Interesting abstract there, unfortunately one has to pay for the article itself:
http://www.springerlink.com/index/t38061273m235x84.pdf
Monday, February 14, 2011
Friday, September 19, 2008
[Spec01] SEPTEMBER COMPOST SPECIAL
SEPTEMBER COMPOST SPECIAL [Spec01 - V100-080919]
TO CELEBRATE THE AGREEMENT JUST ENTERED INTO BY http://www.compostis.us/ and http://www.biodynamiccompost.com/ TO EXCLUSIVELY MARKET THE LEGENDARY "CERTIFIED McANDREW BIODYNAMIC COMPOST", http://www.compostis.us/ just acquired several truckloads of aged, mature biodynamic compost personally certified by Mr McAndrew, which we will make available to the public at wholesale prices for the next 45 days.
McAndrew Certified Biodynamic Compost (MCBC) is the standard when it comes to compost quality, and normally sells for $2,000 a (US) ton. That is, exactly $1.00 a pound. This can only be so inexpensive because Mr McAndrew doesn't compost or supervise composting for money, but strictly as a labor of love.
To get to half that price, one would have to order 100 tons at a time, and provide at their own costs both the land and water necessary to do the composting, cover the expenses of going there to actually do the work, plus 110 tons of quality select dairy cow manure.
But to celebrate this historic agreement which will allow to make true Certified Biodynamic Compost available at reasonable cost to the discerning organic gardener or farmer or home grower of plants with special needs, for 45 days, and, if it proves possible, perhaps even till the end of the year, we will allow you to buy MCBC practically at cost for HALF the normal price!
That's right, if you order using our email link or our special order line at , you could get a standard bag of 30 pounds of McANDREW CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC COMPOST for just $15! And more at the same price, with a limit of 3 tons maximum per family or business, as long as quantity lasts (we have more compost in the making).
Plus, if you custom order more compost in advance (50% on order, 50% on delivery), so we can add your order to our regular batches, you can, for the time being, order unlimited amounts at that same price! (But remember, it takes 6 months to actually make that compost, and each cow only generates 10 tons of manure a year! Plus, not all cows are created equal -- some are loaded with artificial hormones and antibiotics!)
And finally...
A SPECIAL OFFER FOR GARDENERS:
For a very limited time, we will install a 3' x 10' Raised Bed. one foot high, filled with alfafa and ONE full TON of McANDREW CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC COMPOST, completely installed and seeded with standard organic veggies seeds for just $ 1,995 net! This is truly an offer no one can beat -- such quality gardens can normally only be afforded by celebrities and multi-millionaires!
http://compostis.us/ has partnered with http://www.biodynamiccompost.com/ to bring you the most advanced organic biodynamic compost there is. Please stay tuned to find out what we have to offer!
Copyright 2005-2008 http://www.compostis.us/ All rights reserved, worldwide. Permalink for this post: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/spec01-september-compost-special.html
[Use01] BENEFITS & USE OF BIOCOMPOSTS
BENEFITS & USE OF BIOCOMPOSTS
[Use01 - V100-080919]
Gardens or farm fields are "Complex Adaptive Systems". If you look at them that way, for optimal results, the use of composts becomes an absolute necessity.
BENEFITS OF USING COMPOST :
EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL COMPOST APPLICATIONS :
SYSTEMIC REASONS TO USE COMPOST :
It is hard to imagine seeking the optimal production of functional foods without heavily using composts in the endeavor, be it commercially on the farm, or privately in your own Personal O&S Garden.
As a general rule, most beneficial effects of composts are usually more pronounced and sometimes strongly enhanced when using higher quality composts, particularly bio-dynamic compost which is widely recognized as the "Gold Standard" in the matter of composts.
See our SEPTEMBER COMPOST SPECIAL in our next post!
http://compostis.us/ has partnered with http://www.biodynamiccompost.com/
to bring you the most advanced organic biodynamic compost there is.
Please stay tuned to find out what we have to offer!
Copyright 2005-2008 http://www.compostis.us/ All rights reserved, worldwide. Permalink for this post: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/use01-benefits-use-of-biocomposts.html
[BC-Comp03] COMPOST TEAS - AN OLD SECRET TO LET YOUR GARDEN EXPLODE... THE SECRETS OF COMPOST TEAS
[BC-Comp03] COMPOST TEAS - AN OLD SECRET TO LET YOUR GARDEN EXPLODE... THE SECRETS OF COMPOST TEAS
[Reproduced here under license of the Health Thru Gardening Trust, see Copyright and License at the bottom.] [BC-Comp03 V100-080919]
COMPOST TEA? WHY IS IT SO GOOD FOR YOUR GARDEN OR FARM?
Compost tea is ancient. You can find references to it in texts dating back to the Roman Empire (in Cato's "De Agricultura"). So says a real doyenne of dirt, microbial ecologist Elaine Ingham, who wrote this to Ketzel Levine in a recent e-mail:
(Cato the Critic) describes a liquid extract of compost. He also describes adding slaves' blood to the liquid applied to the vines. We would add liquid fish today to get a similar effect.
