Master Compost & Soil Regeneration Intensive - Full-Day Workshop
April 25, 2026
Want to grow healthier plants, richer soil, and more resilient gardens?
Everything in regenerative agriculture begins with one thing: Living soil.
Healthy soil is not just dirt — it is a complex biological ecosystem where bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and worms transform organic matter into plant-available nutrients. When this biology is active, plants grow stronger, pests decline, water retention improves, and productivity increases naturally. But most people were never taught how soil actually works, or how to manage the biological systems that make soil fertile.
This full-day intensive is designed to change that.
You will learn how to build, activate, and manage living soil systems using compost, microbial biology, natural inputs, and regenerative management practices.
This is not a lecture.
This is a hands-on soil building workshop hosted on a working regenerative farm.
Why This Matters
Soil degradation is one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today.
Many gardens and farms struggle with:
• Compacted soil
• Low organic matter
• Poor nutrient cycling
• Increasing dependence on fertilizers
• Declining biological life
When soil biology collapses, plants become dependent on external inputs. Regenerative soil practices rebuild the biological engine that makes ecosystems productive. When soil biology returns:
• Nutrients cycle naturally
• Water retention improves
• Root systems deepen
• Pest pressure decreases
• Productivity increases
Healthy soil is the foundation of resilient food systems.
Who This Workshop Is For
This workshop is ideal for:
• Home gardeners
• Homesteaders
• Market gardeners
• Small farmers
• Permaculture practitioners
• Land stewards
• Anyone serious about improving soil health
Whether you manage a backyard garden or a small farm, understanding soil biology will transform how you grow food.
No prior compost experience is required!!!!!
What You'll Learn
This intensive workshop moves from soil science → compost systems → applied regenerative strategies.
Throughout the day we will explore the biological processes that drive soil fertility and the practical systems that support them.
Understanding Soil as a Living System
Before building compost systems, we first explore how soil works.
We will break down the three fundamental dimensions of soil:
• Physical soil structure (sand, silt, clay, aggregation)
• Soil chemistry (pH, nutrient availability, mineral balance)
• Soil biology (microbes, fungi, protozoa, nematodes)
You will learn how these three systems interact to create fertile, productive soil.
Compost Systems A-Z
Compost is one of the most powerful tools for restoring soil biology.
We will explore multiple composting strategies used in regenerative systems:
• Cold compost (low-maintenance systems)
• Managed active compost
• Hot compost systems
• Vermicompost (worm composting)
You will learn how to balance carbon and nitrogen, manage moisture and airflow, and understand what healthy compost should look and smell like.
The Soil Food Web
Healthy soil contains a complex food web of organisms that cycle nutrients and support plant growth.
We will explore:
• Bacteria and fungi
• Protozoa and nematodes
• Microbial nutrient cycling
• Root exudates and plant-microbe relationships
Participants will observe living soil organisms using a microscope so you can see the biology that powers healthy soil.
Compost Extracts & Aerated Compost Teas
Compost can also be used to inoculate soil with beneficial microbes.
You will learn the difference between:
• Compost Extract — a simple microbial rinse
• Aerated Compost Tea — a biologically amplified brew
We will demonstrate how to prepare and apply these microbial solutions in gardens and farms.
Natural Mineral Inputs
We will explore simple natural inputs that help balance soil conditions.
Topics include:
• Wood ash and mineral inputs
• Sulfur and soil acidity
• Calcium extraction from eggshells
• Fermented plant extracts
These materials can support soil biology while improving mineral balance. We will make or show you, and test, one or multiple concoctions.
Cover Crops & Living Roots
One of the most powerful ways to rebuild soil is through living plants.
We will explore how cover crops support soil systems by:
• Increasing organic matter
• Feeding soil microbes
• Preventing erosion
• Improving soil structure
• Supporting nutrient cycling
You will learn how cover crops integrate with compost systems to regenerate soil over time. You will see the cover crops in action on different parts of our farm!
What to Bring / Workshop Disclaimer
This workshop includes outdoor demonstrations and walking through gardens and compost areas.
Please wear:
• Comfortable outdoor footwear
• Clothes suitable for farm conditions
• Weather-appropriate clothing
You are welcome to bring a notebook for personal observations.
What You Leave With
• A clear understanding of how soil biology works
• Practical composting knowledge you can apply immediately
• Tools for improving soil naturally
• Strategies for regenerating soil in gardens and farms
• A workshop handout summarizing key concepts
We won’t only talk about soil — we’ll show you how to begin reading and testing it yourself. Throughout the workshop, we’ll explore simple ways to assess soil through the physical, chemical, and biological lenses. You’ll see practical field observations and tools for evaluating structure and texture, basic at-home approaches for checking pH and nutrients, and live microscope observation of soil and compost biology.
We'll use cover crop, make compost, biological inputs and see how animals can help soil regenerative improvements.
Workshop Details
📍 Location: Sun & Bloom Farms – Lebanon, Missouri
🗓 Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026
⏰ Duration: Full-Day Intensive (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
👥 Limited to 20 participants
Investment
Regular Registration: $165
Early Registration: $130 (20% off before April 1)
Includes:
- Full-day workshop instruction
- Live demonstrations
- Microscope observation session
- Workshop handout
- Farm walk through soil systems
- Lunch
Why Learn This Here?
At Sun & Bloom Farms, soil health is the foundation of everything we do.
Our farm integrates compost systems, regenerative gardening, perennial plantings, animals, and ecological design to create productive landscapes that improve over time. This workshop shares the practical systems we use daily to build living soil and grow resilient food systems.
Reserve Your Spot
Participation is limited to maintain a hands-on learning environment.
If you want to grow healthier plants, improve your soil naturally, and understand the biological systems that power regenerative agriculture, this workshop will give you the tools to begin.
Healthy soil changes everything.
About the Instructor
Lucian grew up around regenerative farming traditions in Eastern and Central Europe long before he knew the term regenerative agriculture. Those early experiences with traditional land stewardship continue to shape his work today and translate well to the soils and climate of Missouri.
He holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development, where soil science and ecological land management were a major focus of his studies. Lucian later worked with a leading regenerative agriculture education organization in Southern California, where he began leading composting and soil-building workshops in the early 2010s.
Over the past decade, he has taught permaculture, regenerative gardening, and soil regeneration intensives while also teaching horticulture and permaculture at the college level.
Lucian has worked with more than 30 farmers across Missouri, helping small and medium-scale family farms transition from conventional practices toward regenerative soil systems. His consulting work ranges from backyard gardens to municipal composting programs designed for communities of over 60,000 residents.
Today he farms and teaches at Sun & Bloom Farms in Lebanon, Missouri, where he focuses on practical soil regeneration, ecological farming, and resilient food systems.