Okay, we finally had FIVE inches of rain today. Nothing for 9 weeks, then 5
inches. Good thing I watered yesterday so a lot of it soaked into the ground,
vs. running off...anyway...

I have several rain barrels full of beautiful rain water. In one of them I want
to make compost tea. I have compost which is both fungal and bacterial. In a
75 gallon drum, how much compost should I use, and should I make a tea ball out
of it with cheese cloth, or just let it sit in the bottom when I steep with the
air stone?

Any suggestions are welcome. I've never made aerobic compost tea before. I'm
on my way over to www.soilfoodweb.com but would like to hear back from anyone
who has made their own.

Thanks,
Victoria

On Tue, 13 May 2003 03:36:00 GMT, animaux wrote:

Okay, we finally had FIVE inches of rain today. Nothing for 9 weeks, then 5
inches. Good thing I watered yesterday so a lot of it soaked into the ground,
vs. running off...anyway...

I have several rain barrels full of beautiful rain water. In one of them I want
to make compost tea. I have compost which is both fungal and bacterial. In a
75 gallon drum, how much compost should I use, and should I make a tea ball out
of it with cheese cloth, or just let it sit in the bottom when I steep with the
air stone?

Any suggestions are welcome. I've never made aerobic compost tea before. I'm
on my way over to www.soilfoodweb.com but would like to hear back from anyone
who has made their own.

Thanks,
Victoria
Victoria,

In a 75 gallon drum you would need a very good air source AND a pump
to extract and grow the biota. Why not build a 5 gallon brewer and
produce high quality CT? At a rate of 25 gallons/ acre (a high rate) 5
gallons goes a long way. I have a 500, 100, 22 and 5 gallon. In a 5
gallon a cup of good vermicompost and some simple ingredients will
make aerobic tea in 24 hours. If you email me I'll provide
instructions for a 5 gallon like the one sold by www.alaskagiant.com

Cheese cloth is not a good idea. The fungi and bacteria will get hung
up on the fibers.





"Nature, left alone, is in perfect balance.
Harmful insects and plant diseases are always present,
but do not occur in nature to an extent which requires the use of poisonous chemicals.
The sensible approach to disease and insect control is to grow sturdy crops in a healthy environment."

Masanobu Fukuoka, One Straw Revolution--1978

On Tue, 13 May 2003 16:42:23 -0700, Tom Jaszewski wrote:


In a 75 gallon drum you would need a very good air source AND a pump
to extract and grow the biota. Why not build a 5 gallon brewer and
produce high quality CT? At a rate of 25 gallons/ acre (a high rate) 5
gallons goes a long way. I have a 500, 100, 22 and 5 gallon. In a 5
gallon a cup of good vermicompost and some simple ingredients will
make aerobic tea in 24 hours. If you email me I'll provide
instructions for a 5 gallon like the one sold by www.alaskagiant.com

Cheese cloth is not a good idea. The fungi and bacteria will get hung
up on the fibers.

I will email you. Actually, I did think the cheese cloth would do that, which
is why I asked. The pump and air stone I have doesn't look like it will be any
good for a 75 gallon.

Five gallons is definitely better. I have as much bat guano as I want from
under their bridge. Does it matter if it's relatively fresh? I also have
finished compost.

I'll email.

V

CT should be brewed ONLY with finished quality thermochemical compost
or vermicompost. Air or DO must start and finish at 6 or better mg/L.
Using poor methods, or ill designed brewers can make an extract but
could be a very poor or even a dangerous product.

Organic or chemical, each have difficulties. A wise combination, in
transitioning a garden, actually yields more sustainable results. Soil
testing is really the best investment, towards a healthy garden, we
can make.



