The annual Jackson County Soil and Water Conservation District’s soils judging contest was Sept. 18 at the farm of Dale Pottschmidt.
A team with Seymour High School’s FFA chapter won the contest. They were Luke Lanam, Sydney Wiesehan, Adam Newkirk and Ethan Marin.
Brownstown Central High School’s FFA team placed second. Members of that team were Jo Brittain, Macey Stuckwisch and Abby Stuckwisch.
A team from Trinity Lutheran High School’s FFA chapter finished third. Members of that team were Kade Hill, Michael Claycamp, Hannah Kerkhof and Cassidy Burnside.
The fourth- and fifth-place teams were from Seymour High School.
John Bowen, a soil scientist from Chestnut Ridge Consulting, helped with locating the site for judging, determining where the pits should be dug and prejudging the pits. He then critiqued the pits with the students after the contest was over.
Twenty-seven students from Brownstown Central, Seymour and Trinity Lutheran high schools participated in judging three soil pits for nine physical features, such as slope, soil texture, erosion and drainage to recommend cropping sequences, soil and water, septic and home site management practices.