[compost_tea] Re: Soak in a Bucket CT

From: Kirk Leonard <kirk_at_oregonatural.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 15:35:18 -0700


Mike recalls "Rodale's Organic Gardening Magazine...always speaking of the
'soak in the bucket' (anaerobic) method." Are you surprised? He thinks
this is bad. I don't.

Soaking in a bucket is not necessarily anaerobic, first off. It's a method
many have used for a real long time. And if it's compost and water in a
bucket it's a compost extract, a compost tea. Period. This is what people
heretofore have and henceforth will understand. Aerating enhances aerobic
content.

Most people likely won't get newer methods unless a connection is made with
past
practices, hmm? Why would we want to fly in the face of history? Why would
we want to tell people who've been making compost tea for generations what
they have been making is not compost tea? Why not simply tell them about a
better compost tea?

Despite Sue Lincoln's (Anchorage News) lack of clarity on compost tea and
nutrients, perhaps aerobic and anaerobic are the two principal types of
compost tea. My take is aerobic tea is best and there may be some danger
with anaerobic teas, but they likely both have a place, and you do not have
to pump a compost tea to produce an aerobic or beneficial compost tea.

This week, I learned of another version of compost tea, from Florida and a
delightful, smart Asian organic grower. "Sun Tea" he called it. Half a
bucket of vermicompost and half water, stirred up, steeped overnight, shaken
up in the morning, used as a soil drench, very successfully. No electric
pumps involved. Excellent compost tea, we agreed.

Come on, folks, let's get past whacking at what people have done in the past
and get on with updating long-time organic practices. Even a healthy
steeped
manure compost tea is OK, in its place.

What is with this compulsion to claim AACT is the only compost tea? And
manure tea is outright bad? Where does that leave manure, which is the
earliest and still one of the most valuable organic amendments I am aware
of? NOT with "processed manure materials!" per USNOP, I hope. Manure
composts in tea media are certainly a steady contributor to the value of
compost teas.

Please, let's agree on this: Compost tea can be made several ways. It can
be aerated, stirred, steeped, or made with flow forms, for different
purposes, with or without additional nutrients. It's all compost tea, all
potentially good organic stuff, except for what might be made from NOP
manures, it seems.

The issue of pathogens is bogus if your animals are healthy, your compost or
vermicompost and your methods are good, eh? And if we can agree that manure
is usually ok and anaerobic teas may be a problem, and tell the difference
among them, we can put USDA/NOP's stupid processed manure and CT ideas in
the trash where they belong, yah?

--Kirk






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Received on Fri Jun 27 2003 - 19:46:12 EDT

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