The FFA (Future Farmers of America) Program was chartered in 1930 at Grossmont High School. The original charter included Calvin Bowman, Alva Bowman, Robert Philbrook and Leon Maniscalco. The El Capitan High School Ag Program is currently teaching Calvin Bowman's great grandchildren.
  Jim Dyer was hired in 1942 to teach at Grossmont High School. Fritz Hartung was in Jim Dyer's first class. Upon accepting the job Jim needed to find a room to rent. Mort Walker said they had an extra room at their home. Mort's sister Shirley Walker became Mrs. Jim Dyer. They have five children: Leone, Cathy, Larry, Donny and Susie. Donny currently teaches the ag program at El Capitan High School.
  The program continued at Grossmont during the 1940's and into the 1950's. Students included Harry and Don Buckel from Rocky Home Dairy, Ted Kniffing of Kniffing Wholesale Nursery, the Magoffin brothers from Barrett. In 1956 the program moved to El Cajon High School. Harold Hilliker, Don and Alan Mayo, Richard and Don Chilson, Jack Kibbee, were graduates of that era.
  In the 1960's Jim started a dryland farming program of growing oat hay. Most of the farming equipment was borrowed from neighboring farmers. John Digenan farmed ground across from Valhalla High School, Larry Dyer farmed up by Sycuan Reservation, and Jim Reynolds was out on Dunbar Lane. Most of the feed was used feeding their own animals.
  In 1970, Bud Walker sold his dairy farm and with the help of the La Mesa Kiwanis they purchased Bud's farming equipment for the El Cajon Ag Program.
  Jim Dyer went on sabbatical and Rob Rutherford with Glen Casey taught the program in Jim's absence. The farming equipment was stored at Rocky Home Dairy. Upon Jim's return Glen Casey in 1972 moved over and started the ag program at El Capitan High School on ground leased from the El Capitan Stadium Association.
  Rob Rutherford accepted a position at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Paul Kistrup joined Jim Dyer at El Cajon High School. Ralph Vockrodt joined Glen Casey at El Capitan High School. In 1976 Valhalla High School started a program and Joe Acosta was hired. Paul Kistrup moved to El Capitan with Glen Casey, Ralph Vockrodt moved to Valhalla with Joe Acosta and Jim Dyer taught at El Cajon until he retired in 1977.
  Joe Acosta succeeded Jim Dyer at El Cajon until 1979 when the program closed. Ralph Vockrodt resigned at Valhalla so Joe Acosta returned until that program closed in 1986. Paul Kistrup  left El Capitan and Glen Casey taught until 1982. Glen accepted a job teaching at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and is currently Dean of Education. Richard Champlin taught one semester at El Capitan to fill in for Glen. Rob and Cathy Norwood taught for one year. John Yount was hired for one year. In 1984 Sam Walker arrived and has been there ever since. Don Dyer came in 1993. Since 1886 El Capitan High School is the sole surviving ag program.

  The Kiwanis provided additional equipment for the farming program. But SB-813 in 1983 provided grant money for ag programs. The current equipment inventory is a result of both funding sources.
  The agriculture program at El Capitan High School is the only school in the United States tobe engaged in dry land hay farming. There are close to 40 students farming on shares on 800 acres of hay ground. The ground is planted in winter and harvested in spring.
  In the last five years the students have farmed in conjunction with the Van Ommering Dairy. With leased ground from Helix Water District, the Van Ommerings were able to spread their manure and the students were able to grow oat hay for the Van Ommering cows. The Helix ground is no longer available so the students are now using the manure on farm ground in Japatul Valley.