[Terrapreta] Grain Farms - Nitrous Oxide - Biochar Talk

[Barry Batchelor]

Hi All

A Friend of mine told me when he worked on a grain farm many years ago 
they cleared large areas of forest pushing them into long rows which 
were burnt, then they plowed the ash and char into the ground in the 
same spot, every year after that he noticed a doubling of grain where 
the ash and char was plowed into the ground, he said he never noticed a 
reduction of this effect over the years he worked on this property. He 
thought it was the ash content but after talking over the subject 
started to think about the biochar effects, I would love to go have a 
dig around that paddock now. Talking to grain farmers who cleared by 
this method might be a good source to check to see how straight charcoal 
lasts in modern chemical agricultural soils.

One of the things that came up at the IAC was the large reduction in 
nitrous oxide from soil once Biochar had been added, you don't hear much 
reporting about nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. What little I do know 
about it, it's a big issue like CO2. Please correct me if I'm wrong but 
I remember hearing something along the lines of a 40% reduction, anyone 
have more details on amounts of Biochar versus reduction of nitrous oxide??

Anyone live close to the Sunshine Coast (Australia)? New Zealand's 
famous Dr Alfred Harris and myself will be putting together a talk with 
Permaculture Groups, Organic/Biodynamic farmers and anyone else who is 
interested in coming along, At this stage the talk will be on either the 
16th or 17th of June, I will post full details once I have them. We may 
also have another specialist coming from Sydney too. (it's not prime 
time, it's grass roots)

Barry Batchelor
www.Biochar.net