Fall 2010: “Welcome to Cal Poly.” Winter 2011: “No Regrets.” Spring 2011: “Regret Everything.” Fall 2011: “A Second Chance.” Winter 2012: “The New Normal.” Spring 2012 “A Chemical Tale of Area 52 - Question Everything.” Fall 2012: “A First time For everything” Winter 2013: “The Committed Step” Spring 2013: “Love is All I Got - Diva”
Last night Maria and I spent a long time studying at SLODoCo and we met another student that was a math major. We explained all of our knowledge of soils to him and he was so astounded at how diverse and complex the soil system is. Just explaining to him how describing redox features explains the activities of the microbes in the soil that can further explain what elements are being used in the soil which further explains what that means for the plants and the use for the soil. Maria and I further went into detail about how we love chemistry because it relates so much to humans and the Science of Soil: each element has a specific purpose and goal and maintains a trend of periodicity just as every human and soil series does to perform a specific purpose for the further maintenance of observations of the universe itself. Explaining how water interacts with almost any ion with a charge and how its phase diagram is the reason for why we are here today just makes us beyond enthusiastic for why we love what we love. We just wanted to explain that this guy didn’t have to love what we were talking about but just know that it exists and without soil we can not exists as lifeforms on this planet.
Finally turned in my lab report. #SoilandWaterChemistry
Wisconsin Post 3: A Soil Judger is nothing without their team. The experience of the 2013 National Collegiate Soil Judging Competition could not be complete without the addition of the team centered around the baby shovel (aka baby shove). Team Baby Shove was one for the record books, with spirit, looks, and brains we could have probably not have represented Cal Poly and California any better than we did. So this is me saying, Soil Science is made even more perfect with those around you that love and care about the soil beneath our feet. ALSO much appreciation to Cris Baxter of UW-Platteville, without that man the past week would have been nothing but a dream, he is such an amazingly positive man and he should be very proud of what he has done for the Soil Science community this year. And also to Team Baby Shove and Dr. Vaughan thanks for making this ordinary week in April beyond EXTRAordinary because I could have not asked for anyone better to share those memories with.
Update 1 from Wisconsin! Hey y’all! Sorry if I haven’t been updating I’ve been in Platteville, Wisconsin for the National Collegiate Soil Competition. We’ve been analyzing SOOOO many soils! The soils out here in the midwest are so different. So it’s very different than official soils descriptions. We get 10 in the pit 10 out twice then a 20 minute free for all to do a description of an average 5 horizon soil. We’ve completed around 15 soils or so in the past 2 days back to back constantly. I couldn’t have asked for a better team to be here with! Message me with questions or anything! -JddSoils
