The 131° School of Composting

We have created a list of microscope packages you can purchase. We have tested these brands and verified their quality.

Growing food regeneratively, and in particular with increasing nutrient density, depends on good quality biologically active soil. Microscopy assessments can be helpful to determine whether your compost and soil has attained a high level of biological activity with good nutrient cycling, moisture content, disease suppression potential, as well as strong soil structure.

No. This course is designed for beginners and laypeople. We will teach you the essential principles of soil microbial ecology, as well as microscope use. You will learn how to apply that knowledge to soil and compost systems.

Yes. Some options available to states, institutions, and non-profit groups include: 1) Courses can be purchased in bulk and offered to a specific group of students; 2) Courses can be customized to a specific state or region; 3) We can bring the course to you and offer hands-on learning (in combination with remote or in-person lectures as requested), and; 4) We can speak about customized topics. Please inquire to learn more by emailing: Tech(at)CompostTechnicalServices.com

This curriculum was adapted from the LA Compost Community Soil Health program, with permission from LA Compost, which Lynn Fang played a lead role in developing. The certificate verifies completion of the course.

This is a course that is designed to provide an accessible entry point to learning and working with this knowledge and skillset. It is targeted towards empowering practitioners to monitor and assess their soil quality for improved production and plant health. It provides a succinct and actionable understanding, identifying, and interpreting soil microbial ecology. Hands-on practice working with the microscope and looking at different types of samples will be your best ally in developing confidence and skill. This online format makes the curriculum available to a geographically distributed audience at an affordable cost (not to mention bringing together lots of amazing people over large distances!). It's also allowing our lectures to be fine tuned to a level that would be hard to replicate consistently in live presentations.

The course provides a certificate of completion, which is a demonstration of knowledge and skill for you and those you are working with. Our goal is for you to be able to apply the skills you learn in this course on day one, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of practice in soil stewardship.

In order to create equitable and regenerative communities and food systems, we need every soil champion to be equipped with the tools to assess the life in their soil. Our hope is that The 131° School can provide some of those tools and that our educational resources are getting to the right people in the right places. If you are serious about soil microbial assessment and want to participate in the school, know that we believe in you, and money is not a barrier. We have a no questions asked equity policy. Let us know what you can pay, even if that number is zero (we cannot cover the cost of a microscope at this time, but please still reach out). Of course, this school cannot exist without paying students and we need everyone who can pay to do so. And if you have thoughts about ways we can make the school a more open and equitable environment, we'd be grateful for your ideas. Every student who joins our school community plays a valuable role in moving this work forward and we are excited you're here!!! Please reach out to us at: Compost(at)The131School.com

We offer an additional month of access to course content for a one time charge of $25 (to cover admin fees).