[Terrapreta] volatile matter and char

[Richard Haard]

Fyi

Here are some images we took the day we opened up Larry's charcoal  
pretreatment test

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/2126890717/in/set-72157594444994347/

Nice mat of mycelium inhabiting the treated charcoal

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/2126890919/in/set-72157594444994347/

This image is Larry's test setup that we opened on December 19

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rchaard/2126890841/in/set-72157594444994347/

This image is clear enough to show spore formation. This mold is not a  
mushroom species it is most definitely a common soil fungus like  
Verticillium or Geotrichium. Indicating to me they were using  
materials Larry added as food rather than cellulose and may also be  
the organisms that help to degrade the VM.  In jet fuel a common soil  
organism, Cladosporium occurs in the water phase at the bottom of  
tanks. They use JP-4 as carbon source.
On Dec 24, 2007, at 1:42 AM, Larry Williams wrote:

> Rich, Greg and crew-------A clarification on the Webber technique is  
> needed so that the image of the Webber isn't stained... so to speak.
>
> The home-made charcoal from last summer's earthen mound firings is  
> being used in the Webber for cooking purposes. Some of the pieces  
> are to large for cooking the chicken. The larger pieces are placed  
> outside of the area where the charcoal is expected to be burnt to  
> ash. A few small branches of fresh alder are usually added to the  
> outside edges for purposes of smoking the chicken.
>
> As most would expect, this process is in stages. In the first stage,  
> the chicken fats, juices and VM, to a certain extent, cover the  
> large pieces of charcoal as the chicken is cooking. The dripping fat  
> and jelled proteins are clearly uncharred on the charcoal (at this  
> time I have a prayer that the USDA has keep the prions out of the  
> chicken feed).
>
> The unburnt charcoal is removed before the next time the Webber is  
> used and at some point is placed in a bucket to be bathed in diluted  
> urine for 3-4 weeks.
>
> In one trial with John Flottvik's charcoal (a finer grade), I  
> emptied a 5 gallon bucket of incompletely burnt pieces of wood and  
> diluted urine on the 4 gallon nursery pot. After a week, frozen  
> chicken bones and pieces of fat were boiled and after cooking, when  
> the juices was still warm, this broth was poured into the nursery  
> pot. About 4" of composted wood chip were placed over the fine  
> charcoal to hid the meat scent from critters. Three week later the  
> fine charcoal had a thick covering of mold. Neat! Do ask for Rich's  
> opinion on what he saw.
>
> Now it seems important that I keep closer tabs on what is happening  
> with the charcoal in the different stages. I would like to see your  
> pictures of charcoal that has been in the soil for some time. What  
> are the microbes doing? I have dug up charcoal at a site of an older  
> home in the Bellingham area which I believe is close to 90 years  
> old. This charcoal had been in compacted soil likely due to foot  
> compaction that occurred during the time that the house was under  
> construction. There were no fungal roots or tree roots associated  
> with the charcoal. No roots. This situation is common around  
> construction sites... foot compaction rules the day, the year and  
> the century. Heads up!
>
> Pictures of crop yield are important but what sort of interactions  
> is taking place between the microbe's hotel (the piece of charcoal)  
> with it's dinning service and a plant's roots? Also, I need to see  
> the effects on plants or microbes of wood tar toxicity, at this  
> time, it seems that there is not a serious problem. Pictures please,  
> I know the tars are toxic. What are the limits of that toxicity? Did  
> the Amazonian natives not have a quantity of tar with their  
> smoldering fires?
>
> Charcoal is a versatile material and there is room for many  
> different approaches. It is a pleasure to be sailing on this ship  
> with you. We might be able to steer this Queen with little more  
> focus and understanding of the Terra Preta process. We are many  
> souls attached to each other for better or worst.
>
> Here's a toast to verdant vistas-------Larry
>
> P.S. the toast is a challenge also for a successful outcome
>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------
> On Dec 23, 2007, at 10:12 PM, Richard Haard wrote:
>
>> As Ogawa recommended to pretreat charcoal with compost/or  
>> fertilizer is very similar to what my neighbor Larry has been doing  
>> with his Weber and meat juices with urine.
>

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