While it is common for young people interested in agriculture to raise and show livestock, FFA members also compete to hone and show off their livestock and meat judging skills. Recently, two teams of Newton Community High School’s own traveled to the FFA District competition in Denver, Colorado to do just that.

 

For senior Emma Rauch, it was her first time competing as a member of a four-person meat judging team. “There’s kind of a lot to it,” she states. One part of the competition involves quality and yield grading of between two and four beef carcasses. Another has the participants identifying various retail cuts of beef, pork and lamb. Finally, the Evaluation Classes have the teams grading different examples of various cuts of meat based on criteria such as quality of marbling and overall fat to flesh ratio.

 

Emma, who plans on attending the University of Illinois next year to study veterinary medicine, has been involved with FFA since her sophomore year. But agriculture has been a part of her life practically since birth. She grew up on a farm and has been involved in 4H since she was just old enough, showing pigs and rabbits. Her father is a gas engineer, but “he’s always farming, always on a farm with his brothers,” Emma says. She recognizes the advantages that growing up in that kind of environment have given her, teaching her the value of hard work and the importance of taking responsibility. “I think it’s really fortunate for me, especially going into veterinary medicine,” she says. “It’s definitely a big positive for me.”

 

Junior Jace Judson was one of four NCHS livestock judging team members at the Colorado competition. Jace and his team competed in individual and team activities designed to test their skills in grading and evaluating livestock in various situations. For some activities, participants must answer questions orally about why they responded as they did during the activity. “So, there’s public speaking involved with that as well,” Jace explains. As someone who considers himself to be a bit of an introvert, Jace credits FFA and the showing and competition involved with helping him develop those kinds of social skills. But, there are still some things he likes to keep to himself. An avid hunter and fisherman, Jace finds in these activities the peace and solitude we all need sometimes. “The duck blind, the tree stand, or the farm – that’s where I find my happy place,” he states.

 

FFA has been a part of his life since he started high school – not surprising, given the fact that his maternal grandfather owns a large grain farm in the county, and he and his dad operate another farm on which they raise show pigs. Last year, tragedy struck, as they lost four or five sows in childbirth. “That was pretty hard, because to be successful, we’ve got to have the money that their offspring make,” Jace remembers.

 

“Fortunately, with the setback, we had a bigger comeback,” he continues. “We raised eight litters of pigs that year.” And, that summer, the pigs from those litters won quite a few ribbons. “A big highlight of mine was at the State Fair, I was honored to receive Champion Hereford Barrow,” he says with obvious pride.

 

Both Emma and Jace look to their fathers for inspiration. “I really look up to my dad, because he is SUCH a hard worker, and he does not quit, no matter what,” Emma confides. “He always pursues his dreams, no matter how hard.” Jace expresses similar feelings about his own dad. “He’s always determined, and he’s always hard-working,” Jace says. “He never wants us to give up.” The pair have equally similar and strong feelings about the advantages they have enjoyed, growing up in the area. “I think living in this small town, in Jasper County, has definitely been a positive for us,” enthuses Emma, “getting to know everyone and making real connections with the people around us.” Jace says it more succinctly. “I think [growing up in Jasper County] just paved the way for me to be a leader,” he states. He, too, enjoys living in a place where everyone knows everyone else, and people help each other out as a matter of course. “A whole bunch of my show families, I appreciate everything they do for me, all the tips and tricks they give to me,” he says fondly.

 

But Jace and Emma are not merely the beneficiaries of all that small-town living has to offer. They have benefitted from living in Jasper County, but Jasper County prospers by their presence as well. They – along with their FFA teammates, NCHS classmates, friends, family, and neighbors – are not just products of their environment, but active agents of the kind of down-to-earth, community-minded values that make our area what it is.