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FFA forestry practice

Started by caveman, September 24, 2016, 10:41:40 AM

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caveman

Recently our FFA forestry team has been practicing for the district contest which will be held at Kissimmee State Park next month.  I have taken a few pictures of some of the stuff we have found. We usually have one field trip practice that lasts for three hours or so once a week in addition to the five hours in class and the other at school, after school=day practices (they spend 10-12 hours a week practicing as a group and the dedicated ones spend a lot of their personal time reading and studying power points and slides).

  Large loblolly with ambrosia beetles.  It was struck by lightning.

 Fruiting cedar-apple rust

  Brown spot needle blight on Longleaf Pine

  The smallest pine sawflies I have ever seen.  They were on a small slash pine.  I should have put something up beside them for perspective.  I couldn't tell for certain that they were pine sawflies until I took a picture and zoomed in.

  While some of the students were waiting for rides home after practice Wednesday afternoon we took the opportunity to use an increment borer on a slash pine to look at the growth rate and for a break from timber cruising, compass and pacing and our walk collecting specimens.

  They are looking at the sample.

   I do not know what kind of caterpillars these are but they are pictured beside a dime and are on a sugarberry leaf-they are very small.

  Loblolly bay with unopened flower.  Subtle serrations are apparent in this picture.

  

  Pest, pathogen and invasive quiz on one row of tables and a dendro quiz on the other.

  I sometimes haul the kids to the areas we timber cruise or look for specimens on my trailer.   

  

  They are measuring the volume in some longleaf pines that I marked off on the edge of a swamp.

  Hardwood twigs that were severed by a twig girdler.
They still have a lot to learn and a lot of work to do but they many are really excited about forestry and are driven to become more proficient. 
Caveman

thecfarm

 I like the shirts too!!!! Good job
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Ron Scott

Excellent outdoor training that they won't forget.
~Ron

D2 Cody

Caveman,
That is awesome. It is really neat to see the kids taking an interest in forestry. I was an FFA member for six years from seventh grade up until I graduated. I was really into at construction, welding, at mechanics, and especially soil judging. Funny I always somehow did good with the land and soil judging but must of been because I was always on a jobsite with dad moving dirt and holding a grade rod lol. I would have loved to been able to be in the forestry program but in Nebraska they don't really do it to my knowledge much. Keep up the good work, someday we will all want to retire and somebody needs to take the reigns. Thanks for posting.
Regards D2 Cody
Are you just going to lay there and bleed or get up and do something about it..Wyatt Earp Tombstone

Echo-Stihl-Caterpillar-Dodge-Craftsman-Lincoln

caveman

D2Cody,
Our FFA members compete in ag mechanics, soil judging, citrus judging, nursery and landscape, environmental science, poultry judging, parliamentary procedure, speaking events, tractor driving, and several other CDE's (career development events).  Forestry and ag mechanics are my two favorites.
Caveman

WDH

Kyle,

Nice pics.  You are a great mentor. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

caveman

Thanks Danny.  I hope to be a great retiree one day.  It will not be anytime real soon but I hope when the day comes I still have enough ambition/health to gain a little ground on some of the endless projects that need attention around here.  Also, there are a lot of fish that will eventually need catching-some of which have not even hatched yet.
Caveman

4x4American

Man I wish I was in your class!
Boy, back in my day..

caveman

Doug, my friend JMoore and I found this site while researching sawmills several years ago prior to purchasing an Lt-28.  I spend time here almost daily.  Every time I get on the Forestry Forum, it is like attending a class taught by knowledgeable folks who are passionate about the same things that I am.  By the way, the forestry class is every other day and lasts from 8:45 until 10:36 (there will be class tomorrow).  If you happen to show up there will be a spot for you in the front row.  There are quite a few folks on the FF who have provided samples to me and provided information and answers to my questions which I have used with my forestry students.

Caveman

4x4American

Yes, the FF is a great place.  Where my sawmill is now I have 3G service and when I'm walking between the outhouse and my sawmill or having breakfast lunch or dinner 10 times out of 9 I've got my face in my phone on the forum.  I agree about the class part, you sure can learn quite a bit from here.


One day I was scaling logs, I asked Jake from State Farm how I could finger out how many bf was in a 9' log, and he said go on FF and go in the tool box.   smiley_sidelightbulb [size=78%]  And so now I use that all the time on my phone.  [/size]
Boy, back in my day..

caveman

This afternoon's practice was our long one for the week.  The weather was threatening all afternoon.  After lunchtime I went to a city park to get some dendro samples that I do not have near my house (American hornbeam, ash, shumard oak and a few others).  When we all got to my place to practice it was sprinkling rain and thunder could be heard in the distance.  They started on a ten-line compass and pacing course while I set up tables inside my shop and set out cuttings for them to take a dendrology test and another for a bug/pest test.  After they finished those activities, we went to my neighbor's place about a quarter of a mile away. 

At the neighbor's we had less than half an hour to spend walking through the woods.  We looked for bug/disease/dendro and other samples.  We usually find some cool stuff that is unexpected.  One of the students spotted a snake right in front of him.  It was a ground rattler (pigmy) which got whacked.  Normally they are given a pass unless they present a hazard.  With this group it was considered a hazard.  One of the girls in the group was bitten by a brown recluse spider a couple of weeks ago at practice and while timber cruising last week a scorpion on one of the longleaf pines provided a little excitement.

