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Finally made my first batch of #biochar!! Got some rain here for the first time in months so the timing was perfect

Quenched it with about 100 gallons of rainwater, molasses, kelp meal, alfalfa meal, soil activator, greensand, and urine.

What else should I add to inoculate it? Could add manure from the chickens if needed.

How do you guys do it?

Will definitely be sprinkling some char into the compost with each addition of kitchen scraps/leaves but not sure what to do with the rest. TIA

#homesteading #grownostr #asknostr #proofofwork

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Discussion

Maria2000 2y ago

I've never made it, but it does fascinate me.

Jed 2y ago

I’ve been saving rabbit urine and straw to inoculate. The bunny “eggs” of course are best used elsewhere.

wil 2y ago

I pee on it constantly and use fish emulsion.

If you have a eutrophic water body you can put it in that and that’ll improve water quality as well. Just don’t use a paint strainer bag to put the char in, it’ll degrade - maybe metal mesh

Jacob (Organix Farms) 2y ago

Welcome to the addicting world of soil building.

In the future you may want to quench first with plain water to get the temps down before inoculating. Most beneficial bacteria die at around 160 degrees Fahrenheit. After the quench, you can soak all those goodies in to inoculate. I’m sure the minerals will be adsorbed from those sources but you may need to reintroduce the beneficial microbes.

This would be wicked to see under microscope.

Jac 2y ago

While you probably do have some biochar there, your yield will be higher if you build a biochar reactor. A 55 gallon steel drum, a 30 gallon steel drum, some stove pipe, and you’re set. The key to making biochar is to heat it to 600 degrees in an oxygen free environment. This leaves a stripped carbon skeleton hungry for nitrogen compounds to bond with. If you want more details about the design I’m referring to here, just let me know!

Stacking Functions 2y ago

I’m mainly just trying to process A LOT of wood debris Amazonian style instead of getting perfect results. Mainly it goes in the chicken coop & run for them to eat/defecate on and mix into compost.

If I was selling biochar I’d definitely use the barrels and make smaller batches

Jac 2y ago

I figured you knew, reading through your posts! It’s truly awesome what you’re doing! Shine on. 😊

SMS 2y ago

Tell me Jake, you a rainbow?

SMS 2y ago

Living up to deviant stereotype would just be embarrassing.

fa069e80... 2y ago

It makes for a really good addition to worm compost, it helps with aeration and moisture control, the worms love it. That and crushed (oven baked) egg shell, and rock dust too.