John Suavecito

Good point. I haven't offered yet.  The inoculant has nutrition, of course, but it's nutrition for plants, and even more importantly, for the microbes in the soil.   I guess I could try and offer some to her to see.

John S
PDX OR

I try to read up on health ideas, because I am not a young man.  

Many health professionals advocate the use of charcoal in particular circumstances.  I think they really mean char that hasn't been inoculated but has been crushed.   It takes out heavy metals and other contaminates. It is specifically advocated in the case of known poisonings or high levels of heavy metals.  Unfortunately, it also removes crucial minerals that we need in our diet.  I have considered it, but I am currently using more gentle methods of detox. Mostly high plant/fiber intake with some specifics. I mostly follow the Medical Medium model, but many different advocates suggest cilantro, spirulina, and blueberries, so it's not that different from other ones.  I am a little skeptical of the flashy people who get on there and say "I will  detox you in 4 days!!" Seems like a scam to me.  Just my opinion.  

It makes sense to me that dogs and animals would instinctively do that.  She has thrown up a few times recently.

John S
PDX OR

She poops in the garden and I just slide it underneath some mulch.  She also poops elsewhere and we bag it and toss it.  

John S
PDX OR

I burn it, crush it, then inoculate it for a week.  Then I dig it into the soil and cover it up so it doesn't dry out.  

Unfortunately, she can smell the inoculant in it and digs it up and starts eating it.  

I chase her away, when I can see her doing it.

She stops eating it after it has been in the soil for a few days.

Whaddya think? Serious problem or just cute?

John S
PD OR

This article was very inspiring to me.  When this guy was a kid, he started recovering this forest.
https://www.wired.com/story/the-rio-grande-valley-was-once-covered-in-forest-one-man-is-trying-to-bring-it-back/

Now it's his full time job.  Climate change makes it worse.  They are making it happen in a tough place!
John S
PDX OR

Judith Browning wrote:Raven,
I'm no longer on fb so have lost track of that group (and this thread for 7 years apparently 🙃)

My woad has finally 'naturalized' though...many plants live for more than their biannual life cycle and I am finding more volunteers  from seed!

Have not done any dyeing with it since my initial experiment but we use the leaves for a tea....brewed along with red clover as Buhner recommends, starting in cold water, slowly brought to a few minute simmer.  Both Buhner and Michael Moore recommend that method for those particular herbs to bring out their particular medicinal properties.

Have you established your woad patch?
Any success dying with it?

Great information, Judith! Mine has naturalized too. I've saved up a lot of the leaves, and I even own Buhner's Antiviral Herbs.  I forgot that protocol.  I"ll have to use it next time.  
THanks,
John S
PDX OR

There is some data on larger chunks for desert-like systems that are extremely arid.  I won't say that the question is settled.  If you take a 2 cm chunk of biochar that has been in the ground, and crush it, water will come out.  There are people who fervently believe that larger chunks will be better in a desert, and there are those who disagree.  I don't think that they have really good studies on it yet.

John S
PDX OR

I tried an older meat grinder. It was really hard to use, then it got stuck. Then I had to buy another meat grinder and find a different way to crush biochar.

John S
PDX OR

Lead? Really? Do you want to put lead into your soil or your body?
John S
PDX OR

This is my summary of Kelpie Wilson's description of biochar crushing techniques.  If you don't particularly like my descriptions or you want ALL of the information, buy it from her, you cheapskate! It only costs $2.50, or so.  

Obviously, just driving over it is the cheapest, because you don't have to buy anything new.  I bought burlap bags off of Facebook marketplace, but they were only $1 each and I've worn out none of them over the last couple of years.  The other options can definitely scale up in price, but if you have a biochar business or large acreage, it might be worth it.

John S
PDX OR

Biochar crushing techniques

Crushing Char by Driving Over It cheap and easy

Crushing with DR Leaf Vacuum
More consistent char size. Doesn’t work well wet.

Hand-held Leaf Vacuum: underpowered, rocks destroy it, won’t work wet


Hammermill: too dry-cloud of dust. Too wet-plugs up

Pelletmasters Hammermill-The one she uses. Dry char out on a tarp beforehand $1695.00

Honda hammermill in garden chipper/shredder-same price-doesn’t work as well $1695.00

Best option for very large scale: Clinker Grinder?
ECON Clinker Grinder SPD 1600420 7-9-ECON Rebuilt Condition: Used
Price: US $4,850.00
www.ebay.com/itm/ECON-Clinker-Grinder
This would be great for high volume producing