This is very rich glacial soil, just the right nutrients, and it's drained by the sand stratum below.

The soil in the Fennville area is different from surrounding areas, primarily glacial sandy soils.

Bedrock crops out in many places through the thin glacial soil.

The editor of the newspaper, William Dempster Hoard, saw the effects of the area's glacial soil on local farms.

"It was hard-packed glacial soils, never disturbed," Mr. Bellantoni said.

Finally, glacial soils work well for soil nailing.

The floodwaters carried rich volcanic and glacial soil from Eastern Washington, which was deposited across the valley floor when the waters subsided.

The newly uncovered till (glacial soil) was rocky and sterile, and much like northern Canada today.

Major crop: onions, from 14,000 acres of rich glacial soil called black dirt.

The two Grand Traverse Bays provide the ideal maritime climate and the rich glacial soil does the rest.