Re: [compost_tea] MICROBIOLOGY TESTING of COMPOST TEAS

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 18:25:26 -0800

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: butch ragland
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 4:39 PM
  Subject: Re: [compost_tea] MICROBIOLOGY TESTING of COMPOST TEAS


  What is the signifience of traces of e coli such as a
  random bird droping on a pile of compost.


Think of aerobic and anaerobic conditions. You have a compost pile or wind=
row you have carefully nurtured from greenwaste only, no animal feces used =
in the compost. It sits outside and a couple of birds fly over and leave d=
roppings. Now, most birds are carnivores; they eat insects and worms along=
 with berries and nuts and stuff. But their digestive systems, in general,=
 are capable of digesting meat, or protein from animals. That means they h=
ave the bacteria in their digestive systems to handle these inputs. A bird=
's digestive system is anaerobic which means that anaerobic bacteria thrive=
 there. There are some switchers but it's more of a case where they can to=
lerate O2 as opposed to requiring O2. There are e coli, and other pathogen=
s, associated with bird equivelant of a colon.

When these birds evacuate (Remember, birds do not have urinary tracts like =
humans. You don't see birds running sound lifting their legs on bushes and=
 branches.) all the material goes including bacteria feeding on the stuff b=
eing ejected. This hits the compost pile and along comes Joe Composter and=
 turns the pile over. Now these bacteria are at the bottom or near the cen=
ter of the pile with little air. It's an environment they like so they sta=
rt multiplying. Leave it long enough and keep your pile anaerobic enough a=
nd you can generate pathogen levels that are unacceptable by EPA standards =
for compost. Remember also that bacteria don't generally taxi so you have =
to turn the pile around to spread the stuff throughtout the whole pile. Ev=
en then, pathogens near the surface will be less because of O2 and UV. UV =
actually kills them and they can be digested under certain circumstances bu=
t I wouldn't count on digestion as a way to control pathogens.

That's how it can happen. Now, lucky for us, e coli are very sensitive to U=
V and O2 so if you keep your pile turned and oxygenated enough, you can kee=
p the pathogen levels quite low. Also, lucky for us ostrich's don't fly.

Now I don't know if you have ever raised a crow but I have (three to be exa=
ct) and let me tell you, they produce a healthy load. It's almost directly=
 proportional to the amount you feed them which makes me wonder if anything=
 they eat, which is quite a lot, actually gets digested.

Ted Peterson
SOE






Received on Wed Dec 22 2004 - 22:53:37 EST

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