[compost_tea] Re: Water temps for brewing

From: dkemnitz2000 <dkemnitz2000_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 23:41:06 -0000

---Thanks for the info Elaine. I wanted to ID my own samples and
maybe a neighbors/customers at some point in the future. I'll
probably have to attend one of your weekly training classes
(7/24right?)which covers some of the training for the fee. Don't
think I want to start a lab at this time. I'm thinking I want out
of the lab like out under the sun and stars before retiring. We have
an AO scope here I can use which has hi and dri,10X and 20X but not
oil immersion. Once upon a time I Id'd spoilage organisms in Coors
beer using direct methods so guess I'll use some of that training in
the meantime. Seems like we did a gram stain and looked at them under
oil immersion. I'll have to call the people I trained who took my
place for retraining. Maybe you will have a lab training class in the
next few years. How do you determine total bacteria? That isn't done
using direct microscopic methods is is? Dennis Kemnitz






 In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, soilfoodweb_at_a... wrote:
> Hi Dennis -
>
> We typically train people who want to start an SFI lab. We ask
that people sign a non-compete, non-disclosure agreement. We don't
want people to train with SFI, learn our methods, and how we manage
to do the work so efficiently, and then go out and start a competing
lab. I also want to make certain everyone doing direct assessment
maintains the search images, so we ask that quality assurance be
performed. Also, we keep improving the methods as equipment gets
better and better. I want methods and equipment to be as cutting
edge as possible, and I want constant checking so everyone has the
same definition of the morphology of the different organisms.
>
> We typically start people out doing active bacteria, total and
active fungi. Takes about a month to get that really under your
belt, and look at enough different soils to have a good idea of the
variability you are going to see. We usually have about 100
different soils and plants that each person needs to look at so they
really have an understanding of the differences that can occur.
Usually no lab other than the main lab sees that range of variation,
but better to be over-trained than under-trained!
>
> We then work on total bacterial assessment, and then protozoa.
Takes another month to get good at these assays. So, to do a lab
that can do most of the the foodweb takes about 2 months of training,
or about $8,000. Mostly that is technician time to show the trainee
what needs to be done, and then practice, practice, practice!
>
> Mycorrhizal fungi take a good month to get the search images worked
out, because you need to be able to identify VAM, other endo- and
ecto-myccorhizal fungi. so we usually get teh lab going on the
activity assays, and the next winter train the mycorrhizal fungi.
>
> The next winter we start nematode training. We usually get you to
be able to count and pick, then begin to work on the morphology over
a month time period, let you practice for a year on your own samples
(while sending nematodes samples into SFI main lab for the actual
ID), then another month of training here at SFI the next winter.
Then until you agree with ID with what our experts do, SFI main lab
confirms all IDs. Then of course, there is on-going QA.
>
> As we do soil chemistry, and species diversity, we will work out
training methods. Not quite there on the moleculae probe methods
yet, so can't quite say long to train. Working with the folks at
Cornell University and another group in Europe on these methods, so
just stay tuned....
>
> Does this answer your questions? You interested in doing these
methods for yourself, or starting an SFI lab for commercial
business?
>
> Elaine Ingham
> President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
> SFI Corvallis, OR
> SFI Port Jefferson, NY
> SFI Lismore, NSW, Australia
> SFI Hilversum, The Netherlands
> SFI Cambridge, New Zealand
> www.soilfoodweb.com


 

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Received on Wed Jan 21 2004 - 19:29:07 EST

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