I was looking around and found some interesting facts about our friend, dirt. Think it isn’t our friend? Try growing crops without it! (I know, there are hydroponic gardens, but really?)
70,000 different types of soil in the U.S.
1 tablespoon of soil has more organisms in it than there are people on earth
500 minimum years it takes to form one inch of topsoil
5,000 different types of bacteria in one gram of soil
.01 percent of the earth’s water held in soil
15 tons of dry soil per acre that pass through one earthworm each year
1,400,000 earthworms that can be found in an acre of cropland
20,000 pounds of total living matter in the top six inches of an acre of soil
10 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions stored in soil
4,000 gallons of water soil needs to produce one bushel of corn
11,000 Gallons of water soil needs to produce one bushel of wheat
From magazine, June/July 2010
Biscuit City 