17. I have officially driven a tractor...
(Ok, it wasn't technically a tractor) I was lucky enough to host Lynn Loomis and David Jalali, soil scientists from the USDA, at Alta Marfa for a second time recently, when they returned to describe and analyze the deeper strata of the soil at the vineyard site. For the occasion I rented the beautiful machine you can see below. It was delivered by the rental company the day before and when I hopped into the drivers seat with the other guys waiting for me to begin digging the trench through which they would view the soil, I realized when I looked at the unfamiliar controls that I had no idea how to drive it. Like the millennial I am, I quickly whipped out my iPhone and looked up a Youtube video to teach me how to drive that particular tractor. Needless to say I was off and running in no time, and an hour or so later we had a 4 foot deep trench opened up and were feasting our eyes on some very delicious looking soil.
Click right below here to read the Soil Report that the soil scientists wrote (click the words "Soil Description Here"). The second link will show you the analysis they did on the first visit when we dug several shallower pits in different areas of the property.
We found roots growing all the way down at the bottom of the hole!
Maybe next time I'll rent one of these jumbo tractors!