Yes the Foundation Courses are 100% online, theory based courses. You will watch a series of lectures and take a short quiz after each one.

Yes they are. You will need to commit around 100 hours in order to complete the 4 courses. You will be given access for 12 months – this is because we recognise that absorbing this much material requires a consistent and sustained effort. Time extensions after 12 months are considered on an individual basis.

You can start as soon as you sign up.

• About the various groups of microorganisms that make up a fully-functional soil ecosystem, and how their interactions result in a constant flow of nutrients being made available to plants and trees.
• How plants and trees control the army of microorganisms in their root zones. Plants feed specific groups of microorganisms in order to harvest the particular nutrients required at any given moment. This results in vibrant, healthy plants and in super-nutritious fruits and vegetables.
• That there is an abundance of nutrients locked-away in the crystalline structure of the mineral particles that make-up all of the world’s soils – from the desert sands to prairies and forests, there is no soil on earth that is incapable of providing all the nutrients that plants require. The missing-link is the army of soil microorganisms that can access these nutrients and make them available to plants.
• How beneficial soil microorganisms prevent diseases and pests from attacking plants. By occupying infection sites all over the roots and all of the above-ground parts of the plant, beneficial microorganisms make it impossible for the ‘bad-guys’ to get access to the plant. In addition to this, beneficial microorganisms create aerobic conditions in which the ‘bad-guys’ (which are mostly anaerobes) cannot survive.
• That beneficial microorganisms build structure in the soil, thus preventing soil erosion whilst simultaneously improving water holding capacity, infiltration and oxygenation. Having structure in the soil enables roots to go much deeper into the ground, where they can access greater quantities of water and nutrients.
• About the way in which the presence of beneficial fungi results in diminished weed pressure. Have you ever noticed how there are very few weed to be found in a forest?
• How introducing the Soil Food Web can drastically increase the ability of a soil to capture and store carbon from the atmosphere.
• The history of agriculture and how certain practices have resulted in the destruction of the soil food web in so many of the world’s soils.
• Basic plant physiology and biochemistry. The course covers the basics that are required in order for you to be able to fully understand the processes that are taking place in a living, functional soil.
• About how the soil food web has been reintroduced to over 5 Million acres worldwide. You will review a number of case-studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of the soil food web and how it can be implemented on projects of any scale, any crop and in any climate.
• How to make and apply BioComplete™ compost and liquids.
• About the different kinds of equipment, you can use to make and apply the amendments you make.
• The farming practices that are harmful to soil biology and what farmers can do to avoid them.
• How to quantify the different organism groups in a soil, compost or liquid sample, using the compound microscope. This will enable you to measure results as they happen underground and before they happen above ground.

There are 63 lectures total in all four Foundation Courses. To see the full break down of the Foundation Courses and the lecture titles, please click here.

The regular price is $5,000 for the 4 courses.

Students typically require about 100 hours in order to complete the FC at a reasonable pace. We would advise you to take your time and make notes that you can refer back to later. You will be able to download the slides from all the lectures and also the Course Manual which provides a great deal of supplemental information and an extensive glossary. You’ll have access to the lectures for the next 12 months so you can watch them as many times as you like.

The courses are designed for people with no background in the field. Basic chemistry and/or biology is an advantage.

Students wishing to pursue a career as a Soil Food Web Consultant will need to progress from the FC to the Consultant Training Program. Qualified consultants are currently in very high demand.

Some become consultants and help farmers to transition away from using chemicals, to using biology instead. Others focus on producing great compost, which they then can sell to soil consultants or direct to farmers.

You will need to buy a suitable microscope and microscope camera, as well as some ancillary equipment such as test-tubes and slides etc.. Please take a look at this pdf for more information. You can buy a perfectly adequate microscope and camera for $500-$600 (please see the recommendation in the pdf)

That depends on you and how much effort you put into attracting new clients. You will need to identify and approach local farmers, growers and compost producers. We will provide you with information on how to do that and some tips from other Certified Lab-Tech’s that have been successful.

You’ll get 8 hours of mentoring time and you can spread that out over a period of 3 months. You’ll need to complete the Foundation Courses (FC) first, but that can be done in just 4 weeks, working full-time. We advise students that they need between 120-150 hours to complete the FC, so 4 weeks is plenty of time if you are focused. You’ll have 12 months to complete the FC.

You’ll get 2 attempts at taking the assessment. If you fail both times, then you will need to book some additional time with your mentor in order to work on whatever is going wrong. Once you have ironed-out the problems, you’ll be able to retake the assessment.

Your information including name, address (optional), email and phone number will be featured on this page.

The short answer is yes. Some Certified Soil Food Web Lab-Techs tell us they charge between $120 and $150 per sample, but there are no restrictions. Remember it will take you about an hour to complete the assessment and the report.

We do receive inquiries from farmers, growers and compost producers who want to have an analysis performed. Some just go straight to the website and find a lab-tech by themselves. We make recommendations based on proximity, so if someone in your region contacts us, we’d recommend them to you.

We will provide you with information on how to do that and some tips from other Certified Lab-Techs that have been successful.

That’s not a problem. This program is designed for beginners.