Master Regenerative Soil & Fertility Systems - 4 Part Online Course
4-Part Live Series with Lucian Toma
Build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to understand soil deeply and regenerate it with intention. Get a certification if you desire so!
Healthy soil is not just dirt.
It is a living system where physical structure, mineral balance, organic matter, microbial life, plants, and management practices all interact to determine whether land becomes more fertile, more resilient, and more productive over time.
At Sun and Bloom Farms, we teach soil regeneration as a practical, living, whole-systems process.
This 4-part live online series is designed to help gardeners, homesteaders, and farmers understand soil more deeply, learn how to read and test it, and begin building living fertility systems that reduce dependence on outside inputs and increase resilience at home, in the garden, or on the farm.
Drawing from the same core material we teach in our Permaculture Design Certification course and our hands-on soil regeneration intensives, this series offers a grounded, practical, designer-level understanding of soil and fertility systems in a format that is live, interactive, and deeply supportive.
This is not just information - It is a guided learning experience with:
- 4 live online classes on Zoom
- live Q&A and discussion in every session
- soil microscopy demonstrations
- examples of different soil and fertility conditions
- additional curated resources from Sun and Bloom Farms and outside research-based sources
- simple practical exercises after each session
- a private 60–90 minute one-on-one consulting session with Lucian after the course
- and an optional Sun and Bloom Farms Permaculture Farm School Village Soil Regeneration Basics Certification upon completion
Why This Course Matters
Many people are trying to grow food and steward land in soils that are compacted, imbalanced, low in biology, low in organic matter, or simply not well understood. And too often, the answer people are given is just to buy another input. But real long-term fertility comes from understanding the system.
When we begin to understand how soil works physically, chemically, biologically, and in relationship with plants, we can start making better decisions — decisions that build health, reduce waste, increase resilience, and help us become less dependent on
purchased fertility products over time. This course is about helping you make that shift.
What We’ll Cover
Part 1 — Soil Foundations: Understanding Different Soil Contexts
We begin by building a strong foundation for understanding soil as a living system. In this session, we will explore:
- what soil is and why it matters so much
- the physical, chemical, and biological dimensions of soil
- the two major soil extremes: sand and clay and everything in between, including more balanced soil conditions
- how different soil contexts affect water, air, roots, nutrients, and biological life
- why organic matter is one of the most powerful tools for improving soil in almost every context
This session is about helping you understand the bigger picture of soil and the different conditions you may be working with in your own land, garden, or farm.
Part 2 — Reading & Testing Soil
This session is fully dedicated to learning how to read and test soil through multiple lenses. We will cover:
- physical testing
- chemical testing
- biological testing
- plant-based observation
You’ll learn how to begin understanding what soil is telling you through:
- field observation
- texture and structure assessment
- practical at-home testing approaches
- pH and nutrient interpretation
- basic biological interpretation
- plant indicators and what vegetation can reveal about soil conditions
This session is designed to help you move from guessing to observing, testing, and interpreting more clearly.
Part 3 — Building Living Fertility Systems
This is the practical heart of the course. In this session, we will explore how to build fertility systems that improve soil over time and increase farm and garden resilience while reducing dependence on purchased inputs. We will cover:
Cover Crops
- different cover crop types
- what different cover crops do
- how they function in different soil conditions and scenarios
- how to choose cover crops more intelligently
Mulch Systems
- different types of mulch
- how mulch supports moisture retention, soil protection, decomposition, and biology
- how to choose mulch strategies for different contexts
Compost Systems
- thermophilic compost for more bacterial, faster-cycling systems such as market gardens
- more fungal compost approaches for orchards and perennial systems
- how compost type relates to production goals and ecosystem type
Biological Inputs
- different types of compost teas and application methods
- biofertilizers
- biostimulants
- natural farming ferments
- indigenous microorganisms
- effective microorganisms
- mineral extracts
Animal Integration
Overall, this session is about learning how to design living fertility systems that increase ecological function, nutrient cycling, resilience, and independence.
