Alabama
274
44
Bama
July 4th
It's great driving through the lovely forests and fertile fields of the Bama soils here in southwestern Alabama. Cotton, corn, pastures, and streams thrive in this gorgeous soil!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please make sure to weed the garden!
This is a photo of the layers that make up a Bama soil profile. Layer 1: Put the top layer text here. Layer 2: Put the next layer text here. Etc...
Bama soils support forests of oak, pine, or sweetgum. They are good for growing soybeans and pine trees, and for building construction.
Bird watchers and scientists have documented over 397 known bird species living in Alabama. Many of these depend on Bama soils for their survival, including bald eagles!
Alaska
397
38
Tanana
July 10th
The Tanana soils here in Alaska support spectacular wetlands and forests of aspen and black spruce. We spotted a moose moving across Tanana soils on its way to drink from a stream!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. It's time to dig up the daffodil bulbs and divide them.
When undisturbed, Tanana soils support plants adapted to very wet soils and are permanently frozen below a depth of 50 inches. If wildfire or plowing disturbs the vegetation, these soils will warm up and become drier. Hay, grains, and vegetables thrive in Tanana soils.
Tanana soils often support wetlands. These soils were named after the Tanana River in 1914. The name Tanana comes from the Athabaskan word meaning "mountain river."
Arizona
524
32
Casa Grande
April 6th
It's not always hot and dry here! The Casa Grande soils burst with wildflowers this year because of the spring rains! The soils are naturally quite salty. Long ago, the Indians used irrigation to remove much of the salt so they could grow cotton, grains, and vegetables. That's just what farmers do today!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please water the astilbe.
The Casa Grande soils support desert ecosystems such as the Sonoran Desert. Cactus and desert saltbush thrive on the soil as do jack rabbits, coyotes, and pronghorn sheep. Casa Grande soils are used for grazing cattle, and they support crops when irrigated.
In Spanish, casa grande means "big house."
The Casa Grande soils were named after Casa Grande, Arizona, and the nearby Casa Grande National Monument. The monument is the site of a large earthen building constructed by the Hohokam Indians nearly 1,000 years ago.
Arkansas
656
25
Stuttgart
November 1st
What a racket!! The sound of the geese and ducks here in Stuttgart, Arkansas, is deafening. In fall and winter, flocks of water birds descend on this area to chow down on crops grown in Stuttgart soils-crops like rice, soybeans, and corn!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please cover the flowerbeds with straw before the first frost!
The lower layers of these gently sloping soils tend to slow water drainage, which makes the soils suitable for growing rice. Stuttgart soils also support hardwood forest ecosystems and grasslands. In addition to ducks, long-tailed weasels and black bears live on Stuttgart soils.
The town of Stuttgart calls itself the rice and duck capital of the world. Rice and ducks both depend on the Stuttgart soils found here.
The world's biggest rice mill is located in Stuttgart.
California
791
19
San Joaquin
July 6th
Howdy from Fresno, birthplace of the raisin! Grapes are one of many crops that grow here in San Joaquin soils, some of the most productive soils in the world. We've been amazed to see so many kinds of tasty crops-almonds, oranges, lemons, grapes, figs, rice, and wheat!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. We sent a box of almond nougat for your birthday!
San Joaquin soils are well-suited for farming when irrigated. Before they were farmed, grasslands, scrublands, and woodlands flourished in this arid climate.
Before the 1920s, the San Joaquin Valley was semi-desert. Today, water from the Central Valley Project irrigates the groves, orchards, and fields that make San Joaquin soils among the most productive in the world. The San Joaquin soils in Stockton produce most of the asparagus eaten in the United States.
Colorado
932
11
Seitz
August 1st
We just love hiking Colorado trails under the cool, scented canopy of spruce and fir. The trees may get all the attention, but we know the Seitz soil is the real hero for supporting these beautiful forests!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Did you know that no two pine cones are exactly alike?
Seitz soils are great for outdoor recreation such as hiking or cross-country skiing. They support forest ecosystems and wildlife such as mule deer and brown trout. They are also well-suited for pasture and tree forestry.
Seitz soils are great for spruce forests. The spruce grouse lives in these forests and survives the winter on a diet of spruce needles from the forest floor.
Connecticut
1081
4
Windsor
December 5th
Here we are in Connecticut, home to Windsor soils. Left behind by glaciers, these soils support fruits, vegetables, feed corn, and ornamental trees. We also spied a rather handsome oak and hickory forest on the Windsor soils!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please trim the holly before it gets out of control!
The hardwood forests growing on Windsor soils are sensitive to drought because these soils are sandy and drain quickly. Polluted water filtering through Windsor soils can quickly enter groundwater below, creating a drinking water hazard.
Most of Connecticut's soils formed from sediment left behind by a glacial lake that disappeared about 18,000 years ago.
