Re: [compost_tea] Coliform in tea

From: Autumn Scott <autumn_at_olympus.net>
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 10:55:38 -0700

At 06:41 AM 8/26/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi Autumn -
>
>As I keep saying, over and over, until I'm a bit tired of saying this, and
>WISH people would listen, read, pay attention!
>
>The tea has to have SEVERAL conditions before human pathogens will be reduced.
>
>Got that everyone? SEVERAL conditions, not just keeping the tea aerated.
>
>What else is needed besides maintaining conditions above 6 ppm? I'm sorry
>to use the Socratic method on you, Autumn, but you have been to an SFI
>training session -
>
>What are the THREE conditions necessary to reduce human pathogens in tea?
>
>And I have hammered on this point as well -
>
>What's the difference between a coliform, a fecal coliform and E.
>coli? Which ONE is of concern? I've answered this several times.
>
>I'll answer both questions ONE LAST TIME, if you really can't find the
>answer. But after this, I'm just going to say, it's in the Compost Tea
>Brewing Manual, third and fourth editions. Please go check it out.
>
>
>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
>
>
>
>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>compost_tea-unsubscribe_at_yahoogroups.com
>
> Elaine,

I believe I have more of an understanding of these points than may have
come across in my posting. I thought I had stated that the total coliform
was not a serious problem to me, as we are drinking our water that has been
found to have it, and I do realize that fecal coliform and E. coli are the
bacteria that can cause problems. The reason I had brought it up was
because the SFI lab report states that total coliform over 3.4 is not
generally allowed in irrigation water, and so I was assuming that if I
followed regulations, maybe I shouldn't be applying ACT that contains over
that level? I don't know, I was asking for advice.

The Manual states that aerobic conditions in the tea maker, humic acids and
complex food resources, and competition from a high diversity of beneficial
organisms all work to prevent the growth of disease-causing organisms.
Again, this is information I understand, and I guess I was simply writing
quickly and leaving out these conditions when I wrote my question, as I
felt they all existed in my tea. (But maybe not.) I feed a balanced
commercially prepared nutrient pack, and in hopes of achieving high
diversity, I used four different types of compost in my blend. My lab
report showed that all of my numbers were in the desired range (although
not as high as I'd like, I may have had some problems with extraction),
except active fungi, and hyphal diameter was 3.5.

What am I missing? Autumn


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Received on Tue Aug 26 2003 - 18:11:38 EDT

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