Learn to Evaluate and Improve Soils on a Farm
Soils are vital to crop health. They provide air and nutrients to roots, they act as a reservoir for water, and they support plants. If they are not managed properly, soils can also present optimal conditions for soil borne pathogens, bacteria and weeds.
Different types of crops grow better in different soils according to soil structure, soil acidity or alkalinity, water retention and other factors. In this course, you'll learn all about soil management, how to test soils for different components, how to adjust soils, and how to overcome common problems which soils can present. Discover how to make the most of your farm by improving your soils.
What this Course Covers
Eight lessons as follows:
- Introduction: Soils And Soil Classification
- Properties of Soils and Plant Nutrition
- Soil Testing Methods
- Land Degradation and Other Soil Problems
- Soil Management on Farms
- Crops: Soil and Nutrient Requirements (Grass Crops)
- Crops: Soil and Nutrient Requirements (Legume and other Crops)
- PBL Soil project - Soil Investigation and Report
Workload
Study when, where and however much you want. For most students, the course can be completed with a total of around 100 hours of study; and a commitment close to that may be needed to achieve desired learning outcomes.
Extra Reading
The following books, available through this web site are relevant supplementary reading for this course
Profitable Farming
Organic Gardening
Farm Management
Assessment
Self Assessment Tests are presented throughout the course. These are essentially an automated quiz. When you undertake a "SAT" or "Self Assessment Test", you will be able to see what you got correct, and what was incorrect; and in that way, you can identify your weaknesses.
Assignments are given at the end of each lesson. You should complete this assignment, paying careful attention to follow what is asked of you. It can be just as important to learn to work to specification, as it is to learn about the topic you are studying. Graduates who develop a habit of working to specification in the field of cattle farming, will impress employers, and will be more efficient when self employed.
A Final Exam is offered upon satisfactory completion of all assignments. This is optional. If you choose to apply for and do this exam, you will have the possibility of obtaining a "formal credit" or "Pass Certification" for this course. A fee applies. The exam may be sat under prearranged conditions anywhere in the world. This college will award you a formal transcript, upon successful completion of the exam, as proof of your results.
Recognition and Ethics
This college is a member of the ACS Affiliates Network; a group of colleges from several countries, affiliated with each other through ACS Distance Education.. Courses are developed with input from all of these colleges, aspiring to reflect internationally accepted standards and needs.
A strict "No Plagiarism" and "No fraud" policy exists. Assignments are checked for plagiarism, and assignments will not be deemed to have been completed, if work is not your own original creation, and is found to have been copied from elsewhere. If the person doing the course is discovered to be different to the name enrolled, the enrolment and any results will be recorded as invalid and any fees paid will be forfeited.
Refund Policy
A full refund less expenses (up to 15% of fees applied) is provided to anyone wishing to withdraw from a course, within 2 weeks of enrolment. This does not apply after the first assignment has been submitted and marked; or after the two weeks has expired.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS INSTITUTION?
We believe that we have an ethical responsibility to make good use of the fees you pay and the time you invest into an education through our college. To this end, our first priority is always your learning. This comes before issues such as formal accreditations, speculative marketing and bureaucratic processes which all too often add considerable costs to the running of colleges, and take resources away from the provision of more valuable services to the student.
This college focuses on facilitating your learning and support to optimise that learning. We recognise that learning is all about improving knowledge and skills in your long term memory. While some colleges may focus on getting you to pass exams, by committing knowledge to short term memory; we understand that such an approach is not true education, and does little to improve your long term career or business prospects.
How This Course Could Help You
This is a course aimed at the farmer, agronomist, soil management specialist, agriculturist or anyone in the industry who needs more knowledge on soil management methods and how to take into account all the factors involved in successful soil management. It may also be of value to hobby or home farmers too.
Study this course by itself or along with other modules as part of a certificate or higher level qualification.