Delaware
274
141
Greenwich
October 23rd
Greenwich soils are the most productive in all of Delaware. They support the state's number one crop-soybeans. In fact, soybeans grow on nearly half of Delaware farmland!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude and Uncle Buster
P.S. We are sending you some genuine Delaware apple butter!
Greenwich soils make ideal farmland because of their loamy texture. Because Greenwich soils often drain into Delaware Bay, the way people use these soils affects aquatic life in the Delaware estuary.
Students from Fifer Middle School sent Greenwich soil samples, or mini-monoliths, to state legislators to convince them to adopt Greenwich loam as the state soil. In 2000, the legislature did just that!
District of Columbia
397
137
Sunnyside
April 25th
We may have missed the Cherry Blossom Festival, but we were thrilled to be here on Earth Day. We saw a slice of Sunnyside soil presented to the Secretary of Agriculture at a special ceremony. Sammy the Soil Saver mascot entertained, and the soil profile will be displayed in the Smithsonian! How's that for an honor?
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. You must visit this museum with your parents. It's fantastic!
Washington, D.C. once had large areas of wetland soils that were not suitable for building a sprawling capital city. The situation made D.C.'s Sunnyside soils all the more important because they occur in uplands and are well drained. They are considered to be prime farmland soil, but have served D.C. well as building sites.
Many homes and buildings in D.C. are built of red bricks made from Sunnyside soils.
Florida
524
132
Myakka
December 9th
Here in Lake Wales, it's all about oranges! Oranges are the state fruit. The orange blossom is even the state flower! But what about the state soil ]]> ? Myakka soils make all these citrus groves possible. Even some fascinating piney woods and wetland forests grow on them. This state needs a Myakka Appreciation Day!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. It's time to cut back on feeding the houseplants.
These wet, sandy soils support forests of longleaf pine, slash pine, and scrub oak, with undergrowth of saw palmetto and huckleberry. Some Myakka soils are found in wetlands. Bobcats, rattlesnakes, pileated woodpeckers, and oak toads make their homes in Myakka-soil forests.
Myakka (pronounced my-yak- ah) is an Indian word meaning "big waters." These soils are unique to Florida.
Georgia
656
127
Tifton
May 28th
Your uncle just loves peach pie, so we've spent a lot of time here on Tifton soils eating pie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Georgia's famous peaches-and other crops like peanuts-depend on these magnificent soils.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude
P.S. Please keep the compost turned.
About a quarter of Georgia's prime farmland is in areas with Tifton soils. They also support longleaf pine-wiregrass forests, which are home to unique wildlife such as red-cockaded woodpeckers and gopher tortoises.
Every October, the town of Sylvester celebrates one of the Tifton soils most popular crops at the annual Peanut Festival. The festival features clowns, a parade, and a beauty pageant.
Guam
791
122
Akina
July 21st
Guam is a beautiful place, but their soils are threatened by erosion and overuse. We just took part in a wonderful project at the University of Guam where organic composting is helping farmers improve their crops and reduce the waste that's put into landfills!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please be sure to rake and compost the leaves.
Akina soils once supported hardwood forests, but they now support grasslands and wildlife. They are not well suited to agriculture, but, with effort, are used to grow watermelon, cabbage, and fruit trees. People also build homes and play on Akina soils.
According to Comorro legend, a volcanic rock that landed on Guam became a man. So impressed with Guam's beauty was he, that he took the red soil, mixed it with water, and created people he called "children of the earth."
Hawaii
934
117
Hilo
November 9th
Wow! The Hilo soils here in Hawaii are truly exciting! We're less than 30 miles from an active volcano, and these rich volcanic ash soils support some wonderfully exotic botanical varieties like ginger, macadamia, and papaya!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. It's time to start the tomato seedlings.
Communities of Hilo grass, California grass, guava, ohia, and tree fern flourish in Hilo soils. Farmers used to grow sugar cane on Hilo soils. Now these soils support other crops, such as ginger and taro.
Hilo is the rainiest city in the United States. It receives 134 inches of rain a year, keeping the soil moist and productive.
The Hawaiian definition of Hilo is "first night of the full moon." In Polynesian, the word means "navigator."
Idaho
1081
112
Threebear
October 15th
Trees, trees, trees! Everywhere you look you'll see red cedar, Douglas fir, larch, and white pine. Forests really thrive in Threebear soils. No wonder timber is such a big industry here.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. It's time to prune the fir tree in the back yard.
Threebear soils support impressive conifer forests and lovely understory plants such as starry false Solomon's seal. They are home to wolverines and the northern goshawk. Clean water seeps from these soils into streams where bull trout live. People use Threebear soils for recreation, watershed protection, growing timber, and grazing.
Threebear is the name of a creek in Latah County, Idaho. Are you surprised that Idaho's state soil formed on volcanic ash?
