North Central District

Land and Homesite Evaluation

Career Development Event

 

 The Washington County FFA Chapter attended the North Central District FFA Land and Homesite Evaluation Career Development Event in Mankato on September 28th.  Washington County placed fifth in the senior division out of 12 schools participating.  Amanda Bryant led the way for the senior team by placing 9th individually out of nearly 90 students participating in that division.  Other students participating for Washington County were Makaela Miller, Colton Linenberger, Kylie Penning, JoLynn Hennerberg, Chris Pinnick and Jacki Zenger.

 

In the Greenhand Land Judging Division, Washington County Freshmen placed 3rd in the overall competition out of the 10 Greenhand teams.  The Greenhand Team included Wyatt Durst, Whitney Wyatt, Jefferson Simmons, Andrew Tiemeyer, Zach Otott, Bethany Keller, Ryley Meyer, Matthew Small, Marlin L’Ecuyer, Ryan Nelson, Justin Hoover, Gavin Uhlik, Gabryelle Gilliam and Caitlin Duey.

 

State Land and Homesite Evaluation

 

Ten members of the WCHS FFA competed in the State Area Land Judging competition held here in Washington on October 6th.  31 teams and 95 individuals participated in the event.  The Washington County team consisting of Makaela Miller, Kylie Penning, JoLynn Hennerberg and Amanda Bryant finished as the first place team in the overall competition.  Makaela Miller led the team by placing as the first high individual overall in the competition!  Hennerberg placed 6th, Penning placed 8th and Bryant placed 9th out of the nearly 100 participants competing in the contest.  The team will now compete in the National Land and Homesite Evaluation Competition in annually in May in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

 

Team results are as follows:

 

  1. Washington County A

  2. Republic County B

  3. Republic County A

  4. Text Box: Washington County Team A Pleasant Ridge A

  5. Washington County B

  6. Jackson Heights A

  7. Marysville

  8. Riley County

  9. Linn

  10. Pleasant Ridge B

 

Other participants competing in the state land competition included Jacki Zenger, Colton Linenberger, Chris Pinnick, Caitlin Duey, Marlin L’Ecuyer and Matthew Small.  The Glenn and Gregory Bekemeyer family provided the land site for the competition and the event was hosted by the Washington County FFA Alumni and the Washington County Natural Resources Conservation Service. 

 

Land judging teaches students many important characteristics of soils and assists in determining the capability of the land for use as farm ground or pasture.  By utilizing this information, students determine the vegetative and mechanical practices best suited to conserve and maintain the soil.  In homesite evaluation, many of the same soil features are evaluated with regard to foundations for buildings, septic systems, sewage lagoons, lawns, and landscaping.