Tim Chapman/PCT Rugby High School rising senior Devin Volk and sister and rising sophomore Abagail Volk compete in the District 3 FFA Land Judging contest Wednesday on Steven Brossart's land west of Rugby.

RURAL RUGBY – The Rugby FFA Chapter hosted the District 3 FFA Land Judging contest Wednesday at Steven Brossart’s land west of Rugby. Seven teams participated in the contest in preparation for the state contest next week in Park River.

The members must evaluate a designated field to determine the quality of the land. After determining the quality, they must then make the proper management decisions for the field based on the information they gathered from their evaluation.

The students must determine the soil surface texture, internal drainage, depth of soil, slope to the land, surface soil thickness, past erosion, wind erosion, water erosion, degree of salinity and surface runoff for the field. When they have chosen all of the above they must then determine the class of land.

When the members determine the class of land they must then make the proper management decisions regarding vegetative treatments, mechanical treatments and soil fertility based on information from a soil fertility test.

The Rugby FFA Chapter had two teams entered in the contest. Taking first place was Rugby Team 2 consisting of Cade Heilman (contest high Individual), Abagail Volk (gold), Matty Koenig (silver) and Isaak Volk (bronze). Rugby Team 1 placed second in the contest, one point behind Team 2. Team members were Clay Vannett (gold), McKenzie Johnson (gold), Devin Volk (silver), and Josh Pfeifer (bronze).

The FFA would like to thank Steven Brossart for providing the land to be evaluated and Steve Jacobson for digging the pits used in the contest.

– Kasey Okke, Rugby FFA

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