Illinois
156
239
Drummer
June 20th
This land was once rolling prairie covered with wetland sedges and grasses. Today, it is covered with vast fields of soybeans and corn. We have these wildly productive Drummer soils to thank for abundant food production, and a few beautiful, wet prairies (we saw a red-winged blackbird in one!).
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. We've ordered some ornamental sedges for the side of the house. Please read the planting directions this time. }
Drummer soils are very fertile, and they are used to grow corn, soybeans, and other crops. They are rich in soil organic matter-the decayed remains of prairie grasses that helped form these soils.
Drummer soils are named after a hunting dog whose owner shot him after he did poorly during a hunt. Feeling remorseful, the owner named the area after the dog, Drummer. People say that the dog was buried nearby the area where these soils were first described.
Indiana
274
236
Miami
March 26th
When you think of Miami, you may think of Florida. But did you know the Miami Indians lived all over Indiana? You'll find plenty of things with the name Miami-including the state soil!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. I'm sending you some popcorn we bought in an Amish Village. It was grown in Miami soil!
Sugar maple, beech, and white oak are among the hardwood trees that thrive in Miami soils. Miami soils are naturally fertile and good for growing corn, soybeans, or winter wheat. Miami soils on steep slopes are best used for pasture, hayland, or woodland.
The Miami people thrived on these soils since at least the 1600s. They were known for cultivating a unique variety of white corn, which was generally considered superior to corn produced by other tribes. Their summer villages, located in river valleys with fertile soil, consisted of framed longhouses covered with rush mats.
Iowa
397
234
Tama
June 22nd
Iowa is not just about corn! We're at a wine festival here in Tama County. Who knew that Tama soils would be great for growing grapes and turning out delicious wines!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. How are the Concord grapes doing? We are looking forward to making jam.
Tama soils are very fertile partly because they formed under tall prairie grasses with deep, fibrous root systems. Over hundreds of years, the grasses added organic matter to the soils, producing a thick, fertile, dark surface layer. Today, Tama soils grow soybeans, corn, hay, and other crops.
Small remnants of the native prairie ecosystems that Tama soils once supported can be found in the graveyards of early settlers.
Kansas
524
231
Harney
October 26th
Kansas is all about the plains. We're sure that the state song, "Home on the Range," celebrates the wonderful Harney soils that make the range possible.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. It's time to put the manure on the shrubs.
The famous fertility of Harney soils is due partly to prairie grasses that are native to these soils. Over hundreds of years, the deep, fibrous roots of prairie grasses added organic matter to the soils, producing a thick, fertile, dark surface layer. Today, Harney soils are used to grow wheat, grain sorghum, and silage.
Harney soils directly impact the economic well-being of Kansas, providing nearly $6 billion in annual income. These soils help make Kansas number one in wheat, grain sorghum, and sorghum silage production.
Kentucky
656
228
Crider
May 1st
On our way to the Kentucky Derby! We've been driving past lovely horse farms, nestled among bluegrass fields and oak forests. You can't help but think about those fine Crider soils that make horse country possible.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. We're placing a $2.00 bet on Fast Crider to win!
Crops grow very well in Crider soils, which are fertile, deep, and well drained. So do forests of oak, maple, hickory, elm, ash, and hackberry! Most areas with Crider soils are used for crops or pasture. Corn, small grain, soybeans, and hay flourish in these prime farmland soils.
Bluegrass, or poa grass, grows on soils throughout Kentucky, which is why the state's nickname is the Bluegrass State. Crider soils were established in Caldwell County, Kentucky, in 1957. But did you know that bluegrass is not native to North America? Early European colonists brought bluegrass seeds to America in mixtures with other grasses.
Louisiana
791
225
Ruston
April 13th
It is easy to get fired up about Ruston soils because people are always burning the pine forests that grow on them! Foresters burn the forests on purpose to help regenerate native short leaf pine forests that are home to bobwhites, turkeys, and eastern bluebirds.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please complete a soil analysis of the vegetable garden so we can be sure it's got the right balance of nutrients.
Ruston soils support native shortleaf pine and hardwood forests that are adapted to regular fires, which occur as often as every three years! Shortleaf pine forests are home to the red-cockaded woodpecker and other endangered or protected animals of conservation interest. They are not fertile enough to grow food crops, but are well-suited for growing southern pine and loblolly pine trees.
Infertile soils are actually perfect for some ecosystems! Evergreen forests often thrive on nutrient-poor or dry soils, because they are better adapted to harsh environments than deciduous forests.
Maine
934
222
Chesuncook
June 15th
Ah, wilderness! Henry David Thoreau's essay, "Chesuncook," celebrated the Maine woods. But it wouldn't have been written if the Chesuncook soils hadn't been here to nourish the trees!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Take some time to sit in the garden and enjoy the beauty of nature!
