Foster and Eddy County teams compete at state 4-H land judging

Eddy and Foster County teamed up in the Senior Division to place Second as a team in the 4-H State Land Judging Contest. Foster County sent six Junior 4-H’ers who brought home a first-place team award in their division. The State 4-H Land Judging contest was held in conjunction with the State FFA Land Judging contest, which was held on Aug. 1 near Harvey.

The Senior team was comprised of Eddy County 4-H’ers Nick Berglund, who placed first in the Senior 4-H division, and Maria Becker, who placed third. Foster County 4-H’er Natasha Lessman was the third member of the combined team and had a respectable showing with her ninth-place finish.

Junior 4-H’er Kyle Johnson had the highest score in both age divisions of the contest, placing first, individually in the Junior Division. Molly Hansen placed second and Cally Hansen placed third to round out the top scoring Junior team of three. London Davis placed fifth, Cyrena Kuss placed sixth and Brekka Kuss placed tenth.

Land judging competition prepares young people to have a greater appreciation of land and soil, so whether they return to the farm or have an interest in town or in the city, their life will be enriched with the knowledge acquired in the fun activity of land judging. Land is the principal natural resource in North Dakota, with agriculture being a major source of income to North Dakotans.

The State 4-H and FFA Land Evaluation Contest is open to all youth 8-18 years old. It is important for contestants to be competent in three skills; texturing, estimating slope, and determining the depth of surface and subsurface horizons.

The 4-H team scores were determined from the top three individual scores from a county team. There is no limit as to number of participants a county may enter. Up to three counties may join to make a team provided that none of the counties involved have three or more members in that age division.