Re: [compost_tea] Information for Newcomer

From: kevin john richardon <kmagic_at_backpacker.com>
Date: 23 Feb 2004 21:52:02 -0000

Porch screen is awesome. It's a matter of the least common denomenator; what type of application tools are we using that have smaller orifaces than porch screen (1/36"? I dunno, haven't measured)? Bob makes a great observation, using one or more screens, the effective pore size remains the same! Interesting.

Maintaining the compost in a chamber where the energy of the aeration is localized, focused where the compost is so that the extraction potential is maximized makes total sense. The column also allows for the compost to move around and be physically manipulated by the air, mechanical movement necessary to dislodge those guys and get the fines (which I personally enjoy) out into the tea. And this will make a difference in tea quality and field performance. Plus the tool creates less of a logistical hurdle in any sense than does sieving through panty hose.

True, no extranious water circulation machinery necessary. Aeration produces great water pumping action and circulates water nicely keeping the solution (mixture) relatively homogeneous.

When it comes to personal preference, Ime not judging anybody, Ime a lover; just participating in this forum and putting out additional perspective. Thanks for understanding and keeping it real.

We should not allow ourselves to get personal about this. We do not have too, cause we all had the proper testing performed! Bob's numbers are public information. As you suggested, Ted lets look at them together. Can we see the documentation, Ted? Maybe just write it out if necessary. AB, TB, AF, TF...

I am aware that compost matters, and there will be little we can do to account for such variability, yet I think it worth the comparison. Bacteria ARE easy to grow. Lets talk fungi, protazoa (also easy yet possibly more time consumindg depending on material), and heck lets talk nematodes...

In the spirit of experimentation and education (which both require measurement, so we have something to discuss, ?)! Weve got a lot to learn together.

No duct tape required~
Kev


On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 22:18:56 -0800 Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net> wrote:
Look people, we have to be able to make a product that will work without extensive testing. We have to be able to say: "add this and this and this much air and you will get this."

It is unreasonable to ask a casual user to go through everything I did to come up with my formulas. It is unreasonable to ask a person to spend $200 on testing for a brewer that may brew each batch differently. That would mean, if we follow the logic, testing each and every brew because there are just too many variables. I have been doing this for two years and have brewed over 300 documented batches. If I can't tell a user how to get something out of his/her tea, I have wasted all the work I have done..

I was offering advice to a new person trying to brew. I didn't go into all the differences of turf, woody plants, food crops, etc. because first they need to just brew. There are enough sources, many of them errant, that make the process too difficult for the average person. It's far easier to just get some Miracle Gro and be done with it.

A person should be able to brew tea based on a procedure and formula and be reasonably sure that they will get good results. If they can't and need to test all the time, formulas are useless and procedures have no validity. Notice that I mentioned testing when you try something new or alter existing formulas. There is no reason to make this more difficult than it is. I personally offer suggestions to get people interested. I don't even sell brewers any more except custom jobs for specific clients so I can give away as much information as I want.

If I was new to this and followed the advice of this list, for the most part, I would be lost in a sea of details that while important are way above what I need to start.

Yeah, we can all give advice and try to sell our $500 Kiis and Bobulator and whatever brewers and we will have a lot of unhappy users. If you want to waste money, go and by a Soil Soup brewer and play with bags. I have looked at virtually every system and have found containerized compost in a brewer to be nothing but trouble which is why I advocate free suspension materials. If you want headaches, use systems that require containers or bags. Also, systems that pump liquid seem to be less reliable than those that aerate directly and pump separately. Harder to clean and more damaging to the microbes.

Filtering:

You want to get around 200 Microns. One layer of window screen will not do it. Period. I have experimented with many variations and can document each and every one. Remember, we have to assume that some of this tea will be sprayed through a sprayer. Window screening is about 1/32 of an inch and that is way too big.

Ted Peterson
Earth-Wise/Spirit of the Earth






Kevin John Richardson
Local Solutions
(781) 834-0474

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Received on Mon Feb 23 2004 - 23:05:31 EST

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