[Terrapreta] Vinegar

[Mark Ludlow]

Thanks, Kevin!

The nearest analogy I can raise is the smoking of foods for purposes of
preservation. In my experience, at any rate, this has been accomplished with
the equivalent of low-temperature pyrolysis and while the smoke from a
smoldering fire is not overtly toxic to humans, it does seem to have an
affect on the bacterial activity in the meat or fish being smoked (yes, the
customary salting also lowers the water activity). If used as a soil
amendment, it seems reasonable to assume that there might be a similar
effect on soil flora.

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Chisholm [mailto:kchisholm at ca.inter.net] 
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 6:49 AM
To: mark at ludlow.com
Cc: 'Terrapreta'
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Vinegar

Dear Mark

Mark Ludlow wrote:
> List:
>
> I realize that acetic acid is a distillate of pyrolysis but the Japanese
Web
> Pages concerning the skid-mounted charcoal systems imply that condensing
the
> pyrolysis gases yields some very useful or beneficial distillates. Isn't
> there also a condensation of long-chain hydrocarbons as well as, possibly,
> some aromatics, that really aren't that beneficial to Living Things?
>   

Very good points!! However, "long chain hydrocarbons" per se are not a 
problem... lignin is an extremely long chained hydrocarbon. The problem 
is "killer compounds", whatever they are, and what they kill.

I don't know what kills what, but it is conceivable that "low 
temperature tars and pyrolysis products" could  kill organisms that were 
harmful to plant life and that "high temperature tars and pyrolysis 
products" would kill off beneficial organisms.

Japanese work, work in Indonesia(?) as reported by Roger Samson, and the 
India Work reported by Gerrit suggests that such "low temperature 
pyrolysis products" can indeed be beneficial to growth. On the other 
hand, creosote (high temperature pyrolysis products) have been used to 
extend rot resistance of fence posts, suggesting that they contain 
compounds that interfere with breakdown of vegetative matter. It may be 
that there is an "important reaction temperature", below which the 
results are beneficial, and above which, they start to become detrimental

I find the India Work, as reported by Gerrit 
(http://www.annadana.com/actu/new_news.cgi?id_news=159) to be extremely 
interesting and important! They have developed an "Agricultural 
Practise" that is "culturally appropriate". More specifically, they 
worked with the resources available (basic knowledge and local material 
resources) and the existing culture (eg, making use of pots that would 
be disposed of anyway), to solve a local problem that needed solving. 
They got a real and palpable result to reward their efforts, ensuring 
that they will continue the practise after teh Developers are gone.

Best wishes,

Kevin
> Mark
>
>
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