Hi Claudia,

Determining whether your soil is safe for growing produce really depends on the history and context of your property. Since your home was built in 1978, the likelihood of leadin the soil is lower than with older homes, but lead can still be present for other reasons. If your property is near an industrial area, near a busy road, or if there is a history of commercial or industrial activity on or around the site, then testing for contaminants may be worthwhile.

CSU Extension offers a wide range of soil tests through the CSU SPUR Soil, Water, and Plant Testing Laboratory. You can choose from several testing options depending on what you want to learn. The lab does offer a heavy metals test, which screens for elements such as arsenic, lead, molybdenum, chromium, selenium, and cadmium. They also offer standard soil health tests that evaluate nutrients, organic matter, pH, and other properties important for growing produce.

All test results include interpretation ranges, so you can see whether your soil falls within normal or safe levels for each element or nutrient.

Here are some links to the CSU Spur Laboratory that include the prices, test descriptions, and the instructions to collect proper samples. 
- CSU Spur Soil, Water and Plant Testing Laboratory
- CSU Spur Test Codes and Prices
- CSU Spur Soil Sampling Instructions