Donna Rumbaugh | Managing Editor
The Parker FFA is participating in SD Agricutltural Education Land Judging Contest. On September 16 they started with the District III judging. On September 29 they took part in SE Region judging.
The Land, Range, and Homesite Judging Contests are split into four Regions as opposed to seven Districts for the FFA Career Development Events. The soils related activities consist of the Southeast Region (25 schools), Northeast Region (22 schools), Central Region (27 schools) and West Region (19 schools).
The Land Judging Contest consist of four, open pits in which students can readily climb in and out with nearby placards describing field conditions. Judging consists of: identifying soil properties including topsoil texture, subsoil texture, soil depth, past erosion, degree of stoniness and calculating slope; interpreting soil properties including water permeability, surface water runoff, limiting yield factors and determining land capability class. Based on the observations in the soil pit and field conditions provided, the contestant submits recommendations for land treatments such as vegetative, erosion controls and fertility.
