PITSBURG – Several members of the Franklin Monroe-MVCTC FFA chapter recently competed in the County and District Soils judging contest. The county contest was held on Jeff Martin’s farm and was run by the Darke County Soil and Water District staff. Members of this team included Austin Cool, Walker Lindemuth, Mason Garber, Mitchell Schmitmeyer, and Zach Wilson. The county contest proved to be an excellent learning opportunity for the students as they were allowed to take a close look at four different soil pits.
The students evaluated the soil to determine the different types of management practices that would need to be employed to minimize risks such as soil erosion, compaction, and water quality. After the students completed the evaluation of the pits, they were able to learn from the experts.
The District 5 Contest was held at Sycamore Park near Brookville. There were over 30 teams that competed in the District contest. The Franklin Monroe-MVCTC team consisted of Austin Cool, Walker Lindemuth, Mason Garber, and Mitchell Schmitmeyer. Along with having to evaluate four soils pits and determine what management practices to use, the students also had to take two tests that checked for their understanding of soil properties. The team did a great job at the event and placed 12th out of over 30 teams. With many of these members being underclassmen, they will have a chance to compete again next year and they are looking forward to improving their skills. They would like to thank the many people who worked to put both of these events on and they are looking forward to competing again next year.
