Re: [compost_tea] : non-aerated teas/ Aerated comparrison tests

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 21:30:48 -0800

  Butch: wrote

  I'm sorry to report that
  cooperation is not


Butch:

Funny thing about cooperation. The meaning of the word has changed or at l=
east most people's understanding of the word has changed. If somebody aske=
d me to define the word I would say that it means working in concert for a =
common goal. That means input and output from both sides equally. Many pe=
ople have come to assume that when a person is cooperating it means that th=
ey are doing what they are told or what is requested of them by someone els=
e. The requestor is under no obligation to contribute anything but the req=
uest or demand. When the requestee doesn't fulfill the request, it is not =
uncommon for the requestor to label that person uncooperative. Teachers ha=
ve done this to students for generations. In fact, there used to be a sect=
ion on the report card that listed Work Habits and Cooperation. I am proud=
 to say that my report card was replete with A U U 's (U meaning unsatisfac=
tory.)

So on to protocol:

We will do everything the same except for the tea. We will spray on the sa=
me plants for the same reasons and on turf for the same reason. It doesn't=
 matter what type plants we use or how much we spray or how often or from w=
hat height or at what dilution rate. All we need to do is do everything th=
e same and log what is done. That's it. We test soil and plants before, d=
uring and after using the same lab with a backup lab for control. We will =
use the backup lab the first time only if the results come back the same as=
 the active lab. If they are different, we will have to use both labs both=
 times. This is simple stuff. You should be able to come up with your own=
 set of experimental parameters. As long as they are the same for both cas=
es and you use an area where you do nothing, you will get enough data back =
to see some trends if they are there. If you don't see any changes then yo=
u have to determine the reasons for the lack of change. If one of the area=
s dies off, you have to figure out what happened and determine if it was fr=
om the tea or lack therof. Once you get changes in one situation, you can =
ask people to spend their time and energy and money to verify your findings=
.

I would strongly suggest you build a drip or percolator machine yourself an=
d play around with it and get the tea tested through SFI. You can use the =
brewer you are currently working with and do let's say ten separate tests. =
Make sure you get each batch SFI tested for each brewer to ensure the biolo=
gy is actually changing or not and the diversity is being affected. Brew f=
or the same amount of time with the same amount of the same water. The onl=
y thing you are going to change is nutrient. Fix an amount. Use 1/2 cup o=
f each or 1 cup or 2 or 3 or 4. In fact, you may want to take these nutrie=
nt parameters and change the amounts each time you brew for both brewers. =
You will have to test each batch you brew because you want to look for inco=
nsistencies. Take the SFI results and compare them and you should see some=
 changes. You would also have a good database that will be of value to oth=
ers on the list.

Test
1. Compost with no aeration
2. Compost with molasses
3. Compost with molasses and blood meal
4. Compost with blood meal
5. Compost with molasses, blood meal and kelp
6. Compost with kelp
7. Compost with molasses, blood meal, kelp and humic acid
8. Compost with humic acid
9. Compost with molasses, blood meal, kelp, humic acid and yucca
10. Compost with yucca.

If you want, you can keep mixing and matching the ingredients and keep test=
ing. You may find that if you add yucca you can get rid of blood meal and =
kelp and keep the same level of bacterial and fungal growth. I don't reall=
y know because I don't use Yucca in my "compost" tea. I may experiment wit=
h it later in the year for snail control but I have only read anecdotal evi=
dence and product claims. I have not seen it work myself. I can report th=
at native tobacco extract I used did seem to keep snails off plants but the=
 test was far from conclusive.

Ted Peterson
SOE








Received on Fri Jan 14 2005 - 00:57:55 EST

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