These are the Nordness and Ritchey series in the same family and the Arland , Boone , Elkmound , and Hixton series in other closely related families. Nordness and Ritchey soils have limestone bedrock within depths of 20 inches and commonly are less acid in their sola. Arland and Hixton soils have thicker sola and do not have a lithic contact within a depth of 20 inches. Boone soils do not have Bt horizons, have more sand in the series control section and have siliceous mineralogy. Elkmound soils do not have agrillic horizons.
Northfield soils are on uplands underlain by sandstone.
Slopes are convex and gradients are typically 2 to 30 percent, but range from 0 to 45 percent. The soil formed primarily in a thin loamy mantle underlain by platy sandstone. The mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 55 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation from 28 to 36 inches. These are primarily the Gale , Hixton , and Elkmound soils. These soils occupy similar landscape positions, but are not easily distinguished from one another on surface features alone.