Course Description

After introducing urban and small-scale systems, the focus will be on identifying four soil health resource concerns (Compaction, SOM depletion, Aggregate instability, and Soil Organism Habitat Loss or degradation) and evaluating the land use history and potential for risk at urban sites. The training will then focus on introducing several NRCS conservation practices and scenarios in which those practices can be used to address resource concerns to improve soil health in small-scale systems. The class will also include a robust field component based on visiting working small-scale farms and urban agriculture sites to observe soil health management systems.  

Module Presentations

Module 1 - Introduction to Soil Health for Small Scale Agriculture (PowerPoint)
Module 2 - Soil Properties, Soil Health and Small Farms (PowerPoint)
Module 3 - Soil Health Resource Concerns (PowerPoint)
Module 4 - Site Evaluation (PowerPoint)
Module 5 - Minimize Disturbance (PowerPoint)
Module 6 - Maximize Soil Cover (PowerPoint)
Module 7 - Maximize Diversity (PowerPoint)
Module 8 - Maximize Living Roots (PowerPoint)
Module 9 - Managing Soil Carbon (PowerPoint)
Module 10 - Nutrient Management (PowerPoint)

Supporting Files

Pre-Course Assignment for Participants (PowerPoint)
Small-Scale Soil Health Group Activity (PowerPoint)

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

Rangeland Soil Health in-person training

Soil Health and Sustainability for Field Staff (SHAFS 3.0) in-person training