I have consulted with farms of 4000 acres, 1700 acres, and 1200 acres, whic=
h all use ACT. I know that by some standards, these are small but I think t=
hey pass as large scale ag.
ACT is absolutely not a fermentation process. (At least not in my vocabular=
y) Neither is Liquid Compost Extract (LCE). There are fermentations like EM=
which serve great purpose in horticulture. I have found EM fermentations t=
o be very good for degrading crop residue/dead roots, etc.
When I ferment EM I use a pH meter to evaluate when the fermentation is com=
plete but have not added anything in an attempt to adjust the pH. I'll have=
to inquire at the EM plants to see if they adjust the pH in their big vats=
.
One can easily ad Trichoderma to a brew at the onset to sprout out the spor=
es. I've got some growing in my lab right now. If one is going to use Trich=
oderma, better (IMO) to use it not combined with endomycorrhizal products a=
s it can inhibit endomycorrhizal infection. Most concoctions with both usua=
lly have an enormous number of Trichoderma spores compared to very few endo=
mycorrhizal spores, giving the Trich a further leg up. Better to choose sep=
arate species wisely based on crops grown. One can use Trich quite effectiv=
ely without endomyc or use endomyc and then Trich later if encountering fun=
gal pathogens. If you decide on endomycorrhizal use it at seeding/planting =
time. Endomyc spores do not sprout in ACT.
The N fixers, microbial inoculants etc. are a dime a dozen in bottles with =
different labels all over the place. I do not include these in the same cla=
ss as ACT, although ACT contains some of these bacterial types. These can b=
e very useful in horticulture but it may not be the greatest idea to dump t=
hem into a brew. To find the best, just see what the ingredients are, inclu=
ding microbial counts per volume and get the best bang for your buck.
Various endomycorrhizal fungi species provide nitrogen to root systems if t=
his is what is meant by fungal N fixers. A very good source of information =
on this subject is David D Douds Jr.
I've emailed the source of the newsletter requesting supportive data.
Tim
--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "mikethewormguy" <mikethewormguy_at_...> w=
rote:
>
> I found many of the points made in the newsletter that could be useful, m=
ore for large scale ag, than gardening.
>
> In commercial fermentations, adjusting the pH to keep in within a specifi=
c range is standard procedure. I suspect that most compost brewers do not =
have a the controls and metering pump to make pH adjustment effective tool.=
Thus I would not recommend the practice for brewers.
>
> The use of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin degraders in stubble brea=
kdown is a great application for extracts. Having some level of trichoderma=
in the extract liquid is key.
>
> There are a few species of free-living nitrogen fixers that lend themselv=
es to mass fermentation. Freeze-drying is an effective manner to keep the =
microbes dormant.
>
> Working in large scale ag, I agree with Stephen, that there are some spec=
ific applications for specific microbial groups that make sense. To make th=
is happen, you either need a pre-made product and/or solid experience in sp=
ecialty compost making. You need to understand the wee beasties and what m=
akes them happy and sad..........
>
> My 3 cents.....
>
> Happy Holidays !
>
> Mike
>
> --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, "Stephen Steyn" <ssteyn_at_> wrote:
> >
> > Tim;
> >
> > I note your reservations about Graeme Saits article. I think your point=
s are
> > valid.
> >
> > I have never found anything that Sait has written or said to be based o=
n
> > poor research. In fact much of the information he provides is cutting e=
dge.
> > He seems to scour the globe ( or academic literature) for information.=
> >
> > He provides a new and different way of addressing problems which are
> > typically associated with ACT. Freeze dried biology. Tried and tested f=
oods
> > and with quality determined by him. Nitrogen fixing bacteria. Stubble
> > digesting fungi. These are problems of large scale agriculture (and I
> > suppose to gardening but probably to a lesser extent). We try to use AC=
T and
> > hope that it has the ingredients to address problems we think we may ha=
ve.
> > He tries to brew ACT with remedies for specific problems. He produces h=
is
> > freeze dried inoculum so it is probably produced specifically for break=
ing
> > down straw. This we know is easy enough to do. Producing nitrogen fixin=
g
> > fungi I would assume is more complex.
> >
> > I think we can benefit from the article.
> >
> > Maybe it gives you some ideas too...
> >
> > SS
> >
> >
> >
> > From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] =
On
> > Behalf Of Tim Wilson
> > Sent: 18 December 2011 22:27
> > To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [compost_tea] Re: Sustainable Farming News & Biological Agricu=
lture
> > Information. > Blog Archive > 8 Essentials for Successful Microbe Brewi=
ng
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Hi Stephen,
> >
> > People can try what they wish but I don't like to mess around with adju=
sting
> > pH in a brew as it just throws things out of balance (IMO).
> >
> > Do these people supply any data or do they do any research? Their state=
ment
> > that molasses selects for a limited number of bacterial species seems t=
o
> > indicate a lack of time looking down a microscope tube. That molasses f=
eeds
> > only bacteria is old information which was started 'I don't know where'=
.
> > Black strap molasses feeds both bacteria/archaea and fungi equally well=
, in
> > my experience. Paul Stamets uses molasses to grow out fungal hyphae.
> >
> > [as a side note, I believe that it has yet to be proven that the fungi =
grown
> > out in ACT is the same type of fungi we refer to when we speak of funga=
l
> > dominated soils. I'm not saying that the fungi grown in ACT does not
> > contribute to the health of soil, just that I've not seen supportive da=
ta
> > that the species of fungi grown in ACT have a direct role in nutrient
> > delivery to the roots of plants similar to endomycorrhizal fungi. I am
> > hopeful of related research)
> >
> > I do not usually have trouble extracting and growing fungi in an effici=
ent
> > brewer using [vermi]compost which has fungi in it. The time it takes us=
ually
> > ranges from 10 to 24 hours depending on how active the [vermi]compost i=
s.
> >
> > Here is my data from two brews made with only 2.38% vermicompost mixed =
with
> > 0.50% black strap molasses. Judge for yourself.
> >
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZz7vnaX2S8
> > <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZz7vnaX2S8&feature=context&context=
=C3016b7e
> > ADOEgsToPDskJTsOMGQcbl821vfr-OSCGP>
> > &feature=context&context=C3016b7eADOEgsToPDskJTsOMGQcbl821vfr-OSCGP=
> >
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR7ZTrZQuFg
> > <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR7ZTrZQuFg&feature=context&context=
=C3016b7e
> > ADOEgsToPDskJTsOMGQcbl821vfr-OSCGP>
> > &feature=context&context=C3016b7eADOEgsToPDskJTsOMGQcbl821vfr-OSCGP
> >
> > Tim
> >
> > --- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com <mailto:compost_tea%40yahoogroups.co=
m> ,
> > "Stephen Steyn" <ssteyn_at_> wrote:
> > >
> > > Dear fellow composters:
> > >
> > > Received this via my subscription to Graeme Sait's site. I hope you f=
ind
> > it
> > > as interesting as I did. The idea of buffering the ACT to different p=
Hs
> > > depending on whether you wanted bacterial or fungal dominance seems a=
good
> > > one.
> > >
> > > SS
> > >
> > >
> > http://www.nutri-tech.com.au/blog/2011/12/8-essentials-for-microbe-brew=
ing/
> > >
> > > -- Shared using Google Toolbar
> > >
> >
>
Received on Mon Dec 19 2011 - 13:20:49 EST