Re: [compost_tea] Hot (not warm) weather AACT considerations

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 12:15:35 -0400

Yes, mixing, turning of any kind is going to slice and dice some strands. The question gets to be, how much energy is going into the slicing and dicing? Less energy applied to the strands, the less damage.

So, tillage - turning with a trowel does practically no damage at all. Harrows, chisel plows, disc plows, and then rototillers do increasingly severe damage. Damage is related to how much energy is applied to rip things up.

Turning a compost pile with a turner that shreds the pile is bad news for fungi. Turning with something that just sends the compost on a roller coaster ride without crushing, without grinding the compost into small particles, doesn't cause much damage. You may get alot of dizzy fun-guys, but they are not ultimately harmed by the experience.

We need to do a comparison study of the "break-up" that different turners impose on compost, but that's something to be done when we get the compost tea situation under control.

In tea, we add surfaces for the fungi to grow on so the constant movement doesn't inhibit their growth.

The bubbling action should not destroy the fungal strands, so you have to be careful about the bubble sizes and their motion through the water. Tiny, or fine, bubbles, seem to be especially detrimental to maintaining fungal integrity. I think I explained the reasons for that during my talk at the International Compost Tea Council seminar in Seattle. Those who want to learn more about this need to come to an SFI seminar or come to the next ICTC seminar which will be held probably early next year.

And of course, SFI is constantly doing more research and testing to see what is going on with the modifications that people are making on their tea machines.

Talking about bubbles, has anyone encountered the latest modifications that Growing Solutions has made to their machines? My understanding is that they have yet again modified their machine. But my understanding could be faulty since the head of Growing Solutions has threatened legal actions if I speak to him or any of his associates or staff, so I don't initiate conversations with them. If they initiate the conversation, ok, I figure Mr. Alms will look really stupid if he initiates legal actions when it was his people that started the interaction.

Why did he threaten legal action? Because I have pointed out that the machine he designed doesn't make anything but bacterial tea. I have insisted constantly and continually that he get some decent data on his machine. He called me unethical and dishonest because I insist that he do proper testing on his machine.

Of course, he claims to have done testing. But then where are the data? One test, from a plate count lab, on his web site? He claims lots of testing, but he shows no proof of that testing? Hum, what does that suggest to you?

But apparently yet another modification of their machine design has been made and - perhaps - they are getting better fungal biomass in the brew.

BUT, when any modification is made, data showing the effect of that modification on the biology are required. Data from a reputable lab, naturally. Even plate count data might work, if he could show a SERIOUS improvement in species diversity, or in species richness, or in just numbers. But since they never actually give anyone any data, GSI can't even do that.

Anyway, enough on that. I'd just appreciate knowing more about what's up with them, if anyone knows.
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So, specific things are done in tea to help the fungi deal with the tumbling and mixing. Aeration is one of the critical things. Bubble size has to be within a certain range - not too small and not too large (Goldilocks strikes again!). Large enough that upward movement in the water is uniform, but small enough to maintain good surface-to-volume ratios so maximum diffusion of oxygen out of the bubbles occurs during it's trip through the water.

It's great to have tea-makers that give good fungal extraction and growth, and that are simple and easy-to-clean. I am thankful that Bruce Elliott (Earth Tea brewers), Leon Hussey (KIS brewers), Bob Norsen (Bobolaters), George Hahn (WormGold), Charlie Clarke (what are you calling your machines Charlie?), John Evans (Alaska Giant/Bounty), and many other folks making their own home-made tea brewers are making good, reliable tea and getting great results. And of course, Denis Hroncek with the compost extractor machine as well. Stay tuned for info on that over the next few months.

I just want to hear from everyone about successes -

and failures if you have any!

And Mike, keep talking to those fungi, they really appreciate the encouragement. It's when you can start to hear they talking back that you need to get concerned....... :-)

Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
SFI Corvallis, OR
SFI Port Jefferson, NY
SFI Lismore, NSW, Australia
SFI Hilversum, The Netherlands
SFI Cambridge, New Zealand
www.soilfoodweb.com

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Received on Wed Jul 23 2003 - 13:10:12 EDT

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