This year’s county fair brought an unexpected highlight – dirty underwear from across Richland County! As part of the Soil Your Undies challenge, our team buried a pair of 100% cotton underwear underground for 60 days in each of the 18 townships to showcase soil health. Rich soil teeming with microbes…
Credit: Richland SWCD
Dirty Undies!
This year’s county fair brought an unexpected highlight – dirty underwear from across Richland County! As part of the Soil Your Undies challenge, our team buried a pair of 100% cotton underwear underground for 60 days in each of the 18 townships to showcase soil health.
Rich soil teeming with microbes and worms will break down the fabric quickly, while less active soils will show little change. The healthier the soil, the faster the cotton underwear decomposes providing a fun and visual way to assess the vitality of local soils.
Our Underwear on Display…
One common joke among visitors after seeing the display was that Richland County should be called “Rich Land County” due to the thriving soils in some townships. Many visitors had questions about replicating the experiment in their backyard and we were able to give them our extra pairs of undies
Our display quickly became a hit at the fair, sparking curiosity among visitors of all ages. Fairgoers were amazed to see the varying levels of underwear decomposition and how it correlated with the land’s use.
After the two-month burial period, we retrieved the undies and put them on display at the county fair. The results ranged from pairs that were barely recognizable to those with minimal decay. This visual showcase highlighted the differences in soil health across the county.
A Lesson in Soil Health
This experiment was more than just entertaining – it reminded us of the importance of maintaining healthy soil. Local farmers especially took note of how soil health can affect crop yield, water retention, and sustainability. Sites where the underwear remained mostly intact now have a clear opportunity to investigate practices that could improve their soil health like adding compost or using cover crops.
Overall, the Soil Your Undies experiment was a great success. The positive reception at the fair showed just how eager our community is to learn about environmental stewardship. Richland County is ready to prove that it’s not just rich in history, but rich in land too.
We want to extend a big thank you to the landowners who allowed us to bury underwear on their properties! This project wouldn’t have been possible without their generosity, curiosity, and support.