Chesuncook soils support vast expanses of forests that are home to deer, bear, and lynx. They seep into lakes, streams, and rivers where lake trout and brook trout thrive. Autumn is striking on Chesuncook soils as the different trees-red spruce, balsam fir, American beech, and sugar maple-each change color (or not) at their own pace.
Chesuncook soils are excellent for growing trees used in building lumber and wood products such as furniture.
Chesuncook soils help support the largest continuous expanse of undeveloped land east of the Mississippi, covering much of northern Maine.
Maryland
1081
219
Sassafras
August 12th
We are so excited to be in Maryland, home of Sassafras soils-one of the first soil series recognized in the United States. Buster's brother, Uncle Vick, can't get over how well-drained and productive these soils are...you should see the vegetables...and the forests!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude
P.S. Please stake the tomatoes!
Sassafrass is a Benchmark and Hall of Fame soil series because of its historical importance to the evolution of soil science in the United States.
These soils are prime farmland for agriculture and forestry, and they are well suited to construction. Many horses and cattle in Maryland graze on Sassafras soils.
Sassafras soils support forests thick with oaks, hickories, and tulip poplar. These forests are home to warblers, opossums, and white-tailed deer.
The sassafras tree, which can be found growing on Sassafras soils, was once used to flavor root beer.
Clean water from Maryland's Sassafras soils drains into the Chesapeake Bay, making them important to the crabs, oysters, and striped bass that live in this estuary!
Massachusetts
156
332
Paxton
October 28th
The rolling hills and drumlins of central Massachusetts are lovely! Formed by glaciers, we learned that Paxton soils shape the earth below the woods and farms.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. We're sending you some apple butter from a local farm stand.
Forests of white oaks and sugar maples thrive on Paxton soils. They are home to white-tailed deer, black-capped chickadees, and raccoons. Clean water from Paxton soils seeps into streams and rivers that support perch and lake trout.
Where stones have been cleared and slopes are gentle, Paxton soils are well suited to growing crops, hay, and pasture. Most steep slopes are wooded.
Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) was born near the town of Paxton from which Paxton soils get their name. Who knows...Johnny Appleseed may have planted his first apple in Paxton soils!
Michigan
274
331
Kalkaska
December 20th
We're spending Christmas with Aunt Judy and Uncle Rick! Today, we went to cut our own Christmas tree. These trees grow beautifully in Kalkaska soils.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. After the holidays, please be sure to compost the tree and the wreath!
Kalkaska soils support vast forests of quaking aspen, paper birch, and white spruce. They are home to moose, pileated woodpeckers, mushrooms, and earthworms.
Kalkaska soils are primarily used to grow hardwood timber, but sometimes for crops such as potatoes and strawberries. They are also good for building and construction projects.
Clean water from Kalkaska soils seeps into thousands of clear, wonderful, Michigan lakes, where people come to fish and canoe. They formed in sands left by glaciers that once covered Michigan.
Minnesota
397
330
Lester
June 1st
It's been wonderful to visit our old friend Lester (the soil that is)! The roadside stands are spilling over with soybeans and corn harvested from Lester soils.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Hope your Summer Soil Camp is a blast!
Lester soils supported woodlands with trees like the Norway pine and savannahs before the trees were cleared for agriculture. The state's bird, the common loon, still calls these soils home. Agricultural crops flourish in these soils. They are very productive and important to the Minnesota economy.
Minnesota soils support three of North America's important ecological regions-Laurentian mixed forest, eastern broadleaf forest, and prairie parkland.
Mississippi
524
329
Natchez
June 19th
You must see the stately white oaks, dripping with Spanish moss, that grow on Natchez soils. We sat in their shade on our hike along the bluffs of the Mississippi River delta. Lucky paddleboat travelers may have looked up and gazed at these same trees as they glided by.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please weed the myrtle under the oak tree.
Natchez soils support forests of oaks, hickories, and southern magnolia-the state tree. These forests are home to the American badger, western harvest mouse, and the Midwest worm snake. Natchez soils erode easily and cannot be farmed on steep slopes. In flatter areas, they are used for pasture and growing crops.
Natchez is named after an Indian Chief. The name means "in the middle."
Missouri
656
328
Menfro
September 10th
We just learned Mark Twain, Uncle Buster's favorite humorist, is a product of Menfro soils! Yes, his hometown of Hannibal is built on Menfro soils. We're bringing some Menfro soil home for a keepsake souvenir.
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please pick the zucchini. Maybe the neighbors will take some.
Menfro soils support forests of white oak, black oak, and sugar maple. They are used to grow corn, soybeans, and timber. The first Missouri state capitol building in St. Charles, the present state capitol building, and the governor's mansion were all constructed on Menfro soils.
The home of Daniel Boone and the first settlement west of the Mississippi River are located on Menfro soils.
