To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Terra Preta
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 13:11:43 -0500
My son pointed out that the easiest way to get charcoal in small bits was to
burn sawdust. Unfortunately winter is over now, but if you do any fires at
all this summer you might want to try this. I took a tin with a lid, mine
was a cookie tin about 8" high, and I punched two holes in the lid with a
nail. I wrapped wire around tin below the lid to lift it out when hot, this
is not really necessary. I'd stuff it full of sawdust and put it in the
wood buring stove on it's side with the two holes near the middle of the
fire. As it heated the producer gas would blow out the little holes and
burn, we'd hear it going. We'd take the thing out later, let it cool before
opening it. The result is nice fine charcoal. Sometimes I didn't leave it
in the fire long enough and the middle was still brown. You can't open it
while it's atill really hot, or it will just burn up. Sawdust is getting
harder and harder to find free. I get mine from a truss factory, nice and
dry and fine. Donna