[compost_tea] Re: MICROBIOLOGY TESTING of COMPOST TEAS

From: dkemnitz2000 <dkemnitz2000_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2004 03:33:00 -0000

--- There are rodents, rabbbits, cats, raccoons, etc cruising around
the compost pile (24/7). Not just birds. That'll change statistical
significance.  I think an ND will be somewhat difficult to obtain
with all those critters moving around. I've done lots of coliform
(not E. coli specifically)testing on raw milk samples and coliform
(microorganisms from the gut of warm blooded animals)get in the milk
quite easily apparently.
    BTW I sure appreciate all the people on this list who send info
to further  the cause.  It takes a lot of time (for me anyway)to
write the long explanations, etc. Thanks again. Dennis Kemnitz in KS








In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, butch ragland <wilddog_202@y...>
wrote:
> I can follow all of the what ifs but statistically it
> is so unlikely that it seems silly to worry about it.
> --- Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_t...> wrote:
>
> >   ----- Original Message -----
> >   From: butch ragland
> >   To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> >   Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 4:39 PM
> >   Subject: Re: [compost_tea] MICROBIOLOGY TESTING of
> > COMPOST TEAS
> >
> >
> >   What is the signifience of traces of e coli such
> > as a
> >   random bird droping on a pile of compost.
> >
> >
> > Think of aerobic and anaerobic conditions.  You have
> > a compost pile or windrow you have carefully
> > nurtured from greenwaste only, no animal feces used
> > in the compost.  It sits outside and a couple of
> > birds fly over and leave droppings.  Now, most birds
> > are carnivores; they eat insects and worms along
> > with berries and nuts and stuff.  But their
> > digestive systems, in general, are capable of
> > digesting meat, or protein from animals.  That means
> > they have the bacteria in their digestive systems to
> > handle these inputs.  A bird's digestive system is
> > anaerobic which means that anaerobic bacteria thrive
> > there.  There are some switchers but it's more of a
> > case where they can tolerate O2 as opposed to
> > requiring O2.  There are e coli, and other
> > pathogens, associated with bird equivelant of a
> > colon.
> >
> > When these birds evacuate (Remember, birds do not
> > have urinary tracts like humans.  You don't see
> > birds running sound lifting their legs on bushes and
> > branches.) all the material goes including bacteria
> > feeding on the stuff being ejected.  This hits the
> > compost pile and along comes Joe Composter and turns
> > the pile over.  Now these bacteria are at the bottom
> > or near the center of the pile with little air.
> > It's an environment they like so they start
> > multiplying.  Leave it long enough and keep your
> > pile anaerobic enough and you can generate pathogen
> > levels that are unacceptable by EPA standards for
> > compost.  Remember also that bacteria don't
> > generally taxi so you have to turn the pile around
> > to spread the stuff throughtout the whole pile.
> > Even then, pathogens near the surface will be less
> > because of O2 and UV.  UV actually kills them and
> > they can be digested under certain circumstances but
> > I wouldn't count on digestion as a way to control
> > pathogens.
> >
> > That's how it can happen. Now, lucky for us, e coli
> > are very sensitive to UV and O2 so if you keep your
> > pile turned and oxygenated enough, you can keep the
> > pathogen levels quite low.  Also, lucky for us
> > ostrich's don't fly.
> >
> > Now I don't know if you have ever raised a crow but
> > I have (three to be exact) and let me tell you, they
> > produce a healthy load.  It's almost directly
> > proportional to the amount you feed them which makes
> > me wonder if anything they eat, which is quite a
> > lot, actually gets digested.
> >
> > Ted Peterson
> > SOE
>
> =====
> Butch Ragland
> Conflict is as addictive as
> cocaine, alcohol, cigarettes,etc
> I'm sorry to report that
> cooperation is not
>
>
>            
> __________________________________
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Received on Thu Dec 23 2004 - 01:27:02 EST

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