[compost_tea] Re: SFI requirements

From: louiequist <louiequist_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 17:16:49 -0000

Thank you for the clarification!





--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, soilfoodweb@a... wrote:


> Perhaps I missed your original question, so I am glad you asked 
again. 

> SFI advisors have to take the introductory class, which is a three
day, 8 
> hour a day, intensive course.  They then need to take a day and a
half  course
> on compost, and another one on compost tea.  We expect them to
have  the
> ability to do the small microscope assessments of compost or tea,
but they  do not
> have to be able to do these assays, as they can send the samples
into the  lab.


> They then have to do a set number of assessments in the field with
the lab, 
> so we know that they know what they are doing in interpreting SFI
results. 

> They then are invited to take a class which is another three day
intensive 
> course to go through the advisors training.  We concentrate on
getting them  to
> really understand nutrient cycling, the interaction of soil biology
and soil 
> chemistry, and to focus on learning to do the SFI approach in the
crop or
> plant  system of their choice. 

> No one is an expert in all plant-growing systems, so please don't
expect 
> that all advisors can help in all plant production systems. 
Typically if  an
> advisor does not have expertise in a particular plant system, they
will get  help
> from another SFI advisor who is an expert in that plant system. 
They  can
> always call me, and if I don't know, I ask people I know about the 
question. 

> So, even if an advisor doesn't know everything (grin!), they should
be able 
> to apply the non-toxic approach to plant health. 

> Advisors then have to practice their craft by working in the field,
doing 
> samples, interpreting, helping people achieve results, etc. 
Advisors who  do
> not work with SFI can not remain advisors. 

> On rare occasions we have had people do the training, but  then not
use the
> knowledge properly.  We have had one or two  people who trained
with us, and
> used the SFI name to push one particular  product.  These people
have not
> remained SFI advisors for long.  SFI  advisors can have products
they sell, but they
> cannot be tied to one product, or  one product line alone.  They
have to
> recommend what is right to get  the biology working in the soil, so
they have to
> be willing to use a range of  products. 

> We have had people who do similar consulting as SFI advisors, but
not stick 
> with a program of moving soil into a healthy condition.  I cannot 
support
> people who year after year use toxic chemicals, when they should
be  able to get
> biology doing the work for the grower. 

> There are the situations where trained people did not send in any
soil 
> samples to any SFI lab.  If they are not assessing biology, and
trying  to move
> people into a biological sound condition, then how can they be 
practicing their
> craft? 

> If you don't measure, you can't manage.  If someone doesn't 
measure the
> biology in soil, then they can't be an SFI advisor. 

> Hope this helps.

> Elaine


> In a message dated 3/13/2005 12:27:17 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, 
> louiequist_at_y... writes:
>
>
> The 
> question remains unanswered. "wht your folks in the field have
been 
> trained in". How then can their assessmant of tea quality be 
> dependable?
>
>
>
>
>
> Elaine R.  Ingham
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Port  Jefferson, New York
> Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
> Soil Foodweb  Institute Cambridge, New Zealand
> Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan,  Mexico
> Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho
> Soil Foodweb Inc., South  Africa




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Received on Wed Mar 16 2005 - 01:08:50 EST

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