In the 20th century, compost tea makers preferred the Sock Approach. The recipe went something like this: Fill old sock with compost or manure, immerse sock in pail of water, let steep. When color is sufficiently brown, apply to plants.
But that's way too simple for the 21st century. We now take a more microbially balanced view of things (and, wouldn't you know it, a more marketable one). The Sock Approach, after all, left many with nasty-smelling brews that contained as much bad bacteria as good. So, folks in the field applied themselves to compost tea mixes with just the right combination of microorganisms.
As Elaine Ingham puts it, "Tea works because of the biology in it. If you don't have the necessary biology, you can't get all the benefits."
The benefits are well worth the effort, advocates say. We're talking pest and disease control on leaves (compost tea as foliar spray), bigger and better vegetables (compost tea as muscle juice), compost tea for soil detoxification (to undo the damage you've already done with chemical-based pesticides and synthetic fertilizers), and ultimately, for enhancing soil structure.
Few would argue against the wisdom of adding yummy bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes to the soil. Certainly, compost tea is one way to add them.
But Elaine Ingham does argue that there are charlatans in the biz.
Without naming names, she's not entirely thrilled with some of the commercial brewing kits on the market. She says the tea they make lacks the right mix of microorganisms, and are ineffective. She fears that people will abandon the whole idea of compost tea after sinking time and money into products that are duds.
I brewed up about six gallons of compost tea using the SoilSoup brew machine. I applied several cups of the stuff to strategic plants throughout my garden. I don't expect to see much of anything happen until next spring, and even then, since my soil isn't exactly dust to begin with, I'm not sure I'll see much of a difference.
Nevertheless, I have had my fair share of foliar diseases this year and just a few too many pests, so I'm willing to overcome my general reluctance to intervene (read: lazy gardener), and will continue to experiment with the brewer. No doubt, after the dew-good fades, I'll probably go buy some organic pre-mix and just follow directions. Bottom line, however good it is for me, I've always hated to cook.
Additional Resources:
SoilSoup is the manufacturer of the compost brewer we used in our demonstration. They offer a pretty lively (if decidedly commercial) Web site with useful links.
The Soil Food Web is the brainchild of microbial ecologist Elaine Ingham, author of The Compost Tea Brewing Manual (3rd Edition). You could dawdle here for hours. Skeptics rejoice, she is no-nonsense about her field, as evidenced by her reviews of microbe-brewers.
BBC Laboratories is another micronutrient-rich site and research lab. Love their summary guide for microbial analysis; amaze and impress your friends.
Woods End Research Laboratory is the oldest compost testing lab in the U.S. Stop here to learn about using compost to detoxify soil (a.k.a., bioremediation).
In the best name category, the makers of the Microb Brewer win hands down. Good links page, too.
Brewmeisters : Some of these links are a bit beyond the casual home-brewer and cater to professionals, but are worth visiting if you're interested in sustainable agriculture.
Alaska Giant: The slideshow will make you a little nuts, but John & Mary Evans clearly mean well with their mail-order compost kits for the home gardener. You can sample their brew at Landscape Supply in Palmer, Alaska. Honest!
Compost Tea: EPM Inc. manufactures both compost tea brewers and vermicomposting systems (remember the worms?).
Growing Solutions, Inc., another brewmaker. Need a 500-gallon tank?
Earthworks wins the good deed award for selling compost tea machines to dozens of U.S. golf courses. Feed your head? Way dated. Now it's Feed Your Soil.
If you've made it this far, here are a couple of articles:
Linda Chalker-Scott, from the Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle, weighs in on the myths of compost tea.
Homemade compost tea instructions from Organic Gardening. Here's a succinct article by Elaine Ingham about compost tea, published in the (now defunct) Kitchen Gardener.
And, not too surprisingly, tea made from John McAndrew's "McAndrew Certified Biodynamic Compost" has been hailed as "the ultimate compost tea".
[If you want to know more about compost tea, just visit Ketzel Levine's page at: http://www.npr.org/programs/talkingplants/features/2002/compost/ who compiled this information] [From a 2005 SaveGaia posting to be found here: ]
[BC-Comp03 V100-080919] Permalink: http://personalgardens.blogspot.com/2008/09/pg-info06-compost-teas-old-secret-to.html
Copyright 1964-2008 OSL All rights reserved, worldwide. LICENSE IS HEREBY GRANTED to all to freely link to or to reproduce this page by any means of one's choice, virtual or physical, and to republish it, including in a compilation, etc, as long as the entirety of the page is NOT MODIFIED in any manner (except of course your location if you are publishing a community ad of your own). This includes not modifying the present copyright notice and license, and the permanent link (permalink URL) or “web address” of the page, and license is granted as long as reproduction is not part of a commercial venture, that is, as long as you do not charge for it in any way, be it directly, or indirectly, for example in commercial publications. Commercial licenses available from the copyright holder.
