[Terrapreta] Terra Preta & Pigs

[Sean K. Barry]

Gentlemen,

Raa, Raa Frank!   I agree with your assessment.  Ancient "Terra Preta" is soil that was amended with charcoal of some form, probably from indigenous tree species, fell, lit aflame, and buried before they entirely combusted.  But then its believed ancient people also composted in inedible plant wastes from food crops, fish bones, and pottery chards, all added to the soil mixture.  It's magical stuff, so they say, when it comes to growing plants in it.  But the knowledge about how and why is lacking.  What to do?  What to do?

Christov Steiner is the only person who's research I have seen who is one who has actually attempted to "make" Terra Preta.  He did it in Brazil.  He added charcoal and NPK fertilizer to soil and grew plants in it next to control groups.  A.k.a. he used real science.  How he made the charcoal, at what temperature, from what materials he made it, in what concentrations he mixed it into the soil, is not entirely known.  However, some things are revealed from his research; namely plant growth is enhanced over that in indigenous soils by like 266% on average and the enhanced soil shows prolonged improved performance (i.e. it maintained its enhanced fertility).

The "Terra Preta" concept is to amend soil with charcoal, because charcoal seems to enhance the ability of the soil to maintain its fertility.  It was done so the people living on leached (by the Amazon river) soil didn't starve.  The charcoal put in the soils thousands of years ago still remains in those soils today, so it highly resilient.  The modern "Terra Preta" concept, then, is to improve soils and bury carbon from the atmosphere, sequestering it away for some thousands of years hence.  To prove most useful, the "Terra Preta" concept will need to be practiced locally, like it was thousands of years past.

So, the main question is how to make charcoal locally (and what local materials to make it from) to put into local soils.  This means research.  It specifically means there is no answer yet as to the temperature, the materials, and what other "wee beasties" it gets mixed into what soils with.  I propose to any interested parties that we devise a set of experiments to meat out what can work best.

Here is my approach ...

1) Some of us make charcoal from diverse source materials among various agricultural wastes.  We make it at various temperatures and with whatever approaches we can dream up, making sure to document how each batch is made.  Then we make it available to others to conduct soil science research with.  Negotiate the shipping between the parties if required, but I would strongly suggest local collaboration.

2) Some of use do the soil science research and find ways to make charcoal amendments show documented improvement to plant growth, quality, and yield.  Maybe some of us can find ways to reproduce "Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi" or find out and grow what other necessary soil micro-organisms there are, then how to inoculate charcoal and/or manufactured "Terra Preta" soils with the stuff.  We will need to experiment with the fertilizers too;  use commercial ones, use natural ones, composting, etc.  We will need to grow crops in the "Terra Preta" soil we make and we will need to grow the same crops right next to this in the original un-amended soil.

3) Most importantly, we do real science, with documented observations, control groups, replicated experiments, and peer review.
We can't let ourselves get fooled into rosy scenarios and "blue-sky" guessing about what works.  We can't keep asking each other questions about "Terra Preta" and get anywhere with it if we are not willing or able to do the work to get the answers to the questions.  It anyone intends to invest in "Carbon Sequestering Soil Enhancement" products (equipment service, materials, distribution, etc.) then we are going to want a good, correct understanding of what we are doing, and we will reap the most benefits by educating ourselves through research along the way.


Regards,

Sean K. Barry
Principal Engineer/Owner
Troposphere Energy, LLC
11170 142nd St. N.
Stillwater, MN 55082
(651) 351-0711 (Home/Fax)
(651) 285-0904 (Cell)
sean.barry at juno.com<mailto:sean.barry at juno.com>



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Frank Teuton<mailto:fteuton at videotron.ca> 
  To: Richard Haard<mailto:richrd at nas.com> ; Douglas Clayton<mailto:dnclayton at wildblue.net> 
  Cc: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 5:07 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Terra Preta & Pigs


  Gentlemen,

  Can we please be more specific as to the concerns about using charcoal on soils and crops? What are the circumstances under which charcoal may do harm to soils and crops? What methods should be used to produce charcoals from what source materials under what temperatures for specific effects? And, if the conditions and materials are indeed so very critical, how is it that a culture of people over a thousand years old was able to somehow able to create terra preta?

  In my opinion general vague warnings are not 'very good feedback'...they are basically useless unless attached to specific concerns based on empirical findings.

  As always, I have to wonder if those issuing such warnings are motivated by their own material interests, in for example patented technologies or the like.

  I am ready to believe that charcoal production is likely best carried out in such a way that all possible by products are properly captured and utilized...less pollution into the environment, less waste, etc. Plus the controlled temps for producing the best qualities for specific purposes can probably be best assured under carefully controlled processes. Still, this cannot be how the original terra preta was made...and until the Eprida process or something like it comes online, the availability of agricultural charcoal is likely dependent on individuals doing something like what was done in antiquity to generate their own supplies. Also, in the third world the availability of industrially produced high quality agricultural carbon may take quite a long time to generate locally useful materials.

  I would have thought a Terra preta list would have more information on the hands on process including advice for people intending to do it themselves...with appropriate do's and don'ts and whys and why nots. (aka concrete caveats).

  For my part, I joined the list to keep up with current research, find methods I can use myself, and find sources of agricultural charcoal if possible.


    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Richard Haard<mailto:richrd at nas.com> 
    To: Douglas Clayton<mailto:dnclayton at wildblue.net> 
    Cc: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
    Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 1:08 AM
    Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Terra Preta & Pigs


    Very good feedback - thanks all

    On Feb 22, 2007, at 8:20 PM, Douglas Clayton wrote:


      I spoke with Dr. Johannes Lehmann this morning and received the clear message from him that it was a mistake to go fooling around willy-nilly with charcoal at this time.  Not that it is dangerous but just that it is hard to learn anything definative. The science isn't there yet to know what we are doing.  This was a great disappointment to me but I understand where he is coming from.  


      Dr. Lehman indicated that the temperature at which the charcoal is produced is critical, the material being charred and the end use, the soil type and conditions and the crop being grown are variables about which we can not yet, say what is appropriate.  Not knowing the source material means something may work one time but not the next.  He indicated that it is definitely not a panacea and applying charcoal can, in some circumstances, do harm to soils and crops.


      Never the less, I plan to experiment a little bit in the garden this summer myself!


      How do we check the pH of the charcoal we purchase or produce?


      Douglas Clayton
      <snip>
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