This is an introductory soil health course designed for those with limited or no previous soil health experience or exposure.
Course Description
Attendees will learn the basics of soil ecology as it relates to soil health, as well as the principles of making successful soil health management systems (SHMS). Students will also learn about the resource concerns that can be addressed by SHMS and create a mock soil health management plan. Additional topics include the social and economic aspects of managing agricultural operations for soil health.
In-person Training
Agenda Examples
- Soil Health and Sustainability Course draft agenda (Excel)
- Soil Health Training Agenda - One Field Day (Word)
- Soil Health Training Agenda - Two Half Field Days (Word)
Module Presentations
- Cover Crop Management (PowerPoint)
- Grazing Cropland and Grassland (PowerPoint)
- Introduction to Soil Health (PowerPoint)
- Northern Plains Social and Economic (PowerPoint)
- Resource Concerns and Soil Health Indicators (PowerPoint)
- Social and Economic Considerations (PowerPoint)
- Soil Health Principles (PowerPoint)
- Strategizing for Ecological Management (PowerPoint)
Prerequisite
- From the Surface Down (PDF)
- From the Surface Down lesson plan (Word)
- Prerequisite for Soil Health and Sustainability Course (Word)
Supporting Documents - Cover Crop Module Resources
- Carbon to Nitrogen Ratios in Cropping Systems (PDF)
- Conducting a Bioassay for Herbicide Residues (PDF)
- Cover Crop Carryover (PDF)
- Cover Crop Chart (PDF)
- Cover Crop Strategies Volume 5 (PDF)
- Cover Crops Termination Guidelines (PDF)
- Response of Weeds to Intensification of No-till, Crop Rotations and Cover Crops (PDF)
- Tech Note: Evaluation of Cool Season Cover Crops in the North Central Region (PDF)
- Tech Note: Evaluation of Cool Season Cover Crops in the Northeast Region (PDF)
- Tech Note: Evaluation of Cool Season Cover Crops in the Northwest Region (PDF)
- Tech Note: Evaluation of Cool Season Cover Crops in the South-Central Region (PDF)
- Tech Note: Evaluation of Cool Season Cover Crops in the Southeast Region (PDF)
- Tech Note: Evaluation of Spring Seeded Cover Crops in Colorado, Montana and North Dakota (PDF)
- Tech Note: Evaluation of Cool Season Cover Crops in the Southwest Region (PDF)
- Tech Note: Legume Inoculant for Conservation Plantings (PDF)
- Termination of Ryegrass (PDF)
- The Mathematics of N Mineralization (PowerPoint)
Supporting Documents - Grazing Resources
- Compaction in Grazed Cover Crop Fields (PDF)
- Allen Williams Grassfed Exchange 2016 presentation (PDF)
- Benefits of Planting and Grazing Diverse Cover Crops Technical Bulletin (PDF)
- Carbohydrate Role in Regrowth Grasses (PDF)
- Dirt-to-Soil citation (Text file)
- Franklin J Crider Root Growth Stoppage 1955 (PDF)
- Grass: the Stockman's Crop (PDF)
- Grazing Cover Crops How-To Guide (PDF)
- Impacts of Cattle Grazing of Corn Residues on Soil Properties (Text file)
- Length of the Grazing Period Does It Really Matter citation (Text file)
- Present Day Agriculture in Southern Minnesota Randall citation (Text file)
- Soil Physical Responses to Cattle Grazing Cover Crops (PDF)
- Soybean and Corn Stover Grazing citation (Text file)
- The Effect of Grazing Intensity on Soil Bulk Density (Word)
- University of Nebraska Lincoln Guide on Grazing Covers Soil Effects (PDF)
Supporting Documents - Intro to Soil Health Resources
- Brick and Sponge demo (PDF)
- From the Surface Down (PDF)
- Soil demos (PDF)
- Soil Glue lesson plan (PDF)
- Soil Water Holding Capacity demo (PDF)
Supporting Documents - Strategizing Module
- Carbon to Nitrogen Ratios in Cropping Systems (PDF)
- Nutrients in Agroecosystems: Rethinking the Management Paradigm (PDF)
- Strategy to Improve Soil Health in a Midwest Corn-Soybean Cropping System (Word)
- Strategy to Improve Soil Health in a Corn-Soybean Cropping System Under Irrigation (Word)
- Strategy to Improve Soil Health in a Wheat, Corn, Fallow System (Word)
- Strategy to Improve Soil Health in a Wheat, Corn, Millet, Fallow System (Word)
- Strategy to Improve Soil Health in a Wheat, Sorghum, Fallow System (Word)
- Fate of Nitrogen 15 Enriched Ammonium Nitrate Applied to Corn (PDF)
- The Nitrogen Cycle (PDF)
Virtual Training
Agenda Examples
Agenda - Three-day (Word)
Agenda - Four-day (Word)
Module Presentations
- Cover Crop Management (PowerPoint)
- Grazing Cropland and Grassland (PowerPoint)
- Introduction to Soil Health (PowerPoint)
- Northern Plains Social and Economic (PowerPoint)
- Resource Concerns and Soil Health Indicators (PowerPoint)
- Social and Economic Considerations (PowerPoint)
- Soil Biology (PowerPoint)
- Soil Health Principles (PowerPoint)
- Strategizing for Ecological Management (PowerPoint)
Supporting Documents
- SHASFS Class Worksheet (PDF)
More Soil Health Training Courses
Cover Crops for Soil Health - Eastern United States in-person training
Cover Crops for Soil Health - Western United States in-person training
Forestland Soil Health in-person training
Managing Pasture and Silvopasture for Soil Health in-person training