[compost_tea] Help with Grant Proposal and "research" project

From: J Peter Young <peter_at_bennettvalleyvineyards.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2003 11:29:07 -0800

The Organic Producers Task Force of the Sonoma County Grape Growers
Association is applying for a grant and setting up a rather casual research
project on compost tea and its impact on soil biology, petiole health and
must chemistry.
 
Our plan would be to use to halves of a block and apply compost tea to one
half perhaps 3 times a year and simply water to the other half. Application=
s
would all be done via drip irrigation as it is the only financially
practical method for the multi acre blocks we would be working on. We would
test the tea before each application both at the tank and at the emmitter
(to see what actually hits the ground). We would test the soil before the
first application, in the middle of the season and at the end of the season=
.
We would test the petioles at the usual times (bloom). We would also harves=
t
and vinify (make the wine) the blocks separately so that we can test the
composition of the musts.
 
All other aspects of farming (cover crop, weed control, fertilizer, etc) to
remain the same on both blocks.
 
We are hoping that we are going to see better soil biology, better petiole
health and better must chemistry in the block with compost tea. But whateve=
r
the results are, they will be interesting.
 
We would also like to run a third block with something like Cerres just to
see how that does. But are concerned we won't have the money.
 
We are looking for input on
 
1. How to make and apply the tea so that it is as active and as consistent
as possible at each application. We have sources of good, reliable, tested
compost.
2. How to get the tea and soil tests done as cheaply as possible.
3. Other considerations in writing the grant or structuring and/or
conducting the trials to improve the reliability of the results.
 
Thanks for your consideration.
 
Peter Young
Organic Producers Task Force
Sonoma County Grape Growers




Received on Fri Dec 05 2003 - 15:49:20 EST

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