Montana
791
327
Scobey
August 14th
One of Montana's nicknames is the Treasure State, and your uncle says that Scobey soils are its most valuable treasure! We are awed by the big sky, amber waves of grain, and remnant prairies of Montana.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude
P.S. Your uncle wants to rename the Montana soil Scobey Dobey Doh! Uncle Buster just cracks me up.
Scobey soils are among the best in Montana's Golden Triangle, an area known for its exceptionally high-quality wheat. The towns of Havre, Conrad, and Great Falls form the Golden Triangle.
Scobey soils support parts of the largest remaining prairie in the northern Great Plains. These prairies are home to the black-tailed prairie dog, swift fox, burrowing owl, pronghorn antelope, and the black-footed ferret-the rarest mammal in the world.
The Daniels County Museum and Pioneer Town display antique farm equipment that was used to till and harvest on Scobey soils.
Nebraska
934
326
Holdrege
September 13th
We just had a spectacular visit to the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege. This museum celebrates prairie life, and of course, the prairie couldn't exist without the Holdrege soil below it. You would have loved the old farm equipment.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please make sure all the garden tools are clean and in good working order.
Holdrege soils are rich in soil organic matter-the decayed remains of plants. Over hundreds of years, the deep, fibrous roots of prairie grasses added organic matter to the soil, producing a thick, dark, fertile surface layer.
Holdrege soils are among the most extensively cultivated soils in Nebraska and are a valuable agricultural resource. The soils are great for growing crops such as corn, sorghum, and winter wheat.
Wind erosion was a problem in Holdrege, Nebraska, when settlers from Sweden arrived in the 1880s. The Swedes planted straight rows of trees to protect the soil and transformed the once-barren landscape. This pattern still marks the landscape today.
Nevada
1081
325
Orovada
January 3rd
We're having a great time in the Great Basin, a magnificent desert! Nevada may be the driest state in the nation, but the sagebrush shrubs and grasses are quite at home in these arid Orovada soils. Aunt Maude says that wildflowers burst from these soils when it rains!
Yours truly,
Uncle Buster
P.S. Please water the begonias in the hot house.
Orovada soils support semi-arid deserts and grasslands. With its very long roots, sagebrush survives in this dry country by drawing water from deep below the surface. Pigmy rabbits live in burrows they dig in Orovada soils.
Orovada soils are prime farmland for alfalfa, hay, winter wheat, and barley.
Orovada soils support many plants that can survive long droughts, including Indian ricegrass. This hardy grass reseeds itself after fires, or when land is overgrazed.
New Hampshire
156
426
Marlow
October 18th
The leaves are in full color here in New England! The whole area is defined by its magnificent trees. Hiking trails weave through many of the forests, and even most of the picturesque houses and churches are built of wood! None of this would be possible without the amazing Marlow soils!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Make sure the leaves are raked and put in the compost heap.
Many of the state's current farms lie on Marlow soils, which early settlers cleared of trees and stones. Forests that thrive on Marlow soils are home to white-tailed deer, red-tailed hawks, and raccoons.
Clean water seeps from Marlow soils into streams where darters and trout live.
The Marlow soils were named for the town of Marlow in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. That Marlow was probably named after the town of Marlow, Endgland.
New Jersey
274
426
Downer
June 27th
They call New Jersey the Garden State, so we're spending a lot of time here! Downer soils in southern New Jersey support beautiful forests and some of the best fruits and vegetables you've ever tasted. Your uncle can't stop eating the peach pie.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude
P.S. Please compost the garden, and thin out the zucchini.
Downer soils support forests of oaks, hickories, and scattered pines. These forests are home to white-tailed deer, opossums, mushrooms, lichens, and earthworms. Some areas are cultivated for high-value vegetable and fruit crops.
New Jersey has always been known for the bounty produced by its soils. During the Revolutionary War, troops depended on produce from the state.
New Mexico
397
427
Penistaja
October 5th
What a gorgeous Southwest landscape of sandstone mesas, snow-capped mountains, and desert grasslands. Soils are all around us!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. We are sending you some beautiful hand-painted pottery from the area.
Penistaja soils support grasslands that are home to antelope and other wildlife. They are excellent for livestock grazing and recreation.
Penistaja is a Navajo name meaning "forced to sit." The Penistaja soils were named after a small farming and cattle-raising community in northwest New Mexico where the soil was first described.
New York
524
428
Honeoye
June 21st
We're driving through the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York. This area lies atop Honeoye soils and is home to abundant wildlife including otters and eagles!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please prune the peach tree.
Honeoye soils are very fertile, and crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, vegetables, alfalfa, grass pasture, and hay thrive on them. They are also wonderful for grapes and apple trees.
Honeoye soils support forests of sugar maple, white ash, and hickories. They are home to many types of animals, insects, and fungi. Clean water from Honeoye soils seeps into streams where fish and amphibians live.
The word Honeoye is from the Iroquois "Hay-e-a-yeah." It means "place where the finger lies," which comes from a legend about a Seneca brave who cut off a finger bitten by a rattlesnake and buried it in the ground.