Compost tea is ancient. You can find references to it in texts dating back to the Roman Empire (in Cato's "De Agricultura"). So says a real doyenne of dirt, microbial ecologist Elaine Ingham, who wrote this to Ketzel Levine in a recent e-mail:
(Cato the Critic) describes a liquid extract of compost. He also describes adding slaves' blood to the liquid applied to the vines. We would add liquid fish today to get a similar effect.
In the 20th century, compost tea makers preferred the Sock Approach. The recipe went something like this: Fill old sock with compost or manure, immerse sock in pail of water, let steep. When color is sufficiently brown, apply to plants.
But that's way too simple for the 21st century. We now take a more microbially balanced view of things (and, wouldn't you know it, a more marketable one). The Sock Approach, after all, left many with nasty-smelling brews that contained as much bad bacteria as good. So, folks in the field applied themselves to compost tea mixes with just the right combination of microorganisms.
As Elaine Ingham puts it, "Tea works because of the biology in it. If you don't have the necessary biology, you can't get all the benefits."
The benefits are well worth the effort, advocates say. We're talking pest and disease control on leaves (compost tea as foliar spray), bigger and better vegetables (compost tea as muscle juice), compost tea for soil detoxification (to undo the damage you've already done with chemical-based pesticides and synthetic fertilizers), and ultimately, for enhancing soil structure.
Few would argue against the wisdom of adding yummy bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes to the soil. Certainly, compost tea is one way to add them.
But Elaine Ingham does argue that there are charlatans in the biz.
Without naming names, she's not entirely thrilled with some of the commercial brewing kits on the market. She says the tea they make lacks the right mix of microorganisms, and are ineffective. She fears that people will abandon the whole idea of compost tea after sinking time and money into products that are duds.
I brewed up about six gallons of compost tea using the SoilSoup brew machine. I applied several cups of the stuff to strategic plants throughout my garden. I don't expect to see much of anything happen until next spring, and even then, since my soil isn't exactly dust to begin with, I'm not sure I'll see much of a difference.
Nevertheless, I have had my fair share of foliar diseases this year and just a few too many pests, so I'm willing to overcome my general reluctance to intervene (read: lazy gardener), and will continue to experiment with the brewer. No doubt, after the dew-good fades, I'll probably go buy some organic pre-mix and just follow directions. Bottom line, however good it is for me, I've always hated to cook.
Additional Resources:
SoilSoup is the manufacturer of the compost brewer we used in our demonstration. They offer a pretty lively (if decidedly commercial) Web site with useful links.
The Soil Food Web is the brainchild of microbial ecologist Elaine Ingham, author of The Compost Tea Brewing Manual (3rd Edition). You could dawdle here for hours. Skeptics rejoice, she is no-nonsense about her field, as evidenced by her reviews of microbe-brewers.
BBC Laboratories is another micronutrient-rich site and research lab. Love their summary guide for microbial analysis; amaze and impress your friends.
Woods End Research Laboratory is the oldest compost testing lab in the U.S. Stop here to learn about using compost to detoxify soil (a.k.a., bioremediation).
In the best name category, the makers of the Microb Brewer win hands down. Good links page, too.
Brewmeisters : Some of these links are a bit beyond the casual home-brewer and cater to professionals, but are worth visiting if you're interested in sustainable agriculture.
Alaska Giant: The slideshow will make you a little nuts, but John & Mary Evans clearly mean well with their mail-order compost kits for the home gardener. You can sample their brew at Landscape Supply in Palmer, Alaska. Honest!
Compost Tea: EPM Inc. manufactures both compost tea brewers and vermicomposting systems (remember the worms?).
Growing Solutions, Inc., another brewmaker. Need a 500-gallon tank?
Earthworks wins the good deed award for selling compost tea machines to dozens of U.S. golf courses. Feed your head? Way dated. Now it's Feed Your Soil.
If you've made it this far, here are a couple of articles:
Linda Chalker-Scott, from the Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle, weighs in on the myths of compost tea.
Homemade compost tea instructions from Organic Gardening. Here's a succinct article by Elaine Ingham about compost tea, published in the (now defunct) Kitchen Gardener.
And, not too surprisingly, tea made from John McAndrew's "McAndrew Certified Biodynamic Compost" has been hailed as "the ultimate compost tea".
[If you want to know more about compost tea, just visit Ketzel Levine's page at: http://www.npr.org/programs/talkingplants/features/2002/compost/ who compiled this information] [From a 2005 SaveGaia posting to be found here: ]
[BC-Comp03 V100-080919] Permalink: http://personalgardens.blogspot.com/2008/09/pg-info06-compost-teas-old-secret-to.html
Copyright 1964-2008 OSL All rights reserved, worldwide. LICENSE IS HEREBY GRANTED to all to freely link to or to reproduce this page by any means of one's choice, virtual or physical, and to republish it, including in a compilation, etc, as long as the entirety of the page is NOT MODIFIED in any manner (except of course your location if you are publishing a community ad of your own). This includes not modifying the present copyright notice and license, and the permanent link (permalink URL) or “web address” of the page, and license is granted as long as reproduction is not part of a commercial venture, that is, as long as you do not charge for it in any way, be it directly, or indirectly, for example in commercial publications. Commercial licenses available from the copyright holder.
