I think I mentioned this a few months ago, but the City of
Austin Soil Kitchen will be taking soil samples for free analysis this coming
weekend – April 8,9.

See https://austintexas.gov/soilkitchen

Dropoff is at Parque Zaragosa in Govalle on Saturday and
Sunday morning. The way it works is you bring a soil sample (see directions),
with a rough address – just cross streets, and owners initials. Then they give
you a number. In May, they post the test results accessible with that number.
Last year, the report forms looked a lot like the A&M report forms, so I
suspect A&M is doing their "routine analysis". You get abundance numbers
and assessment of needs for pH, soil conductivity, nitrate, phosphorus,
potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and sodium. I think you don't get numbers
for micronutrients.

Through A&M Agrilife Extension, that would cost $10 + shipping for one sample.
About $15.

Now, the reason behind this opportunity is that what they also test for
is lead, arsenic, barium, cadmium, mercury and nickel. The "routine analysis"
doesn't test for those. Should there be a poison hot spot in the city the
Brownfields folks really want to know about it, as there are EPA funds to
remedy it. I suspect they don't want exact street addresses, because if your
address comes up as a superfund site, your property values will take a
nosedive! If they find a hot spot, I suppose they'll be back, quietly sniffing
around the vicinity.

The city gets good samples of native soil from gardeners who
know what a good soil sample should look like, and derive key environmental
information from those samples. Gardeners get free soil nutrient analyses for
their trouble (and, I'd like to believe, some reassurance that their soil isn't
poison). Nice deal.