Getting to know your soil is a world-building practice.
We offer hands-on, certificate-granting soil courses, as well as community engagement and consulting services for individuals, organizations, and communities working on projects of all scales.
We offer hands-on, certificate-granting soil courses, as well as community engagement and consulting services for individuals, organizations, and communities working on projects of all scales.
Intro to Community Soil Science (on-line or in-person, offered on demand)
Virtual two part course on the physical and biological basics of soils with a focus on community learning context
Part I: Deep Time, rock types, physical soil structure and composition
Part II: Plants, fungi and bryophytes, soil microbiology, decomposition
Virtual two part course on the physical and biological basics of soils with a focus on community learning context
Part I: Deep Time, rock types, physical soil structure and composition
Part II: Plants, fungi and bryophytes, soil microbiology, decomposition
Applied Soil Science Certification Courses
The Body of Soil: Soil Geology (on-line, offered every Spring)
*Hands-on geology* as it can be applied to the soils you already work with or are curious about.
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You will be encouraged to engage through a combination of 10 hours of live online lectures, beautiful instructive films, discussions with your peers, and guided independent field work. You should be prepared to do 1-3 hours of field work with your soil per week which you will be sharing with your instructor and cohort.
Main topics include:
See full course description and details on Eventbrite︎︎︎
*Hands-on geology* as it can be applied to the soils you already work with or are curious about.
read more
You will be encouraged to engage through a combination of 10 hours of live online lectures, beautiful instructive films, discussions with your peers, and guided independent field work. You should be prepared to do 1-3 hours of field work with your soil per week which you will be sharing with your instructor and cohort.
Main topics include:
- Deep time and the rock cycle
- Crystallization
- Mohs scale
- Soil types and their characteristics
- Soil structure and aggregation
- Soil color and major minerals
- Common elements and how they work with biology
- Methods of soil evaluation in the field
See full course description and details on Eventbrite︎︎︎
The Life of Soil: Soil Biology (on-line, offered every Fall)
*Hands-on biology* as it can be applied to the soils you already work with or are curious about
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In this course, you will be encouraged to engage through a combination of 12.5 hours of live online lectures, beautiful instructive films, discussions with your peers, and guided independent field work. You should be prepared to do 1-3 hours of field work with your soil per week which you will be sharing with your instructor and cohort. Attending all four classes is necessary for course certification.
Main topics include:
- Plants and plant communities
- Roots
- Rhizosphere and attendant microbial communities
- Bryophytes – lichens, ferns, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, etc.
- Fungi
- Mycorrhizae and their plant allies
- Decomposition
- Compost technologies and organic soil amendments
See full course description and details on Eventbrite︎︎︎
The Mind of Soil: Soil Chemistry (on-line, offered every Winter)
*Hands-on chemistry* as it can be applied to the soils you already work with or are curious about
read more
In this course, you will be encouraged to engage through a combination of 10 hours of live online lectures, discussions with your peers, and guided independent field work. You should be prepared to do 1-3 hours of field work/kitchen lab work per week with your soil. Attending all four classes is necessary for course certification.
Main topics include:
**Prerequisites**
1. Completion of either our The Life of Soil: Soil Biology or The Body of Soil: Soil Geology courses or demonstrated equivalent of solid working understanding of either biology or geology.
2. Two cups of correctly sampled soil to submit for lab testing. (contact us: soilkeepers@protonmail.com should you have any questions)
See full course description and details on Eventbrite︎︎︎
*Hands-on chemistry* as it can be applied to the soils you already work with or are curious about
read more
In this course, you will be encouraged to engage through a combination of 10 hours of live online lectures, discussions with your peers, and guided independent field work. You should be prepared to do 1-3 hours of field work/kitchen lab work per week with your soil. Attending all four classes is necessary for course certification.
Main topics include:
- history of chemistry
- elements and the Periodic Table
- carbon and hydrocarbons
- water and other solvents
- compounds and bonding
- phase change and temperature
- acids, bases, and pH
- oxidation and reduction
- alcohols and salts
- soil testing
- contamination – microplastics, heavy metals, organic compounds, PFAS
**Prerequisites**
1. Completion of either our The Life of Soil: Soil Biology or The Body of Soil: Soil Geology courses or demonstrated equivalent of solid working understanding of either biology or geology.
2. Two cups of correctly sampled soil to submit for lab testing. (contact us: soilkeepers@protonmail.com should you have any questions)
See full course description and details on Eventbrite︎︎︎
Capstone Remediation Project (on-line, offered yearly Spring thru Fall, 6 month supported project development)
Upon completion of all three courses + capstone project,
students will receive their Soil Diploma
Contact us︎︎︎ to set up a consultation
Community Engagement
Projects with clients involving The Soil Keepers workshops and curriculum include Amisacho Restauración, Archeworks, Comer Youth Farm, Southeast Environmental Task Force, and UIC Plant Research Laboratory.
- Is your restoration project community-led or a civic brownfield project? Our signature program catalyzes community engagement with outreach, education, and strategic partnerships through workshops and trainings based on The Soil Keepers framework.
- Modified from our more comprehensive certification units, these trainings focus on the needs of the site and build the capacities and networks of the community.
Projects with clients involving The Soil Keepers workshops and curriculum include Amisacho Restauración, Archeworks, Comer Youth Farm, Southeast Environmental Task Force, and UIC Plant Research Laboratory.
