[compost_tea] Re: confused and alarmed

From: dkemnitz2000 <dkemnitz2000_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2003 23:12:41 -0000

--Are you saying there are too many variables in the ACT process
using your machine and someone's tested compost (or yours)to always
produce satisfactory product per SFI standards? I think you are. To
me this indicates many problems(opportunities if you wish). Going
back to cheesemaking again. Every vat must turn into cheese or there
are big "problems in river city" very quick. There are lots of
variables and there are patented processes But cheese must go out the
door almost 24/7. We can't be reworking product. I use cheese as an
example cause it is a bilogical system on a production line. There is
cheese starter(which affects finished product as does compost ),
sanitation, personnel variables, raw material variables, profit/loss
and apparently more quality control due to it's intended use.
Considering the info given on this board I believe there is much more
R and D necessary before I would want to spend money on a tea maker
and then turn around and have to test finished product. For one thing
testing slows up the production when product has to be sent hundreds
of miles away. Who wants to apply the product and wait for test
results a week later? Who pays for that application cost when the
product didn't meet spec? Dennis


- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "Ted Peterson" <ted.peterson_at_t...>
wrote:
> Dennis:
>
> No matter which brewer you use, you will have to ensure that the
compost you use is biologically diverse enough to give you a chance
at growing the microbes you need. Testing is the only way you can
ensure that you are getting some activity. You may never know which
exact microbes you are getting but you can ensure that you are
getting some. Testing of your compost and you tea is as important as
testing the soil and plants where you are applying the tea. After a
while you will learn how to brew for your areas and how to customize
compost to accentuate bacterial or fungal activity. You will be able
to reduce testing or eliminate tea testing but stick with soil/leaf
assay.
>
> You will also learn how to add nutrients. For example, I add far
less nutrients than most people because I did a number of experiments
to find out which things caused reactions. Now I have only done a
little over 200 tests. Elaine has probably done thousands of tests.
Right now I am involved in a test to see how draining and refilling
my tank while keeping the same aeration, compost and nutrients as the
first batch shows on a dissolved O2 meter. I'm into my 6th batch and
am starting to see some real difference. Now, I didn't clean or
scrub the tank but did clean the aeration unit each time I filled the
tank with water.
>
> No anaerobic activity to note but then I know I'm not brewing a
whole spectrum of bacteria. At 55 - 60 degrees, I'm getting aerobic
multiples because the DO shows it's working. I know, however, that
the diversity is small. This is great for an experiment but not
something I would use for a client. Ultimately, it would be great to
be able to test for diversity. I don't think I could afford that
right now though. It would take a lot of testing in more controlled
situation than I am willing to get involved with currently.
>
> Testing is the only real way you have of knowing if what you are
brewing works. Remember, the brewer will not add any microbial or
fungal life if that life does not exist in your compost. The brewer
allows you to multiply the benificial organisms that exist in the
compost. (In the case of fungi, good brewing can extract them from
the compost into your tea.) Good brewing can multiply aerobic
bacteria 10,000 to 20,000 times. So when you add them to your soil
or spray them on your leaves, you have a much better chance of
transferring live critters into your environment.
>
> Ted Peterson
> Earth-Wise/Spirit of the Earth
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: dkemnitz2000
> To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2003 4:10 PM
> Subject: [compost_tea] Re: confused and alarmed
>
> What are you responsible for? I asked before and will ask
again:When
> I follow your instructions making tea using your machine and
> ingredients do you guarantee the tea will meet SFI's minimum
> standards? If you've done the R and D and I paid you for it (by
> buying your machine)do I have to test ACT(send money) to assure
it's
> quality? Dennis


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Received on Fri Dec 19 2003 - 18:39:42 EST

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