Re: [compost_tea] AACT and Pasture

From: Frank L Teuton <fteuton_at_sympatico.ca>
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 10:53:39 -0400

Hi Brian,

We've used compost tea on pasture here in Quebec on a small scale, about 12
acres or 5 hectares. Applied it with a lawn tractor and a 25 gallon tow
behind sprayer, using a boom that sprayed about a six foot swath. We've
applied it through a tower attachment to apple trees, and had it fall on the
grass sward below.

Reasons for using compost teas on pastures include: more rapid manure
cycling, better grass growth and health, and hopefully pathogen reduction
(one mechanism might be the presence of nematophagous fungi, recently
discussed).

If you are located in a region which would profit from pasture irrigation,
application of the teas through the irrigation system would be a no-brainer.
Systems designed to handle effluent would be especially suitable, I suspect.
See www.alphaag.com, www.watterreels.com, and for a very basic system see
the article by Joel Salatin in a Stockman GrassFarmer issue in the last few
years, www.stockmangrassfarmer.com . Combining tea with irrigation would
make tea application very simple and economical; I think you would want to
put the tea on in the middle of the cycle for soil drench, and at the end
for foliar.

In our very cold climate, we feel that especially in a low snow year, it is
great to be able to kick start the foodweb by reinoculating the soil surface
in the spring.

Unfortunately we don't have a big budget for testing.

Regards,

Frank Teuton

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Gallagher" <briang_at_timdc.govt.nz>
To: "Compost_Tea_at_Yahoogroups. Com (E-mail)" <compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 10:28 PM
Subject: [compost_tea] AACT and Pasture


> Dear All,
> I have been a member of this site for sometime gathering information but
have not been able to offer much input until now. So bear with me while I
give you some background.
>
> I am the Solid Waste Manager for the Timaru District Council which is
located in the South Island of New Zealand. I am currently trying to assess
what to do with upwards of 24,000 tonnes of compostable waste (eg. garden
prunings, grass, weeds, food scraps). My approach has been to look at
potential markets and work backwards determining processing and collection
systems. Most waste management people offer a waste solution without
considering what the end compost product may be or what the potential
markets could be.
>
> Agriculture is an important input to our local economy and our local dairy
company is estimated to become the second largest in the world when the
expansion programmes are finished in 2 years.
>
> With my investigations at all the different processes for compostable
waste, one of the niche products that shows a lot of potential is ACCT. The
long term sustainability of our soils and groundwater is an important issue,
because it is the life source of our economy.
>
> Before I can convince my politicians that we should embark down a
"biological" pathway for processing our waste some
> "local proof " is required by them, but also for potential market
expansion.
>
> During our southern summer we will be conducting an initial ACCT trial on
12 hectares (30 acres of pasture). In-conjunction with this we will also be
engaging the "Crop and Food Research Institute if New Zealand" to monitor a
trial block at their research centre. I also will be applying ACCT to
grassed landscaping plots so that this may attract some attention during our
dry summer. (Annual rainfall 760 mm, 30 inches). Dr Elaine and Cherryle from
NZ Soilfoodweb plus Richard from the Compost Tea Company of NZ have been
instrumental in helping us establish our trial
>
> I have purchased a 1000 litre (260 US Gallon) brewer from the Compost Tea
Company in New Zealand. Also we have purchased a 400 litre (105 US gallon)
spray unit for the trial. The spray unit operates an Imovilli M50 diaphram
pump rated to 49 litres
> (12.9 US gallons)/Minute open flow _at_ 580 PSI max pressure. Mounted on the
rear of the unit is a KLC18 FieldJet liquid fertiliser nozzle capable of
spraying a width of 6.7 metres (22 feet) at a spraying pressure of 2.5 BAR,
(37.5 PSI), which equates to an application rate of 195 litres(51.5 US
gallons) per Hectare (2.5 acres). Initially we are trying to achieve 80
litres/hectare. The unit also has a spray gun to allow us flexibility for
other applications.
>
> We expect to get under way mid October with the trials. We have completed
one test brew with promising results, however we need to increase our fungal
levels and this needs to be with our compost. With the remnants of winter
and snow still lurking, we will need to heat our brew overnight. We are
using a mix of vermicast and woody compost along with molasses (1 litre) and
humic acid (1 litre) as the inputs.
>
> I will endeavour to keep you informed with our progress and will post data
as we have more to offer.
>
> In the meantime I would appreciate any comments, contacts or grower
experiences with ACCT and pasture/grass.
>
> Regards
> Brian Gallagher,
> Solid Waste Manager,
> Timaru District Council,
> e-mail : briang_at_timdc.govt.nz
> Ph. 0064-3-6848199, Ext 8065
> Fax. 0064-3-6842206
> Mobile 0064-27-220-5545
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> compost_tea-unsubscribe_at_yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>


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Received on Sun Oct 05 2003 - 11:27:36 EDT

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