Re: [compost_tea] Re: CTTF Report - Tests

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 10:05:41 -0700

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: ericgoodenough
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 7:01 AM
  Subject: [compost_tea] Re: CTTF Report - Tests


  Ted, et al:
  I'm not convinced that the inoculation of compost with compost tea
  additives will be an acceptable proposition. I spoke with Eric
  Sideman, CTTF chair

We're back to paradigms again? You know, there is a distinct possibility t=
hat because of the variables -- and I should clarify here that the variable=
s most people are referring to are variables in numbers. It is almost impo=
ssible to determine exact numbers of bacteria. Only estimates can be given=
 based on samples. Think of this like being a rat or bug wrangler for the =
movies. You get a call for lots of rats or bugs. You don't go out there a=
nd count each one, you bring a bunch of boxed of critters and release them =
in a controlled environment. Do you know exactly how many you have? No but=
 you can guess based on experience. -- ACT may never get organic certifica=
tion. Act can be used in sustainable farming though.

In my area, there are lots of growers who are organic for all practical pur=
poses but not certified. The main complaint is that the amount of testing =
required and the cost benefits are just not there to justify certification.=
  So, the ogranic growers who grow with organic practices call themselves s=
ustainable. Los Osos Valley Road has about 15 separate farming operations.=
  Some are big and some are small. Only one is CCOF (California Certified =
Organic Farm) on _at_ 60 acres. There are two or three people growing there a=
nd compared with the sustainable farms and conentional farms in the same ar=
ea the CCOF farm doesn't represent a pimple on a gnats butt. They spent so=
 much money getting certified that they had none left to grow anything. Th=
e paperwork they are required to keep is Herculean. The hoops they have to=
 jump through are detriments to farming not the safeguards they are suppose=
d to be.

If I recall correctly, there are less than 20 CCOF farms in the entire San =
Luis Obispo County -- Our main output is Ag. -- and we are the home of touc=
hy-feely, back to nature type people. So I am wondering if pursuing NOSB c=
ertification is worth the effort in general. However, if you are a grower =
with CCOF or some similar certification and you wanted to use ACT you may w=
ant to go through the hoops.

My feeling from reading the posts and the web site is that we are a looooon=
g way from certification in general. There is a lot of faulty science as f=
ar as I can tell. For our part, there aren't even standardized procedures =
that can guarantee exactly duplicatable numbers yet and even if the same pr=
ocedures are followed, the end result is still a variation of numbers. Rem=
ember that we are attempting to harnass wild elements into a systemology wh=
ere those wild elements behave as expected not as they behave in the wild y=
et their wild quality is what we want to preserve.

I salute those who are fighting the fight and I will help where I can.

Ted Peterson
EW/SOE



Received on Fri Apr 23 2004 - 13:51:14 EDT

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