Dr William A Albrecht PhD (1888 – 1974) is considered the father of modern day ecological agriculture. As the foremost authority on the relationship between soil fertility, plant health and animal/human health, he developed a formula for ideal ratios of minerals in the soil.

Plants grown in healthy balanced soil, suffer less attack from insects, bacterial and fungal disease, and weeds. Food can be grown productively, without the use of harsh chemicals.

Nutrient dense food sustains the mental, physical and emotional health of our population, and helps to protect from the modern plague of degenerative metabolic disease.

Balanced soil minerals, organic mater and microbes are the pathway to forgotten flavours of fabulous foods that taste and smell fantastic.

How to Take a Soil Sample

Samples must be collected within the one soil type and slope and have similar history of use. Avoid recently fertilized areas, manure and urine patches, old fence lines, old animal pens, old building sites, gullies and other areas that are not typical of the area being sampled.

Take at least 15 samples to a depth of 15 cm, from all over the area that you wish to test, and mix them all up together in the same clean plastic bucket. In a small garden, you might take one every square metre.

Ensure the sampling tool is clean and rust free, and clean gloves are worn to reduce contamination of the soil sample. Remove the top mulch layer.

An easy homemade auger can be made using a 30 cm length of conduit about 25 mm diameter or so. Use a permanent marker to draw a line around the pipe, 15 cm from one end. Bevel one end on a sander to sharpen. Place a small block of timber over the other end, to push down into the ground. Use a hammer if ground is really hard. It may be necessary to use a rust free piece of smaller diameter tube to push out the sample into the bucket.

If using a spade, dig a hole to 15 cm deep, then take a slice of soil from top to bottom. It is very important to sample uniformly down the soil profile. Too much surface soil compared to deeper soil will give inaccurate data and may lead to inappropriate mineral amendment advice.

Mix the soil sub-samples together thoroughly, in a clean plastic bucket, and then weigh out one only representative sample of approximately 450 grams. Package the sample in a plastic bag with your Name, Sample ID (e.g. veggie patch, orchard, swales) and details of the main crop to be fertilized, (e.g. lawn, vegetables, fruit trees, natives or mixed garden), on a stick on external label, (do not put the label in the bag with the soil, as it may absorb moisture from the sample and become illegible). Do not write directly on plastic, as writing can rub off in transit. Use a permanent marker.

Your EAL Chain of Custody form (download and print below)
and payment to the laboratory $114.40 must be included with the soil sample, and posted to :
Environmental Analysis Laboratories, PO Box 157, LISMORE NSW 2480
Allow 2-3 weeks turnaround for lab results and recommendations via e-mail.