Become an SFI Advisor | living-soils

Becoming an SFI Advisor is the next step in your evolution if you enjoy the field of working with soils and making it possible for plants to grow using natural soil biology.

This field opens up a huge market for your services through SFI Australia.

SFI has a need to get its message out to as many farmers, growers and gardeners as it can.

SFI only wants people who are committed to the teachings of Dr Elaine Ingham and SFI Australia. Soil Foodweb Incorporated runs a similar program in the U.S.A called 'Life in the Soil Consultant'.

To become an advisor you must undertake all online courses and will be graded accordingly. Only persons reaching a 90% pass rate will be considered as an advisor and this will only be offered once we are convinced you are doing this for the right reasons.

Once you have completed and passed all courses you will be 'mentored' by a person nominated by SFI for a total of 20 hours and within this time you will be required to undertake tasks within the field such as building a compost pile and managing it through all processes covered in your courses plus more.

Once these have been completed satisfactorily you will join the SFI Australia team as an external consultant/advisor and depending on what direction you want to take you will be assigned SFI clients to look after in your region(s). SFI will charge out your time at an agreed rate with both you and the client.

Any clients you bring to SFI as a result of your efforts is encouraged with special arrangements agreed to on how that client is managed and the support SFI will provide.

There will requirements that you will need to observe which form part of you role and agreement with us.

These include but are not limited to:-

Not operating a consultancy or business that is a conflict of interest in the fields in which SFL operates or the products and/or services offered by SFI or its operations arm, ASBS - If you already work in the Organics field then we encourage you to let us know before proceeding so that everything from there forward is transparent.
All biological testing analysis and samples are to be directed through the SFI Laboratory which you will have direct access to through our management and technicians.
Any inputs recommended by you or ordered for an SFI client must be SFI approved under the SFI Tick Of Approval system and discussed with SFI Management before ordering / recommending.

See below for additional information

To Become A Certified SFI Advisor

You can apply to become a Certified SFI Advisor. If accepted and an appropriate mentor is located, then you can specialize as a Holistic SFI Advisor or you can apply to specialize as a:

(1) Compost Tea SFI Advisor, (2) Compost SFI Advisor, or a (3) Microbe Analysis SFI Advisor.

If you are considering becoming an SFI Advisor you will need to provide evidence of completion of the following courses.

Life In The Soil Class
Compost Class
Compost Tea / Extract Class
Microscope Class

If any Life in the Soil class taken was before 2010, a short update is required, either as the appropriate lectures from the current Life in the Soil class, or as a current one day course that includes this update information about nutrients in soil, nutrient retention, carbon sequestration.

This course is periodically updated with the most recent information. The update lectures will be modified to include new information as well.

Once the microscope class is taken, practice with that microscope must be maintained.

Quizzes must be taken for qualification before signing up for Certification and a 90% or above average must be received. If a 90% or above average is not achieved, then the online classes must be retaken at a 50% discount and quizzes must be passed with a 90% or above average.

2. Week-Long Sessions with appropriate SFI staff that includes compost, compost tea & microscope classes are accepted.

3. Once Life in the Soil, Compost, Compost Tea, and Introduction to the Microscope classes are finished (passing grade), then practical demonstration of what was learned is needed.

Once you have completed the four courses and passed the quizzes with a 90% or above average then you can proceed to apply for the certification process.

If you are accepted into the program and you receive a letter of acceptance from us, then we will need to see if an appropriate mentor for your situation is available that you can work with. If there is no mentor available at that time, you will be put on a waiting list and the next appropriate mentor for you will be assigned to you. Then you will need pay the certification fees applicable.

Steps In The Application And Certification Process

Steps for Certification to become a SFI Advisor AFTER the On-line courses have been satisfactorily completed.

These steps can be completed on your own land, a client’s land, or on the SFI Farm in Lismore, NSW.

Once you have turned in the application form and the documentation required for taking the classes and the appropriate fee, then we will contact you.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:

Phase One

Complete the 4 online classes or 5 day workshop and pass the quizzes with 90% or above average. Submit an application to become a SFI Advisor. If accepted into the program and an appropriate mentor is located, then you will be asked to pay the fees. Then you will be introduced to your mentor.

Phase Two

1. Make Compost

Make compost according to the instructions in the compost class that you took. This can take a full growing season. So start the process of making good compost ASAP.

Get the recipe right
Get the full food web present
Get the food functioning well in the pile

2. Record Data

Collect information through the full composting process. We will provide you with a Compost Ingredient template and a Compost Log Template for you to use to record part of the data required.

