Join the NYC Urban Soils Institute and Earth Matter NY for a Free Soils Testing and Soils Microscopy Workshop at Soil Start Farm on Governors Island! Bring soil from your home or garden and we'll test it for heavy metals content. Stick around and discover the incredible microbiome of compost and soil using our powerful microscopes and prepared slides. All ages are welcome!

No registration needed - this is first come, first serve.

Directions:

1. Gather a plastic bag with about a cup of soil from your yard or garden, surface to 4’’ depth works best. Please clearly identify the bag so you can find it. Maximum 3 samples per person

2. Bring your sample to our drop-off station at the Soil Start Farm on Governors Island (see map)

3. We will test your sample for heavy metals content within 10 minutes and have it waiting for you on the porch at the pick-up table. Sample drop-off deadline: 2:30 pm

Why Test Soil?

Great question! Soils are one of our most important resources, but they can easily become contaminated as a result of legacy industrial activity in urban settings. Common soil contaminants tend to be heavy metals such as lead or cadmium, which can cause negative health effects to folks who work and play with soil.

Fortunately, remediating soil contaminated with heavy metals can be easy, inexpensive and doesn’t require professional services. The tricky part is identifying heavy metal contamination, so we’ll help you with that! Our state-of-the-art handheld pXRF instrument quickly screens soil samples for heavy metals content, and lets you know whether remediation is recommended. Once your soil is tested, Urban Soils Institute’s (USI) experienced environmental scientists will advise you on next steps.