SOIL HEALTH AND BIODIVERSITY ARE CLOSELY LINKED WITH CROP PRODUCTIVITY AND HUMAN WELL-BEING. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT INTERACTIONS BETWEEN FARMERS/GARDENERS AND SOIL MICROORGANISMS, DESPITE THE LIKELIHOOD OF EXPOSURE DURING CULTIVATION ACTIVITIES. PRODUCERS PERFORMING MANUAL CULTIVATION MAY EXPERIENCE INTIMATE CONTACT WITH SOIL MICROORGANISMS, YET WE LACK BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUCH MICROBIAL TRANSFER FROM SOIL TO SKIN OCCURS, WHAT TYPES OF MICROORGANISMS ARE TRANSFERRED, OR HOW LONG THEY PERSIST ON SKIN.THIS PROJECT AIMS TO 1) ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING OF MICROBIAL TRANSFER FROM SOIL TO SKIN DURING CROP CULTIVATION, AND WHETHER RESULTING ALTERATIONS OF SKIN MICROBIOME COMPOSITION VARIES BY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, CROP TYPE, OR CLIMATIC REGION; AND 2) EDUCATE EXTENSION AGENTS, MASTER GARDENERS, AND THE BROADER PUBLIC IN MICROBIAL ECOLOGY CONCEPTS AND ANALYSIS METHODS. IT WILL DO SO BY ENGAGING MASTER GARDENERS TO CONDUCT A CITIZEN SCIENCE SURVEY OF GARDEN SOIL MICROBIOMES AND THEIR TRANSFERABILITY TO SKIN DURING CROP CULTIVATION. RESULTS WILL BE SHARED WITH PARTICIPANTS AND THE BROADER PUBLIC THROUGH AN ONLINE VISUALIZATION TOOL, AND THROUGH PUBLICATIONS, BLOG POSTS, AND WORKSHOPS. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH THE FEASIBILITY OF SOIL MICROBIOME ANALYSIS AS A PAID SERVICE ACCESSIBLE TO SPECIALTY CROP PRODUCERS.THE PROJECT ADDRESSES THE GOALS OF THE AFRI EWD POSTDOCTORAL PROGRAM BY PREPARING THE FELLOW TO TRANSITION INTO AN ACADEMIC FACULTY CAREER AT THE INTERSECTION OF PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES, HUMAN HEALTH, AND MICROBIAL ECOLOGY. IT WILL TRAIN THE FELLOW IN NEW COMPETENCIES AIMED TOWARDS RESEARCH, EDUCATION, EXTENSION, AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.