Projects were judged virtually April 5-10, with awards announced recently. Hefty will receive a $150 cash award and a plaque. His project, âThe Buck Stops Here,â was conducted over a six-week period last summer during the pandemic shutdown. He created his own, natural deer-repellent mixture and measured the results versus a do-it-yourself mixture he found online and a store-purchased deer repellent. After the 42 days of observations were complete, he found that all three mixtures worked the same, with zero damage to the garden produce. During the same time, 12 plants were damaged by deer in a control plot. He said results were exciting, since his formula cost only $2.32 per gallon, while the store-purchased mixture cost $32.95.