Cal Poly Logging Team Takes Third Place

The Cal Poly Logging Team took third place at the Association Western Forestry Club’s logging conclave recently held in Corvallis, Oregon. This is the largest event the team competes in and the largest competition west of the Mississippi River. In addition, Kelly Schwenger, a forest and fire sciences third-year student, won the top female competitor award, called the Belle of the Woods. Students also competed in events including dendrology (tree and plant id), tree measurements (without any tools, estimate the diameter, height, and number of logs of trees), and traverse (hand compass and pacing). According to Samantha Gill, the Cal Poly team did so well in these events that after the results were read, the MC of the event said, “Wow, Cal Poly is way smarter than the rest of us.”

Cal Poly Soil Judging Team Wins Second Place

The Cal Poly Soil Judging Team won second place at the National Collegiate Soils Contest at Oklahoma State University. The competition included 23 teams from colleges and universities across the nation. The Cal Poly team includes 10 students, majoring in environmental earth and soil sciences and environmental management and protection.

In addition to earning second place as a team, fourth-year environmental earth and soil sciences major Lauren Morris placed fifth as an individual, and the team ranked fifth in the group judging category. Fourth-year environmental earth and soil sciences major Miguel Ramos placed 11th as an individual competitor, and Litto placed 22nd. There were 92 total individuals competing.

“I am so grateful to have been able to participate in the national contests for the past two years, as soil judging has helped me grow immensely as a soil scientist and created some of my best friends and memories,” Morris said. “I am so proud of how the team has grown over the past two years under Dr. Rees. All of the individuals on the team have put in a lot of hard work, and I couldn’t be prouder of our second-place finish.”

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Cal Poly Creamery Takes First Place in Specialty Dairy…

The Cal Poly Creamery recently won first place in the soft cheese competition in New York at the Dairy Challenge competition. Students Ryan Nunes and Teddy Lopez presented the Cal Poly Triple Peak Brie at the event. The contest consisted of multiple categories: ice cream, milk, hard cheese, soft cheese, and other dairy products like butter and cream cheese. “During the contest we were able to connect with other schools participating in the Dairy Challenge Contest, and people from the dairy industry itself,” said Nunes.

Cal Poly Creamery dairy products including the Triple Peak Brie are sold throughout San Luis Obispo County, including at California Fresh Market, Avila Valley Barn, and Spencer’s Fresh Market, among other locations. Products are also available at the weekly Ice Cream Drive-Thru at the Dairy Unit on Mt. Bishop Road, building 18A, on Fridays from 12-4 p.m.