http://hypography.com/forums/ Discussions related to Terra Preta en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:56:26 GMT vBulletin 60 http://hypography.com/forums/images/styles/new_facebook/images/misc/rss.jpg http://hypography.com/forums/ http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21464-biocharstill-not-well-known.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:32:22 GMT I am working towards increasing my biochar production above my own usage and selling some .So I... I am working towards increasing my biochar production above my own usage and selling some .So I rang around a dozen plant nurseries and landscape suppliers in our area [Tweed-GoldCoast, and Brisbane Australia]. I was inquiring if they already sold biochar and would be interested in stocking another local brand [mine] at a cut price .

Well only one out of a dozen or so had even heard of biochar/terrapreta .And these were the biggest most established plant nurseries and garden /landscape supply outlets in an affluent ,fast growing progressive largish city and also the State capital:eek_big:

There has been sooooooooo much about biochar on ABC TV and media for years .Guess most Australians don't read and only watch sport on TV :(

And no one in the whole wide world is selling Biochar on ebay .

Its like dreaming you are in the Renaissance and then waking up in the middle of the dark ages . :eek:

Saving the planet may not be so easy after all :) ]]> Terra Preta mathuranatha http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21464-biocharstill-not-well-known.html http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21451-farmers-coop-sequester-biochar-sell-carbon-credits.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:40:54 GMT If a group of farmers wanted to form a co-op to sequester carbon (biochar) in their fields and to... If a group of farmers wanted to form a co-op to sequester carbon (biochar) in their fields and to thereby create and sell carbon credits that would help offset the cost of the creation of the biochar, how would they go about documenting the carbon credits that they created?

The formation of the co-op would spread the cost of the paperwork, equipment, testing, etc, out over all the farms.

Has anyone crunched the numbers on anything like this?

Free Range Farmer ]]> Terra Preta Freerangefarmer http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21451-farmers-coop-sequester-biochar-sell-carbon-credits.html http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21421-making-biochar-small-farm-scale.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:39:18 GMT New guy here. :) I am interested in making biochar for use on my small farm. Most of the... New guy here. :)

I am interested in making biochar for use on my small farm.

Most of the simple means of production that I have found online either produce a very small quantity per batch or require large pits, with an associated danger of a person or animal falling through the soil layer and being severely burned. Also, the fires typically seem like they have to burn for an extended period.

I am looking for some input on ways to make moderate amounts of biochar, without large expenditures of time or expense for equipment.

Below are my current thoughts about making moderate amounts of biochar. I have a long row of pines that I need to take down as they are starting to shade the kitchen garden near the house, and would like to make biochar from them in the spring or summer.

I read that some make biochar by taking a 55 gallon steel drum, making air inlet holes in the side up about a 1/3 of the barrel height from the bottom, then installing a grate just above the air wholes. As the wood above the grate burns, the smaller pieces drop through the grate into the bottom of the barrel where there is little or no oxygen to complete combustion.

My current thoughts are to enlarge this design vertically. First have a steel barrel that has a clamp on lid sitting on the bottom (without the lid). Then stack a second barrel on top of the first. The second barrel would have no top or bottm. It would have short sections of angle iron welded on the inside at the bottom that project about 6" out the bottom to help it nest on top of the bottom barrel. It would have a ring of air holes close to the bottom and a grate of 1/2" steel rods just above the air holes.

The entire top barrel would be filled with wood and ignited from the bottom through the air holes. The smaller charred pieces would drop through filling the bottom barrel. Addition wood could be added at the top until the bottom barrel was filled. Then the top barrel would be removed and the lid installed on the bottom barrel.

This would probably need a steel post set securely in the ground to stabilize the whole thing. I would envision loading the wood onto a dump trailer that I have, backing that up to the barrels to allow easy feeding of additonal wood.

Efficiency?

Other ideas?

Freerangefarmer ]]> Terra Preta Freerangefarmer http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21421-making-biochar-small-farm-scale.html http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21414-testing-your-chars-ph.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:11:52 GMT How do you test a chars pH? I have some char here but I do not know how to test it and do not... How do you test a chars pH?

I have some char here but I do not know how to test it and do not want to add it to soil if it is of the very high pH variety.

I have a soil pH test kit of the type that uses barium sulfalte, and a liquid and a water pH test kit with drops.

Suggestions? :shrug: ]]> Terra Preta Getting A Life http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21414-testing-your-chars-ph.html http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21410-u-s-biochar-initiative-working.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:43:51 GMT Production, characterization, and utilization of biochar all still need research and development. ... Production, characterization, and utilization of biochar all still need research and development.

US Biochar Initiative Home Page

Here's a new website; and here's to a new Green Economy! ]]> Terra Preta Essay http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta/21410-u-s-biochar-initiative-working.html