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[Richard Haard]

Doctor May Waddington

Welcome to the Terrapreta discussion group.

I am a farmer living in Western Washington, USA and have been studying  
this topic and conducting experiments on my own for some time now. I  
hope you take the time to study the information resources the are in <http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org 
 >  You should feel welcome to consult this reading list on your work  
and sharing your findings and your learning process is also valuable  
to all of us who are list readers. .

I am impressed that you are in the correct place to do your work and  
you are extending help and advice to local people and indigenous  
people. Next October and November I am planning to travel to Argentina  
and parts of Brazil to work with another list correspondent as a  
volunteer. This is in order to learn about the region and to think  
about how I might help to make small scale agriculture and slash and  
char technology a viable combination. Just as you are doing now - my  
complements.

May I suggest that you use the charcoal you have made for soil  
supplement. It is best ground or pounded into a granulated powder at  
least. In addition, I suggest that you temper the charcoal in a  
compost with vegetation and urine, or some quantity of urea for some  
time before using. Also if you could monitor soil organic matter and  
basic chemical analysis to first establish a baseline of soil  
nutrition and then to be able to make intelligent decisions on crop  
management and need for fertilization.

Best Wishes

Richard Haard
http://www.fourthcornernurseries.com/about.asp

On May 12, 2008, at 4:41 AM, May Waddington wrote:

> My name is May Waddington, and I am a PHd antrhopologist. I have  
> worked in the amazon for many years with an indigenous tribe, and in  
> Northeast Brazil with traditional groups such as the babassu women  
> and andiroba women.
>
> Over the last 4 years I made a major turn on my life, leaving Rio de  
> Janeiro, purchasing 400 hectares of land in a region which is a  
> mixture of caatinga and cerrado,  the Buriti Doce farm. I am  
> employed at a small state college nearby.
>
> I have been running a series of agro-ecological experiments in this  
> land. In preparing to plant 10 hectares of bixa orellana  and  
> pineapple, we tested some slash and burn practices which are  
> considered less harming (queimada de toco vivo). This technique,  
> includes several security measures, selected trees are cut in a way  
> they will re-grow, and the most wood is saved for other uses. We  
> made 20 traditional ovens to produce charcoal in the area, which  
> burned for a week or so (see pictures - the wood is covered in earth  
> with an opening on each end of the caeira).
>
> The innovation was accompanied by the IBAMA (National environmental  
> agency) and was used to teach local farmers. It resulted in some  
> 1000 kg of charcoal, which I have been resisting to sell.
>
> I want to ask you if my charcoal can be used as Biochar. I would  
> also like to volunteer the farm as an experimental area for anyone  
> who may wish to study this production in this climate/soil conditions.
>
> As you must know, the State of Piauí is pioneering biodiesel  
> production, and there are major plants in the neighborhood.
>
> In case you show any interest, I can deliver written materials to  
> you. Please see pictures of the traditional charcoal making ovens.
>
>
> -- 
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