What You Will Learn…

• The healthy Soil Foodweb
• How to bring back a balanced soil biology
• Examples of what has worked
• How to make good compost and compost teas and correct applications.
• Some stunning examples of what happens quickly when you get it right!

Once you understand that to gain healthy soils for your plants and animals, you need to know the biology present in your soil, compost, compost tea or extract and the best way to know what biology is present is by getting a sample and look at it under the microscope.

• Technique in preparing your sample
• Best practices in using and operating the microscope
• Identifying good and bad diversity of bacteria, fungi and protozoa
• Identifying different feeding groups of nematodes
• Identifying other organisms and non-organisms
• How to count and the equation in assessing if you have the balance of biology for your plants

Description:

The Course begins as soon as you register. It’s a self-paced course where you can access the Lessons anytime once they are released. Lessons are from the recording of the 2 Day Workshop presented by Dr Elaine Ingham. You have lifetime access to the course, once they are made available online they remain there for you to access permanently..

Who is this course is for:

For farmers, growers and compost/compost tea makers who want to evaluate their own biology using a microscope., Elaine explains in a very simple and user-friendly approach on how to understand your soil. She offers a way of improving your soils and a way of keeping your soils in a healthier state without damaging the ecosystem. If you know that the biology is what the plants and the soil needs, but if you’re worried that you can’t get rid of weeds without weedicides, that you can’t kill pests without  pesticides and that you can’t grow plants without fertilizers, then take this course.

Soil Food Web Course Content:

Lesson 1: Soil Foodweb Intro

In this lesson, we start with a bit of Dr Elaine Ingham’s background and how she began teaching. Then we look at how to take a soil sample to send off to a laboratory. We then take a closer look at what goes on in a thermal compost pile, the different habitats that form and the importance of the different roles the microorganisms play

Lesson 2: Plant Comparisons

In this lesson, we get a closer look at biological v. conventional approach to soil management. Nutrient cycling. Understanding the balance of soil biology for the plant you are trying to grow. What are the disturbances to the ecosystem? A series of results from applying compost and compost teas.

Lesson 3: Soil Horizons

We get a closer look about the soil: soil depth, how far roots can go, soil horizons, importance of Calcium in the soil, compaction and how do you fix it.

Lesson 4: Nutrient Cycling

In this lesson, we dive deep into nutrient cycling. Once we get the right biology in the soil it will be a snap. Hint: ALL the biology must be present, not just the “most important”.

Lesson 5: Compost

In this lesson, we will talk all about compost! Types of compost, what should be present in the compost and how much compost to use.

Lesson 6: Compost Tea

In this lesson, we will talk all about compost & compost teas! Proper ratio, how to make compost, composting process, commercial compost, back-yard composting, house hold composting and compost tea!

Q&A Webinars

Dr. Elaine Ingham answers questions from participants.

Microscope Course Content:

Lesson 1: Introduction to the Microscope

• Guide to selecting a Microscope
• How to set up microscope
• Parts and functions of a typical microscope
• Microscope best practice
• How to collect a soil sample
• How to look after your microscope

Lesson 2: Sample Preparation

• Diluting & Preparing Slides
• How to Focus correctly on your Slide and which magnification to use

Lesson 3: Morphology of Bacteria

• True bacteria, Actinobacteria,
• Spirilla, Spirochetes,
• Anaerobic Bacteria as indicators

Lesson 4: Morphology of Fungi

• Decomposer fungi,
• Mycorrhizal fungi,
• Diameters, Color

Lesson 5: Morphology of Algae, Protozoa & Nematodes

• Algae, Pollen, Parasites, Microarthropods
• Protozoa; Flagellates, Amoebae, Ciliates
• Nematodes; bacterial-feeding, fungal-feeding, predatory, root-feeding

Lesson 6: Morphology of Other Materials in the Soil

• Identifying other materials such as cellulose, plant debris, thread, diatom shells, mineral particles.
• Distinguishing between other materials & organisms

Lesson 7: Quantification (Counting Organisms)

• Sampling considerations,
• Replication,
• Determining diameters, lengths, numbers

Course Quiz

• A self correcting quiz that will test your skills

Bonuses:

• “How to Make Organic Compost” Online Video
• “Soil Biology Primer” Subjects
• “What is Compost?” Audio/MP3
• “What is Compost Tea?” Audio/MP3
• “Digital Soil Health Card”

Course Presenter:

Dr Elaine Ingham is an energetic, easy-to-understand speaker who explains what life in the soil is all about. Behind this “user-friendly” approach lies a wealth of knowledge gained from years of intensive research into the organisms which make up the soil foodweb.