On Wed, 14 May 2003 00:05:47 GMT, animaux wrote:

On Tue, 13 May 2003 16:42:23 -0700, Tom Jaszewski wrote:


In a 75 gallon drum you would need a very good air source AND a pump
to extract and grow the biota. Why not build a 5 gallon brewer and
produce high quality CT? At a rate of 25 gallons/ acre (a high rate) 5
gallons goes a long way. I have a 500, 100, 22 and 5 gallon. In a 5
gallon a cup of good vermicompost and some simple ingredients will
make aerobic tea in 24 hours. If you email me I'll provide
instructions for a 5 gallon like the one sold by www.alaskagiant.com

Cheese cloth is not a good idea. The fungi and bacteria will get hung
up on the fibers.

I will email you. Actually, I did think the cheese cloth would do that, which
is why I asked. The pump and air stone I have doesn't look like it will be any
good for a 75 gallon.

Five gallons is definitely better. I have as much bat guano as I want from
under their bridge. Does it matter if it's relatively fresh? I also have
finished compost.

I'll email.

V



"Nature, left alone, is in perfect balance.
Harmful insects and plant diseases are always present,
but do not occur in nature to an extent which requires the use of poisonous chemicals.
The sensible approach to disease and insect control is to grow sturdy crops in a healthy environment."

Masanobu Fukuoka, One Straw Revolution--1978

The compost I buy is made in direct accordance with how Dr. Ingram and her
method. It is made in wind rows, using inoculant and VAM fungi. It's
definitely finished. It is such beautiful stuff, it smells like frankincense!
There is never a foul odor to it at all.

You used some terms I'm not familiar with. "DO must start and finish at 6 or
better mg/L...?" What does that mean in English?


On Tue, 13 May 2003 18:12:14 -0700, Tom Jaszewski wrote:

CT should be brewed ONLY with finished quality thermochemical compost
or vermicompost. Air or DO must start and finish at 6 or better mg/L.
Using poor methods, or ill designed brewers can make an extract but
could be a very poor or even a dangerous product.

Organic or chemical, each have difficulties. A wise combination, in
transitioning a garden, actually yields more sustainable results. Soil
testing is really the best investment, towards a healthy garden, we
can make.



On Wed, 14 May 2003 00:05:47 GMT, animaux wrote:

On Tue, 13 May 2003 16:42:23 -0700, Tom Jaszewski wrote:


In a 75 gallon drum you would need a very good air source AND a pump
to extract and grow the biota. Why not build a 5 gallon brewer and
produce high quality CT? At a rate of 25 gallons/ acre (a high rate) 5
gallons goes a long way. I have a 500, 100, 22 and 5 gallon. In a 5
gallon a cup of good vermicompost and some simple ingredients will
make aerobic tea in 24 hours. If you email me I'll provide
instructions for a 5 gallon like the one sold by www.alaskagiant.com

Cheese cloth is not a good idea. The fungi and bacteria will get hung
up on the fibers.

I will email you. Actually, I did think the cheese cloth would do that, which
is why I asked. The pump and air stone I have doesn't look like it will be any
good for a 75 gallon.

Five gallons is definitely better. I have as much bat guano as I want from
under their bridge. Does it matter if it's relatively fresh? I also have
finished compost.

I'll email.

V



"Nature, left alone, is in perfect balance.
Harmful insects and plant diseases are always present,
but do not occur in nature to an extent which requires the use of poisonous chemicals.
The sensible approach to disease and insect control is to grow sturdy crops in a healthy environment."

Masanobu Fukuoka, One Straw Revolution--1978

On Wed, 14 May 2003 16:38:35 GMT, animaux wrote:

You used some terms I'm not familiar with. "DO must start and finish at 6 or
better mg/L...?" What does that mean in English?


Dissolved oxygen levels in my brewers start at 9.6 milligrams per
liter and finish at 8 MG/L. Low oxygen levels can breed pathogens,
especially with poor compost or unfinished compost from animal wastes.
It is very important to design a brewer that produces sufficient
oxygen to keep the good guys dominating the brew. Good CT must remain
aerobic!


"Nature, left alone, is in perfect balance.
Harmful insects and plant diseases are always present,
but do not occur in nature to an extent which requires the use of poisonous chemicals.
The sensible approach to disease and insect control is to grow sturdy crops in a healthy environment."

Masanobu Fukuoka, One Straw Revolution--1978