Travis Johnson
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What I 'know' about snow bringing nitrogen I got from the county extension services and a feeds and feeding class. 'supposed to be fact. But, when I was trying to raise cattle by feeding them Arkansas rocks I often looked with envy at the results our northern friends got with their crops and cattle.
Northern growing seasons are shorter but (maybe) more intense. There is an undisputed northern effect. e.g. a certain breed of cattle raised in the Ozarks may top out at 1,000 pounds for a cow. (this is all hypothetical but typical results) In southern Mississippi, that same cow will top at 850 pounds. In central Canada it will go 1,300. In Bolivia, South America it would be lucky to make 700.
Where I live topsoil is something we often just dream about. I had places on my pasture where the 'topsoil' was only 1" before hitting bedrock. (try hand setting fence posts in that) Y'all in Maine and Canada go down dozens of feet before running out of rich black soil.
I don't know about dozens of feet. We got gravel loam topsoil to about 52 inches, (varies greatly though) then goes into gravel. When my well driller put my well in he asked me why I was putting a house here. Underneath the loam was pure gravel to a depth of about 17 feet.There I hit shaley ledge, went through it at 22 feet, picked up more gravel until bedrock began at 40 feet.
When I die, Alyson would be smart to burn this house down and make Lake out of "Johnson Hill" as its known I've hit gravel just land plowing up some of my fields. When I put in my addition and had to "buy dirt" man did that ever irk me. It's all around me, but the contractors can't make money moving your dirt around...they want you to buy it off them.
Here is a picture of a gravel bank I've been digging into lately when I need gravel for this or that.