Down and Dirty with North Lake FFA

Mud, rain, wind─and a whole lot of dirt. That pretty well sums up the month of October for the North Lake FFA Chapter. Four weeks of collecting soil samples, poking around in soil pits after school, and dozens of hours of class time studying math formulas and scientific principles have prepared students to be competitive at demonstrating their knowledge and skills of soil science at both the District and the State level.

The North Lake FFA Soils teams dominated the District Career Development Event (CDE) at Crook County, outperforming the competition in both the advanced and beginning contests. Team scores in the Advanced Contest were: North Lake = 399, Sherman County = 393, Culver = 372. Team scores in the Beginning Contest were: North Lake = 415 points, Madras = 374, Culver 363.

On October 13th, nine students from North Lake School packed their bags and headed out to participate in the 2008 State FFA Soils Career Development Event. Over 28 teams from the various 119 Oregon FFA Chapters qualified and attended the contest. The advanced team, consisting of Joe Carlon, Andre Borlak, Avery Overton and Shayne Dinger placed fifth. With their two second place State finishes the previous years, they were able to make the cut for the chance to represent the State of Oregon at the National Soils Career Development Event in Oklahoma City.

The Novice team placed first in the Beginning Contest, and had the third highest score of all teams in the competition. Daniel Miles had the second highest individual score of all competitors. Other members of the team were, Felicia Bias, Kody Worthington, Adam Henkel and Kourtney Worthington.

The results of the Advanced CDE: Culver ─ 352 points, Sutherlin ─ 347, Bonanza ─ 338 points, Hermiston ─ 338 points, North Lake ─ 335 points.
The results of the Beginning CDE: North Lake ─ 340 points, Culver ─ 335 points, Hermiston ─ 323 points, Bonanza ─ 306 points.

Working the Pits: Students worked hard and spent hours practicing before the contest: Kourtney Worthing, Felicia Bias, Shayne Dinger, Adam Henkel, Kody Worthington, Andre Borlak, Avery Overton.

Kourtney Worthington and Shayne Dinger prepare for the State Contest.

North Lake FFA Soil Teams Dominate at District

On October 8th, North Lake competed in the annual District FFA Soils Career Development Event. This year the contest was held at Crook County. Both the Advanced and the Beginning teams placed first and took home the blue banners. This is the second year in a row that both teams have won the District competition.

In the advanced competition, Avery Overton placed 2nd individual with 105 points, Joe Carlon placed 4th individual with 104 points and Daniel Miles placed 5th with 100 points. Other members of the advanced team were: Andre Borlak, Alex Defender, Jesssica Kelly and Sydnee Bias. Team scores were: North Lake = 399, Sherman County = 393, Culver = 372.

In the beginning compettion, Felicia Bias placed 1st individual with 106 points, Shayne Dinger placed 2nd individual with 105 points, Cody Worthington placed 3rd individual with 104 points and Adam Henkel placed 4th individual with 100 points. Other members of the team were: JJ Smith, Calvin Bowers, Kourtney Worthington, Elijah Puckett. Team scores were: North Lake = 415 points, Madras = 374, Culver 363.

Both of North Lake Soils teams will be participating in the State contest this year which is being held in Culver Oregon on October 14th.
The Soils CDE requires students to determine the slope, soil texture, color and structure, identify mottles, course fragments, horizons and any “special features” like duripans, fragipans and tillage pans. The students then have to use that information to calculate available water holding capacity, effective rooting depth, surface and subsoil permeability, water and wind erosion hazard, parent material, site position, internal drainage, drainage feasibility, most intensive crop for the site, erosion control practices, pH corrections and septic tank limitations.

Farmers are the primary stewards of the soil, for they are the tillers of the land. All of us, however, share the responsibility to protect this valuable resource. If we manage our soil properly it will continue to nourish us for generations to come. If we don’t, our very civilization is threatened.

The main objective of the Soils CDE is to encourage students to investigate this fascinating resource we call soil, to discover how soils are organized, to learn both how to describe key properties of soils horizons and to interpret them in terms of management practices–and to develop a sense of stewardship for the land. By learning and understanding important properties of the soil, students will be able to manage the soil wisely and make a number of important decisions about drainage, irrigation, crop selection and erosion control.

Next year’s District contest is scheduled to be held in the North Lake area.
The North Lake FFA would like to thank the Fort Rock Soil and Water Conservation District, and especially LeeRoy Horton, Harold Miles, Lloyd Miles and Leon Baker for all soils pits they’ve dug and the help, encouragement, and educational programs they have provided the students. They’re a great asset to our chapter, school and community.
Beginning Team, Front Row: Adam Henkel, JJ Smith, Felicia Bias, Shayne Dinger, Kourtney Worthington, Calvin Bowers, Kody Worthington. Advanced Team, Back Row: Daniel Miles, Andre Borlak, Alex Defender, Elijah Puckett, Joe Carlon, Avery Overton, Jessica Kelly, Sydnee Bias.

JJ Smith fills out his soil card.

Sydnee and Felicia Bias

Distirct Tractor Driving

District Tractor Driving
By: Reporter Cheyanne Strong

On September 24th, 2008 six of our North Lake FFA Chapter members met with the other Central Oregon District chapters in Madras for the Tractor Driving Contest.

Of course we all got tired during the summer sitting in our tractors and driving around in circles. These boys: Jon Sprague, Joe Carlon, Avery Overton, Tyler Meyer, Elijah Puckett, and Calvin Bowers, didn’t. They took this contest very seriously and always try to beat out their competition.

The Tractor Driving Contest involved three parts: the safety test, where they took a written exam on common safety precautions while driving a tractor, the Parts I.D., where the competitors had to identify certain parts on the tractor, and the main event consisted of the members taking the tractor, with an implement on the back, and driving through the course without touching the flags. Then they had to back the tractor up to a pole, and get as close as they could without touching it.

The advanced team: Avery Overton, Joe Carlon, and Jon Sprague, placed third. Avery Overton placed 2nd in the individual placing.

The beginning team, Elijah Puckett, Tyler Meyer, and Calvin Bowers, placed 1st. They did extremely well against their competition.

This summer on August 24th, Tyler Meyer and Avery Overton had the honor to attend the State Fair in Salem, Oregon. They competed in the Tractor Driving Contest. Avery Overton did an outstanding job placing first, and won himself a belt buckle. Tyler Meyer did not place, but represented the Chapter and District very well.

District Soils CDE

FFA District Soils CDE

October 7 – 8th, @ Crook County. Bus leaves at 2:00 on Tuesday.

We will be camping out at Jerry and Kristi Breese ranch. Jerry and the Crook County FFA will be providing hamburger and hotdogs Tuesday night. Students will need to bring a lunch for Wednesday.

List of students who have indicated to me they will be participating: Updated 10/2/08


Advance Team
Avery Overton
Joe Carlon
Daniel Miles
Kori Worthington
Jessica Kelly
Andre Borlak
Alex Defender
Sydnee Bias

Beginning Team
Elijah Puckett
Shayne Dinger
Kody Worthington
Kourtney Worthington
Calvin Bowers
JJ Smith
Felicia Bias
Adam Henkel


Official dress is not required for this event. Be sure to pack warm clothes and bring all your soils evaluation tools: knife, water bottle, calculator, clipboard, writing utensil, mud rag, boots and a rain coat.

Other items to bring: tent, sleeping bag, toiletries, towel, lunch, flashlight, cell phone…I’m sure I’m forgetting something…

Students need to make sure they have turned in their pre-arranged absent sheet and their FFA participation form that I sent out the first week of school.

Any questions or concerns, please give me a call on my cell. 977-3106