Macomb, IL – Soil. You walk on it, dig in it, and grow things in it. There are a number of components that make up soil: sand, silt, clay, organic matter and even nutrients. Soils are made up of different layers and are classified based on their characteristics.
Illinois has hundreds of soils that cover the land, and in Western Illinois you can find one of the richest of them all, the Ipava Soil. The Ipava Soil is considered one of the top ten soils in the state because of its abundance and productivity.
Click on the audio link above to hear Public Radio's Julie Root take an in-depth look at soil.
Additional Information:
*1 acre of soil 6 inches deep weights 1,000 tons.
*It takes approximately 500 years to recover one inch of eroded topsoil.
*Illinois soils are so fertile in part due to glaciers that flattened the land.