Mr. Editor:
My wife and I are nearing retirement and we are considering buying a
piece of land for both our retirement home and for our retreat if the
times get "interesting." This land is in Oklahoma, which
currently has reliable rains but was "Dust Bowl" country,
back in the [19]30s. How can I know for sure whether
or not the soil is still good, or if it is "played out"?
Thanks, - B.K.
JWR Replies: You've raised an important issue. The
importance of soil quality in the event of a true "worst
case" should not be overlooked. As S.M.
Stirling so
aptly described it in his science fiction novel "Dies The Fire",
soil quality is not crucial in modern mechanized agriculture. If an acre of ground
produces 5 bushels of wheat versus 12 bushels of wheat, it is not of great consequence
when you are cultivating hundreds or even thousands of acres from inside the
cab of an air conditioned $40,000 tractor, or a $70,000 combine. However, if
someday you are reduced to traditional pre-industrial manpower or horsepower,
where cultivating just a few acres will require monumental exertion, then the
soil quality will make a tremendous difference--between feeding a family
(or a community),
and
starvation. Therefore, have the soil analyzed before you buy
a retreat
property! Determining the soil types within a region should be your
first step--in fact even before you talk to the first real estate agent. Simply
buying lunch for the soils specialist at the local Agricultural Extension office
might
be a valuable investment. That lunchtime conversation will probably
tell
you
much more about your intended new locale than several days spent talking with
a
real
estate
agent. (They don't earn commissions by mentions the pros and the cons of
a community.) On
your
first
scouting
trip
to your
proposed retreat region, call the USDA Agricultural Extension Office, and ask
to talk to a soils specialist at the National Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS)
desk. Note that the NRCS was formerly called the Soil Conservation Service.
Basic soil test kits are available by mail order. More sophisticated soil analysis services are also available by mail (where you mail soil samples to a laboratory.) Some universities offer free soil testing for state residents, but this often must be handled through the local NRCS office. Other universities will test soil samples for a fee, regardless of state residency.
