NRCS Assists with Land Judging Career Development Events

Two area Land Judging Career Development events were held the first week of April. FFA Area VI and FFA Area IX teaches students to classify soil and land according to physical properties of the soil, including texture, permeability, depth, slope, erosion and runoff. The students then determine the best land use for each of the four sites, and recommend mechanical and fertility land treatments for each site.

Area VI Land Judging Career Development Event

The 2008 Area VI Land Judging Career Development Event was held April 1, 2008, in Titus County. The contest was hosted by FFA Area VI, assisted by Northeast Texas Community College in Mt. Pleasant and American Electric Power. The event was held on the property of Hudson Old near the Chapel Hill community. Participants in the event included 131 students from 28 schools.

The winning school in the event was Avery, followed by DeKalb and New Diana. Top individual was Corey Christenberry, with a score of 267 out of a possible 280 points. For a complete listing of results of the Area contest, please visit the Career Development Events website at https://www.judgingcard.com.

Technical assistance for the FFA Area VI Career Development Event was provided by the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), with assistance from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and a large group of volunteers.

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Contestants classifying land at field one.	Contestants estimating soil texture and permeability at one of the sites	Participants and their FFA advisors also went through each of the sites after the contest with NRCS employees.
Photos are courtesy of Hudson Old and East Texas Journal Photography.

Area IX Land Judging Career Development Event

The 2008 FFA Area IX Land Judging Career Development Event was held April 8, 2008, in Walker County. The contest was hosted by Sam Houston State University (SHSU) in Huntsville, and held on the SHSU Farm at Gibbs Ranch. Participants in the event included 80 students from 22 schools.

Technical assistance for the Career Development Event was provided by NRCS, with assistance from SHSU, local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and a large group of volunteers.

The winning school in the event was Buffalo, followed by Grapeland and Madisonville. Top individual was Joe Henson of Buffalo, with a score of 244 out of a possible 280 points. For a complete listing of results of the area contest, please visit the Career Development Events website at https://www.judgingcard.com.

Students classifying land and slope at field three.	Contestant estimating the depth of the soil surface at field four.	Participants judge the land and soil at one of the sites.
Photos taken by Jon Muncrief, District Conservationist, Huntsville, TX

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