World soil day

philip_hughes · Post by **philip_hughes** » Thu, 7. Dec 17, 08:16

I posted late- I was busy doing world soil day things. But yes- Dec 5 is international soil day- you can google it.

Website:
https://globalsoilsecurity.godaddysites.com/

OUr uni did a few webinars. You can see the full 45 minute vid (!) here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR1ZHAyHbL4&t=161s

My section is only 3 mins. You can see that here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cR90V-_IOY

Enjoy.

Morkonan · Post by **Morkonan** » Thu, 7. Dec 17, 13:35

"Soil is everywhere..."

I think science is awesome. Soil studying stuffs is interesting. But, I lol'd over my coffee with that opening. It was gold!

Ya know, you can't have an "international celebration day" for anything if it doesn't have a flag for it. Humans seem to like flags. They like waving them around while yelling about stuff. (Sometimes they get too enthusiastic and pair them with firearms, though, which isn't really a "celebration.")

So, where's the flag? You gotta have a "International Soil Day Flag!" Get on that! (Something with horizontal layers on it, maybe?)

Also, is calling soil "dirt" an insult? I get it - It's not exactly glamorous to call oneself a "Dirt Scientist." But, in the profession, if someone slips up and says "dirt", do you guys lynch them or just give them a quick slap or something? Maybe a temporary censure for their blasphemy?

PS: Have a happy Soil Day! Enjoy the recognition! (Do you guys send out press releases and such or try to do media spots to raise public awareness, or is most outreach limited to the internet and social media?)

Usenko · Post by **Usenko** » Thu, 7. Dec 17, 14:10

Morkonan wrote:Also, is calling soil "dirt" an insult? I get it - It's not exactly glamorous to call oneself a "Dirt Scientist." But, in the profession, if someone slips up and says "dirt", do you guys lynch them or just give them a quick slap or something? Maybe a temporary censure for their blasphemy?

Oh gosh, don't get him STARTED, Mork!

I remember Phil once had a T-shirt complaining that people treat soil like dirt . . .

(Although with my students, whenever I make a comment about something Phil said, I call him "My brother, the Dirt Doc . . . ")

Anyway, he usually just gives people a wedgie and leaves it at that.

Morkonan · Post by **Morkonan** » Thu, 7. Dec 17, 14:21

OK, it's "secrets" time!

So, tell us, Usenko - Does he get all giddy waiting for World Soil Day? Rushes to hang up his Sifter Sock by the fireplace, can't sleep the night before, keeps getting up just to check to see if Soil Claus has come?

Usenko · Post by **Usenko** » Thu, 7. Dec 17, 15:33

You know, what with graduating next week and one or two other things going on in his life, it is entirely possible that World Soil Day might not necessarily be the first thing on his mind . .

philip_hughes · Post by **philip_hughes** » Thu, 7. Dec 17, 21:01

Morkonan wrote:OK, it's "secrets" time!

So, tell us, Usenko - Does he get all giddy waiting for World Soil Day? Rushes to hang up his Sifter Sock by the fireplace, can't sleep the night before, keeps getting up just to check to see if Soil Claus has come?

The soil grinch is currently making holes in Russia, releasing methane.

Cpt.Jericho · Post by **Cpt.Jericho** » Thu, 7. Dec 17, 22:51

I soil the world numberous times each day.

Post by **euclid** » Thu, 7. Dec 17, 23:48

Soil only once caught my interest. When I was a young boy a school pal's dad was a farmer and this man grabbed a fist full dirt, crumbled it his hand, smelled it and even put some in his mouth and then came up with an awesome analysis. I was gobsmacked.

Cheers Euclid

Morkonan · Post by **Morkonan** » Fri, 8. Dec 17, 01:15

philip_hughes wrote:
Morkonan wrote:OK, it's "secrets" time!

So, tell us, Usenko - Does he get all giddy waiting for World Soil Day? Rushes to hang up his Sifter Sock by the fireplace, can't sleep the night before, keeps getting up just to check to see if Soil Claus has come?

The soil grinch is currently making holes in Russia, releasing methane.

He's trying to sink it.

He's not very smart...

philip_hughes · Post by **philip_hughes** » Fri, 8. Dec 17, 07:49

euclid wrote:Soil only once caught my interest. When I was a young boy a school pal's dad was a farmer and this man grabbed a fist full dirt, crumbled it his hand, smelled it and even put some in his mouth and then came up with an awesome analysis. I was gobsmacked.

