RE: [compost_tea] Small Home Brewers versus Commercial Ones

From: Robert Norsen <bnbrew_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 11:52:48 -0700 (PDT)

Ryan, Rosie and Sony You asked for opinions? What is presented by the State of Pa is I believe, going to lead to many gardeners dinking around with little dabs of tea, many of which will have poor aeration, poor circulation and considering the time spent tending the little buckets will give it up and go back to chemicals.
 
The typical aquarium pump is going to give hardly any air. The tiny amount of air will give no circulation. Stirring it once in a while is going to be tiresome when it is needed all night. Just more clutter to mess up your work area, collect dust.
 
That is why small brewers developed - to get it right and to take the moment by moment drag out of making good Aerated Compost TEA - ACT.. Things like instructions - large enough quiet air supply to aerate and circulate, extractor chambers to confine the compost to a highly active region of the brewer so it does get the microbes off the compost, autmatic, constant circulation so the aeration gets to the brew evenly - all night long. Large capacity so there is enough ACT to do the entire garden or lawn with effective amounts in one brew.

Large enough to share with neigbors. OR if neighbors joined to purchase and use a small brewer like the Bitti that best fits 10 gallons but can do 5 to 30 gallons was shared by 4 neghbors it would split the $ 227 cost to about the cost of dinner for 2 .
 
In fact this month the Bitti is being sold with 3, $7.00 brew pacs included. If 4 neighbors want to buy one I will send 4 pacs. Each pac includes activated compost, and nutrients to brew $ 100. worth of ACT at nursery retail ACT prices.
 
So, Ryan, Rosie and Sony wherther you choose a Kiss, a Bitti, Ted Peterson's, an Alaskan Giant, the small home brewers do a lot more than just cost more. They make brewing almost automatic so you can go play in the garden instead of "cooking" TEA by the hour. More important they add the right amount of air and circulation so the TEA is beneficial, not questionable.
"Ryan, Matthew" <matthew.ryan_at_rodaleinst.org> wrote:
Hi Rosie,
 
Check out http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/Tea/tea1.htm for info on a home brewer.
 
Note: Since this was posted on the web, information has come out suggesting that molasses should not be added to compost tea.
 
As far as I understand, as long as you don't have foul smells coming from your compost tea, there is no danger of damaging your plants.
 
Other people may have different opinions about this, and if so I would be interested in hearing them.
 
Good luck,
 
Matthew Ryan
Research Technician
The Rodale Institute
611 Siegfriedale Road
Kutztown, PA 19530
Phone: (610) 683-1405
www.thenewfarm.org
 
  


Yahoo! Groups SponsorADVERTISEMENT


---------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links

   To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/compost_tea/
  
   To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
compost_tea-unsubscribe_at_yahoogroups.com
  
   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.





Received on Wed May 19 2004 - 22:33:59 EDT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Tue Feb 07 2012 - 14:15:19 EST