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!
Discussion
You can make perfect biochar in a pit, just need to ensure the material is small enough diameter branches, then start the fire small and add layers as soon as ash appears.
Disagree man, I wrote a paper on biochar in college. Oxygen is a bitch chemically and if it’s around, certain necessary things just don’t happen.
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
