[Terrapreta] Nothing?

[bakaryjatta]

 Dear List members,

This is about something.

Thanks for all your contributions. It took a lot of reading and I had to
sift out what was useful and dismiss what is not applicable to third world
peasant conditions.  No time for speculative experiments. No means of
producing tons of biochar. No tractors to spread it with. The rainy season
was fast approaching and land was to be prepared for planting.

Now some things!

Last year I had the benefit of Dr A. D Karve's information about the Biogas
plant. The effluent was applied to the crops and the soil protected from
direct exposure by using mulch from a stand of elephant grass and leaves
from nitrogen fixing trees. It gave good results and yielded food and more
crop residue.

This year I found out about Terra Preta. Biomass was available in the form
of crop residue and trimmings of the Agroforestry trees and cashews. Thanks
to Dr.Priyardashini Karve I adopted her Biochar production method.
Modification was needed as the materials are not available here. I used a
200 l drum with a piece of pipe in the bottom to let the gas flow under the
drum. A lid was wired down on top. Mudblocks surrounded the drum and most of
the top covered by sheetmetal scraps. It was lit and worked. Depending on
the biomass used it took more or less time to get the volatiles to take over
the heating process. Sorghum stalks was very fast but the volatiles ran out
before the material was poperly charred. Next time I will use a mixture of
materials to see whether we can achieve a better product. The drum also
seems to to big to have the heat properly distributed throughout as there
were portions not quite 'done'. The material was pounded to reduce the size
and then ground up in a hand powered corn grinder. I was slow and a very
light load. Being a privileged person I have an electric drill and a
powersupply. Adapting the drill to the grinder made a fast job of making a
gritty biochar.

>From the list I learned about the different opinions regarding the effect of
biochar on soil.
1. Water retention. Very good, the soil drains very fast.
2. Soil organisms like char as a home. Very good. The soil organisms are
dead or missing from exposure to high heat, lack of organic material or
whatever other reasons. Even beans don't fix nitrogen allthough other plants
do.
3. What kind of organisms do we have to add? If we don't know, we will have
to make a guess and add as  large a variety as we have access to. The
effluent from the biogas digester should be good. Bokasi fertilizer is made
from biochar and fermented fruit or plant juices. As that takes time the
process will have to take place in situ.
4. Biochar was reported to rob the soil of nutrient intially but released
later. Urine was mentioned as a good thing to overcome nitogen deficiency.
We have some available so let us add it to the witches potion.
5. Quantities required. A ton per HA? That is like building Rome in a day
here. It is illegal to produce charcoal as the forest is dissappearing at a
rate faster than it naturally grows. Biomass from other sources is not
abundent and due to traditional practices usually burned to get rid off.
In contrast my location has not been burned for more than 23 years and I
have struggled to get vegetation re-established during that time. Slow, bit
by bit. Application of biochar will also be bit by bit but if proven to
increase production speed up as time goes on.

Now in some West African countries farmers dig small depressions in the soil
and rake the scarce organic materials  into them. They are called 'Zai'
holes. Those planting stations get the benefit of collecting rain water.
Termites consume the organic material and dig channels into the soil in the
process. When the rainy season starts the plants get the benefit of a looser
and moister soil so there is better food production there compared to the
mud brick soils else where.

So that is the something going on. This year planting stations only. Next
year a change of location. With the introduction of Velvet beans and
Titonia, more organic material into the soil and biomass for char.

Being an optimist tempered with a lot of experience, we may have a major
shift of focus among the peasants of the world (still the majority) if there
are a sufficient number of demonstration plots that show obvious worthwhile
increased yields. Then they may put in the considerable increased effort to
replicate what they have seen. Five years minimum when successfull and it
will be a while before there are a 'sufficient' number of demos. Perhaps the
developed world will be able to produce result faster?

Awaiting practical answers suitable for application by (still the majority)
the peasants of the world, I thank you for your collective contributions.

Bakary Jatta

Bwiam village WD
The Gambia


Kurt wrote:

> Nothing since the 19th?? Something wrong on here?
>
> Kurt
>
Tom wrote:

> Kurt,
>
> It's summer. We're all sequestered.
>
> Tom

Then Kurt wrote:

> Sequestered??? Good Grief, like charcoal in terrapreta?
>
> Winter here, so to speak, occasionally get around in long pants.
>
> Kurt
>