Brought to you by www.compostis.us :
http://compostis.us/ has partnered with http://www.biodynamiccompost.com/to bring you the most advanced organic biodynamic compost there is. Please stay tuned to find out what we have to offer! In particular see our SEPTEMBER COMPOST SPECIAL in our next post!
Permalink of this post: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/bc-comp03-compost-teas-old-secret-to.html
[Comp01] THE COMPLEXITY OF MAKING SPECIAL BIODYNAMIC COMPOSTS
THE COMPLEXITY OF MAKING SPECIAL BIODYNAMIC COMPOSTS
[Comp01 - V101-080919 MORE ABOUT COMPOST 01]
[Comp01 - V101-080919 MORE ABOUT COMPOST 01]
To give you an idea of the complexity of the preparation of biodynamic compost, and how incredible results you can get with it, you could look at the following webpages:
http://compostis.us/ and http://biodynamiccompost.com/ Here is an excerpt from these sites:
Biodynamic Compost: Biodynamic compost is a fundamental component of the biodynamic method; it serves as a way to recycle animal manures and organic wastes, stabilize nitrogen, and build soil humus and enhance soil health. Biodynamic compost is unique because it is made with BD preparations 502-507. Together, the BD preparations and BD compost may be considered the cornerstone of biodynamics. Here again, "biological" and "dynamic" qualities are complementary: biodynamic compost serves as a source of humus in managing soil health and biodynamic compost emanates energetic frequencies to vitalize the farm.The traditional manner in which the biodynamic compost is made is rather exacting. After the compost windrow is constructed, Preparations 502-506 are strategically placed 5-7 feet apart inside the pile, in holes poked about 20 inches deep. Preparation No. 507, or liquid valerian, is applied to the outside layer of the compost windrow by spraying or hand watering. Figure 1.
Use of Biodynamic Preparations in a Compost Pile: Valerian (507) is mixed into a liquid; a portion is pored into one hole, and the rest is sprinkled over the top of the compost pile.More specific instructions on biodynamic preparations, placement in the compost, compost making, and compost use can be found in the following booklets, available through the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association (BDFGA) in San Francisco, California:Blaser, Peter, and Ehrenfried Pfeiffer. 1984.
Bio-Dynamic Composting on the Farm: How Much Compost Should We Use? Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc., Kimberton, PA. 23p.Corrin, George. 1960. Handbook on Composting and the Bio-Dynamic Preparations. Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association, London. 32 p.Koepf, H.H. 1980. Compost - What It Is, How It Is Made, What It Does. Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc., Kimberton, PA. 18 p.Pfeiffer, Ehrenfried. 1984. Using the Bio-Dynamic Compost Preparations & Sprays in Garden, Orchard, & Farm. Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc., Kimberton, PA. 64 p.
Dr. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer (1899-1961), a soil microbiologist and agronomic researcher who worked directly with Steiner, conducted extensive research on the preparation and use of biodynamic compost. For many years Pfeiffer served as a compost consultant to municipal compost facilities, most notably Oakland, CA, as well as countries in the Caribbean, Europe, and the Far East.
Pfeiffer's research into the microbiology of compost production led to the development of a compost inoculant, BD Compost Starter®, that contains all the BD compost preparations (502-507) plus stirred BD No. 500, as well as 55 different types of microorganisms (mixed cultures of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, yeasts). BD Compost Starter® is widely used by biodynamic farmers because it is easy to apply while building the compost pile. Today, the starter is prepared and sold through the Josephine Porter Institute (JPI) for Applied Biodynamics (5) in Woolwine, Virginia.While use of BD compost preparations and/or BD Compost Starter® is universal in biodynamic composting, the actual construction and maintenance of compost piles — including frequency of aeration and length till maturity — may vary among farming operations.
The static pile method is the traditional biodynamic choice: In static piles materials are formed into a windrow, inoculated with BD preparations, covered with straw, and left undisturbed for 6 months to one year prior to use. A small amount of soil is commonly sprinkled onto the outside of the pile prior to covering with straw. Soil can also be added during the windrow construction process, when brown (carbon) and green (nitrogen) feedstock materials are laid in alternating layers.On larger farms that handle massive volumes of compost feedstock, the piles are often managed with a compost turner, so the time to maturity is much shorter, for example 2-3 months.
A new development is the aerated static pile (ASP), wherein ventilation pipes are inserted into a static pile to increase oxygen supply and reduce the length of time to compost biomaturity. Contrasting viewpoints exist in the compost industry as well as amongst on-farm compost makers as to which method is best. When push comes to shove, most people agree that the best compost method is one that fits the individual farmer's situation.Recent biodynamic research supports the static pile approach as a viable compost option. In the July-August 1997 issue of Biodynamics , Dr. William Brinton of Woods End Agricultural Research Institute published "Sustainability of Modern Composting: Intensification Versus Costs and Quality. " Brinton argues that low-tech composting methods are just as effective in stabilizing nutrients and managing humus as the management and capital intensive compost systems that employ compost turners and daily monitoring. These findings are particularly encouraging to farmers choosing the low-input approach to this age-old practice of transforming organic matter into valuable humus. The full report can be viewed on Woods End Institute's website at:.
