Soil Microbe Herding 101
Soil Microbe Herding 101: Master the Underground Livestock
Stop thinking of soil as "dirt" and start seeing it as a living, breathing biological engine. Whether you are a backyard gardener looking to boost your veggies or a regenerative farmer aiming to scale up soil health, this intensive one-day workshop led by Logan Oliver and guest lecturer, Dr. David White, will transform your perspective.
We will move beyond basic fertilizers to master the art of Soil Stewardship. You’ll learn to build the "house" (Humus and Structure) and meet the "tenants" (the microbes) that make it all work.
Workshop Highlights
The Sensory Quick-Scan: Learn to judge health using your senses—identifying the "rich chocolate" color of humus and the earthy scent of active Actinobacteria.
Microscopy Lab: Join Dr. White to look "through the lens" and identify the "Wanted List" of microbes, from nutrient-transporting Fungal Hyphae to nitrogen-releasing Protozoa.
The 10 Methods of Composting: Explore techniques ranging from "Hot Compost" and "Vermicompost" to "Johnson-Su Bioreactors" and "Hugelkultur".
Armor the Soil: Understand why keeping your soil "skin" covered is the secret to protecting your microbial workforce.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, May 2.
Time: 9:00 am – 3:30 pm (Gates open at 8:30 am).
Location: Mama Tree Ojai
The Day Includes: A sensory "Walk/Touch/Feel" session, core conceptual lectures, practical composting demos, and a deep-dive microscopic Q&A.
Leave with a Soil Stewardship Action Plan. Learn how to "stop the tillage," armor your soil, and feed the web to grow nutrient-dense food that fuels human health
Schedule
8:45am: Gates open
9:00am: Welcoming circle
9:30am: Sensory Site Exploration
10:00am: Core conceptual learning
11:40am: Compost practicum
12:45pm: Lunch break
1:30pm: Focused hands-on / microscopic work with Dr White
2:30pm: Q&A
3:00pm: Closing Circle
3:15pm: Departure
Food
Please bring your own lunch. No food will be provided. The closest restaurant to the farm is The Summit Drive-In, which is a burger shack. Please bring a water bottle and feel encouraged to bring your own snacks. Try to eat a hearty breakfast to avoid any hunger distractions.
Group Discount:
Looking to train as a group? Email us at [email protected] for information about a group discount. We would love to help fellow farms or groups to get their workforce trained up here.
Scholarships
Financial assistance is available for folks in need of financial support to participate in this workshop. Please contact us directly if you are needing support at [email protected]
Refund Policy
A 90% refund will be provided upon cancellation if we are notified 1 week in advance (4/25/26 at 9:00am). The 10% not returned accounts for the GoDaddy processing fee as well as our registration fees. We can provide a refund of 50% up until two days before the workshop begins (4/30/26 at 9:00am). However, due to preparation expenses, we are unable to provide a refund if a cancellation occurs within two days before the workshop begins.
Question?
Email us at [email protected]