North Carolina
656
429
Cecil
March 26th
Spring is beautiful in this country of hills, forests, and fields-all compliments of Cecil soils. We love the area's famous pottery made from red Cecil soils!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. We're shipping back two huge planters for the patio. Please make sure they are in good condition when they arrive.
Cecil soils support corn and cotton and are productive when managed carefully for erosion. Cecil soils also nurture forests of pines, oaks, dogwoods, and orchids. These forests are home to squirrels, opossums, deer, mushrooms, and earthworms. Clean water from Cecil soils seeps into streams that are used by fish, frogs, and fishermen.
Because of their wonderful Cecil soils, North Carolina ranks second in the nation for the production of Christmas trees!
North Dakota
791
430
Williams
April 26th
North Dakota folk appreciate the gift of soils so much that they even put them in the state motto-"Strength from the Soil." Williams soils are their very favorite. You should see the fields of bright yellow sunflowers that blanket these soils!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. It's April, and that means it's time to plant the onions!
Williams soils are essential to the economy of North Dakota. Where the land is fairly flat, wheat, barley, oats, and other crops flourish. Cattle graze most of the rolling hills. Williams soils support remnants of the vast prairies that once covered much of the Midwest.
North Dakota farmers take good care of their soils by using new techniques that require little to no soil plowing.
Ohio
934
431
Miamian
September 13th
Ohio soils grow more than abundant crops and splendid forests. They produce great inventors! The Wright Brothers were born in Dayton, perhaps on Miamian soils!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. It's time to start the petunia seeds indoors!
Miamian soils support hardwood forests of white oak, maple, and hickory. Clean water seeps from Miamian soils into streams that are used by amphibians, fish, and people.
Miamian soils are deep, loamy, and rich in lime, all of which make them excellent for growing corn, soybeans, and winter wheat.
Thanks to soils like the Miamian, half of Ohio is considered prime farmland.
Oklahoma
1081
432
Port
February 28th
We're off to the rodeo in Cordell, right in the heart of Washita County. Everyone here is into Port soils because they know that horses, rangelands, prairies, and even rodeos all depend on the Port soils below.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please check the azaleas for leaf galls and remove them immediately.
Port soils are very fertile, thanks in part to the prairie grasses they support. Over hundreds of years, the grasses' deep, fibrous roots added organic matter to the soils, producing a thick, fertile surface layer. Today, most Port soils grow alfalfa, wheat, and cotton. Some Port soils are pasture for horses or rangeland for cattle.
Colorful wild flowers bloom and bison still roam on remnant prairies on Port soils.
Oregon
156
519
Jory
May 7th
It is beautiful here in Oregon's Willamette Valley, where Jory soils grow everything from evergreen forests to grapes! Who knew that volcanic ash forms soils that are so fertile, rich, and well drained-perfect for producing wine?
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. We have shipped your parents a case of pinot noir.
Jory soils support luxurious forests of Douglas fir and Oregon white oak. Clean water seeps from Jory soils into streams used by amphibians, fish, and people. Growing urbanization in the Willamette Valley brings development pressure in many areas of Jory soils.
Many consider reddish Jory soils the best place for growing Christmas trees.
Pennsylvania
274
521
Hazleton
July 28th
Here we are in gorgeous Sinnemahoning State Park, gazing out at the beautiful mountains and valleys that lie atop Hazleton soils. This wilderness is full of elk, eagles, song birds, and butterflies!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. It's time to divide the irises.
Hazleton soils support hardwood forests of white oak, hickory, and black cherry. The forests are home to orchids, mushrooms, white-tailed deer, black bear, and red-tailed hawks. Clean water seeps from Hazleton soils into streams used by amphibians, fish, and people. Woodland, cropland, hay, and pasture all thrive on Hazleton soils.
Hazleton soils are named for the city of Hazleton in east-central Pennsylvania, an area famous for its coal.
Puerto Rico
397
524
Bayamón
December 15th
The Taino tribes used these red, clay soils, to make pigments for body decoration. It was fun to watch our guide in the El Yunque rain forest paint a little girl's face with red paste he made from soil.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. You could cut some forsythia branches and bring them indoors for forcing. They would look so bright and sunny in the hallway.
Bayamón soils provide sugarcane, pineapples, a wide variety of food crops, pasture, and hay. They support native grasslands of Guinea grass, Zarcilla, and Tulipan Africano. Here you will find the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo, Puerto Rican screech owl, and Puerto Rican boa.
The word Bayamón was derived from a Tainos chief named Bahamón.
Rhode Island
524
526
Narragansett
February 5th
We're here in the beautiful town of Narragansett, where soil scientists first mapped the Narragansett soils. Tomorrow, we're off to help the Land Conservation Trust put in erosion control fences. This will keep the Narragansett soils where they belong and out of beautiful Narragansett Bay.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Check the hemlock for any pests that may have over-wintered.
