doesn't it seem like a significant brix difference would indicate a soil difference? Maybe. Or it can mean that you've got a localized infestation of nematodes left over in one spot from last year's crop or even weeds. (and only the root knot can be spotted without lab testing and sometimes, not even them) If you've got sting nematodes or one of the other plant pathogenic species, you may not know and they can all infest fields in patches. Or it can be due to differences in drainage characteristics, which can vary depending on things like foot and vehicle traffic, even assuming that the soil type is perfectly uniform. Or microclimates may affect plant development. Like if you've got a prevailing wind from the north and the north row takes the the brunt of cold breezes and sustains some cold damage while protecting the south row, resulting in decreased ability to photosynthesize and produce sugars. or.... I suppose it's better than nothing but if the primary purpose is to evaluate soil fertility, I would be very hesitant to draw any conclusions, even tentative ones, based on something that doesn't measure soil fertility. As far as having time to test the soil, you just have to grab a little dirt on the same day that you're planting and send it in. That would give you a good a good base line. A couple more samples down the road and you just might have something. The cost can be an issue but a lot of labs can give you some numbers for pretty cheap. You would just want to make sure you're choosing the right methods for your soil. (I can help you determine the correct methods if you like)

I know this isn't what you asked but... I've never had potato salad with pizza before. I'd would serve a green salad instead. You need something healthy and lighter to offset the pizza and chicken (and Ice cream and cake). Some people really do prefer to eat healthy. And many can't handle high calorie, high starch meals. You "could" keep the potato salad (if you're trying to create a meal with the chicken), but you really need another veggie to round off the meal (maybe green beans). Fruit would be another option if you really don't want to do a green salad.

Okay, without having dimensions, I took a stab at it: - It's a large space, but it's very spread-out, and bigger isn't automatically better ... I'd divide it up like this: - Carve out a U-shaped work space in the middle of the large kitchen. This keeps all your functional items close together /easy to use. Within this main kitchen space, you can have 2 huge drawer stacks + 1 smaller drawer stack next to the kitchen for cooking tools + 1 chef's drawer to the left of the sink + 2 big super susans. - I'd do uppers only on the side over the range, which would leave the whole space wide open ... and with light and breezes coming from both sides, this would be a very pleasant space. - To the right of this main work space, you have either a cabinet run OR pantries ... with the refrigerator in the middle. Loads and loads of one-step-away storage ... and it's space you can step to without walking around an island. So super convenient. - Because you have so much length to the kitchen and because you value table-time, I'd add a bay window to the front of the house /add a small kitchen table for more intimate dining ... then continue the kitchen cabinets (but more shallow) for another huge amount of storage near this small table. - I'd us this by-the-small-table cabinetry as away-space for the kitchen. That is, I'd use this one-step-away counterspace for the things that clutter up /clog up the kitchen counters: the coffee pot, a bowl of fruit or a cake-under-a-dome. This away-space will mean that your real work space is always clear /ready for use. It'll also be a nice sight line upon entering from what I now know is the front door. - Because I think dishware would be stored in the cabinets /uppers by the smaller table, I moved the dishwasher to the front side of the kitchen. - This leaves the back-bar as a large, open space, which will function well as a buffet table when you have guests /will be using the larger table. - This whole layout can function in multiple ways ... the center is the real work space, yet it relates to either the small eating area OR the larger eating area ... or both at once.

Some of your questions have been answered many times on this forum, and review of many hood threads will reveal the rationale for the suggestions. Here is a very terse summary: For a 30 inch range use a 36-inch wide hood to overlap rising and expanding cooking plumes. Try for a 24-inch front to back distance, and mount the hood high enough to not hit one's head when bending over the range. (Up to 36 inches with this size) These dimensions give an entry aperture of 3 x 2 = 6 sq. ft. Aim for 90 CFM/sq. ft., resulting in a requirement for 90 x 6 = 540 CFM. This has to be provided in the context of the blower's fan curve, the baffle, hood, and duct pressure losses, and any make-up air pressure loss. As a rough approximation, multiply 540 x 1.5 to obtain 810 CFM, the minimum zero static pressure rating of the hood system blower. Plan on having to have a make-up air system; see relevant threads. Hoods by their nature have to be steel, but can be made without elegant steel exteriors (hood insert) and covered with wood cabinetry. So long as hood cabinetry and nearby cabinets meet the required distance from the range to combustible materials, there is no reason why the cabinets cannot be connected to the hood cabinet-like exterior. You will see many examples just by looking for them. Most major hood manufacturers sell stand-alone stainless steel hoods and steel inserts for wooden cabinet enclosures.