Soil Scientist Blues
By Barb Cencich
AWSS Newsletter, January 1985
Anyone who digs holes for a living sooner or later
gets the soil scientist blues. This summer I really
had them bad. Seems like I had more than my fair
share of breaking down and getting stuck. Ever been
in the middle of nowhere, kicking your truck, and
screaming to no one in particular--"I want
a desk job!?" I have. The blues can be a problem
among any soil scientist, particularly soil surveyors.
I've seen it in myself and my emloyees.
The causes are easy to define. One we are out all
day long, day after day after day, all alone. Two,
we, at least in my experience, rarely see our work
used or appreciated. Three, old pickups on their
last legs that have a nasty habit of pooping out
miles from nowhere do not help. Budget problems
abound.
However, I decided that not wanting to go to work
was dumb. After all, I really do like the job. So
I decided to improve my attitude end to take some
preventative measures. First of all, I try to schedule
at least one day a pay period with some one else
and to have my employees do the same. Regular communications
in the field with other soil scientists is important,
not only for your mental health but for a quality
survey. Sometimes we get so hung up on acres we
don't bother with this. Second, soil scientists
are unsung heroes of agriculture. People may not
appreciate the importance of soils information today
but they will. Third, you need a good sense of humor
to deal with the ups and downs of our day to day
duties. After all, it's a joy to be out on your
own and a privilege to work where we do. That's
the way I feel--most of the time.
Recently, there was an article in Soil Survey Horizons
on professionalism by Jack Young. This article really
struck home with me. I just thought to myself, "you
know, this guy is right. we are professional soil
scientists, not just dirt diggers." Even though
it may seem like it at times.
So, don't let the blues get you down. Just remember
the soil scientist creed:
EVERY DAY'S AN ADVENTURE, EVERY LUNCH A PICNIC.
Barb Cencich is also the author of "
Soil
Survey on the All Terrain Bicycle," in which
she extols the virtues of the all-terrain bicycle
as a vehicle for soil mapping. AWSS Newsletter, October
1984.