Narragansett soils support forests of oak, white pine, and beech. These forests are home to white-tailed deer, eagles, and turtles. They are quite fertile and used for growing corn, hay, and vegetables.
Narragansett comes from the name of the Narragansett tribe. Narragansett is a corruption of their actual name, "Nanhigganeuck," which means "people of the small point."
South Carolina
656
529
Lynchburg
May 12th
Today we hiked in a remarkable longleaf pine forest that thrives on Lynchburg soils. This was no quiet walk in the woods! All around we heard red-cockaded woodpeckers calling each other and drilling nests in these old pines. Thank goodness for the soils which support this important, but endangered, species.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. These pine needles make wonderful mulch for the garden. We're shipping some back. Please put them under the shrubs.
Lynchburg soils support forests of oak, blackgum, and slash pine. These forests are home to a huge diversity of wildlife, including the South Carolina state animal, the white-tailed deer, and the South Carolina state game bird, the wild turkey!
People grow corn, soybeans, cotton, tobacco, and wheat on Lynchburg soils. In addition, they are used for timber, cattle grazing, and hiking.
The red-cockaded woodpecker is a keystone species, which means that many other organisms depend upon it to live. The holes it makes for nesting later become homes for a host of other wildlife, including bluebirds, flying squirrels, and bees.
South Dakota
791
532
Houdek
June 1st
Remember Laura Ingalls Wilder and her book Little House on the Prairie ]]> ? We just saw an exhibit about the sod houses of early settlers. Imagine living in a house made of Houdek soil bricks!!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please pick a peck of peas from the garden (can't say that twice fast)!
Houdek soils are of major economic importance to South Dakota, because they support cropland or rangeland. Houdek soils are perfect for growing wheat, sunflowers, and soybeans. Cows love the alfalfa grown on Houdek soils.
Plains Indians living across South Dakota used Houdek soils to build lodges out of sod.
Tennessee
934
535
Dickson
September 15th
Fertile soils, like Dickson, are the source of this area's rich history. These soils provided timber for iron smelting, which brought industry and jobs to the area in the early 1800s. The forests growing on Dickson soils are still important today!
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. The Brussel sprouts must be bursting out all over. Harvest them and enjoy!
Forests of oak and tulip poplar flourish in Dickson soils. They are home to raccoons and the Tennessee cave salamander. Clean water seeps from Dickson soils into streams where box turtles and channel catfish are found.
Some farmers clear Dickson soils to plant corn and soybeans, while others keep them in pasture for grazing livestock.
Dickson soils are named for Dickson County. In 1803, the county was named after Dr. William Dickson, a physician and U.S. congressman from the area.
Texas
1081
537
Houston Black
November 24th
Houston Black soils really are everything they're cracked up to be. When it is dry here (which is often!), cracks open up big enough to swallow Aunt Maude's tulip bulb planter. Although it's not great for building, Houston Black soils do support miles of wonderful prairie grasslands and rangelands that give Texas its distinctive landscape.
Yours truly,
Uncle Buster
P.S. Be sure the garden is covered with shredded leaves.
Houston Black soils are a classic example of "shrink-swell" soils. They are rich in a clay mineral that expands when wet and shrinks when dry, creating a challenge for organisms and engineers alike.
Studying soil is exciting. Students at Texas A & M learn about soil in many programs that explore agriculture, forestry, ecology, recreation, and crop science.
Utah
156
611
Mivida
March 27th
We're in southeastern Utah! As you gaze upon the magnificent sandstone arches and the deep canyons, you can't help but think about time-how rocks change into soils over time, and how soils eventually form rock.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. I've sent you some fascinating fossils.
Mivida soils support semi-arid desert and grassland ecosystems. They are perfect for plants such as Wyoming big sagebrush, blue grama grass, and Indian ricegrass, as well as many mammals, reptiles, insects, and microbes. Mivida soils are used as rangelands to graze cattle and for recreation. When irrigated, they can grow alfalfa and small grain crops.
Navajo Indians in this area are known for their fine pottery made from soil clay. Mivida soils form in wind-deposited sand eroded from 1.8-million-year-old dunes and sandstone.
Vermont
274
615
Tunbridge
February 5th
Up here they call maple syrup liquid gold. Its color is so rich, its taste so sweet that you can see why. The trees are tapped between February and April. There would be no syrup without the Tunbridge soils that support forests of sugar maple.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. We're sending you some syrup. Try it on vanilla ice cream.
Forests of oak, maple, birch, American beech, hemlock, and spruce thrive on Tunbridge soils. They are home to white-tailed deer, black-capped chickadees, and raccoons. Clean water seeps from Tunbridge soils into streams and rivers that support perch and trout.
