New Hampshire Association of Conservation Districts, NRCS, UNH and Other Volunteers Team Up for Annual High School Soil Judging Contest

On October 8^th at UNH’s Kingman Farm, eighteen high school teams from ten New Hampshire High Schools participated in a soil judging contest, sponsored by the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Districts, designed to teach students common soil characteristics and how soil features impact land use.  Lisa Morin, NHACD Soil Judging Coordinator and District Program Coordinator of the Belknap Country Conservation District, along with NRCS Assistant State Soil Scientist Joe Homer and Soils Database Manager Peter Witcomb, organized this fun and educational experience.  John McClain gave permission to use the Kingman Farm.  Volunteer Glen Pierce dug four, six by four by four foot pits in various locations at the farm.  Pans with different soil types were strategically located by each pit as soil examples.   

Expert soil scientists, Mark Jacobs, Lenny Lord, Jaimie Long, and Tom Carr took responsibility for each pit.  For the first fifteen minutes at each location, students completed a soils test sheet.  After turning in their findings, the experts went over the questions and answers and talked about the special nature of the soils in that pit.  Students not only had to determine soil type and drainage, they answered questions about best and worst usage for the land.  They also had to determine the slope by making a slope finder and using it correctly.   

Dolly Theriault, an Earth Team volunteer, helped out at Pit #2.  She learned about the volunteer opportunity from taking a natural resources class at UNH.  She said “any day out in the field doing volunteer work is a good day”.  Teacher Shannon Cutts of Newport High School brought twelve students from her Environmental Studies and Health classes.  Mike Gilman of Newfound Regional High School brought nine students.  Mike said “it’s a little expensive to get a bus for the trip, but it’s worth it”.   Many of the groups participate in the NH Envirothon and used the soils challenge to help prepare them for the Envirothon competition. 

Joe Homer said, "most of the volunteers come back year after year.  They enjoy working with the kids and giving them a little taste of why soils are so important".

Special thanks go to Lisa Morin for her effort coordinating the day and thanks to Joe Homer, Peter Whitcomb and Karen Dudley for their help setting up the pits and helping the day of the event.

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