The ritual of touching soil before planting is deeply rooted in a variety of agricultural traditions. Among Indigenous American communities, ceremonies involving corn or tobacco planting begin with a sacred acknowledgment of the soil’s vitality. African farming communities, particularly in West and Central Africa, include soil-touching rituals in land-cleansing and blessing practices. In Hinduism, Bhumi Puja is a formal ritual that honors the earth before planting or building, often involving offerings and prayers made directly to the soil. In pre-industrial Europe, farmers would remove hats and gloves to make respectful first contact with the land, and East Asian rice farmers traditionally performed elaborate ceremonies involving hand gestures and chants to express gratitude and seek cooperation from the land spirits. These widespread customs reflect a shared animistic understanding that the earth is a conscious, relational force requiring acknowledgment and care.