I got a couple of slash pine logs that were cut last weekend.  There are already ips engraver beetles getting in them.  The logs had fresh, frass laden pitch tubes (no pics).  The students were able to see/touch/smell the sap coming out of the logs and make some generalizations about the growth of the tree by looking at the spacing of the rings.

        

 
Caveman

4x4American

Looks like a good time, those kids are too funny
Boy, back in my day..

caveman

Today after school I rushed home to collect samples that are not available on campus.  While getting a longleaf pine limb, I came upon a field grown longleaf that was getting eaten up by red headed pine sawflies.  The students will begin their cut tests tomorrow to determine which four of the 11 practicing will make the A-team and compete in the district contest next Thursday. 



  

  

  The wind was blowing so the needles were moving too much for my phone to focus on the larvae.

Each team member will have to take a multiple guess test, a dendro test, bug/disease/disorder test, forestry tools, compass and pacing, and timber cruising (pulp or saw timber).  Next year they will do USGS Topo map interpretation, which alternates with compass/pacing. 
Caveman

DeerMeadowFarm

You are awesome for spending this time and energy with the kids. I wish I had the opportunity to do that when I was young and I wish there was a program like that for my daughter now.

caveman

The FFA is a great program for youth and it can provide a lot of opportunities for them.
Caveman

4x4American

Quote from: DeerMeadowFarm on October 05, 2016, 08:34:09 AM
You are awesome for spending this time and energy with the kids. I wish I had the opportunity to do that when I was young and I wish there was a program like that for my daughter now.




x3
Boy, back in my day..

caveman

The forestry students participated in the district forestry career development event (CDE) today.  Our teams finished 1st and 3rd.  I have not seen the individual scores yet but I suspect the event was decided by timber cruising and the compass and pacing components.  The team will compete in the state event next month in Perry, Florida.  We can have four students compete at the state contest.  Of the 11 we took to Kissimmee State Part to compete today six or seven will continue to work on forestry while the others will focus on other CDE's such as citrus judging, parliamentary procedure, environmental science, tractor operations or one of the speaking events. 


 
Caveman

John Mc

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Ron Scott

~Ron

caveman

Thank you, men.  They will definitely have to become more proficient at compassing and pacing if they hope to do well in the state event.  We will also have to practice measuring some taller pines.  They still use Biltmore sticks at the contest and some of the trees at the World Forest Center in Perry are over four logs high to an 8" top (the Merit Hysometer on the sticks only goes to four logs).  The hardest thing for me is to guess where the forester who sets up the timber cruising part of the contest will measure height to.  Some seem to measure to a whorl of dead stobs, a significant limb and others will go on up past them to an 8" top.  Since I have started sawing, I tend to measure a little lower than I used to.
Caveman

Ron Scott

~Ron

caveman

The state test is this evening (written test) and tomorrow (outside events).  Today we found some things we do not have at home and also we found some forest disorder samples.  This event is in Perry, Fl, which is three hours north of home.
Variable Oak Leaf Caterpillar 

  on

Pine Webworm


 
We were able to find walnut, cottonwood, sassafras and a few others that we do not have at home.  It is good for the students to see live trees in addition to pressed samples or pictures.  There are some very well prepared students here from all over the state.  Regardless of how ours do, they have worked hard and have learned a lot about forestry.

 

Caveman

Savannahdan

Good luck.  I head over to the Coastal Fair for the awards presentations for exhibits the kids had on display.  My granddaughter has one on roller derby and she may be the only one in her age group.  She grew up with FFA in Paulding County, GA, and learned a lot about horses there. 
Husqvarna 3120XP, Makita DCS7901 Chainsaw, 30" & 56" Granberg Chain Saw Mill, Logosol M8 Farmers Mill

caveman

Thanks, Savannahdan.  They will certainly need a little luck.  At least the written portion of the event is behind them.  They practiced for several hours today on the various practicums. 
Caveman

Savannahdan

Granddaughter won 2nd place (red ribbon and some $) for her presentation.  They even had a real judge do the judging.  The judge (lady) has a long history with FFA and her rural history makes her very qualified.  From what I could see she did an excellent job.  The kids were having lots of fun and all the exhibits were great.
Husqvarna 3120XP, Makita DCS7901 Chainsaw, 30" & 56" Granberg Chain Saw Mill, Logosol M8 Farmers Mill

caveman

Our FFA chapter ended up in 2nd place today too.  Fort White FFA won and will represent Florida next year at the national contest.  Our students worked hard, learned a lot and hopefully will continue to learn about forestry.

 
Caveman

WDH

I know that you are proud of them. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Savannahdan

Outstanding.  It appears they enjoyed it.  Those memories will last a long time. I'm glad they're working to strengthen the FFA program in the Savannah area.
Husqvarna 3120XP, Makita DCS7901 Chainsaw, 30" & 56" Granberg Chain Saw Mill, Logosol M8 Farmers Mill

thecfarm

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

sandhills


caveman

Thanks fellows.  They came up a little short this time but the same dog's _____ aint in the sunshine everyday (old saying).  All of them but one will have another shot next year as only one of them is a senior.  I messed them up a little on timber estimation.  The foresters who measured volume cut the trees off a little higher up the stem than what I taught them to.  It takes a pretty good pine tree to measure to an 8" top.  About half of the trees they were tested on were counted as four 16' logs (longleaf pine).  I was teaching them to cut at significant branches or whorls of dead branches.
Caveman

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