Bridgewater-Emery FFA Attends Region Land Judging
By Sydney Hoffman on October 12, 2017
Land judging serves as a tool to teach young FFA members about the field of soil science and the use and management of soils. Bridgewater-Emery is located in eastern South Dakota, and therefore, it follows the eastern South Dakota land judging rules.
The land judging competition in eastern South Dakota consists of judging soil texture, soil depth, past erosion, slope, stoniness, permeability, surface runoff and depth to seasonal water table. All of those factors are judged and determined, and a land class is chosen based on the land’s limiting factors. The class will determine the vegetative treatments, mechanical erosion treatments and fertility treatments available. Lastly, the possible home sites are considered based on limiting factors.
Numerous FFA members attended the land judging school practice in Parker, Sept. 19. Results from that date narrowed down the team to the following students: seniors Rebecka Hoffman, Jessica Jaeger, Cassie Kerkhove and Kori Heezen; juniors Jevin Eddy, Sydney Hoffman, Kristin Kotas and Jada Wethor and freshmen Rylee Schultz and Sara Hofer.
“This was my first year doing land judging, and I thought it was a great, new experience. At our first competition, I was a little lost and overwhelmed, but by the second competition I was more prepared and did a lot better,” junior Jada Wethor stated.
The students that proceeded on to the next round competed Oct. 3 outside of Hartford. For Bridgewater-Emery, junior Jevin Eddy received a gold medal, and junior Sydney Hoffman received a bronze medal. The B-E FFA land judging team placed sixth overall. The first-place team at the event was McCook Central, and the second-place team was Lennox.
“I started land judging last year, and I really enjoyed it, which made me try it again this year. Land judging helped me realize my interests for a future career in this area. I plan on doing it again next year,” junior Jevin Eddy explained.
The top two teams from our regions will qualify for national land and range judging in Oklahoma next year.
“The land judging team did a great job! I’m so proud of them all. Each team member showed improvement and worked hard. I was excited to learn that we had two students who earned medals! It is truly a blessing to watch each of the members grow and learn,” FFA advisor Karen Roudabush said
The land judging competition in eastern South Dakota consists of judging soil texture, soil depth, past erosion, slope, stoniness, permeability, surface runoff and depth to seasonal water table. All of those factors are judged and determined, and a land class is chosen based on the land’s limiting factors. The class will determine the vegetative treatments, mechanical erosion treatments and fertility treatments available. Lastly, the possible home sites are considered based on limiting factors.
Numerous FFA members attended the land judging school practice in Parker, Sept. 19. Results from that date narrowed down the team to the following students: seniors Rebecka Hoffman, Jessica Jaeger, Cassie Kerkhove and Kori Heezen; juniors Jevin Eddy, Sydney Hoffman, Kristin Kotas and Jada Wethor and freshmen Rylee Schultz and Sara Hofer.
“This was my first year doing land judging, and I thought it was a great, new experience. At our first competition, I was a little lost and overwhelmed, but by the second competition I was more prepared and did a lot better,” junior Jada Wethor stated.
The students that proceeded on to the next round competed Oct. 3 outside of Hartford. For Bridgewater-Emery, junior Jevin Eddy received a gold medal, and junior Sydney Hoffman received a bronze medal. The B-E FFA land judging team placed sixth overall. The first-place team at the event was McCook Central, and the second-place team was Lennox.
“I started land judging last year, and I really enjoyed it, which made me try it again this year. Land judging helped me realize my interests for a future career in this area. I plan on doing it again next year,” junior Jevin Eddy explained.
The top two teams from our regions will qualify for national land and range judging in Oklahoma next year.
“The land judging team did a great job! I’m so proud of them all. Each team member showed improvement and worked hard. I was excited to learn that we had two students who earned medals! It is truly a blessing to watch each of the members grow and learn,” FFA advisor Karen Roudabush said