Req 8a5 — Choose a Crop Study
8a5.
Do ALL of the requirements in ONE of the following alternatives:
This is your hands-on crop study. You will choose one path and follow every part of it. Pick the crop that best matches what you can grow, visit, or observe in your region.
Your Options
- Req 8a5a — Corn in the Field: Grow a corn plot, study commercial corn farming, and explain one insect problem that affects corn production.
- Req 8a5b — Cotton from Field to Fiber: Grow cotton if your climate allows, learn how fiber and seed are used, and study one important cotton insect pest.
- Req 8a5c — Forage Crops and Soil Health: Collect forage and weed samples, learn how legumes and livestock affect soil, and study poisonous plants for grazing animals.
- Req 8a5d — Small Grains from Harvest to Mill: Use production data, help with harvest, and visit a grain-related business to trace the crop after it leaves the field.
- Req 8a5e — Soybeans and Oil Crops: Grow soybeans, study modern soybean production, and explain why a hard frost is dangerous after emergence.
How to Choose
| Track | Best if you can… | What you will gain |
|---|---|---|
| Corn | plant or observe corn locally | understanding of one of the country’s biggest feed, food, and fuel crops |
| Cotton | access warm conditions or a strong cotton-growing region | insight into fiber production and crop economics |
| Forage crops | visit pastures, hay fields, or livestock operations | stronger links between plants, soil, and animals |
| Small grains | visit farms, elevators, or mills | a clear picture of harvesting, storage, and grain processing |
| Oil crops | grow or observe soybeans | understanding of oilseed production and soybean uses |