Magic soil refers to a concept or belief that certain types of soil possess special qualities or properties that can positively affect the growth and health of plants. It is often associated with ideas of fertility, abundance, and vitality. The term "magic" in this context is metaphorical, emphasizing the remarkable or exceptional nature of the soil. The meaning of magic soil varies across cultures and traditions. In some cultures, it is believed that specific geographic locations or regions are blessed with magic soil, which enhances crop yields and produces exceptionally nutritious fruits and vegetables. This belief may stem from observations that certain areas consistently produce better harvests or that plants grown in specific soils demonstrate superior qualities.
MAGIC SERIES
The Magic series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in material weathered from basalt. Magic soils are on lava plains and have slopes of 0 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 14 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 41 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Vertic Haploxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Magic very stony silty clay - range. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very stony silty clay, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, sticky and plastic; few fine and medium roots; many very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
B21--3 to 6 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) silty clay, dark brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; moderate thick platy structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; prisms tilted to 60 degree angle from vertical; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
B22--6 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) silty clay, dark brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
B31--16 to 26 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) silty clay, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; weak very coarse prismatic structure that parts to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
B32--26 to 33 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) silty clay, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
B33--33 to 35 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) silty clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) moist; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; strongly effervescent veins and coatings on faces of peds; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
R--35 inches; bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Camas County, Idaho; about 9 miles east and 5 miles south of Fairfield; 1,650 feet west and 250 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 7, T. 2 S., R. 16 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock and thickness of the solum are 25 to 40 inches. The soil between depths of 4 and 12 inches is moist in some part in October or early November and remains moist until July. Mean annual temperature is 41 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature is 60 degrees to 65 degrees F.
The profile is neutral to moderately alkaline. The soil has cracks that are 1 to 4 cm. wide and 50 to 60 cm. deep in the summer and autumn of most years. The upper part of the profile has 0 to 3 percent stones, 3 to 5 percent cobbles and 3 to 10 percent pebbles.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3.
The B horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 2 or 3. It is clay, silty clay, or silty clay loam. This horizon is weakly to strongly effervescent in the lower part.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Yutrue series in another family. Yutrue soils have a mean annual soil temperature above 47 degrees F. and are more than 40 inches deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Magic soils are on lava plains and have slopes of 0 to 8 percent. Elevations are 4,800 to 5,500 feet. The soils formed in residuum weathered from basalt. They formed in a Humid continental climate, cool summers (Trewartha's modified Koppen system) having dry summers and cold moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 12 to 16 inches. Mean January temperature is 15 degrees F.; mean July temperature is 66 degrees F.; and mean annual temperature is 39 to 43 degrees F. Frost-free period is about 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gaib, Harahill, Laurentzen, Kevanton, Manard, and Polecreek soils. Gaib and Laurentzen soils have a moderately fine textured B2t horizon. Harahill soils have less than 35 percent clay throughout. Kevanton soils have bedrock at depths of 44 to 60 or more inches. Manard and Polecreek soils have medium textured surfaces and fine textured B2t horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly rangeland, some irrigated and dry-farmed hay and small grain. Vegetation is alkali sagebrush, Idaho fescue, and Sandberg bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Idaho. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Camas County, Idaho, 1977.
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 4/77.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.
The Magic of Our Soil
Soil is the soul of our terrestrial planet, and lives as both the earth itself and in the world of forms. It is the earthen ground beneath our feet and the mechanism through which Mother Nature provides all plant life.
Soil is life itself, the great connector of the whole of the planet. It is in itself an organism, but also plays host to microscopic and gigantic organisms the world over that contribute directly to a symbiotic system that sustains life on the planet and provides plants a home to grow roots.
Soil scientists are presented with the constant challenge of categorizing “different” soils, because all soil is, in effect, connected to all other soil. It is almost impossible to delineate where one soil sample begins and where a microbiome ends. One teaspoon of soil produces more organisms than there are human beings living on the planet. Soil is, simply, nature’s magic.
Essentially, all life depends upon the soil. There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together. — Charles E. Kellogg, USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, 1938
The Soil Cycle
Soil lives on Mother Nature’s time, and regenerates slowly, although it does have a distinct life cycle. The beginnings of a soil are a combination of the minerals from softened rock matter and organic matter.
Spanning many human generations, the mineral matter becomes oxidized, and morphs into a new substance, mixing with it organic matter and decomposed fauna. This growth period matures the soil, deepening it into the earth. It becomes useful on the surface.
The third phase of the aging cycle of soil is maintenance and equilibrium. Organic matter, called humus, is made of decomposing animals and plants on the soil, as well as organic waste.
Transformation of topsoil and deep soil occurs, and the biome of soil reuses its waste to create fresh life anew. A stunning array of microorganisms sustain the life of the soil and the life in the soil. It takes 500 years to generate one inch of topsoil!
Often, the soil cycle is interrupted by human interventions that degrade the quality and environment of the soil and its biome. Sustainable land management and soil rehabilitation practices are necessary to keep soils healthy and alive. Soil can regenerate naturally, and will do so on its own timeline.
At Area 2 Farms, we start with the soil. We keep the earth we grow your produce in happy by enriching it with nutrients. And we reuse our plant waste to keep the natural decomposition cycle going, which makes the soil and the plants we grow healthier.
Land, then, is not merely soil; it is a fountain of energy flowing through a circuit of soils, plants, and animals. — Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac, 1949
The Meaning of Soil
It’s not just the earth that is considered soil. Countries refer to their territory as their “soil,” and soil conjures images of ancestors and deep roots. Soil is a stand-in for the concept of life itself, and of the neverending wheel of life, death, decay, and regeneration.
