By: René McCracken, NTCC Ag Director
This NTCC FFA Land, Forage, Forestry and Homesite is an area competition event that is held each year at the NTCC Whatley Agriculture Complex for all area FFA Chapters in Area 6. The Ag Department and Ag Club set up all of the competition sites including the forestry at our own Nita May’s home.
The last two years have required more members to set and run the contest since all federal agencies are still restricted from crowded events. Ag Club members clean inside the building and prepared breakfast burritos for our hard working crew and frito pie for lunch. This is the largest number of students required to run and host over 300+ students and advisors from over 30+ schools and 4H groups competing at once. Students and club members work during the contests and assist in any way possible with each area of competition. Students help with awards and clean up the Ag complex and put classrooms back as they were for regular classes afterwards.
This event also requires the growing of sample weeds, grasses, legume and grains to be grown or collected to provide 30 ID samples. It also requires the collection and sorting of 40 hay samples for judging. Students and staff are preparing months for this contest to prep our facilities to host the event. Each year, our efforts pay off as several students enrolled in our classes here, first were introduced to NTCC through this contest! And not to drone on but our own, Jordon Berkley took some great drone photos during the contest to demonstrate the use of technology and agriculture for our program.
A record 21 Ag Club members and guests were utilized on the day of the competition from 7:30 am till 4 pm when everything was completed and put away. This was the second largest fundraising event this year! For more information about NTCC agriculture follow us on Facebook at NTCC Ag Department or contact Director of Agriculture, Rene’ McCracken rmccracken@ntcc.edu.