At the other end of the compost spectrum are the high intensity windrow systems — for example the Controlled Microbial Composting system promoted by the Siegfried Luebke family of Austria and the Advanced Compost System promoted by Edwin Blosser of Midwestern Biosystems in Illinois — that emphasize specialized compost turners, microbial inoculation, frequent turning, daily monitoring for temperature and CO2, compost fleece to cover and protect the windrow, and qualitative testing for finished compost. In addition to efficient handling of organic wastes, premium-grade compost is a goal.It should be noted these highly mechanized systems seem to fit operations that generate large volumes of animal manures or other compost feedstocks, such as a dairy farm or food processing plant. On-farm production of compost is often matched with sale of bagged or bulk compost to local horticultural operations as a supplemental income.
Ultimately, the choice of composting method will depend to a large extent on the scale of farming operation, equipment and financial resources on hand, and intended goals for compost end-use.Research at Washington State University (WSU) by Dr. Lynn Carpenter-Boggs and Dr. John Reaganold found that biodynamic compost preparations have a significant effect on compost and the composting process.Biodynamically treated composts had higher temperatures, matured faster, and had higher nitrates than control compost piles inoculated with field soil instead of the preparations. The WSU research is unique for two reasons: it was the first biodynamic compost research undertaken at a land-grant university, and it demonstrated that biodynamic preparations are not only effective, but effective in homeopathic quantities.
A summary of this research can be found on the USDA-Agriculture Research Service's Tektran Website at: Effects of Biodynamic Preparations on Compost Development http://www.nal.usda.gov/ttic/tektran/data/000009/06/0000090623.html
Bio-Dynamic Composting on the Farm: How Much Compost Should We Use? Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc., Kimberton, PA. 23p.Corrin, George. 1960. Handbook on Composting and the Bio-Dynamic Preparations. Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association, London. 32 p.Koepf, H.H. 1980. Compost - What It Is, How It Is Made, What It Does. Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc., Kimberton, PA. 18 p.Pfeiffer, Ehrenfried. 1984. Using the Bio-Dynamic Compost Preparations & Sprays in Garden, Orchard, & Farm. Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc., Kimberton, PA. 64 p.
Dr. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer (1899-1961), a soil microbiologist and agronomic researcher who worked directly with Steiner, conducted extensive research on the preparation and use of biodynamic compost. For many years Pfeiffer served as a compost consultant to municipal compost facilities, most notably Oakland, CA, as well as countries in the Caribbean, Europe, and the Far East.
Pfeiffer's research into the microbiology of compost production led to the development of a compost inoculant, BD Compost Starter®, that contains all the BD compost preparations (502-507) plus stirred BD No. 500, as well as 55 different types of microorganisms (mixed cultures of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, yeasts). BD Compost Starter® is widely used by biodynamic farmers because it is easy to apply while building the compost pile. Today, the starter is prepared and sold through the Josephine Porter Institute (JPI) for Applied Biodynamics (5) in Woolwine, Virginia.While use of BD compost preparations and/or BD Compost Starter® is universal in biodynamic composting, the actual construction and maintenance of compost piles — including frequency of aeration and length till maturity — may vary among farming operations.
The static pile method is the traditional biodynamic choice: In static piles materials are formed into a windrow, inoculated with BD preparations, covered with straw, and left undisturbed for 6 months to one year prior to use. A small amount of soil is commonly sprinkled onto the outside of the pile prior to covering with straw. Soil can also be added during the windrow construction process, when brown (carbon) and green (nitrogen) feedstock materials are laid in alternating layers.On larger farms that handle massive volumes of compost feedstock, the piles are often managed with a compost turner, so the time to maturity is much shorter, for example 2-3 months.
A new development is the aerated static pile (ASP), wherein ventilation pipes are inserted into a static pile to increase oxygen supply and reduce the length of time to compost biomaturity. Contrasting viewpoints exist in the compost industry as well as amongst on-farm compost makers as to which method is best. When push comes to shove, most people agree that the best compost method is one that fits the individual farmer's situation.Recent biodynamic research supports the static pile approach as a viable compost option. In the July-August 1997 issue of Biodynamics , Dr. William Brinton of Woods End Agricultural Research Institute published "Sustainability of Modern Composting: Intensification Versus Costs and Quality. " Brinton argues that low-tech composting methods are just as effective in stabilizing nutrients and managing humus as the management and capital intensive compost systems that employ compost turners and daily monitoring. These findings are particularly encouraging to farmers choosing the low-input approach to this age-old practice of transforming organic matter into valuable humus. The full report can be viewed on Woods End Institute's website at:
At the other end of the compost spectrum are the high intensity windrow systems — for example the Controlled Microbial Composting system promoted by the Siegfried Luebke family of Austria and the Advanced Compost System promoted by Edwin Blosser of Midwestern Biosystems in Illinois — that emphasize specialized compost turners, microbial inoculation, frequent turning, daily monitoring for temperature and CO2, compost fleece to cover and protect the windrow, and qualitative testing for finished compost. In addition to efficient handling of organic wastes, premium-grade compost is a goal.It should be noted these highly mechanized systems seem to fit operations that generate large volumes of animal manures or other compost feedstocks, such as a dairy farm or food processing plant. On-farm production of compost is often matched with sale of bagged or bulk compost to local horticultural operations as a supplemental income.
