[Terrapreta] Backyard Biochar

[Douglas Clayton]

Tom,

I see no one has responded yet so I'll throw in some second hand reports.
>From a conversation with Dr. Peter Fransham of Advanced BioRefinery in
Ottawa. He told me that some char he produced from chicken litter waste
(this would be from a system he did for Renewable Oil International) when
scattered on a lawn, in one week, produced grass 1" taller and darker green
than the adjacent untreated area . He thought there would have been some
nitrogen still in the charcoal. 

Seems like Dr. Fransham has been at this just about as long as anyone and
has some systems ready to go into production. But like most I think the
awareness of the value of the charcoal is new.
http://www.advbiorefineryinc.ca/

I'm sure everyone has seen the photos at Eprida:
http://www.eprida.com/home/index.php4

I took the below pictures when I visited Danny Day at Eprida last month. The
first shot is of the red Georgia clay before and after charcoal had been
tilled in two years prior. The second shows some "structure" as a result of
the charcoal treatment. The untreated had become very hard (compacted).
Three and four illustrate how tilth was improved.  In both shots Danny is
pushing the device (penetrometer??) with a force of 300#/ sq. in.

and it is obvious how much looser the soil in the fourth image is!



See Photos inked at:
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/claytonepridaapr07

 

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