It’s more than just farming

PALMER — Future Farmers of America compete this week in Palmer during its annual state convention for the chance to go to the national competitions in North Carolina.

Wednesday was the most popular event, the envirothon. Some 75 students met at Kepler-Bradley State Park competing as high schools.

There were five stations placed around the park. Each station tested the teams on one aspect of natural resource management and soil and water conservation.

Tim Hoffman from the Department of Environmental Conservation simulated the interconnectedness of aquifers by building a model out of an ant farm. He injected dyes into on one end, which then flowed through layers of rocks and sand. The dye quickly polluted the simulated wells and river.

“I hope we can make them better educated homeowners,” Hoffman said. “Maybe now they won’t dump tons of oil down their drains.”

The next station was run by Stan Vlahovich of the Division of Forestry. Students had to use clinometers to calculate the size of trees and cores to measure their age.

At the soil station, students took samples of the dirt from a soil pit, tested it for grit size and texture, and classified it on a chart. From a hole in the frozen lake, students took water samples to test for pH levels, dissolved oxygen and temperature. Pelts and skulls were laid out for identification at the wildlife station.

Whichever team wins the envirothon will compete in North Carolina for the national title. Last year, Homer High School took the top place, and this year’s winner will be announced tonight.

The envirothon puts the skills the students have learned in their classrooms to the test, said Jeff Werner, the state adviser for the FFA. The FFA emphasizes natural resource conservation so these resources are protected for future generations, Werner said.

The next competition applied these skills to a real-world problem. Each group had to come up with a solution to preserve the Kenai River as human and recreational traffic increases. These were hypothetical plans, but the winner of the national event will see its plan actually implemented.

The competition on Thursday included floral arraignments, extemporaneous speaking and parliamentary procedure. Today, the students compete in livestock judging and dairy evaluation among others.

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell spoke to the students on Wednesday, challenging them to continue the work and learning they have started in FFA, said Werner.

“The FFA is all education,” said Werner, “but more importantly, involvement.”

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.