Fun on the Farm...And a Learning Opportunity

So last Friday was a fun event at the NCRS.  It seems that there is going to be a meeting of the AgroLiquid sales managers next week.  And one of the activities is a scavenger hunt at the NCRS.  Only this scavenger hunt isn't to find a pair of socks on the clothes line, or something traditional.  This is to challenge your ability to answer agronomy questions at the NCRS.  So we had a run-through with the farm staff.  And you had to be able to navigate the experiment information contained in the Database program on the iPad.  (I think I used an eyepad once for a stye.)  Anyway, they divided up the NCRS staff into teams.  This included the mowers, interns, summer help and full timers.  I came out, and Stephanie had me as an observer.  No way, I wanted to play.  So I joined a team.  Stephanie and Tim, with help from Brian, worked hard to put together a challenging game.  They succeeded.  Below Tim gives instructions before the start.  I will say that everyone was very competitive.  

 Here is my team working on a fertilizer mix calculation.  No problem.

Here Emily is showing proof that we answered one of the questions by showing a soybean seed. Sadly, this was not the correct answer.  But it should have been.

Does this look like a safe backpack sprayer application?  Just asking.

Solve this puzzle.  Hmmmm.  It was very windy and a challenge to keep the pieces from blowing away. I say extra credit for keeping the pieces on the table.

You also had to prove that your team was at a correct location in an exercise by taking pictures with the iPads.  Here Emily, Dan and Josh of our Team 4 spell out A(gro) L(iquid) F(ertilizers).  I took the picture, not thinking of the selfie approach like other teams.  (Although we should get extra credit for spelling.)

Like Nick, Kalvin and Tim.  I think Tim is hungry...or has gout.

I think this team should remain anonymous.  (Is that ok with you Mitch, Kelly and Phil?)

So while the teams worked on the hunt for two hours during the morning, Brian cooked brats on the grill and Stephanie and Tim put out other lunch items.  Upon return, we had a great meal.  Thanks for that.

 And there were strawberries from the garden and a great desert of Bratberry ice cream.  Yum.

So it was fun.  And with learning.  But no one could answer all of the questions in the two hours that flew by.  It will be a challenge for the sales guys (and girl) next week.  Although they are also going to be joined by some office staff I think.  But it was fun and I will say that it was a very competitive event.  It made me miss being at the NCRS full time in the summer, but glad I could participate for a day.