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BF 110: Soil Health (2022)

General Course Resources

Instructor Contact
Self-Paced Schedule and Participant Guide
Pre-Course Survey
Kiva US - 0% Interest Loans up to $15,000
Navigating in Teachable; Getting a Course Completion Certificate; and More

Bonus LIVE Session 2023 - JOIN US!

LIVE Session with Elizabeth Marks on Monday, March 27, 2023 from 7:00 – 8:30PM Eastern Time

Week 1: Introduction to Basic Soil Science and Soil Health

CLASS: Week 1 Webinar Slides, Join Link, and Recording
READING: Course Text Pages 3-35, 49-67
VIDEO: Soil Health 1-Minute Lesson
VIDEO: Understanding Cation Exchange Capacity and Other Soil Terms
FORUM: Introduce Yourself; Meet Your Fellow Farmers
ACTIVITY and FORUM: Map Your Soils
ACTIVITY: Determine Soil Texture by Feel
ACTIVITY: Start Your Soil Health Plan
RESOURCE: Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel and Appearance

Week 2: Understanding the Ecosystem Processes

CLASS: Week 2 Webinar Link, Slides, and Recording
READING: Course Text Pages 37-45, 69-74
READING: Improving Ecosystem Processes on a No-Till Organic Farm in NY
VIDEO: The Mineral Cycle Explained
VIDEO: Regeneration of Our Lands - Gabe Brown TEDx
FORUM: Ecosystem Process Improvement?
ACTIVITY: Start Your Soil Health Plan

Week 3: First and Second Principles of Soil Health: Maximize Soil Cover and Continuous Living Roots

CLASS: Week 3 Webinar Link, Slides, and Recording
READING: Course Text Pages 101-127
VIDEO: Soil Health 1-Minute Lesson: the Importance of Cover
FORUM: Soil Cover
ACTIVITY: Find Your Hardiness Zone
RESOURCE: Cover Crop Resources: Options, Comparisons, and Benefits
RESOURCE: Understanding a Soil Test
RESOURCE: No-Till Resources

Week 4: Third Principle of Soil Health: Minimize Disturbance

CLASS: Week 4 Webinar, Slides, and Recording
READING: Course Text Pages 173-186
VIDEO: Soil Health 1-Minute Lesson: Benefits of No-Till
VIDEO: Benefits of Good Soil Structure
VIDEO: Benefits of Soil Invertebrates - Conservation Webinars
FORUM: No Till/Reduced Till
ACTIVITY: Look at historical images of your farm

Week 5: Fourth Principle of Soil Health: Maximize Biodiversity

CLASS: Week 5 Webinar Link, Slides, and Recording
READING: Course Text Pages 129-139
VIDEO: Practices from Out in the Field: Video Collection for Crop Farmers
VIDEO: Improving Soil Through Winter Grazing
VIDEO: Fighting Desertification and Climate Change with Livestock
FORUM: Animals for Soil Health Improvement

Week 6: Review, Questions, and Monitoring

CLASS: Week 6: Webinar Link, Slides and Recording
READING: Course Text 235-275
ACTIVITY: Test Your Soil
ACTIVITY: Soil Health Monitoring
FORUM: What Will You Change?
RESOURCES: From NRCS
RESOURCE: Soil Health Plan Example
RESOURCE: Link to State Climate Change Summaries
Post-Course Survey: Complete for a Chance to Win!
Staying Connected After this Course Ends + A Special Offer

ACTIVITY: Determine Soil Texture by Feel

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