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Decoding the Secrets of Soil: From Test Results to Better Decisions
A practical course that teaches farmers and agronomists how to interpret soil and plant tests and use them to make better management decisions.
Attend the first session FREE.
Unlock the full course and recordings for just $47.
Brian Dougherty
Junior Partner - Understanding Ag
Brian Dougherty grew up on a family dairy farm in northeast Iowa, where he farmed for 17 years before pursuing advanced study in soil and agroecosystem function. He earned a B.S. in Ecological Engineering from Oregon State University and an M.S. in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering from Iowa State University, focusing on soil health, nutrient management, and water quality.
The Essential Cycles of Regenerative Agriculture
A science-based webinar series exploring the natural processes that underpin regenerative agriculture and long-term farm resilience.
How Regenerative Food Reverses Chronic Disease
Kyle Richardville
Consultant with Understanding Ag
Kyle Richardville is a regenerative agriculture consultant with Understanding Ag whose background bridges nutrition, soil science and agricultural research. After studying nutrition and soil microbial ecology at Purdue University, he conducted research at Texas A&M and North Carolina A&T, focusing on soil biology and organic vegetable production. Most recently, Kyle spent three years in the United Kingdom helping farmers transition to regenerative agriculture alongside his wife, Michelle.
Every Healthy Farm Runs on Natural Cycles
Modern agriculture often focuses on solving problems one input at a time.
More fertilizer. More irrigation. More chemistry. More technology. But truly healthy farms are built by strengthening the natural cycles that have sustained ecosystems for thousands of years. When those cycles are functioning, soils become more resilient, crops become healthier, and farms become more productive.
Yet many farmers are left wondering:
What are the energy, water, nutrient and community cycles?
How do these cycles work together?
Why do some regenerative practices succeed while others fall short?
How can I use these principles to make better decisions on my farm?
Without understanding nature's cycles, it's difficult to know why regenerative practices work—or how to apply them effectively.
Learn How Nature's Cycles Work Together
The Essential Cycles of Regenerative Agriculture is a science-based webinar series designed to help you understand the natural processes that make regenerative farming successful.
Led by Kyle Richardville, regenerative agriculture consultant with Understanding Ag, this series explores the biological, chemical and ecological systems that underpin healthy soils, resilient crops and productive farms.
Rather than focusing on individual practices or products, you'll learn how to think in systems by understanding the interactions between:
Energy flow
The water cycle
Nutrient cycling
Community dynamics & ecological succession
COURSE BREAKDOWN
Module 1: 6-3-4 Overview - FREE - September 9th 7:00pm CST
6-3-4 refers to the Six Principles of Soil Health, the Three Rules of Adaptive Stewardship, and the Four Ecosystem Processes. This free webinar provides the foundation for the rest of the series.
Module 2: Energy Cycle - PAID - September 16th 7:00pm CST
Discover why energy from the sun is the engine that drives every living ecosystem. Learn how plants capture, store and transfer energy—and why maximizing photosynthesis is essential for healthy soils, profitable crops and resilient farms.
Module 3: Intro to the Water Cycle - PAID - September 23rd 7:00pm CST
Before exploring the farm-scale water cycle, build a foundation in hydrology and planetary science. Learn how water moves through landscapes, soils and the atmosphere, and why understanding these natural processes is critical to regenerative agriculture.
Module 4: Water Cycle - PAID - September 30th 7:00pm CST
Healthy soil doesn't just absorb water—it stores, filters and cycles it. Learn the principles behind infiltration, water holding capacity, evaporation and plant-water relationships, and discover management practices that improve drought resilience and reduce runoff.
Module 5: Intro to the Nutrient Cycle - PAID - October 7th 7:00pm CST
Gain a foundational understanding of the chemistry, geology and earth systems that govern nutrient availability. This introductory session explains the science behind how nutrients move through soils before applying those concepts to the farm.
Module 6: Nutrient Cycle - PAID - October 14th 7:00pm CST
Go beyond fertilizer recommendations to understand how nutrients are cycled through living systems. Learn the relationships between soil biology, minerals, plants and organic matter, and how to support efficient nutrient cycling while reducing dependency on external inputs.
Module 7: Community Dynamics & Ecological Succession - PAID - October 21st 7:00pm CST
Nature is constantly changing and healthy ecosystems become more resilient over time. In the final module of this series, learn how biodiversity, plant communities and ecological succession influence soil function, pest pressure and productivity, and how to manage your farm in harmony with these natural processes.
Understanding Soil Biology
How living soil organisms help unlock nutrients bound in the mineral matrix and why biological nutrient release is a foundational strategy for resilient fertility.
Improving Nutrient Availability
Practical ways to leverage microbial activity to make existing nutrients more accessible to crops an approaches that can help reduce dependency on synthetic fertilizers.
Building Resilience and Profitability
Techniques that help maintain yields and crop health amid rising input costs and market uncertainty as well as strategies to strengthen plant performance.
About Acres U.S.A.®
Acres U.S.A.® is North America's oldest publisher (est. 1971) on production-scale organic and sustainable farming. For more than 50 years, our mission has been to help farmers, ranchers and market gardeners grow food profitably, sustainably, without harmful chemicals.
© Copyright 2026, Acres U.S.A.® Acres U.S.A.® is a registered trademark of Acres U.S.A.®, LLC. Reproduction of material in this issue in any form without permission of the publisher is prohibited. No permission required for photocopies made for personal use. Requests for permission to reprint must be in writing to PO Box 351, Viroqua, WI 54665; email [email protected].
© 2026 Acres U.S.A.® LLC - All Rights Reserved
Acres U.S.A. is North America’s oldest publisher on production-scale organic and regenerative farming. For more than 50 years, our mission has been to help farmers, ranchers and market gardeners grow food profitably, regeneratively, and with nature in mind.
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