$7,000 $3,199
What's Included
The Soil Food Web Foundation Courses
Foundation Course 1: Introduction to the Soil Food Web
In Foundation Course 1 you will learn:
- About the damage that modern agriculture has done to soils all over the world.
- How Regenerative Agriculture is the soil-ution and how you can rapidly regenerate your soils with the Soil Food Web Approach.
- How the Soil Food Web Approach can be adopted on any scale and in almost any environment, with a multitude of crops.
- About the 4 major groups of Beneficial Microorganisms that are needed to restore ecosystem functions to your soil.
- How Beneficial Microbes work in harmony with your crops to nourish and protect them.
- How benefits such as increased yields, reduced erosion, reduced pest, disease and weed pressures etc. can be achieved.
- About several projects from around the world that Dr. Elaine Ingham has worked on personally.
- About some of the management practices you can adopt to ensure that the biology in your soils is not compromised.
- How soil structure is created by beneficial microbes, improving water infiltration in clay soils and better water retention in sandy soils. And how good structure enables plants and beneficial microbes to penetrate deep into the soil profile, improving plant health.
- How beneficial microbes access the abundance of nutrients stored in the parent material (think sand and clay particles) and how this is then made available to your plants.
- How plants influence the soil biome, by releasing sugary exudates that feed specific groups of beneficial microbes, in return for nutrients.
- How having a balanced soil biome can result in great benefits, such as Weed Suppression and Increased Carbon or Organic Matter content.
Foundation Course 2: Making BioComplete™ Compost
In Foundation Course 2 you will learn:
- About the different definitions of compost and why we consider it as a means of multiplying beneficial microbes instead of just a way of delivering nutrients to the soil.
- How to make your own Biological Compost, using Dr. Elaine’s close-control composting method that enables beneficial microbes to multiply rapidly, while suppressing detrimental microbes.
- Techniques that can be used to balance the biology in your compost, ensuring that the 4 main groups of microbes are present.
- How to apply Biological Compost to your soils so that beneficial microbes can interact with your plants in the root zone, offering nutrition and protection.
- About the various types of methods and equipment that can be used to produce Biological Compost, depending on scale. This includes vermicompost and hot-composting.
Foundation Course 3: Making BioComplete™ Extracts and Teas
In Foundation Course 3 you will learn:
- How to produce Biological Extracts and Teas from your Biological Compost, using different types of equipment depending on the scale you are operating at.
- About the uses and application methods of Biological Extracts and Teas
- How to apply Biological Liquid Amendments to your soils using different equipment, depending on the scale of your project. And how you can use conventional spraying equipment with some minor modifications.
Foundation Course 4: Introduction to Microscopy
In Foundation Course 4 you will learn:
- How to correctly set-up and use a compound microscope.
- About the biological morphology of the 4 major groups of beneficial soil microorganisms.
- How to identify and quantify the key groups of beneficial microbes that all soils need in order to be fully functional, using the compound microscope. This will enable you to conduct your own soil biology assessments.
- How to process and interpret data.
- How to recognize microarthropods, algae, pollen and other objects in your soil.
After successful completion of the Foundation Courses. FREE BONUS COURSE
Dedicated Mentoring
Compost and Microscopy Mentoring (Stage 1 of the Grower Training Program)
What You Will Learn
- You’ll be assigned to one of our highly trained Mentors who will guide you as you work towards mastering the art of making BioComplete™ Compost using the techniques you have studied in the Foundation Courses.
- You will also work 1-on-1 with your Mentor to develop your microscopy skills to the required standard to become a Certified Soil Food Web Lab-Tech.
- You’ll learn from the experience of others as your Mentor will be able to advise you on common mistakes to avoid, when making your compost.
What’s Included
- 26 hours of total Mentor Time dedicated to helping you to make your own Biological Compost and Master the Microscope.
- Free listing in the directory of Certified Soil Food Web Lab-Techs, once you pass the Microscopy Proficiency Assessment (MPA).
- The Guide to Making Small Scale BioComplete™ Compost manual.
- The Certified Lab-Tech Program (CLP) Course Manual.
- The Launch Your Lab Guidebook.
Money-Back Guarantee
You’ll get a 30-day, no questions asked, money-back guarantee on the total price paid. The only condition is that you have watched 32 lectures or less of the Foundation Courses.