Soil Biology: exploring the life in your soil - Feb 2026

Deepen your understanding of soil biology!

Learn the different ways to assess soil biology including in the paddock and with soil biology tests!

Build your skills and confidence to improve and manage soil biology on your place!

Join leading agroecologist David Hardwick, along with accredited Soil Food Web Lab Technician Taryn Armstrong,  for this practical workshop where we explore all things soil biology. We look at how to manage your soil more effectively to improve its biological health.

This practical, hands on and fun 1 Day Soil Essentials Workshop will change the way you see and manage your soil.

Join us on farm at Bibbaringa, an amazing regenerative farm near Albury NSW, for this hands on, intensive Workshop as we explore the essentials of soil biology in the paddock and with soil biology tests! This workshop will deepen your understanding of the life in your soil and build your confidence to manage it better. It is suitable for anyone on the land including graziers, dairying, cropping, horticulture and small landholders.

“David makes soil sexy” NSW

Using real soils in landscapes and using a range of soil biology tests and tools, we explore soil biology and how it is a critical part of every soil system. We will explore both the world of soil microbes and soil organisms. All are important parts of a soil's community of life.

What you will learn:

• How soils work! Soils as living functional systems

• The members of the soil community: microbes, soil organisms and plant roots

• Healthy and unhealthy soil communities

• Measuring and assessing soil biology holistically using soil biology tests

• Measuring and assessing soil biology holistically using microscopes and field methods

• Managing soil biology on your place
  

Date & Time

Tuesday 24th Feb 2026

8.30 am to 3.30 pm

Morning and Afternoon Tea and Lunch is provided.

“Very few people have such a comprehensive understanding of soils but can deliver a course in a platform that is easy to understand.” Vic

This course is hands on. You can bring a cube of soil from your place to get the most from the course. Bring more than one if you want! If you have a soil biology test then bring it along too!! You will get your hands dirty and you will get plenty of practice in looking at soil biology!!!  Handouts are also included.

Facilitators: David Hardwick

David is a professional agroecologist. He is one of Australia's leading soil health specialists and he has been doing soil and regenerative agriculture extension, training and consulting all over Australia for over 20 years. After completing a Dairy Traineeship he completed a degree in Ecological Agriculture at the University of Sydney with focus 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 from the Wet Tropics to Tasmania. He has worked on projects in every state of Australia as well as in Asia and the Pacific. He also taught soils, agroecology and farm planning at TAFE NSW for over 10 years. For the last 12 years he has been teaching farmers and graziers about soils using fun and practical activities as part of the highly successful Digging Deeper Soils Courses and the Reboot my Soil online courses. He has completed a number of professional development courses in soil biology including the Soil Biology Master Class at Western Sydney University

Taryn Armstrong

Taryn is a certified Soil Food Web lab technician (UK) and has spent the past five years working hands-on in horticulture and alongside landholders, helping growers refine composting systems to boost biological activity and plant resilience in the UK. Her passion lies in soil microbiology. She is continually fascinated by how microscopic life beneath our feet profoundly shapes our environment. Taryn believes healthy soil is key to solving many environmental challenges, and she enjoys sharing the wonders of the soil ecosystem with others. For the past few months she has been helping Soil Land Food with various soil health projects.

Venue & Catering

The course will be hosted by Gill Sandbrook on Bibbaringa, an amazing farm and education facility 30 minutes from Albury, NSW. Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Teas are included in the course fee.

Places

Places in this Workshop are limited to 30. A minimum of 15 people are required for the event to go ahead. In the event that the course does not go ahead due to minimum numbers not being reached, or due to exceptional circumstances; 7 days before the course commences a full refund will be given.

“The importance of plant food is an important matter, but the use of a fertiliser is not a cure-all, nor will it prove an adequate substitute for proper soil handling...”

Hill, Jones & Cutler 1908