[Terrapreta] Re Charcoal and-----Bokashi

[bakaryjatta]

To Kurt and list members,

There was an extensive post to the gasification list on Mon,10 April 2006 by Roger Samson of REAP-Canada with a great deal of details about Bokashi and its preparation. A manual is available from REAP- canada is available on request. One of the ingredients of Bokashi is bio-char. 

I am applying char dust to soil at planting stations, covering it with leaf and/or grass mulch and giving it a dose of of effluent from Dr AD Karve's model biogas digester. There is not enough material to cover an entire area, therefore improve soil peace meal. The char is made from the trimmings of Gliricidia and Cashew trees in an old water heater used as a retort. 

Hopefully this makes it to the list as I am unfamiliar with posting procedures.

Bakary Jatta, experimenting in The  Gambia



Kurt wrote:

Hi folkes,

Somewhere in the bioenergy archives, not sure which particular list, I 
remember seeing a description of Bokashi preparation, using local 
wormcastings, plantjuice (for enzymes) etc etc. This was being done in 
SE Asia, probably the Philippines. The resultant material was then used 
to inoculate compost which was applied to the soil; as per usual.

The method used the ubiquitous Asian rice husk, but I think it could be 
adapted to any other area, using whatever waste biomass was available 
there and also using local wormcasts, plant juice and so on. Sugar, 
possibly molasses also figured in the method, to feed the culture.

Such a "local" Bokashi solution could be applied to charcoal just prior 
to application to the soil, giving it an initial charge of wee beasties 
to speed up the results.

/ /I doubt that Bokashi powder being sold for use in garbage digesters 
would be quite up to the job, being a centrally produced, industrial 
product and not at all adapted to any one soil situation.

It would be interesting if someone, more versed in searching the 
archives could dig the message out of them. I'm not at all knowledgeable 
in that activity.

Kurt

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