Soil is an abundant natural resource, but not one to take for granted. It is a site of connectivity and a reservoir of water and nutrients for sustaining plant and animal life on the planet. It contains water, minerals, organisms, and decaying organic matter, and even holds gasses in its delicate peat. There are more than 70,000 types of soil — just in the United States, each one with its own unique biodiversity fingerprint .
The earth’s original composter, soil connects all terrestrial life on earth, and the makeup of soil dictates the quality of nutrients possible in vegetables, fruits, and grains. Its magic comes from its ability to create nutrition out of decomposition, to create an entire living world out of life’s decay.
This magic is the foundation of the strongest forces on earth, but the soil’s balance is delicate and must be handled with care. Agriculturalists and farmers must be wise to soil erosion and contaminants, and encourage deep roots and biodiversity.
The Area 2 Farms Soil Difference
At Area 2 Farms, we start with the soil. Unlike many industrial farms throughout the United States, we avoid the degradation of soil organism habitats, we don’t put harmful additives in soil, and we only use the best quality soil to grow the food we bring less than 10 miles to you.
Our soil is nutrient-rich, and we add plant waste to create a firm foundation for a microbiome meant specifically to grow our foods. We minimize our own waste by allowing the soil to reclaim the organic matter that sprouted from it, and we infuse soil-saving nutrients into our foundation. We believe in roots, not routes at Area 2 Farms — and you can taste the difference in our soil.
Healthy soil is dark colored because this means the organic matter is decaying properly and providing the nutrients needed to continue the nitrogen and soil cycles. When you come to take a farm tour, you can see the difference in the soil for yourself. We work with the best quality earth to bring you the best food on earth!
Our food has more base nutrient value than the produce you’ll find on the grocery store shelves because our food is grown in soil that is as loved and cared for as our sprouts. We harvest during the week and immediately deliver your food so that we can refeed our soil with any waste products accumulated, and so that you can eat your delicious food when it’s at its best.
We believe in local farming from people that care about the soil — of a plant, of a crop, and of a community. Our commitment is to your deep roots.
Not your ordinary farm.
🧑🌾 Know your farmers
Why Using Organic Potting Soil Makes a Huge Difference
Whether you tend a flowerbed, vegetable garden, or potted plants, the soil you use matters and the impact goes far beyond your own little patch of dirt. Learn about why organic potting soil is best for your garden and what sets Magic Dirt apart.
This belief may stem from observations that certain areas consistently produce better harvests or that plants grown in specific soils demonstrate superior qualities. In other cases, magic soil may be associated with spiritual or supernatural forces. Some practitioners of alternative ideologies, such as biodynamic farming or permaculture, consider certain soils to have energetic or healing properties.
Types of soil
Not all soil is created equal. Selecting the right kind of soil for your gardening project makes all the difference. There are three basic types of soil (for gardening purposes at least):
- Topsoil: this is the natural dirt you can dig up in your backyard and just about anywhere on earth. The composition of topsoil is unique to the location (what kind of rocks, minerals, water, plant matter, etc. has gone into creating that dirt over countless years).
- Enriched topsoil: a mix of topsoil and organic matter. Enriched topsoil isn’t specifically designed for gardening but it is better than regular topsoil.
- Potting soil: the best potting soil is a not really dirt. It is a blend of organic and inorganic materials designed for the best aeration, drainage, and nutrition to support growing plants.
Gardeners use potting soil because topsoil and enriched topsoil are usually too heavy and dense for potted plants and gardens. Potting soil provides the best environment for root development and plant nutrition.
These individuals may use specific rituals or practices to cultivate and enhance the energetic qualities of the soil. From a scientific perspective, magic soil can be understood as soil that possesses optimal conditions for plant growth, such as a balanced pH level, good drainage, rich nutrient content, and a healthy microbial ecosystem. These factors contribute to the overall fertility and health of the soil, resulting in improved plant growth and productivity. Ultimately, the concept of magic soil can be seen as a metaphorical representation of the importance of soil health in agriculture and horticulture. It underscores the idea that the quality of the soil directly impacts the success and vitality of the plants that grow in it. Therefore, by focusing on improving and maintaining soil health, farmers and gardeners can harness the true "magic" of the soil and achieve abundant harvests and vibrant plant growth..
Reviews for "The Symbolic Properties of Magic Soil in Sacred Spaces"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I found "Magic soil meaning" to be incredibly disappointing. The plot was weak and confusing, the characters lacked depth, and the writing style was clunky. I struggled to connect with the story and was left feeling unsatisfied. Overall, I do not recommend this book to others.
2. James - 1 star - "Magic soil meaning" was a complete waste of time. The premise sounded interesting, but the execution fell flat. The pacing was slow, the dialogue was dull, and the story lacked any kind of emotional impact. I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters or their journey. It was a forgettable read that I regret picking up.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Magic soil meaning", but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The world-building was confusing and inconsistent, leaving me feeling lost and disconnected from the story. The protagonist was also difficult to relate to, as their motivations and actions often seemed arbitrary. Overall, it was a frustrating and underwhelming read.
4. Michael - 2.5 stars - "Magic soil meaning" had an intriguing concept, but it failed to deliver on its potential. The writing lacked finesse, with awkward and repetitive prose throughout. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, making it difficult to engage with the story. While there were a few interesting ideas, they were overshadowed by the book's overall shortcomings. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone seeking a well-crafted fantasy tale.
5. Olivia - 1 star - I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in "Magic soil meaning". The characters were flat and uninteresting, the dialogue was stilted, and the plot was predictable. It felt like a generic fantasy story without any originality or depth. I was sorely disappointed and would not recommend wasting your time on this book.