Re: [compost_tea] Re: smell while brewing

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 01:07:21 EST

 
 
Hi Pierre -
 
Fermenting implies an anaerobic condition, not merely a condition in which =
 
microbes are growing. I perceive that there was a change in the use of the=
  
term in the microbial world when beer was defined as being produced through=
  a
fermentative process involving the production of alcohol.
 
Fermentation, at least among the microbiologists I was trained by, means a=
 
condition where alcohol is produced, which requires anaerobic conditions. =
 
 
Aerobic microbial growth is different from fermentation. Maybe this
confusion can be avoided by not using the word fermentation, but referring=
 to
aerobic, facultative, or anaerobic growth, as more specific terms?
----------------------
 
Compost made from 100% horse manure is likely to become anaerobic during t=
he
composting process. Not always, but often, given the conditions of
production of the manure.
 
Aerobic compost needs to be properly aerated, and then tested, at least the=
  
first time you use it, to make sure the aerobic biology desired is present=
.
Are bacteria, fungi, protozoa and at least a few nematodes present? If no=
t,
the compost is likely not actually aerobic. And compost is by definition,=
 an
aerobic process.

If compost tea is made from something that doesn't have a full foodweb
(i.e., bacteria, filamentous fungi, protozoa, and nematodes), then can the =
tea
produced actually be compost tea?
 
I'm NOT speaking of not-aerated tea, or anaerobic tea, or manure tea, or =
 
plant tea. These are different from aerated compost tea, the biology in t=
hem is
different, and the benefits I talk about that can be obtained from a healt=
hy
soil foodweb should not be expected.
 
Can there be some beneficial results from anaerobic tea? Sure, but precis=
e
production conditions have to be defined, and documented in order to know,=
 
time after time, what exactly will happened when they are used. Anaerobic=
 tea
is not what we mean when we speak of aerated compost tea. You cannot achi=
eve
a beneficial foodweb by using anaerobic tea.
 
Putrefying organic matter is not the same thing as compost, or as
tea-quality compost. I like Jeff's suggestion of using a qualifier to make=
  sure people
understand we aren't talking about stinky, smelly stuff, or only ok compos=
t,
when we are taking about compost tea.
 
------------------
 
There is an SFI lab in England now, and probably soon to be one in Spain.=
 
The lab director for the England lab will be training in Corvallis soon. =
 
Please stay tuned to the SFI website so you can learn about when the Engla=
nd lab
will be open for business.
 
I look forward to learning more about compost and compost tea in France! =
 
Glad to have you on-list!
 
Elaine Ingham
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 3/9/2005 9:37:29 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
pccrozat_at_fastmail.fm writes:


> Fermenting tea? What do you mean by that, exactly?

In France ACT is "classified" in the catégorie of "extraits
fermentés" which refers to the fact that the process ACT goes
through is a fermentation process. Isn't that a correct description
of the process?


> Any clues on what kind of smell. I know describing a smell is
hard, but a clue or two would be good.

we analysed the smell in our last batch for which the compost used
was a vermicompost made from 100% horse manure. The smell that we
had was a kind of a smell of raw horse manure, but not as pleasant
as the actual smell of raw horse manure (for those of us who
actually like the smell of raw horse manure), there was a bit of a
foetid undertone. We try to be very clean and we don t see any bio
film in the machine but we only clean (thoroughly) with water
between batches.

As for the tests we are still limited by the fact that there is the
Pacific ocean between us and the closest SFI lab!

thank you for the help





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 Thu Mar 10 2005 - 07:35:52 EST

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