The Manchester FFA Urban Soil Judging Team, from left, Adryanna Fuson, Dakota Richmond, Casen White and Alex Jones. (Photo provided)
The MHS FFA Urban Soil Judging Team earns way to Nationals
The judging team shaving FFA instructor Tony Sparks’ head. From left, Adryanna Fuson, Alex Jones,, Tony Sparks, Casen White and Dakota Richmond. (Photo provided)
By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
“How can I stand on the ground every day and not feel its power? How can I live my life stepping on this stuff and not wonder at it?” —- William Bryant Logan, “Dirt-The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth”
Have you ever considered how crucial it is that someone tested the soil on which your home was built or the ground beneath the roads you drive? People have dirt-tested its capacity for agriculture or structural development for hundreds of years.
The Ohio FFA Association holds a Soils, Urban Career Development Event each year. “The urban land and soil judging CDE is an educational activity designed as a practical method of teaching students to evaluate land and soil to determine its potential use for urban, homesite, and other nonfarm uses.” Casen White, a senior Manchester FFA Urban Soil Judging Team member, explains that his team focuses on determining the feasibility of urban sites by judging four soil pits and taking two separate tests to obtain their scores and ranking. Team members include White, Dakota Richmond, Alex Jones, and Adryanna Fuson.
As this reporter did, one might ask what a soil pit is. White described pits dug in the ground about 60 inches by 60 inches. A judge then examines and establishes the pit’s profile. Jones explains the levels of soil as topsoil, subsoil, and substratum. White explained, “You don’t want to build your house on sand – you’ll just keep sinking, sinking, and sinking.” These timed tasks make the survey and tests conditioned to clock. Jones adds, “You don’t need any fancy stuff,” demonstrating the basic slope finder. Other essential equipment is a clipboard, pencil, screwdriver, tape measure, and spray bottle. Tony Sparks, Manchester FFA instructor, says, “You can’t use a slope board at the National Contest.” White interjects, “You just have to go by your eye.”
Sparks said, “The officials will score the content just like the students.” The goal is to come closest to the official judges scoring. The categories are buildings with basements, sewage treatment systems, driveways and local roads, lawns, gardens and landscaping. Sparks explained, “They must determine the site’s slope, if it’s a flood hazard, if soil stability is present, and the soil texture at three different layers. Then, they determine the structure of the soil, the drainage, and if there are any restrictive features or bedrock. They get points based on the correct answers.”The Manchester team placed 5th, which made them eligible for a spot at Nationals. White won first place in the state contest of 164 students. Two team members, Richmond and Jones, are first-time judges.
The Ohio FFA awards banners to the top five schools. The new banner will be the first one for Manchester since 1983. This award is no small fete for the Manchester program, whose more experienced agricultural students often opt to attend the Ohio Valley Career and Technical Center for its many opportunities. Sparks offered an extra incentive to earn a banner for their wall. He agreed to let the team shave his head if they made a top spot in an official contest.
“The top five teams get an invitation to the national contest,” said Sparks. He continued, “It’s costly. We’re estimating our trip will cost us around $6000..” The judging will be held in Oklahoma in April 2024. The team raised $3000 in a recent fundraiser and plans on raffling a hog after the holidays.
White didn’t aspire to judge soil as a freshman but knew he wanted to stay with Manchester’s FFA. He took a summer college class so his schedule could accommodate the Manchester program for his junior year. “From my sophomore year onward, I had to do extra steps so I could stay in this class,” said White. Fuson attends Manchester one period a day for Sparks’ class. Sparks notes that they will bid farewell to Richmond next year when he embarks on his journey in public service at the Brown County Vocational School. “It’s a struggle I have every year – losing kids,” said Sparks.
How does soil judging translate to the real world and future careers or plans? White said, “I know the questions to ask. That’s the big thing – I know what to ask now.” Sparks piggybacks explaining the need for soil scientists in organizations like the health department and building industries.
White concluded, “I’m just very proud of being able to bring a banner home for our high school FFA chapter before I leave.” Listening to the confidence and knowledge of the team members articulating the soil judging process is impressive. Sparks explains that public speaking is a skill developed in the FFA program. He said, ‘It’s not just about farming. We teach a lot of leadership and life skills.”
The People’s Defender wishes the Manchester FFA Urban Soil Judging Team good luck as they “discover the dirt” in Oklahoma this spring. Congratulations to Sparks and his team on a well-deserved state banner.
