The 2025 NH Soil Judging Contest was held October 2nd at the UNH Kingman Farm property in Madbury NH. The weather was amazing and best of all the participation level was finally back to pre-covid numbers! 12 teams comprised of 48 High School students competed from four schools, Keene, Timberlane, Merrimack and Sanborn. Merrimack once again took top honors followed by Timberlane B and Keene 2. The 4 person Merrimack win this year was dominating, taking the top three overall and 5^th best individual scores. Nice job Merrimack!

This year’s event was also a trial period for middle school participation. Moultonborough Middle School brought 16 students who worked in groups of 4 at their first three test pits with the ability to discuss the pits, soil manual, discuss & question among themselves and ask questions of the pit monitors.  After gaining some experience, they worked independently at their final test pit (Test Pit 3).  Though their scores were not ranked, the middle school students were all engaged with the varied aspects of the contest, including the soil profiles, study guides, land use interpretations, and the contest scorecard. The initial concept of including the middle schoolers as a separate group this year was debated among the event organizers and pit monitors prior to the competition.  We overwhelmingly welcomed them to the event and were all very pleased with the results.  Stay tuned. If this gets traction, we may be playing a double-header at future competitions!

This year we were faced with the government shut down just days before the event. The NRCS has traditionally taken the lead role in the event as soil scientists and official score card personnel. Don Keirstead from the NRCS was able to get out to the Farm with Alena Warren to get the 4 pits open or refreshed and log/set up 3 of them. Tom Carr met with Alena the day before the event and finished up the score cards, set up and log the final pit and gear up to present the introduction pit in lieu of Josh Gaimaro’s (NRCS) absence mandated by the Government Shut down.

Thank you to Alena Warren and the Strafford County Conservation District for organizing and putting on the event. Thank you to the University oy New Hampshire for once again allowing us to “get dirty” at Kingman Farm. Thanks to Don Keirstead and Josh Giamaro from the NRCS for doing everything they could before the shutdown. Thank you to the pit monitors Adam Doirion, Michael Cuomo, Peter Whitcomb and Tom Carr. Thank you to all the behind-the-scenes assistants that helped Alena and most of all, thank you to the schools, coaches and students for being interested in soils and competing in this event!