses or other opportunities, students may not have thought of before,” he added.
His wife Brooklyn Bush, a former Tillamook FFA advisor who is now Oregon FFA’s local teacher success specialist, said Lancaster’s experience illustrates the power of ag education.
“If we offer these opportunities, we can make a huge difference in the lives of students,” she added.
Tillamook FFA has about 560 members, including 120 very involved students, Hayden Bush said.
Those figures have grown in recent years with Oregon paying membership dues and career technical education becoming more popular.
But FFA has always been strong in Tillamook thanks to the local importance of Tillamook Cheese, forestry and fishing.
Other Oregon national FFA awards
Lancaster’s win was Oregon’s lone first place award at nationals, but the state had several other top finishes.
• The Sutherlin FFA Chapter took second place in the conduct of chapter meetings category.
Team members were Nathaniel Cook, Lyon Peng, Ivaya Gardner, Rya Peterman, Curtis Martz, Machias Ratledge and Kinzley Hughes.
• Silverton finished third in Division 6 for power, technical and social systems.
• McLoughlin took eighth place in ag sales.
Team members were Tripp Carroll, Leylah Gleim, Tyler Hoel and Quentin Duff.
• Ambar Rodriguez Del Angel of Riverside finished eighth in the Spanish creed speaking invitational.