Re: [compost_tea] Re: New poll for compost_tea

From: Robert Norsen <bnbrew_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 21:00:45 -0700 (PDT)

Graeme - I'm not qualified to give you answers but I would like to suggest some ideas. We have people who do a lot of testing with "standardized" machines and rather standardized nutrients. Both are moderate cost, low tech so they can be reproduced there or imported at low cost.
If you were to start with those knowns it might be a short time and few mis-steps to the field tests that are the final measure of success. Once you get some working you may be able to have a feel for the compost, the soil and nutrients needed in your area.
 
Oh the soil- that can be tested before and after applications. I think you could send that over a several days trip and get useful information. Like I said the guys and gals that know are not me. I'm just interested in helping to find solutions. If you want to try a bob's BobOLator I think Air fare on it would be about $ 100. For a promise to use and test and report your activity there I will give you one. If the BobO does what you need I would like to have you use many and perhaps market them there. I can't give away more than the first one but on-going they are very low cost and low cost to operate. All you need is a tank of 50 to 250 gallons. and a pump to unload and a spray system. Usually there are tote tanks in the area that are recycled from shipping These totes are not returnable. They look kinda shabby but the performance is good and the price is right. You modify them a little to do exactly what is needed.. You can see them on my web site. Lousy pi
 ctures
 but they tell the facts.
Let me know if this is of any help Bob
 
I
Graeme Gerrard <ggerrard_at_resonant.com.au> wrote:


> It might be interesting to find out how many of us are to far away
>from labs that can do SFW type testing.How are you then evaluating
>your tea.If it is white ,floats on water and goes quack,is it a duck?
>Until we get a decent lab here in africa ,what else can we do ??---
>In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "Jeff Lowenfels" <jeff_at_g...> wrote:
>> Periodic tea testing is crucial. There are three hundred or so
>members on this list. There should be at least 300 'yes' responses to
>this poll!
>


I raised this question here at a group meeting, where we are 4 - 5
days from the Lismore lab (and that's what they call "overnight"
delivery!). People tended to say the only real way of testing, was
not how many of this or that microbe was in the brew, but how the tea
effected the plant growth, health, disease problems, etc.
Trial plots was the way people wanted to go.
I know there is a more scientific interest in CT for some, but for
growers, it either works or it don't. Of course, if it doesn't work,
you have to figure out why and that is where we have to do our own
experimentation.
I guess most agricultural practises over the last 10,000 years were
developed without labs.(I know - that's why it has taken so long!)

--
Graeme Gerrard
ggerrard_at_resonant.com.au

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Received on Thu Jun 26 2003 - 00:42:11 EDT

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