North Lake FFA: They Still Play in the Dirt

Seniors Joe Carlon, Daniel Miles and Andre Borlak compare notes during one of several weekend soil practices.

Since their freshmen year, now seniors Joe Carlon, Avery Overton, Daniel Miles and Andre Borlak have anchored the North Lake FFA Soils team, which won their fourth consecutive Central Oregon District Championship. The other schools in the district are Bend, Redmond, Crook County, Culver, Madras and Sherman County.

On October 13-14, sixteen of North Lake’s finest students braved the elements and competed in the annual District FFA Soils Career Development Event in Sherman County, near the Columbia River. During the two fun-filled days of cold, snow, rain and mud, both the Advanced and the Beginning teams dominated and placed first. This is the third year in a row that both teams have won the District competition and brought home the blue banners.

FFA students have been preparing for weeks: class work, soils labs, field trips, after school and weekend practices, and their hard work paid off. In the advanced competition, North Lake posted the top five high individual scores. Joe Carlon placed 1st with 115 points, Daniel Miles placed 2nd with 113 points, Andre Borlak placed 3rd with 112 points and Avery Overton placed 4th with 110 points. Other members of the advanced team were: Sydnee Bias – 101 points, Adam Henkel – 101 points. Team scores were: North Lake = 450 points, Culver = 421 points, and Crook County = 333 points.

In the beginning competition, North Lake had the top six individual scores. Andrew Miles led the pack with 115 points, and won the tie-breaker over Kody Worthington who also had 115 points. Raven Waldron came in 3rd with 109 points. Shayne Dinger and Conley Kittredge tied for 4th place with 105 points, and Felicia Bias took 6th with 98 points. Other team members who all had respectable scores in the 90’s range were, Brad Libolt - 95, Trent Emery – 92, Josh Hand – 91, and Austin Marone – 88. Team scores were: North Lake = 444 points, Culver = 379 and Madras = 333.

Both of North Lake Soils teams will be participating in the State contest this year which is being held at Oregon State University on November 7th. The top four high individuals from each team, plus an alternate will travel to Corvallis on November 5th and spend two days practicing before the event.

Front Row, Hunter Kittredge, Andrew Miles, Trent Emery, Brad Libolt. Back Row, Josh Hand, Adam Henkel, Daniel Miles, Andre Borlak, Joe Carlon, Kody Worthington, Shayne Dinger, Avery Overton, Raven Waldron, Austin Marone, Felicia Bias, Sydnee Bias

The main objective of the Soils Career Development Event 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.

Students are required to calculate the slope and determine the 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 the 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.

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 for all the help, encouragement, and educational programs they have provided the students. They’re a great asset to our chapter, school and community.

Kody Worthington, Felicia Bias, Kourtney Worthington and Cassandra McElhatton prepare for the Soils Career Development Event.

Shayne Dinger and Raven Waldron are two of the FFA members that will represent North Lake at the State Soils Career Development Event to be held at Oregon State University on November 7th.