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Deep core samples drilled at Nebraska winery uncover answers beneath the soil

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A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.

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Deep core samples drilled at Nebraska winery uncover answers beneath the soil

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Glacial Till Geological dig, 5.8

Paul Hanson (left), a UNL geology professor, and Erik J. Waiss, a state environmental specialist, take a closer look at a core sample dug from deep underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. A three-day seminar offered by Midwest GeoSciences Group last week in partnership with Lincoln engineering firm Olsson demonstrated how to read the history of the soil and how those lessons can help engineers, geologists and government regulators.

Glacial Till Geological dig, 5.8

A worm (top left) sifts its way through the top soil on a cut open core sample during a course offered by Midwest GeoSciences Group this week at Glacial Till Winery near Palmyra.

Geologists, scientists, drillers, engineers and students look over a 40-foot core sample drilled from the earth at Glacial Till Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. “If you’re going to build a road, build a tunnel, knowing the geology helps us make better engineering decisions,” said Dan Kelleher, a hydrogeologist and president of Midwest GeoSciences Group, which offered the seminar with Olsson, a Lincoln-based firm.

A team from Olsson cored samples from 40 and 70 feet underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery, exposing them to sunlight for the first time in hundreds or thousands of years.

Tyler Urban points to a section of sediment in a core sample. Engineers can test the soil and sediment to better understand how it will bear the weight of infrastructure like buildings roads, bridges, waterways, and dams. 

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Chris Dunker | Lincoln Journal Star

PALMYRA — Long before Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery was established southeast of Lincoln — hundreds of thousands of years before — ice sheets pushed clay, gravel and sand from the deep north across Nebraska.

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The E-edition is available to you every morning, and is updated throughout the day

Photos: Digging deep at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery

Nancy Mann uses a magnifier to take a closer look at a core sample held by her colleague Neal Heil at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

A section of a core sample extracted from deep underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Geologists, scientists, drillers, engineers and students look over core samples at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

A team of Olsson drillers work to extract core samples from deep underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

A team from Olsson cored samples from 40 and 70 feet underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery, exposing them to sunlight for the first time in hundreds or thousands of years.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

A team of Olsson drillers work to extract core samples from deep underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Tyler Urban points to a section of sediment in a core sample. Engineers can test the soil and sediment to better understand how it will bear the weight of infrastructure like buildings roads, bridges, waterways, and dams. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

A worm (top left) sifts its way through the top soil on a cut open core sample during a course offered by Midwest GeoSciences Group this week at Glacial Till Winery near Palmyra.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor Paul Hanson takes a closer look at a core sample extracted from deep underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Geologists, scientists, drillers, engineers and students look over a core sample at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Paul Hanson (left), a UNL geology professor, and Erik J. Waiss, a state environmental specialist, take a closer look at a core sample dug from deep underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. A three-day seminar offered by Midwest GeoSciences Group last week in partnership with Lincoln engineering firm Olsson demonstrated how to read the history of the soil and how those lessons can help engineers, geologists and government regulators.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

An Olsson drill technician places a core sample of sediment onto a table at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Geologists, scientists, drillers, engineers and students, including Matt Kaufman (center) from Paducah, Kentucky, study core samples at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Geologists, scientists, drillers, engineers and students look over a 40-foot core sample drilled from the earth at Glacial Till Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. “If you’re going to build a road, build a tunnel, knowing the geology helps us make better engineering decisions,” said Dan Kelleher, a hydrogeologist and president of Midwest GeoSciences Group, which offered the seminar with Olsson, a Lincoln-based firm.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Geologists, scientists, drillers, engineers and students study core samples at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Geologists, scientists, drillers, engineers and students look over core samples at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

A team of Olsson drillers work to extract core samples at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

A section of a core sample is seen at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Nancy Mann (left) and Matt Kaufman from Paducah, Kentucky, examine a section of core sample at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. 

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com.

On Bluesky @chrisdunker.bsky.social

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Glacial Till Geological dig, 5.8

Paul Hanson (left), a UNL geology professor, and Erik J. Waiss, a state environmental specialist, take a closer look at a core sample dug from deep underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. A three-day seminar offered by Midwest GeoSciences Group last week in partnership with Lincoln engineering firm Olsson demonstrated how to read the history of the soil and how those lessons can help engineers, geologists and government regulators.

A worm (top left) sifts its way through the top soil on a cut open core sample during a course offered by Midwest GeoSciences Group this week at Glacial Till Winery near Palmyra.

Geologists, scientists, drillers, engineers and students look over a 40-foot core sample drilled from the earth at Glacial Till Winery near Palmyra on Thursday. “If you’re going to build a road, build a tunnel, knowing the geology helps us make better engineering decisions,” said Dan Kelleher, a hydrogeologist and president of Midwest GeoSciences Group, which offered the seminar with Olsson, a Lincoln-based firm.

A team from Olsson cored samples from 40 and 70 feet underground at Glacial Till Vineyard and Winery, exposing them to sunlight for the first time in hundreds or thousands of years.

Tyler Urban points to a section of sediment in a core sample. Engineers can test the soil and sediment to better understand how it will bear the weight of infrastructure like buildings roads, bridges, waterways, and dams. 

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