Description
Spend two days learning soil microbiology through classroom instruction, hands-on microscopy, field work, shared meals, and evening discussions with Alan Booker and other people serious about building healthier soil.
The Skinny
Date: October 2 & 3
Time: 8am-6pm (Followed by dinner)
Location: Basecamp Lodge at Holler Homestead, Lancaster, Tennessee
Lodging: On-site camping included
You can spend years trying to improve your soil without ever really knowing what is happening beneath your feet.
The Soil & Microscopy Intensive is a two-day Deep Dive for homesteaders, farmers, and aspiring backyard gardeners who want to better understand soil microbiology and develop the skills to break away from chemical agriculture and expand their living soil systems.
About half of each day will be spent indoors learning theory, while the other half will be spent doing field work and putting those concepts into context.
What You’ll Experience
- Two full days focused on soil microbiology and microscopy
- Classroom instruction that builds the concepts behind what you observe
- Hands-on microscopy work
- Field work and observation at Holler Homestead
- Opportunities to connect classroom concepts with living soil systems
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner shared with instructors and other participants
- Evening discussions after dinner for questions and deeper exploration
- On-site camping included with registration
- Time to build relationships with other people who take soil, food production, and regenerative land management seriously
About Your Instructors
Alan Booker is a systems engineer, systems architect, permaculture educator, and founder and executive director of the Institute of Integrated Regenerative Design.
Alan began studying permaculture in 2002 and completed his Permaculture Design Certificate with Geoff Lawton in 2007. After years of field experience and advanced training, he completed Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture Teacher Training in 2012.
His professional background includes more than 25 years working in digital telecommunications and large-scale computer systems after earning his degree in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University with a focus on computer architecture and neural networks. That systems-thinking background informs the way he approaches natural ecosystems, regenerative design, and the complex relationships that create healthy land.
Alan’s teaching and consulting experience includes soil remediation, composting, earthworks, forest gardening, holistic pasture management, keyline design, aquaculture and aquaponics, off-grid energy systems, natural building, community development, and nature connection.
Chase Jones is a permaculture designer, ecological consultant, and co-founder of Biodesic Strategies, where he helps landowners design productive, resilient landscapes using regenerative principles. His background combines anthropology, ecology, conservation archaeology, and geospatial analysis, giving him a unique systems-based approach to understanding both landscapes and the people who manage them.
A certified Soil Food Web Consultant and microscopy technician through the Soil Food Web School, Chase specializes in soil biology, perennial food systems, composting, regenerative earthworks, and site analysis. He has worked throughout northwest Arkansas and the surrounding region, helping clients translate ecological principles into practical, working designs.
About Your Host
Nicole Sauce is the founder of Holler Homestead, Living Free in Tennessee and Holler Roast Coffee. For nearly two decades, she has been developing Holler Homestead into a working example of regenerative living in Middle Tennessee while helping thousands of people build more resilient, self-reliant lives through practical skills and community.
Nicole’s work brings together regenerative agriculture, food production, preparedness, entrepreneurship, and traditional skills with one simple goal: helping people connect with the land, their food, and one another. She believes the best learning happens when people gather around a table, walk the land together, ask questions, and share what they’ve learned.
Throughout the weekend, Nicole will be your host, keeping everyone well fed, making sure the coffee is fresh, and creating an environment where learning continues long after the formal instruction is over.
What’s Included
- Two full days of classroom and field instruction
- Hands-on microscopy work
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Evening discussion sessions
- On-site camping
- Local rentals are available for those who prefer not to camp. A list of nearby options will be provided after registration.
- Bring weather-appropriate clothing for indoor and outdoor work, a notebook and writing implement, and information about any special food needs.
This course will only move forward once at least 10 students have registered.
