Re: [compost_tea] kelp sources for tea

From: Jason Austin <jason.austin_at_shaw.ca>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 07:31:08 -0800

This was the post that Kevin spoke of today.

Jason

kevin john richardon wrote:

> Yo
>
> Using 60 mesh kelp flour. Thinking 50 mesh will work also?
>
> Put into tea as a surface for organisms to attach to and to provide
> food resource during brew. What is not assimilated by organisms
> during tea brew:
>
> 1 maybe we used too much!
> 2 will go out with tea application and be available to microbes as
> food resource in the field. This could potentially be used by "bad
> guys" also? I guess. I use fish hydrolysate in conjunction with tea
> applications in order to provide food resource for applied organisms.
> So I am putting food out regardless. It is imperitive to get food out
> there for the microbes at least initially until the plant responds and
> does this.
>
> In a system where harvesting or otherwise removal of plant material is
> taking place, it seems we will always need to have a fertility program
> in place to account for, replenish and feed what has been taken away.
> If we have a system in which all plant materials remain in place, then
> it would seem that in time, our intervention will be completed, the
> system brought back into health will reach a state of natural,
> sustainable homeostasis. Further intervention would be necessary in
> the event of disturbance.
>
> As for results, we were using a recipe which included soluble kelp.
> All other inputs left the same and only replacing the soluble kelp
> with kelp flour yielded comparible SFI test results. We now use kelp
> flour.
>
> This transition has taken place over the winter and application of the
> tea to the field is not being measured, so no field results to report;
> only bioassay.
>
> I suspect that much of our fungal counts are coming from the compost.
> Using Activated Alaska Humus, there is a lot of fresh grown hyphae in
> the AAH when we put it in the brewer. To what extent the nutrients
> are contributing to the continued growth of this hyphae during the tea
> brew? I am uncertain how to distinguish what we started with from
> what continued to grow in the tea, from what continued to grow in the
> tea due to the presence of kelp and/or humic acids.
>
> The next experiment to run, which for whatever reason we did not do
> all along, is to send a sample of the starting material (in my case
> AAH) along with two tea samples. Make two teas - same water, same
> brewing system, same type and amount compost. Put ration of tea
> nutrients in one brewer and none in the other. Compare final analysis.
>
> Since I have absolutely no qualms with being wrong, I am venturing to
> say that from my limited experience, I suspect that the results I am
> getting using AAH and a BobO, a high % of the fungal numbers achieved
> in the tea are attributed to stimulating the growth of fungal hyphae
> in the Alaska Humus three days prior to brewing. I suspect that
> adding kelp and humic acid to the tea, and letting the tea brew for
> 18-24 hrs, while these additions may contribute to the continued
> growth of the fungi, the tea with no nutrient addition may be
> comparible in the final analysis.
>
> Time will tell. Hopefully will get to do this experiment soon.
>
> North American Kelp has been cool with us. Talk to Foster. 1 888 662
> 5357. If you are not in the market for large quantity, call us and
> we'll pass some on to you to try.
>
> Peace~ Kev
>
>
> On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 09:44:12 -0800 Jason Austin <jason.austin_at_shaw.ca>
> wrote:
> Hi Kev & Bob
>
> Could you elaborate more on your use of the kelp flour please.
>
> Do you use it as a food for the tea, or to add nutrients to the tea so
> the end product is both tea and nutrients.
>
> What results are you finding from using this?
>
> Jason
>
>
>
> kevin john richardon wrote:
>
> > Hey kids, cats outta the bag? I don't like keeping secrets...
> >
> > We use kelp flour. Anybody else onto this? SFI Tea Tests we
> > performed, indicate results are just as good using kelp flour as
> > compared to using soluble kelp ($oluble is wicked expensive).
> >
> > Buy the stuff in bulk. Volume cuts down on cost. We DO LIKE
> > providing materials to end users, cheap. Although the biological
> > approach is rad and speaks for itself, the surest way to speak loudly
> > is through economics. Biological Programs are economical. Would be
> > happy to pass materials on to you.
> >
> > Peace~
> > Kev and Bob
> > Holiday Inn Express, Corvallis, OR
> >
> > On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 14:31:22 -0000 fortyhillsms
> > <fortyhillsms_at_yahoo.com> wrote:
> > I am looking for information regarding the best sources for kelp to
> > add to vermicompost tea. Can someone help me out? Thanks
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Kevin John Richardson
> > Local Solutions
> > (781) 834-0474
> >
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>
> Kevin John Richardson
> Local Solutions
> (781) 834-0474
>
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Received on Tue Mar 23 2004 - 11:32:57 EST

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