Ultimately, the choice of composting method will depend to a large extent on the scale of farming operation, equipment and financial resources on hand, and intended goals for compost end-use.Research at Washington State University (WSU) by Dr. Lynn Carpenter-Boggs and Dr. John Reaganold found that biodynamic compost preparations have a significant effect on compost and the composting process.Biodynamically treated composts had higher temperatures, matured faster, and had higher nitrates than control compost piles inoculated with field soil instead of the preparations. The WSU research is unique for two reasons: it was the first biodynamic compost research undertaken at a land-grant university, and it demonstrated that biodynamic preparations are not only effective, but effective in homeopathic quantities.
A summary of this research can be found on the USDA-Agriculture Research Service's Tektran Website at: Effects of Biodynamic Preparations on Compost Development http://www.nal.usda.gov/ttic/tektran/data/000009/06/0000090623.html
In related research, Carpenter-Boggs and Reaganold found that biodynamically managed soils (i.e., treated with biodynamic compost and biodynamic field sprays) had greater capacity to support heterotrophic microflora activity, higher soil microorganism activity, and different types of soil microrganisms than conventionally managed soils (i.e., treated with mineral fertilizers and pesticides).
A summary of this latter research can be found on the USDA-Agriculture Research Service's Tektran Website at:Biodynamic Compost and Field Preparations: Effects on Soil Biological Community http://www.nal.usda.gov/ttic/tektran/data/000009/06/0000090640.html
Because compost is often at a premium on farms, European biodynamic researcher Maria Thun developed Barrel Compost. Consisting of fresh cow manure that has been treated with the original preparations as well as egg shells and basalt rock dust — then allowed to ferment in a pit for about 3 months, finished Barrel Compost is diluted in water and applied directly to the fields as a spray. Use of Barrel Compost compensates to some degree for lack of sufficient compost. A variation on Barrel Compost is mixing stinging nettle with fresh cow manure in a 50:50 volume to volume ratio. Some notable concepts and practices relating to soil and compost management from the biodynamic experience.
Microbial inoculation: Dr. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer's work with composts in the 1940's and 50's led to the development of the BD Compost Starter®, one of the earliest compost inoculants in commercial use in the United States.Soil in Compost: The addition of soil to compost was an early biodynamic practice prescribed by Steiner. Dr. Pfeiffer discussed the reasons and benefits for adding soils to compost in the 1954 edition of Bio-Dynamics Journal (Vol. 12, No. 2) in an article titled "Raw Materials Useful for Composting." He said that soil is an essential ingredient to compost and should be added at 10%-20% of the windrow volume.Mineralized Compost: The addition of rock powders (greensand, granite dust) to compost piles is a long-time biodynamic practice known as mineralized compost. The dusts add mineral components to the compost and the organic acids released during the decomposition process help solubilize minerals in the rock powders to make nutrients more available to plants.
Phases of Compost: An outgrowth of Dr. Pfeiffer's compost research was a clearer understanding of the Breakdown and Buildup compost phases:The Breakdown Phase: In the breakdown phase organic residues are decomposed into smaller particles. Proteins are broken down into amino acids, amines, and finally to ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and free nitrogen. Urea, uric acids, and other non-protein nitrogen-containing compunds are reduced to ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and free nitrogen. Carbon compounds are oxidized to carbon dioxide (aerobic) or reduced methane (anaerobic).The identification and understanding of breakdown microorganisms led to the development of a microbial inoculant to moderate and speed up the breakdown phase. The BD Compost Starter® developed by Dr. Pfeiffer contains a balanced mixture of the most favorable breakdown organisms, ammonifiers, nitrate formers, cellulose, sugar, and starch digesters in order to bring about the desired results. The microbial inoculant also works against organisms that cause putrefaction and odors.
The Buildup Phase: In the build-up phase simple compounds are re-synthesized into complex humic substances. The organisms responsible for transformation to humus are aerobic and facultative aerobic, sporing and non-sporing and nitrogen fixing bacteria of the azotobacter and nitrosomonas group. Actinomycetes and streptomycetes also play an important role. The addition of soil, 10% by volume, favors the development and survival of these latter organisms. The development of humus is evident in color changes in the compost, and through qualitative tests such as the circular chromatography method.Compost & Soil Evaluation: Biodynamic research into compost preparation and soil humus conditions has led to the development or specialized use of several unique qualitative tests.A notable contribution of biodynamics is the image-forming qualitative methods of analysis; e.g., circular chromatography, sensitive crystallization, capillary dynamolysis, and the drop-picture method. Other methods focus on the biological-chemical condition; e.g., The Solvita® Compost Test Kit and The Solvita® Soil Test Kit (8), colorimetric humus value, and potential pH.
