One Straw Farm

[Jack Terpack]

Great stuff. The only thing that I question is their advertising that biochar can last up to 1000 years in the soil. This is a bit misleading, those numbers as i understand them, are when it's buried in an oxygen depleted environment, it won't last nearly that long in topsoil where it's normally used.

My sons and I experimented with biochar quite a few years ago. If made correctly, it is totally inorganic. It will last in any soil forever unless it gets washed way. It is really nothing more than crystaline carbon. The process is very hands on and time consuming on a small scale. Our issue with it is the quantity needed to show any results. The recommended concentration in most of the studies I've read calls for about a 25% by volume mixture. We made a full 55 gallon drum of it and used it in a raised small raised bed garden. We noticed no real benefit other than the soil seemed to retain moisture during really long dry spells. We used to get truck loads of shredded wood from the utility company and dry it in the sun in an old greenhouse. It worked but I am still skeptical of any real benefit for an average person. Our experiment with it lasted about 4 years and we abandonded it.

 

[Hoosierhunting]

My sons and I experimented with biochar quite a few years ago. If made correctly, it is totally inorganic. It will last in any soil forever unless it gets washed way. It is really nothing more than crystaline carbon. The process is very hands on and time consuming on a small scale. Our issue with it is the quantity needed to show any results. The recommended concentration in most of the studies I've read calls for about a 25% by volume mixture. We made a full 55 gallon drum of it and used it in a raised small raised bed garden. We noticed no real benefit other than the soil seemed to retain moisture during really long dry spells. We used to get truck loads of shredded wood from the utility company and dry it in the sun in an old greenhouse. It worked but I am still skeptical of any real benefit for an average person. Our experiment with it lasted about 4 years and we abandonded it.

That’s my understanding as well and that the Amazon examples have been there for a very long time. Im no expert but there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding and even hype around it. Like using it to kick of the carbon cycle.... My limited understanding is that the main benefit is the increased surface area and pore structure which provides the space for soil life to thrive and increases water holding ability. Which is why it’s generally “charged” with compost. The benefits would likely be most noticeable in tight, sandy soils with low OM. When people add it to gardens that already have very good enriched soil maybe there’s not a profound effect because you’re starting with very good soil to begin with?


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[MarkDarvin]

Yeah, as I said they’re well resourced. Couldn’t believe that it had come from England. When I asked about it they said there was one company in the US that was licensed by Exeter to build them but it went belly up. Personally, still confused about the “licensed” part. I can’t really imagine that there’s a design patent on it and if so I highly doubt it would stand up to scrutiny. We have a fabrication outfit in our town with scrap tube that size. They could’ve built it for the shipping cost I’d wager. There’s not really much to it if you’re a reasonable fabricator.

If you can find a 30 gallon drum in good shape and a 55 gallon drum plus a little stove pipe you can build a simple TLUD. They’re effective enough for our purposes.


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

does it even need to be that elaborate? Take a look at this dude. He makes it with a simple sealed container and a vent hole at the top. I do worry about have a 55 gallon wood gas grenade over the fire though. My hope is, because the vent hole would be 3' above the flames, it wouldn't catch, it'd just go straight up.

 

[Jack Terpack]

This is the easiest way to make biochar without a lot of hassle or expense. It does require almost constant attention during the process.

 

[Hoosierhunting]

does it even need to be that elaborate? Take a look at this dude. He makes it with a simple sealed container and a vent hole at the top. I do worry about have a 55 gallon wood gas grenade over the fire though. My hope is, because the vent hole would be 3' above the flames, it wouldn't catch, it'd just go straight up.

Guess it’s a question of the scale you want. Paint cans would definitely work. Around me I can buy good used 55 gallon drums for $7. Clean paint cans from the big box probably cost almost that much. With a TLUD you old it and can walk away from it. The video Jack sent is as simple as it gets if you don’t mind the time baby sitting it.


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[Hoosierhunting]

The value of Rye



Rye will provide something for deer when they most need it. A lot of focus is put on plots to hunt over but what is carrying your deer when conditions are worst? We had just got a fresh snow but you can see how much the older snow has been torn up as the deer pawed through it to get to the rye. The undisturbed pic is winter wheat growing right beside it that has only been walked through. March is such a critical month for deer as their fat stores are gone so a bad March can be really hard on deer. Here again, rye will shine by being the first thing to green up (well the skunk cabbage will beat it but nobody is touching that).


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[Native Hunter]

I was seeing a lot of digging through the snow in my plots too. But the plant browsed the hardest was Japanese Honeysuckle. The browse line was easy to find where it climbed up on trees.