Restoring the Living Earth — From Soil to Soul
Guided by microbial science, the wisdom of living systems, and a love for the wild, I help land stewards regenerate soil health and cultivate thriving, resilient ecosystems.
What I Do
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Biological Soil Assessments
Soil Food Web microscopy to identify missing life and restore balance.
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Compost Building & Application
Living composts and extracts/teas tailored to your land and crops.
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Regenerative Design
Garden & farm plans rooted in permaculture and syntropic principles.
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Education & Workshops
Hands-on learning for families, schools, farms, and grassroots organizations
Result: Healthy soil → vigorous plants → nourishing food → resilient communities.
Why It Works
Life begets life. When we rebuild the soil food web—bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, microarthropods & earthworms —we rebuild the foundations of fertility. Inputs go down, productivity and nutrient density go up, and stewardship becomes possible for generations.
Regeneration is not only economical and productive, it restores diversity and vitality to our land and to our bodies. Agriculture has long been one of the main causes of habitat destruction, yet it also holds extraordinary potential for renewal. When we shift from chemical control to biological cooperation, we not only protect the wild spaces that remain — we rewild the soil itself and restore the ancient symbiosis between plants and microbes responsible for nutrient cycling, disease suppression and long-term ecosystem resilience.
And in doing so, we build food systems that can sustain both human nourishment and ecological integrity.
Reduce chemical dependence
Improve water retention & structure
Increase plant health & yields
Grow real nutrient density
Who I Serve
Homeowners & Community Gardens — Grow more, grow better, grow together.
Small Farms — Practical, scalable regeneration for productivity and profit.
Grassroots Organizations & NGOs (Kenya & Canada) –Training, demo plots, and programs that empower local stewards.
“Katie McLean brings an enthusiastic professionalism to her work. I was keen to get the life of a thriving soil foodweb back into the soil for the developing food forest as well as the annual garden. Katie’s precision in building the thermophilic compost piles, record keeping, monitoring, analysis of bacterial and fungal life in the compost and later its application to the lands were highlights of the past growing season. Bringing biodiversity back into the soil is a key link in regenerative farming. Katie’s knowledge and expertise help make that happen.”
C. McEwen, Salt Spring Island
How We’ll Work
1. Site Visit & Goals — Walk the land, listen, define outcomes.
2. Soil Biology Assessment — Microscopy + findings you can understand.
3. Plan & Implementation — Compost, teas and a practical application calendar.
4. Training & Follow-Up — Skills that stay on the land long after I leave.
Stay Rooted
Short field notes on soil, compost, and the deep intelligence of the living earth.
Blog coming soon: Stories from the Living Earth — stay tuned!
About
More than dirt; soil is a living ally.
I grew up in Kenya — adventuring through landscapes alive with wildlife. I remember sitting around the fire beneath vast skies, hearing lion calls, and waking up to a chorus of birdsong at dawn. Thinking back to those places, I feel the same sense of wonder and belonging that guide my work today.
At the heart of what I do is a commitment to protect the wild spaces we have left, and to restore the life we've lost. Modern agriculture often pushes toward uniformity and isolated interventions, yet the earth longs for diversity and relationship. I'm especially committed to supporting growers who have been pushed into chemical dependence — helping those who grow our food reclaim sovereignty over their land.
Since 2019, I've supported communities in Kenya and Canada to regenerate soil through practices that nurture the Soil Food Web. As a certified Soil Food Web Lab Technician, I witness the incredible array of microorganisms driving this transformation — the living foundation of plant health, resilience, and productivity. Time and again, when biology is restored, the land responds with abundance.
With roots in both Africa and North America, I carry a deep commitment to listening, learning, and honoring land and people. My work is not about imposing systems, but collaborating with ecosystems — human and more-than-human — to restore harmony and balance.
Work With Me
Biological Soil Assessment
Microscopy-based analysis to see what’s missing and how to bring your soil back to life.
Deliverables: Clear report, targeted actions, optional follow-up support.
Ideal for: Home gardens, market gardens, small farms, school plots.
Compost & Applications
Composts and teas to reintroduce beneficial biology and jump-start regeneration.
Options: Done-with-you (training) or done-for-you (service).
Outcome: Better structure, nutrient cycling, water retention, plant vigor, and disease resilience.
Regenerative Design & Coaching
Methods to ensure your soil is a habitat where biology can thrive.
Includes: Seasonal calendars, planting schemes, soil-care rhythms, and coaching.
Great for: Land transitions, new plots, and demonstration sites.
Workshops & Partnerships (Kenya & Canada)
Practical trainings for farmers, schools, and grassroots organizations.
Formats: 1-day intensives, multi-week programs, demo plot builds.
Focus: Compost ecology, soil biology, regenerative cropping, seed & food sovereignty.
Whether I’m working with a smallholder farmer in rural Kenya or a gardener in coastal British Columbia, my goal is always the same:
to awaken relationship, agency, and abundance — within the land and within ourselves.
Let’s walk your land — together.
Choose a 30-minute call to clarify goals, or book a full site visit to begin your assessment.
30-min Discovery Call (online): Share your context; I’ll outline best-fit next steps.
On-Site Visit: Soil walk, sampling plan, and timeline for your assessment and applications.