Part 4 — Soil Microscopy, Comparisons & Live Discussion
In this final session, we will slow down and look more closely. We will:
- demonstrate soil microscopy
- observe different soil and fertility samples
- compare different types of compost and soil conditions
- look at the differences between inputs and systems
- discuss what these differences may mean in practice
- open up space for deeper conversation and participant questions
This final session is meant to help bring the learning together through real examples, visual understanding, and live discussion.
Format
This series will be taught live online on Thursdays in May.
Schedule
Thursdays | 7:00 PM – 9:15 PM CST
May 7, 14, 21, and 28
Each session will include:
- approximately 1 hour and 30 to 45 minutes of lecture-style teaching
- followed by 30 minutes of conversation, Q&A, and interaction
- the 4th session will be about 1 hour teaching and 1 hour or so of Q&A and interaction
All live sessions will take place on Zoom.
Each session will also have its own module with additional resources, materials, and follow-up support provided through Google. Because of that, a Google or Gmail account will be necessary for participation in this class.
Exercises & Certification
For those who want to complete the course at the certification level, there will be a simple practical exercise posted in the modules after each session.
These exercises are designed to be accessible, useful, and easy to complete within the following week. Their purpose is not to overwhelm you, but to help you apply what you are learning in a direct and meaningful way.
This is how deeper learning happens: through observation, reflection, and practical application.
After the fourth session, participants will complete a final simple exercise that helps integrate the learning from the full course.
Completion of these exercises is what allows us to issue the:
Sun and Bloom Farms Permaculture Farm School Village Soil Regeneration Basics Certification
So the course is not only about receiving information — it is also about engaging with it in a way that helps it become real knowledge you can use.
What You’ll Receive
Your registration includes:
- 4 live online sessions on Zoom
- Live Q&A and conversation in every class
- A Google-based module for each session with additional resources
- Simple practical exercises for deeper application
- Access to a like-minded learning community
- A private 60–90 minute one-on-one consulting session with Lucian
- Sun and Bloom Farms Permaculture Farm School Village Soil Regeneration Basics Certification
The private consulting session is designed to help you apply the course material to your own land, soil, garden, farm, or specific questions.
Practical and Academically Grounded
This course is practical in the deepest sense.
The knowledge comes from a working regenerative farm and from years of applied experience teaching, consulting, observing, composting, growing, and building real systems.
At the same time, the course is also shaped by strong academic rigor.
- Lucian has taught as a college instructor in horticulture and permaculture, including both lecture-based and university-credit courses and labs.
- Anna Maria has also taught as a college instructor in urban farming, wellness gardening, and horticulture, again in both lecture and university-credit formats.
So while this course is deeply grounded in real-world farm practice, it is also taught with the structure, clarity, and seriousness of a true educational program.
Who This Course Is For
This course is ideal for:
- gardeners
- homesteaders
- small farmers
- permaculture students
- orchard keepers
- market gardeners
- land stewards
- anyone who wants a deeper practical understanding of soil regeneration
You do not need to know everything already. You just need curiosity, commitment, and a desire to understand how soil actually works.
About the Instructor
Lucian Toma is a regenerative farmer, ecological designer, educator, and consultant with over a decade of experience teaching people how to work with land more intelligently and regeneratively.
He has taught workshops, courses, and lectures on permaculture, composting, soil regeneration, and ecological design in a wide range of settings, while also consulting with land stewards, farmers, and families on how to build healthier, more resilient systems.
Alongside his wife, Anna Maria, he co-founded and operates Sun and Bloom Farms in Lebanon, Missouri, where these principles are practiced daily through regenerative farming, education, and community-based learning.
This course brings together Lucian’s practical field experience, teaching background, and systems-based approach to soil health and fertility.
Investment
Early Bird: $295 (before April 15)
Regular Price: $365
A Note About the In-Person Intensive
We also offer an in-person Master Composting & Soil Regeneration Intensive at Sun and Bloom Farms for those who want a hands-on, on-farm learning experience.
This online series stands strongly on its own, but for those who are able to join us in person as well, the two experiences complement each other beautifully.
Closing Invitation
If you are ready to understand soil more deeply, build fertility more intelligently, and begin creating systems that grow stronger over time, we would love to have you join us. This is not just about improving soil. It is about learning how to work with life itself more skillfully.