Re: [compost_tea] Water temps for brewing

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 22:00:42 -0800

----- Original Message -----
From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 2:07 PM
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Water temps for brewing


Ted -

What evidence do you use to make the statement you made in your post about =
water temps for brewing -

Hi Elaine:

I started examining soil tests after applying tea brewed at higher temps an=
d applied at soil temps 10 D F or more below the brewer temp. When I brewe=
d closer to the soil temp, my soil test came back actually showing the tea =
was having some beneficial effect. The warmer tea didn't test as well. My=
 assumption is that soil temperature is important when applying biology tha=
t has to work in the soil. I started doing some research into soil microbi=
ology and temperature and found that different bacteria were found at diffe=
rent times and the amounts and types seemed to be dependent on soil temp. =
 

I have tried brewing at temps from 80 D.F. down to 55 D.F. and I have been =
looking at the tea with a Spencer 1000x microscope. I then take soil sampl=
es at different times and examine them the same way after dilution in disti=
lled water. I try to make sure the amounts of soil and soil depth are as s=
imilar as I can get them and I use the same microscope technique every time=
. I look to see if what I am transferring from the tea is "taking" in the =
places I apply it. Because of the limits of my microscope, I can't tell ty=
pes fo bacteria but can see bacterial fields and I can see if the same orga=
nisms transfer to the soil. This, of course, means before and after soil e=
xamination.

>From these results, I came to conclude that brewing closer to soil temp gav=
e me a greater assurance that I would be promoting biology that was more in=
 line with the temperature rather than brewing for one temperature and hopi=
ng I was getting the correct microbes for the soil.

By the way, I have been experimenting with the aerobe/anaerobe balance and =
the growth of protoza. I am getting results and will forward those when I =
have some repeatable trends. Your comment about Bacillus Licheniformis dur=
ing the mad cow discussions got me looking into ways to grow protoza and ba=
cterial/fungal eating nematodes within a brewing cycle of 48 to 72 hours. =
That meant that I had to rethink how I was brewing while still keeping the =
basic concept of ACT in place.

That is one of the experiments I am involved with. I have four others that=
 test my own understanding of the process and time lines for microbial grow=
th. I'm basically trying to get to the Trophic Zone that contains Flagella=
tes, Ameoba, Paramecium and BacterialFungal eating nematodes, etc. So I hav=
e brewers constantly going with different inputs. In one, I have an experi=
ment to produce actinomycetes I gathered up from the local decomposing tree=
 detrius. (I take a lot of precautions here because research has shown me t=
hat certain strains of these things can be quite toxic to humans.) I have =
trained my son, a ten-year-old home schooled intelectual monster in the sam=
e microscope technique and logging method I use and he is starting to do th=
e sampling now.

I have been looking at bacterial growth, bacterial enzymes and the cultivat=
ion of higher order bacteria/fungi through enzymes produced by the critters=
. I have already grown protoza and nematodes in brewers by using hay mixed=
 with compost and molasses and blood meal with some other organic inputs. =
 

I'm not a scientist by education but I'm not ignorant of the scientific met=
hod and the need to document before writing or speaking. I learned this ea=
rly on when I misstated that ACT can help control snails and slugs. It was=
 a good lesson in humility. If I write something on this list, it is the r=
esult of over two years of experimentation and brewing and applying tea in =
"real world" situations. I am constantly experimenting and testing my own =
hypotheses and those I implement from other people. It is simply a fact of=
 this type of business. Where I live, my business associate and myself are=
 considered knowledgable in this stuff because everything we have stated, w=
e have proven. Every assumption we have made has been backed by prior know=
ledge and shown to work. I do all the brewing and experimentation and brew=
er/aerator design. Very soon, I will have my designs posted so anyone can =
build the systems from off-the-shelf materials and be sure that they are as=
sembling a brewer that will work as stated.

However, if I misstate something or find that I had an incorrect conceptual=
 model, I will freely admit it and correct my misstatement.

Ted Peterson
Earth-Wise/Spirit of the Earth




Received on Sat Jan 17 2004 - 02:06:28 EST

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