permaculture

[Graham Unangst-Rufenacht <graham.rufenacht@gmail.com>]

Hi Folks,

I'm doing some work helping the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism (a
free-sliding scale herbal clinic, apothecary and 3 year clinical herbal
training program located in Montpelier, VT:  http://www.vtherbcenter.org/)
build demonstration and production gardens on their site.  It is an unusual
site for a Vermont gardener / designer, as it will be built on a steep
slope beneath a large parking lot and therefore includes significant
potential contamination of the soils.

I don't go into further detail - as there are many challenges on this site
which I'm sure your ideas and experience would be helpful in facing -
because I am currently exploring potential soil testing labs that may be
able to help us understand exactly what we're dealing with.  There are many
labs which have the ability to focus on different aspects of a soil's
chemical assay and many do heavy metals testing - but I am largely
unfamiliar with laboratories focusing specifically on urban sites, or
contaminated sites, or sites with similar concerns to those we are facing
in respect to large impervious areas with vehicles leaking all over them
which more or less drain over, into, onto the area we wish to garden.

Any recommendations for soil testing labs?  Any other interesting
references to turn to regarding bioremediation, testing over time in order
to ascertain how one is progressing in this work, etc.  Please feel free to
forward this to anybody whom you think may have a helpful response.  (like
Scotty Kellogg - I don't have his email)

Thank you so much and take care - Happy Spring!
~ Graham Unangst-Rufenacht