Consultation
We offer soil health diagnostic and consulting services as well as assessment of farm ecosystem functions.
*In Quebec, these services are not available. Please see our educational services or refer to our laboratory services.
We know that part of the recipe for success on a regenerative path is to be well surrounded and have people around you to help decipher your situation in order to make more informed decisions.
We understand the risk that farmers feel they are taking when they decide to change how they farm. Responsible and successful transition practices are those that are carried out slowly and in an integrated manner over time.
We offer one off consultations (a la carte) as well as a complete Transition Program.
One off consultations can cost anywhere between $150 to $350 an hour. To book a one-off consultation, please write to us at info@docterre.ca with the title "Request for a one-off consultation", and we will determine our capacity to serve you at that time.
For more information on our Transitional Program, please continue reading this web page.
Notice to Quebec farmers:
We are not agronomists and in order to remain compliant with Quebec laws, we cannot offer any consultation or diagnostics. Please refer to our educational or scientific support services.
Notice to agronomists:
Please note that Docterre works internationally and that our website serves our global clientele. Please rest assured that in Quebec, we do not offer any consulting or diagnostic services.
Thank you to all the agronomists who have already chosen to work with us throughout the years to support farmers in their regenerative journeys!
We offer our gratitude to those who choose to cooperate symbiotically for the benefit of our collective agricultural future! Together, we can make a difference!
Phase 1: Diagnosis
The Transition Program begins with a thorough analysis and diagnosis of the health of your soils.
This process involves:
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Ecological Profile Analyses provided by the Docterre laboratory
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Needs assessment meeting: A thorough discussion of the clients's experiences and goals.
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Field visit: Onsite observations by a Docterre soil ecologist on the soil, land structure, land management history, compost analysis (if applicable) and existing farm equipment compatibility with biology.
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Diagnosis meeting: Delivery of the diagnosis of soil health and contributing factors. Define the scope work and intervention required along kinds of investments that will be needed moving forward.
By the end of the diagnosis process, clients have a deep understanding of the state of their soils that helps them understand what kind of delays and expectations to have if they continue in this regenerative path.
This first phase also allows us and the client to determine if we are a good fit to continue working together on the long therm.
Please note: the cost of each of these phases varies greatly depending on the client, the scale, and the country we are working in. An estimate cost can be provided upon request.
Phase 2: Education & Consultation (Year 1-3)
Once all parties have agreed to move forward together after the diagnostic visit, the Transition Program continues with an in depth and personalized educational process, as well as three years of custom consultation.
The accompaniment plan involves a combination of some or all of the following components:
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In-depth education in applied soil ecology, including all the science of soil ecology and plant health metabolisms, functional ecosystems, composts production, in house fertility programs, microscopy, and more.
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Implementation of a trials
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Gradual adjustments soil management practices and fertilisation programs
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Equipment and Systems building, modification, or sourcing
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Maintenance plan and schedule
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Compost correction and/or inoculum sourcing
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Cover crop strategy development
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Continued soil monitoring
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Plant sap analysis
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Continued consulting and education as needed.
Please note: at this point in the process, we require a signed commitment to a three year contract with us in order to proceed in this second phase.
Phase 3: Ongoing Accompaniment (Years 4-5)
At this phase, clients implement their soil regeneration plan with ongoing accompaniment as needed.
Though this phase is equally crucial in the overall soil transition, it is usually less of our input than the first 1-3 years.
We typically see that after 5 years, improvements are significant and the learning curve is drastic.
Please note: we can provide additional professional video documentation of the transitional years for those who we feel might benefit from building a professional case study. This can be discussed once the diagnostic process is finished.
