The earthworm test for soil

How healthy is your soil? You can test that by checking for earthworms. Here's how:

After the soil has reached 50 degrees and the surface is moist, dig out one cubic foot of soil. Place the soil on cardboard and carefully break it apart. In one cubic foot of healthy soil, you should find at least 10 earthworms. If you find fewer, add more organic matter, such as compost, aged manure or leaf mold.