Reboot my Soil Online Course - October 2023

Looking to change the way you do farming?

Learn how to regenerate your soil's health.

Develop a soil action plan based on 21st century soil knowledge. 

Get professional, independent support to help you on your journey!

Join us for this unique small group program where you will:

• learn about how soils work using a 21st century approach
  
• share with like minded farmers and graziers who are making changes
• learn the core soil skills of reading soil tests, assessing soils and benchmarking
• explore practical soil solutions for your enterprise
• develop a soil plan of action for your place
• tap into the experience of leading regenerative ag specialists
  

Soils are one of your farm business' most important assets. At the heart of your natural capital, they underpin a modern regenerative farm business. Without a healthy soil it is hard to maintain a productive, profitable and resilient farm enterprise in the long term.

In this online 6 part Reboot my Soil Webinar Course we will give you a clear, holistic process to follow to develop an effective soil management plan. If you are in farming, grazing, dairying or horticulture and you want to improve your soil management, then this course is for you! As we go through the program you will learn how to identify soil constraints and key nutrient issues that may be holding back your enterprise. 

" I was certainly never taught to read a soil test like this at Uni (Agronomy) and this has me excited again!!" Shontae, Qld

Places in this course are limited to 10 farm businesses so participants have time to ask questions, share and learn with other participants and look at different soils. You will need access to Zoom and a current soil test (maximum 2 tests) to participate in this course. You will also be expected to get out into your paddock with a spade and field assess your soil during the course. 

The Reboot my Soil program is led by experienced agroecologist David Hardwick with support from regenerative agriculture and cover cropping specialist Simon Mattsson.

"A well presented short course that provides the tools to interpret a soil test holistically, a move away from just focusing on the four big nutrients - December 3, 2021"

Content:

Webinar 1 - What is a soil system? - Air, Water, Minerals, Soil Life and Plants. How soils work! The 3 areas of soil management: Soil Type, Soil Health and Soil Fertility. The 3 core soil skills. The 4 essential steps to successful soil management. 10 Principles of Regenerative Soil Management. Using the Soil Action Plan Worksheet. Step 1 - Identifying your soil types. Step 2 - matching your enterprise to your soil types.

Webinar 2 - Introduction to Soil Tests: what and why. Using soil tests: the Golden Rules to getting the most from them. Pulling apart soil tests: the 5 parts to any test. Different tests and labs: Conventional and alternative approaches. Looking at a soil test - Organic Matter/Carbon.

Webinar 3 - Managing Soil Health: the 3 steps to success. The Soil Health Checklist. The Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio, soil salinity and soil pH. Options for improving soil constraints.

Webinar 4 - The Soil Health Checklist. Using soil tests to manage soil health -
Cation Balances: Acid and Non Acid cations, Sodium, Calcium/Magnesium Ratio. Soil pH and soil salinity. Benchmarking and identifying potential issues. Options for improving soil health.

Webinar 5 - Soils and nutrients: the basics. The 5 steps to regenerative nutrient management. Using soil tests to manage soil fertility - Phosphorous and Sulphur. Benchmarking and identifying potential fertility issues. Options for improving soil fertility. Steps to soil success. Pulling your soil action plan together.

A Bonus Q &A webinar will offer a chance to ask further questions.

How the Course works!!

The Course consists of 6 Zoom Webinars, run once a week over 6 weeks. Each session goes for 90 minutes. Sessions will be recorded so if you miss a session you can catch up on Zoom via the Event Hub. We will also provide you with a Soil Action Plan Worksheet to help you develop a plan for your soils as you go through the webinars.

Dates & Times:

Tuesdays

• 10th Oct 2023 -  7.30pm to 9.00pm
  
• 17th Oct 2023 - 7.30pm to 9.00pm
  
• 24th Oct 2023 - 7.30pm to 9.00pm
• 31st Oct 2023 - 7.30pm to 9.00pm
• 7th Nov 2023 - 7.30pm to 9.00pm
• 14th Nov 2023 - 7.30pm to 9.00pm

Presenter

David Hardwick  

David is a professional agroecologist at Soil Land Food. He has been working in soil and regenerative agriculture extension and consulting all over Australia for 20 years. He completed a Dairy Traineeship and Diploma of Agribusiness  at TAFE NSW before completing a degree in Ecological Agriculture at the University of Sydney. His focus is on regenerative and organic farming systems, land management and rural change. David has worked in the conventional, organic and regenerative sectors and across grazing, horticulture, dairying and cropping systems. For the last 10 years he has been helping farmers and graziers all over Australia build their skills and confidence to manage soils using fun and practical activities as part of his highly successful Digging Deeper Soils Courses and Bootcamps. In 2020 he started teaching soils online!