Hepp Farms/Sexton Farms near Rockwell City hosted a regional FFA soil judging contest on Sept. 18. There was a great turnout, with 103 students from 10 different schools participating.

This event also offered a unique way for the students to see soil health in action. Representatives of the Calhoun County Soil and Water Conservation District, including Jeremy Viles and Jerry Chizek, conducted various demonstrations in the field to show the impact of various tillage systems, cover crops and more on soil structure.

A water infiltration test was conducted with soil from a field where Calhoun County Farm Bureau President James Hepp harvested a rye cover crop in early August. The infiltration test also included soil from another field within Calhoun County.

Students also observed a slake test. The slake test is a simple way to assess the stability of soil aggregates in water and determine how well soil can resist crusting. The test involves immersing a chunk of air-dried soil in water to see if it breaks apart, or “slakes.”