Tunbridge forests are also home to sugar maples that produce the famous Vermont maple syrup. Thanks to Tunbridge soils, Vermont is the biggest producer of maple syrup in the United States.
Locals and tourists spend hours hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, and skiing on Tunbridge soils!
Virginia
524
623
Pamunkey
June 16th
Here we are at scenic Jamestown, the first colony in America. The early settlers survived because they were able to grow food on the fertile Pamunkey soils. The Jamestown historic farm is part of a green space program that preserves the area's agricultural history.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Please check the rose leaves for slugs.
Pamunkey soils support forest ecosystems of oaks, maples, and pines. These forests are habitats for mammals, reptiles, insects, fungi, and bacteria. Clean water seeps from these soils into waterways that flow into the Chesapeake Bay. Most Pamunkey soils grow corn, soybeans, and wheat. More recently, they have been used to build homes.
The Pamunkey tribe and other Indian tribes were the first people to recognize the natural capacity of these soils to produce food. The farm where the Pamunkey soils were first identified is considered to be the oldest tilled farm in the United States.
Virgin Islands
397
619
Victory
February 25th
Camping on Mount Victory is a joy. A huge tree grows through the center of our bungalow and out its roof! Of course, the tree would not be here without nourishment from the Victory soils below.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. The seed catalogs should be arriving. Time to start ordering!
You can find Victory soils on the summits and side slopes of volcanic hills and mountains. They are used for rangeland and pasture, but people also build homes on these soils.
Over 160 species of birds inhabit the Virgin Islands, and all these birds depend on the soils for food and shelter.
Washington
656
628
Tokul
July 18th
We're here in the Cascade Range, admiring all of the beautiful volcanoes! Their beauty has a lot to do with their soils, which are rich and productive thanks to the volcanic ash. Hopefully Mt. St. Helen's won't erupt anytime soon.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Have the fireflies arrived in the backyard yet?
Tokul soils are among the most productive soils in the world. They support forests of Douglas fir and other coniferous trees-the inspiration for Washington's nickname, the Evergreen State.
Washington State is covered with soils that started as volcanic ash. They are used to grow crops and timber, to graze livestock, and for various recreational pursuits. Tokul soils help keep the water clean that people elsewhere depend upon.
Washington was the first state to recognize soils formed in volcanic ash.
West Virginia
791
633
Monongahela
May 3rd
Uncle Buster keeps calling me Mountain Mama while we drive along the beautiful, rolling Monongahela soils of West Virginia. I think the scent of mountain air has reawakened his love of John Denver songs.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude
P.S. Please move the houseplants outside.
Monongahela soils support forests of oak, hickory, and maple. These forests are home to many types of animals, plants, and microbes. Clean water seeps from Monongahela soils into streams that are used by amphibians, fish, and people.
Most Monongahela soils have been cleared to grow crops and hay, and they are used to graze animals or build houses. Monongahela soils are considered prime farmland in areas that are fairly level.
The name Monongahela is derived from a Native American word meaning "high banks or bluffs, breaking off and falling down in places."
Wisconsin
934
638
Antigo
February 29th
We've been driving along singing "The Antigo Silt Loam Song." Here's how it goes: "Antigo, a soil to know, Wisconsin's crops and livestock grow; and forests, too, on Antigo. Great Lake's region, fertile land; Glaciers spread both clay and sand; Winds blew silt, then forests grew, Giving soils their brownish hue."
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. Hope you're keeping up with the composting!
Antigo soils support forests of American basswood, sugar maple, and quaking aspen. These forests are home to many types of mammals, reptiles, mosses, fungi, bacteria, millipedes, and insects. Clean water drains from Antigo soils into streams where frogs and fish live.
Most Antigo soils are used to grow corn, wheat, hay, potatoes, and snap beans. The steeper areas are also used to harvest timber and graze cattle.
Francis D. Hole, professor of soil science and geography at the University of Wisconsin, wrote many songs about soil including this one:
Darkle, Darkle
]]>
Darkle, darkle little grain.
I wonder how you entertain
A thousand creatures microscopic.
Grains like you from pole to tropic
Support land life upon this planet.
I marvel at you, crumb of granite!
Wyoming
1081
644
Forkwood
September 14th
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid once roamed these Forkwood soils, pursued by the law. Today, the soils are used as grazing lands and for farming. Managing them wisely is important to Wyoming's future.
Yours truly,
Aunt Maude & Uncle Buster
P.S. We sent you some geyser water. We hope it's still warm when it arrives!
Forkwood soils support semi-arid desert and grassland ecosystems. They are perfect for plants such as big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, and needleandthread grass. Forkwood soils are used as rangelands to graze cattle and for recreation.
In the days of the pioneers, many people traveling along the Oregon Trail passed over Forkwood soils on their way to Oregon and California. Pioneers learned that Forkwood soils were too dry to grow crops, but the native grasses were very good for livestock grazing.