This should give you an idea that there is more to proper composting than just putting your kitchen scrap in a pile, although doing just that is actually a great idea!
http://compostis.us/ has partnered with http://www.biodynamiccompost.com/
to bring you the most advanced organic biodynamic compost there is. Please stay tuned to find out what we have to offer!
to bring you the most advanced organic biodynamic compost there is. Please stay tuned to find out what we have to offer!
Copyright 2005-2008 http://www.compostis.us/ Permalink: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/comp01-complexity-of-making-special.html
[BC-MAP] SITE MAP
SITE MAP [BC-MAP]
This sitemap is provided for your convenience so you can quickly locate the information you are looking for. The following posts are currently available to you on the present blog:
[BC-Intro0] WELCOME - YOUR INTRODUCTION TO BIOCOMP...
WELCOME - YOUR INTRODUCTION TO BIOCOMPOSTS & BIO-DYNAMIC COMPOSTS [BC-Intro0 - V101-080919] What is compost? Composting is a way to give back to the earth what it gave us, and to recycle organic materials into "Humus - The Health and Wealth of the Earth", as the great soil specialist and environmental advocate of last century, Andre Birre, put it -- This was the title of his seminal book.
What is bio-dynamic compost? Biodynamic compost is a compost made according to bio-dynamic specifications. It is a fundamental component of the biodynamic method;
URL: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/bc-intro0-welcome-your-introduction-to.html
[BC-Intro0] WELCOME - YOUR INTRODUCTION TO BIOCOMP...
WELCOME - YOUR INTRODUCTION TO BIOCOMPOSTS & BIO-DYNAMIC COMPOSTS [BC-Intro0 - V101-080919] What is compost? Composting is a way to give back to the earth what it gave us, and to recycle organic materials into "Humus - The Health and Wealth of the Earth", as the great soil specialist and environmental advocate of last century, Andre Birre, put it -- This was the title of his seminal book.
What is bio-dynamic compost? Biodynamic compost is a compost made according to bio-dynamic specifications. It is a fundamental component of the biodynamic method;
URL: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/bc-intro0-welcome-your-introduction-to.html
[BC-MAP] SITE MAP
SITE MAP [BC-MAP] This sitemap is provided for your convenience so you can quickly locate the information you are looking for. The following posts are currently available to you on the present blog: [This is the webpage and post you are just reading right now].
SITE MAP [BC-MAP] This sitemap is provided for your convenience so you can quickly locate the information you are looking for. The following posts are currently available to you on the present blog: [This is the webpage and post you are just reading right now].
[BC-Comp01] THE COMPLEXITY OF MAKING SPECIAL BIODYNAM...
THE COMPLEXITY OF MAKING SPECIAL BIODYNAMIC COMPOSTS [BC-Comp01 - V101-080919 MORE ABOUT COMPOST 01]
To give you an idea of the complexity of the preparation of biodynamic compost, and how incredible results you can get with it, you could look at the following webpages: http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/biodynamic.html#compost , http://compostis.us/ and http://biodynamiccompost.com/ Here is an excerpt from these sites: Biodynamic Compost: Biodynamic compost is a fundamental component of the biodynamic method; it serves as a way to recycle animal manures and organic wastes, stabilize nitrogen, and build soil humus and enhance soil health. Biodynamic compost is unique...
URL: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/comp01-complexity-of-making-special.html
[BC-Comp03] COMPOST TEAS - AN OLD SECRET TO LET YO...
COMPOST TEAS - AN OLD SECRET TO LET YOUR GARDEN EXPLODE... THE SECRETS OF COMPOST TEAS [BC-Comp03 V100-080919]
COMPOST TEA? WHY IS IT SO GOOD FOR YOUR GARDEN OR FARM? Compost tea is ancient. You can find references to it in texts dating back to the Roman Empire (in Cato's "De Agricultura"). So says a real doyenne of dirt, microbial ecologist Elaine Ingham...
URL: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/bc-comp03-compost-teas-old-secret-to.html
THE COMPLEXITY OF MAKING SPECIAL BIODYNAMIC COMPOSTS [BC-Comp01 - V101-080919 MORE ABOUT COMPOST 01]
To give you an idea of the complexity of the preparation of biodynamic compost, and how incredible results you can get with it, you could look at the following webpages: http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/biodynamic.html#compost , http://compostis.us/ and http://biodynamiccompost.com/ Here is an excerpt from these sites: Biodynamic Compost: Biodynamic compost is a fundamental component of the biodynamic method; it serves as a way to recycle animal manures and organic wastes, stabilize nitrogen, and build soil humus and enhance soil health. Biodynamic compost is unique...