Starting materials
Amounts of the materials you use
When and how uou put the pile together
Temperature data
Moisture data
Turning data

3. Perform Biological Analysis

When the pile is finished, (i.e. back to ambient temperatures) collect more information. You can use the microscope data template you received during the Microscope Class when recording the biological assessment:

Perform a biological analysis of the pile
Include that data in your information about the pile
The pile must meet organic regulations in order for you to be considered a Certified Consultant

4. Replicate Successful Piles Three Times Consecutively

Once you work out the recipe for your piles:

Document that you can consistently make good compost
At least three piles should be made, the measurements made, and data collected to assure you that the pile is real compost.
Document that all your piles reach appropriate temperatures
Document that all your piles maintain adequate levels of moisture, but not too much moisture
Document that all your piles are turned the required number of times, but not more than five times
Document that all your mature piles contain the full food web for the plants you want to grow
Note that we expect that the piles will be made consecutively

5. Make Compost Tea and Extracts

Please make compost tea and extracts from each of these piles:

Document the recipe used
Document the biology produced for each tea and extract made

6. Submit Data for Approval

Send your data into SFI and your mentor.

The Quality of your composts, extracts, and teas must be approved

7. Submit Plan for Converting Land

After compost and compost tea/extract quality and data have been approved:

Formally submit your plan for converting an area of land from a non-biological, un-healthy plot of dirt, into a biologically managed ecosystem.

Phase Three

This final third phase of certification can be commenced:

After the online classes have been satisfactorily completed or workshops completed and quizzes passed with 90% or above average scores.
After the required documentation has been provided
After compost, compost tea/extract has been made by trainee and assessment with microscope

Then, using the compost you have made:

You begin to perform the process of using biology to grow healthy plants
The land you choose to use can be your own land, a client's land, or on the SFI farm in Lismore, NSW.

1. Land Site Choice and Approval

Choose the property where you are going to convert the 'dirt' into soil

The land you choose can be your own land, the Celebration Farm, etc.
Please get approval of your land choice from your mentor before proceeding

2. The Plan

Walk the land to be converted.

Map the land with respect to the different habitats to be improved
Take pictures of the property as it exists now
Identify different areas on the property (i.e. g field, ridge line, pond/stream, gully forest, house garden, etc.)
Define your desired plant(s) -- or what you want to grow in the coming season -- en each area.
Define where soil samples will be taken, how many, how often, and what measurements will be taken each sample date.
Decide when compost will be applied (solid or liquid), how much, and how the applications will be made.

3. Submit the Plan and Discuss

Once your plan is complete, send the plan to soilfoodweb@aol.com and info@environmentcelebration.com
Define what you mean by successful conversion.
Schedule a Skype conversation with your mentor and Dr. Elaine to discuss your plan:

- Add contacts in Skype for Dr elaine ingham and Dr carole ann rollins and Chris Ellery, GM SFI

- Let us know the skype name you are using so we can approve you.

- Contact michelle@environmentcelebration.com to schedule appointments.

4. Set up the Calendar for Implementation of the Plan

Set up a calendar with all sampling dates, sample points, and assays to be performed clearly set forth. Discuss results from soil sampling.

As will all plans, changes will occur
If changes happen, those changes will need to be discussed with the mentor and Dr. Elaine, if necessary.

5. Sample Results

Decide when discussions of sample results need to be done. Determine organisms coming out of sprayer nozzles to see if organisms are lost in the equipment.

Discuss results from compost, extract, tea, and soil sampling.
Discussion of results from assession plant health.
Compare results between the "with biology" and "without biology" areas. Are they significantly different?

6. Submit Success Story

Write up the Success Story (much like was shown for the Boston example) with pictures and compost, compost tea, and compost extract data that was applied every 10-14 days. Discuss with mentor and Dr. elaine. Your Success Story will appear on the SFI and ECI websites as well a other websites as you see fit.

Pictures
Compost Data
Soil Data
Compost Tea Data
Get approval of Success Story

7. Certification as a SFI Advisor

A Certificate as a Certified SFI Advisor will be sent when the above steps have been completed and approved.

Annual updates of your success story and what happened during the year need to be sent in to the websites on an annual basis to maintain the Certified Consultant designation. New stories can be added to the websites as well.
A write-up of the process (any oops! are to be included) performed, the data from assessment of the microbiology, and chemistry of the land through the conversion and documentation of success (however you plan to measure success) is required. This information will be posted to the websites.
A Certificate will be issued when your mentor approves the job as being a successful example of conversion to a healthy biological system and you will join the group of consultants that SFI and Dr. Ingham works closely with.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this program with us then please message us with the contact form below.