July 2, 2013

To: FFA Chapters competing in the 2013 State Soils/Land Evaluation CDE on Tuesday, July 9, 2013.

From: Kristin Hanson, Prairie Farm FFA Advisor, Land Evaluation CDE Host

RE: Contest Details & Information

I hope the summer is treating you well thus far. I wanted to share contest details with you in advance of your trip to Farm Technology Days in Barron County next week. Please contact me at 715-790-5118 with any questions.

The address for Prairie Farm High School is 630 S. River Ave, Prairie Farm WI, 54762. The village of Prairie Farm is at Barron County Highways F & A, and the high school is right on highway F. You can park on the south or west side of the school, and use the west or high school entrance.

  • Day of contest form—Please submit this via email or bring with you to the contest. ValidFFA membership #’s are REQUIRED for each student in order to compete.
  • Practice pit—The pit will be at the Prairie Farm High School; it is in the school prairie area, located to the southeast of the school. (East of the baseball/softball fields). After discussion with NRCS staff and their concerns about making sure each chapter had the same practice opportunities, it was decided to have the pit available for members to practice the evening before, and NRCS staff will review the judging of the pit after registration is complete, (prior to going to the contest site). The control area will be marked, so please remind students to not take samples in this area. Please note that we did find wild parsnip in the prairie area near the practice pit. While we removed what we could, please be cautious in the area.

Also, please note that our custodians have just finished waxing the commons floor. They have asked me to make sure your students don’t track in a lot of dirt/rocks/mud, etc. that would damage the new wax. So, if could please remind your students to make sure their boots/shoes are clean before coming into the commons, we’d appreciate it. (Happy custodians = happy life!)

  • Contest cards—Due to issues with the Scantron not working properly in previous years due to dirt smudges, wet cards, etc., contestants will be using the OLD style cards, and scoring will be done by hand. (1 card/pit system). If you have questions, please contact Gordie Gasch, CDE Coordinator. We will be scoring BY HAND so we need as many people to help as possible. If you are helping with the pits, please consider assisting with scoring before heading the FTD site.

Examples of the pit cards can be found at

  • Contest Schedule: Registration & announcements will take place at the Prairie Farm High School Commons
  • 8 am- registration starts; Soil Scientist available at practice pit
  • Registration- collect Day of Contest cards—need id #’s ; fees if needed
  • Send water coolers with pit guides/NRCS folks or Emily & Amber….
  • 9:00 am—
  • Welcome from State FFA Officers –
  • Welcome/explanation of busing, introduction of NRCS Staff, etc. -Hanson
  • Soil scientist review of practice pits
  • Review rules, etc. – Todd- NRCS?
  • Student reminders
  • A reminder that each student will need a clipboard and pencil. No extras will be provided.
  • Also be sure to review the prohibited behaviors with your students:
  • -No communication of any kind allowed- voice, electronic, or otherwise
  • -No cell phone use
  • -No incremental rulers or mechanical tools for determining slope
  • -No written or marked notes.
  • 9:30- Load buses for contest site.-
  • Bud, Maynard?
  • 9:45-10 am- Begin Contest at site
  • Emily- Amber take pictures?
  • Following contest – students bussed to Farm Technology Days Site
  • Bus drivers –call Kristin Hanson when ready to leave… Admissions to meet buses

Scoring—at High School.

-cookies, milk, lemonade, fruit, etc.

  • Awards- Scheduled to be presented on stage in the Youth Tent- 2 pm

If you have questions please contact me at 715-790-5118, or via email at I am sure that I have missed or forgotten something.

I am looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday, July 9.

  • Advisor Worker Assignments:Advisor Work Assignments: Please review list below for your assignment. While I tried to accommodate your preferences, I placed people in the areas of greatest need. Please remember that we need a lot of assistance with scoring in order get results completed in time.

Pit Monitors/Site Supervisors—All covered by NRCS Staff

Runner- (bringing cards from contest site back to school) Carla- NRCS

Pit Guides/Group Leaders—bring students from pit to pit. When done at the contest site- please help with scoring when finished.

  1. Kevin Whalen-Arcadia
  2. Kent Haake- GET Spooner chaperone
  3. Lancaster-Chaperone
  4. Susie Olson-Rosenbush-Spooner

Scorers:

  1. GordieGasch-WAAE official
  2. Bridget Peck-Cassville
  3. Jill Van Schyndle- Cuba City
  4. Ryan Indergand-Monticello
  5. Melissa Leonard-Flannery-Pecatonica
  6. Paul Jakupciak-Osceola
  7. Kory Stahlsberg-River Ridge
  8. Jen Bos-Shell Lake
  9. Paul Marshall-Riverdale
  10. Nate King-Cashton
  11. Jodi Marshall-Platteville
  12. Mike Uppena- Potosi