URL: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/comp01-complexity-of-making-special.html
[BC-Comp03] COMPOST TEAS - AN OLD SECRET TO LET YO...
COMPOST TEAS - AN OLD SECRET TO LET YOUR GARDEN EXPLODE... THE SECRETS OF COMPOST TEAS [BC-Comp03 V100-080919]
COMPOST TEA? WHY IS IT SO GOOD FOR YOUR GARDEN OR FARM? Compost tea is ancient. You can find references to it in texts dating back to the Roman Empire (in Cato's "De Agricultura"). So says a real doyenne of dirt, microbial ecologist Elaine Ingham...
URL: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/bc-comp03-compost-teas-old-secret-to.html
[Use01] BENEFITS & USE OF BIOCOMPOSTS
BENEFITS & USE OF BIOCOMPOSTS [Use01 - V100-080919] Gardens or farm fields are "Complex Adaptive Systems". If you look at them that way, for optimal results, the use of composts becomes an absolute necessity.
BENEFITS OF USING COMPOST : Improves - Increases - Supplies - Helps are some of the key words used there. It ends with: "It is hard to imagine seeking the optimal production of functional foods without heavily using composts in the endeavor, be it commercially on the farm, or privately in your own Personal O&S Garden."
URL: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/use01-benefits-use-of-biocomposts.html
[BC-Spec01] SEPTEMBER COMPOST SPECIAL
SEPTEMBER COMPOST SPECIAL on "McANDREW CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC COMPOST" [Spec01 - V100-080919] TO CELEBRATE THE AGREEMENT JUST ENTERED INTO BY http://www.compostis.us/ and http://www.biodynamiccompost.com/ TO EXCLUSIVELY MARKET THE LEGENDARY "CERTIFIED McANDREW BIODYNAMIC COMPOST", http://www.compostis.us/ just acquired several truckloads of aged, mature biodynamic compost personally certified by Mr McAndrew, which we will make available to the public at wholesale prices for the next 45 days.
URL: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/spec01-september-compost-special.html
http://compostis.us/ has partnered with http://www.biodynamiccompost.com/
to bring you the most advanced organic biodynamic compost there is.
Please stay tuned to find out what we have to offer!
Copyright 2005-2008 http://www.compostis.us/ All rights reserved, worldwide. Permalink for this post: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/bc-map-site-map.html
[BC-Intro0] WELCOME - YOUR INTRODUCTION TO BIOCOMPOSTS & BIO-DYNAMIC COMPOSTS
WELCOME - YOUR INTRODUCTION TO BIOCOMPOSTS & BIO-DYNAMIC COMPOSTS [BC-Intro0 - V101-080919]
What is compost? Composting is a way to give back to the earth what it gave us, and to recycle organic materials into "Humus - The Health and Wealth of the Earth", as the great soil specialist and environmental advocate of last century, Andre Birre, put it -- This was the title of his seminal book.
What is bio-dynamic compost? Biodynamic compost is a compost made according to bio-dynamic specifications. It is a fundamental component of the biodynamic method; serves as a way to recycle animal manures and organic wastes; stabilize nitrogen; and build soil humus and enhance soil health. Biodynamic compost is unique because it is made according to very precise specifications. See our article "More on Compost".
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike." - John Muir
http://www.compostis.us/ was formed to market biocomposts and biodynamic composts, and entered into an agreement to buy several tons of "McAndrew Certified BioDynamic Compost", the highest and most advanced form of compost available on the market today. This compost was created under the personal direction of John P. McAndrew, who has been hailed as "probably the world's best specialist on how to make compost".
WHO IS JACK McANDREW, THE MALIBU BIODYNAMIC COMPOST MAGICIAN?
Maria C. Linder, Professor of Biochemistry at CalState Fullerton, once wrote about him: "Composting is not something one can pick up overnight and really do well. It takes years to get real expertise... Bio-dynamic composting is more scientifically based than most and is by far the most impressive method I have encountered. Jack has studied the process for many years, and with the best Masters in the business."
Namely, the "Three Musketeers" of bio-dynamic composting [Only one of them, Peter Dukich, was still alive when the first form of this article was written in 2006, flirting with becoming a centenarian .] Professor Linder added: "At this time, there are very few people in the country with [Jack] experience and expertise." In fact, Dr Annenberg once said (before Mr Dukich death at 94) that "Jack is the only remaining Living Master in biocomposting, besides Peter Dukich." But truth is that Professor Linder herself is in fact a renowned expert in the field.
*******
A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OF TRULY ORGANIC AND BIO-DYNAMIC
SUSTAINABLE FARMING & GARDENING
http://compostis.us/ has partnered with http://www.biodynamiccompost.com/
http://compostis.us/ has partnered with http://www.biodynamiccompost.com/
to bring you the most advanced organic biodynamic compost there is.
Please stay tuned to find out what we have to offer!
Copyright 2005-2008 http://www.compostis.us/ Permalink: http://biocomposts.blogspot.com/2008/09/bc-intro0-welcome-your-introduction-to.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)