Plans for construction of a new livestock barn at Cherryvale’s Logan Park took a big step forward on Saturday when a Cherryvale farmer was awarded a $2,500 grant from a nationally-recognized agricultural seed company.

Wayne Blaes of rural Cherryvale was awarded a $2,500 check on Saturday through the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program. The funds, made available through the Monsanto Fund, are given to farmers across the nation who use $2,500 grants to fund their favorite local non-profit organizations. Blaes, a lifelong Cherryvale agricultural producer, has designated the Cherryvale Youth Fair to receive the award.

The youth fair has targeted plans for a new livestock barn to accommodate the growing number of livestock entries at the annual Cherryvale Youth Fair.  For the past five years, large tents have had to be rented to accommodate the growing livestock numbers, Blaes said.

More details about this story can be found in the Sept. 2 edition of the Montgomery County Chronicle.