Re: [compost_tea] Re: First Time
Ted -
You say every batch of tea doesn't need to be tested, but then you reveal
that you test every batch that you make.
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You wrote:
We are dealing with a range of biology here and no one knows absolute
numbers for absolute results as far as soil biology goes. I, personally, learned
to use a microscope and look at my tea. I do soil tests and plant assays.
Sometimes using CT can give curious test data yet the plants are healthy.
Because we are using a different and accentuated process of adding biology to the
soil, we just don't have the data to make absolute statements. After all,
all tea does is multiply the bacteria and extract the fungi resident in the
compost. That's it.
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You say your compost varies from batch to batch. How do you know this, if
you don't test it?
Once someone learns what their compost variability is, and what their
compost tea variability is, do they have to test for-ever?
If the person they buy their tea brewer from has done the testing, then why
does a small scale grower have to repeat that testing?
Doesn't that say that the tea brewer manufacturer needs to give that data to
the buyer?
Oh, the buyer doesn't want to have to do that much work, eh?
Except consumers should learn not to buy a tea maker that doesn't come with
that information.
If a consumer buys a tea maker without that information with the machine,
then they either need to learn to use a microscope so they can look at every
batch of tea they make, or they can send their teas to a lab that allows them
to learn what is going on with each batch. SFI labs do that qualitative
testing for $35.
Learn what the variation is from batch to batch of your teas, or your
compost.
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Ted also wrote:
I have a person who has become a friend who has been using a very simple
brewer without aeration for over five years and who thinks all the added foods
and hyper-growth is a bunch of BS. His plants look great and he manages one
of the larger wineries around here. We are getting ready for a tea off to see
if we can find any substantive difference between his methods and mine using
the same crops.
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And as has been said before on this list, if you don't add foods to your
compost tea brew, the likelihood that the tea will stay aerobic, and not go
anaerobic, is quite good.
But use an immature compost, and the foods may not be gone, and the brew may
go anaerobic.
Wouldn't it be nice to have a way to know for certain? You don't have to
test each batch, once you know what your compost and teas usually do......
Learn to use a small microscope. Cost? About $400 for the least expensive
scope, or about $1200 for the best. Classes to learn to use the scope are
taught at SFI. SFI advisors usually can do the tests as well, so contact your
closest advisor to learn more.
Elaine R. Ingham
Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
Soil Foodweb Inc., Port Jefferson, New York
Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
Soil Foodweb Institute Cambridge, New Zealand
Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan, Mexico
Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho
Soil Foodweb Inc., South Africa
Received on Wed Mar 09 2005 - 10:57:17 EST
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