Soil Biology Mentoring Program

Thank you all for giving me your time and reading through the finer details. I would like to emphasise you don’t need to be from QLD or NSW to want to contribute. I believe this needs to happen everywhere and showing your support to me will encourage other work in regenerative agriculture.  I’ll break down how the money will be used and give some insight to who I am.

This chapter of my life all started with the question of “how can I grow the healthiest vegetables possible?” Now I have gone from enthusiast to driven student. I have recently completed a Nutrition Farming course with Graeme Sait and received an average of 90% on my exams. This can give you faith that I can and will complete the program offered by Dr Ingham.

After serving for almost six years in the army, I then went to spend a short time in underground mining. More recently, spending the last three years swapping between Northey Street City Farm, landscaping and woodworking. Recently I have been able to find a direction for my life that will benefit all the people I’ve met along the way and that’s important to me. As it is these people who have shaped me into the person I am - and I am grateful for that.

After the mentoring program I will be a Certified Soil Life Consultant. I'll have the knowledge to help farmers improve yield with reduced input, using biological methods. This is not in the standard agricultural education. I believe we need passionate people to learn what scientists have been studying and act as catalysts to bring knowledge to our farmers and gardeners alike. I believe I have the persona and drive to do that.

I am asking for a lot, however empty chemically grown food is costing our earth and our health more than you can imagine. I know this more than ever after covering soil health, plant health, human health and planetary health in Graeme's Nutrition Farming course.

WORKSHOPS 
The four workshops on offer will be held at Northey Street City Farm 3km from Brisbane City.  

Compost  Workshop - Done!! 
Compost Brewing 11th Feb 1130 - 1330
Soil and Us! 8th Apr 0900 - 1600

The Composting workshop
What is compost? Why bother? What's in it? A great workshop covering those basic topics as well as worm farming and black soldier flies. Our main focus will be thermal composting. Thermal composting might sound crazy but I'll teach you how to make an amazing pile of compost at home that will last you the whole growing season. You will be able to use that compost in your compost teas and extracts. You might want to come along to....

Compost brewing AACT 
Brewing compost is a way to make quality compost go a long way. I'll teach you how to set the conditions to brew a powerful tea that can be used to increase soil life and prevent disease from your garden to your acreage. I will go though types of ingredients and how to make teas that grow different microorganisms and applying them. We will also look at protozoa soups. A great one for market gardeners and farmers 

Soil and Us!
This workshop will be loaded with info! Life in the soil, what is means to plants, how structure is built. If you make compost, want high yields or want to reduce your water input then you'll want to know all about soil life. 
The roles minerals play in plants and connecting that to human health. Humus, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and much more! It'll be a great session and I'm sure it'll spark your interest on many subjects. See you there!

Nature Play
Lukas from Own Grown Organics will be running the Nature Play workshop. Lukas designs playgrounds that have been a success at Montessori schools. He also lectures on nature play theory. He will teach us about the importance of risk and how it effects the development of children. I strongly encourage parents to come along to this workshop. 




 
To be a professional Soil Life Consultant I need the following

Online course fees.  
$4500

Mentoring Program.
Extra mentoring hours charged at US$250 hr. Which I have not included in this figure.
$3400

High powered microscope with camera attachment and accessories. 
$1100

Laptop for study and microbe assessment.  (currently don’t have one)
$1000

Plant sap testing equipment. Used when assessing plant health. 
$1900

Microbe brewing equipment. Pumps, tanks, lines and hoses etc.
$1500

Spraying equipment for delivering cultures. 
$480

Composting equipment. Three compost bays, hand tools, tarps and hoses.
$450

Crowdfunding fees.
$1370


If I don’t reach the target I still receive money. Any money received will go toward online courses - even if I can only complete one, it is a step in the right direction.

Also, if i go over target the money will be put toward any of the following. 1000l commercial brewing equipment which start at around $10k. RegenAg run courses that teach biological farming practices. As they are based in Australia and have been working with farmers for a number of years this would help with my teachings. Reference books, better quality pumps and tools. Clothing.

Your time and donations are greatly appreciated :)

Dem warm feels

Gavin.

Humus the Essential Ingredient
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q1VnwcpW7E

Fork Hay City Farms
http://www.forkhaycityfarms.com/