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Digging f
Winemaker’s Bookshelf
or soil inf
By Gary Strachan
ormation
H
Okanagan
re
e
s
r
o
e
u
a
rc
r
e
e
s
s
w
ome valuable
the factors which
discusses
affect the formation
t
of soils. This is
I
followed by chapters
b
o
a

ith which
s
b
e
u
.
ild your knowledge
in which the system
of soil classification is
always have trouble finding a
summarized.
place to store my dog-eared
is listed for such
The nomenclature
Grape Growing Locations in the
copy of the Atlas of Suitable
factors as parent material, texture,
Okanagan and Similkameen
drainage, and slope. The
remaining sections of the book
0-662-13414-1). It’s easily three
Valleys of British Columbia (ISBN
describe in detail the
times as wide as any bookshelf that I
characteristics of the dozens of
have. If I want to open it, I either
soils of the Okanagan-
have to clear off my desk or use the
Similkameen region. The link to
dining room table.
all B.C. soils publications can be
accessed via the Ecosystems Branch
now consider the recommendations
The atlas was written in 1984. I
of the BC Ministry of Environment:
to be conservative, partly because of
the greater understanding we have
data is posted for many B.C.
Detailed present and past climate
of grape cultivation, and partly
locations on the FarmWest website.
1983.
available online at:
(ISBN 0-7719-9245-9). It is
because we are already experiencing
climate change.
evaluation typically is to determine
The purpose of an agricultural site www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/
which crops can be grown. A
techpub/moe1/moem1.pdf
information for an unfamiliar site,
Nevertheless, if I require
valuable resource for this purpose is
One of the biggest problems I have
this is the first place I look. Copies
are available in most public libraries
for Agriculture in British Columbia.
the Land Capability Classification
when trying to describe a site under
evaluation is to understand the
technical terms of soil science and
in the Southern Interior.
is
A slightly more recent publication
edition is from 1986. The initial
Similkameen Valley
Soils of the Okanagan and
. The current
work for this survey was conducted
in the 1940s and published in 1949.
Further details were mapped during
the 1970s and the updated survey
was published in 1986.
• Cover-All
®
buildings are quick to install
essentially all land under
Although the 1986 survey mapped
and relocate.
cultivation, agriculture is now
extending into areas which were not
• Naturally bright daytime atmosphere
previously tilled. Even for an
requires no additional lighting.
unmapped site, I find the properties
• Unlimited building applications.
of nearby mapped soils to be very
helpful. The publication is available
online, or from libraries. (Many
Cover-All Buildings BC
arable regions of B.C. have been
866.935.4888
mapped, and specific publications
BC Interior/Fraser Valley
are available for each of them.)
Cover-All Building Systems, Inc. is an
The opening chapter of Soils of the
www.coverall.net
ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturing facility.
COVER-ALL IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF COVER-AL BUILDING SYSTEMS INC
British Columbia
4.75" x 3.75"
FRUIT GROWER • Fall 2009
27
Publication: BC Fruit Grower Magazine - Feb, 2007
0656-07/4
cw
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