This year, the National Grange Youth Department and National Junior Horticultural Association have partnered together to encourage horticultural education. Horticultural education was a passion of Wib Justi, first National Grange Youth Development Director. He was involved with NJHA, fostering a partnership between the two organizations.
Started in 2015, a Grange division has been added to the NJHA Horticultural Identification and Judging Contest. In addition, Grange youth can participate in other NJHA national contests. To learn more about these contests and for entry deadlines, go to www.njha.org.
Horticulture Identification and Judging Contest
Purpose of the Contest
The production, marketing and buying of fruit, vegetable, flower and ornamental crops requires a detailed knowledge of many subject matter disciplines. This contest is a training program concerned with teaching youth to recognize and identify some of the most important horticultural crops, to learn criteria influencing quality and to be able to answer questions and solve problems relating to the art and science of horticulture.
National Program Chair contact:
Terry Berke
Curry Seed and Chile
Phone: (530) 383-2349
Email: 5littleberkepeppers@gmail.com
Rules and Regulations
Team Guidelines
- The Grange team consists of 3 or 4 individuals aged 14-21.
- Contestants who have previously placed first (Grand National Award Winner) or
been a member of a first-place team will participate in the Honors Division. - The top individual in the Honors Division is automatically ineligible for further
competition. - Coaches and other individuals not competing in the contest will not be allowed in
the contest room while the contest is being conducted. After the last paper has
been turned in the contest room will be open for observation and photography of
the identification and judging sections. Answers will be placed on the entries. - Entry Deadline: September 15. Consult with your leader for additional information.
Contest Format
The horticulture contest consists of three sections (Judging: 80 pts., Identification: 200 pts. [250 pts. For honors] and Horticultural Knowledge: 160 pts.) for a total point score of 440 pts. (490 pts. for honors).
Judging
Eight classes of four (4) plates each will be judged on the basis of condition, quality, uniformity, true to type, and size. Two classes will be taken from the list of four commodity groups to be identified/judged (fruits and nuts, vegetables and herbs, flowering and indoor plants and woody ornamentals). Plates in each class will be ranked from first to last. Scores will be determined by a Hormel calculator. Oral reasons will not be required of contestants.
Information
Eighty (80) objective questions (true-false and multiple choice) will be taken from information in the study manual and on this section of the website. Questions will test the contestant’s knowledge of cultural practices for horticultural crops, plant science, pesticides, horticultural careers and other topics related to the production, processing and consumption of horticultural crops.
Identification
One hundred samples (100) will make up the third segment of the contest. Twenty-five (25) samples will be taken from each of the four (4) commodity groups. These commodity groups will be separated onto different tables and the participant will have a complete list of all items which could potentially appear. Specimens may be alive or preserved plant parts such as, but not limited to: stems, twigs, leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots, bulbs, tubers, or plant products. Participants in the honors division of the contest will identify 25 additional specimens. The specimens will come from all four groups and will not be segregated by category (randomly mixed).
Awards
Up to 5 teams and 10 individuals may receive medals based on the number of entries in each division. The top individual and team will receive gold medals; second place when awarded will receive silver medals; and any other placements awarded will receive copper medals. The top team in each division will also receive a plaque. Top individuals in each of the divisions may also be eligible for a cash prize when available. The highest overall scoring individual of all the divisions is also eligible for a monetary prize in years that monies for such are available.
For more information CLICK HERE.