Cheers Euclid

from your description, he determined that the soil was at field capacity- basically it had rained about a week ago.

Was an A horizon, high in carbon, pretty fertile.

Post by **euclid** » Fri, 8. Dec 17, 17:06

philip_hughes wrote:
euclid wrote:Soil only once caught my interest. When I was a young boy a school pal's dad was a farmer and this man grabbed a fist full dirt, crumbled it his hand, smelled it and even put some in his mouth and then came up with an awesome analysis. I was gobsmacked.

Cheers Euclid
from your description, he determined that the soil was at field capacity- basically it had rained about a week ago.

Was an A horizon, high in carbon, pretty fertile.

Yes, something like that. Can't remember the details but it was most impressive. Nowadays they use high-tech chemical analysis to determine the state of the soil whilst in the past a, say 4th generation, farmer used his "primordial" knowledge. I bet some of these are still around

Cheers Euclid

philip_hughes · Post by **philip_hughes** » Fri, 8. Dec 17, 21:57

The aussie system uses a minimum of fancy chemical tests- the logic being that it needs to be done and understood by ppl who are not scientifically minded .

Morkonan · Post by **Morkonan** » Sat, 9. Dec 17, 21:46

philip_hughes wrote:The aussie system uses a minimum of fancy chemical tests- the logic being that it needs to be done and understood by ppl who are not scientifically minded .

Class 1 Soil: "Oi! By crikey, now that's a bloody corker bit of Soil, that is! Dinky-di!"

Class 2 Soil: "Blimey! Fair dinkum bit o' soil ya got there, mate!"

Class 3 Soil: "Tinny bloke what plants their vedgies in that soil!

Class 4 Soil: "That's a bodgy bit of soil. Dry as a dead dingo's dongo."

Class 5 Soil: " I may be a knocker, but you gotta kangaroo loose in th' top paddock if you think that's soil, you drongo whacker!"

My apologies if I murdered the Australian language. I tried to translate from "American" as best as I could, with a bit of help from Aussie Slang.

Obviously, these Classifications are based on suitability, not stratification.

A proper Australian Scientist would be able to translate the more appropriate classification system... (WHICH YOU SHOULD DO! FOR SCIENCE!!!

)

Usenko · Post by **Usenko** » Sun, 10. Dec 17, 02:50

You just communicated as clear as a bell with an Australian farmer from the mid 1930s.

philip_hughes · Post by **philip_hughes** » Sun, 10. Dec 17, 05:54

Class 1: vertosol
Class 2: melanic dermosol
Class 3: chromosol
Class 4: tenosol
Class 5 rudosol

It all works morkonan.

Cpt.Jericho · Post by **Cpt.Jericho** » Mon, 11. Dec 17, 23:42

But isn't soil always only as good as the plants you try to raise?

Usenko · Post by **Usenko** » Tue, 12. Dec 17, 01:18

Cpt.Jericho wrote:But isn't soil always only as good as the plants you try to raise?

* Sees Captain Jericho making a terrible mistake*
* Hides from Phil's inevitable lecture . . .*

Cpt.Jericho · Post by **Cpt.Jericho** » Tue, 12. Dec 17, 01:22

Try raising Orchids in an unsuitable substrate.

Morkonan · Post by **Morkonan** » Tue, 12. Dec 17, 03:37

I planted some plant things a few times.

That was when I was married and I was expected to attend the family-bonding "working together in the yard" rituals once per weekend, every weekend in which the weather was suitable.

Because many of these plant things do best when planted in the appropriate season for them (I have no idea where the f they buy their calendars) these rituals continued through a goodly portion of the year. And, because I lived in a temperate region, there were many opportunities for plant things to be planted. Yay?

I am now divorced.

I do not plant any more plant things any more.

I feel somewhat liberated... It's a remarkable experience and I suggest that everyone try it.

philip_hughes · Post by **philip_hughes** » Thu, 14. Dec 17, 06:12

Cpt.Jericho wrote:Try raising Orchids in an unsuitable substrate.

Orchids are whores. They use rhyzobia to sap nutrients from another plant.

egosoft.com

egosoft.com

World soil day

World soil day