Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[richard green <greenrw71@hotmail.com>]

Ah, very good points. I am glad I am not the only one who questions the why of things. However what of the nitrogen in urea? liquid, not gas. One of the many natural sources, chicken manure,bat droppings ect. mixed with water? A porous absorbent media such charcoal absorbs what it comes in contact with. Dose or will inoculated charcoal become a habitat for nitrifying bacteria thus releasing the nitrogen to plants? As for earth worms, who says they do not derive any benefit from charcoal? Currently I am adding shifted charcoal dust to my worm bin with equal portion of sand and water. They seem to be doing excellent. I imagine the absorbent charcoal passing thru the bodies picking up and holding on to the worm poo nutrients. I love the anticipation of harvest. It is suspected and being studied by cornell university that charcoal in the soil is utilized as habitat for many soil denizens. 2/3 of the human race curently use wood for cooking. A fact not likely to change. Wood burning cook stoves utilizing only the volatile gasses for heat are being developed and offer great promise. The trapped CO2 in the form of charcoal is returned to the soil becoming a carbon sink where it decomposes over a period of centuries instead of compost which also releases CO2 back into the air in less than a five year period depending on geographical location. 100% of its Co2 content of the compost is released. And just how much CO2 is released from the soil when tilling in green manures? Any new idea should be questioned, but also approached with and open mind and asked what if. Organic farming practices can feed the world. And they are beyond question far less damaging to nature than conventional agriculture. But they are not perfect. And we do ourselfs an injustice when we claim absolute purity.

Rick

 

> Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:11:03 -0700
> From: tradingpost@lobo.net
> To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Bio-Char test garden
>
>
> The wood biochar is made from is organic but the burning breaks down the organic compounds in it including volatized gasses and leaves only minerals including elemental carbon. Any nitrogen from the original material is gone. Chemistry 101. The remaining minerals do not feed earthworms or microbes that feed plant growth; only organic matter can do that. Biology 101. And obviously anything soaked in nitrogen would be a good source of nitrogen. The problem with soaking charcoal in nitrogen is you can't. It's a gas. If you're thinking of saving the fuel from tillage, think of the fuel wasted in the burning. It could be used to heat a house. And making charcoal releases CO2 to the atmosphere. Ecology 101.
>
> You mention
> Are not normal organic practices,
> >green manures which require tillage to get the nitrogen in the soil? Is
> >that not damaging to soil structure?
>
> Organic practices do not "damage" the soil. Organic gardening can feed the world.
>
> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
>
> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
>
> On 2/18/2011 at 12:05 AM richard green wrote:
>
> >Charcoal is organic matter, which is why nature makes charcoal? Every
> >forest fire that is rained on! Is not composting accelerated
> >decomposition? We do in months what nature would take years to accomplish.
> >This includes deep mulch sheet composting. Charcoal is stable OM requiring
> >centuries to decompose, it resist compaction and provides a habitat for
> >mycorrhizal fungi. Is not every perminate raised bed at some time formed
> >by moving soil? Thus aerated? Bio-char is a one time application, or it
> >can be accomplished thru multiple applications thru sheet composting by
> >addition to your normal compost and used as a mulch, and it is a good
> >nitrogen source if soaked in nitrogen. Are not normal organic practices,
> >green manures which require tillage to get the nitrogen in the soil? Is
> >that not damaging to soil structure? I rescued another pile of leafs from
> >the side of the road destined for the local land fill today they will
> >become mulch or compost, I left the branches that could have become
> >biochar because I've not yet dug a small fire pit. I am doing my share to
> >help . I thank God for Rondale who remained open minded to new ways of
> >thinking and re-testing of old ideas and asked himself if there is a
> >better way. My intent is to test not argue. I respect and share the same
> >beliefs as many on this list. However,Thank of the savings in fuel alone
> >if OG farmers could skip the tillage of green manures?
> >
> >
> >Rick
> >
>
>
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