How do you measure soil PH???

[mike]

I'd like to measure the PH of my soil. I have PH paper. Stick it in a liquid, compare color to chart and I have the PH.

But dirt is not a liquid. Put dirt in water and some stuff will dissolve and other stuff won't. And the PH is dependent on how much water you add. So, how the heck do I prepare the sample to get a PH reading for dirt?

[Frank]

I just moisten the soil a little. Enough to get the paper wet.