May 20 2011: We already have an example of a pesticide that followed the calcium cycle, DDT. Us old farts remember the pictures of bird eggs that collapsed, due to the DDT replacing calcium in the shells. It was DDT that put the Bald Eagle on the endangered species list.
So it's logical to expect that society will want real safeguards on this promising and WOW technology.
May 18 2011: I was very sick for several years; cancer, chronic pain, stroke were the highlights of my health crisis; I almost died of septicemia from Chemo treatments, then from my massive stroke.
Death is random; other cancer patients who were healthier than I, died, rich people with all their wealth at their disposal died. I have no idea why I survived this ordeal intact.
1. I'm am no more significant than a leaf on a tree, I only hope my time on earth is a useful as a leaf.
2. Live your life the way you want to live it.
3. Find inner peace.
Apr 20 2011: Jason,
Ethanol thrives here because Ag Corporations wanted to loot more taxpayer dollars from the US Treasury. The US ethanol policy has successfully tied the cost of food to the cost of energy, it's a complete disaster.
Ethanol is done right in Brazil.
The real problem here is that you've haven't completed all your homework on this project. When you get all your data together, not hidden behind firewalls or such, make a clear concise presentation as you would for any presentation, as opposed to asking readers to do their own research.
There is no doubt about your sincerity, only your data.
Thanks for the conversation.
PS: Look into to Exhaust farmings, where the exhaust from the tractors is cooled then pumped into the soil as the tractor moves across the fields. Yields are up and pollution is down, http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2010/12/08/269141_print_friendly_article.html
Apr 19 2011: Read it. http://www.nscss.org/system/files/Lehmann2006.pdf
..."These economic aspects as well as any social aspects are not resolved in this paper, beyond considering the implications of C emission trading, but are important for the successful implementation of a bio-char system and such studies should be conducted in the future.".....
...."Additionally, the decomposition of bio-chars is most likely reduced when it is transported down in the soil profile or buried in river, lake, or sea sediments...."
...."It appears that the effects of bio-char on N dynamics in soils is not entirely understood."....
Apr 18 2011: ..."Char was mixed with pottery shards, plant residues, animal feces, fish bones to make terra preta - or black soil." http://www.green-energy-news.com/arch/nrgs2007/20070073.html
Sounds to me that char was an early precursor of composting. A lot of old farming ideas are very very good; early organic farmers would haunt used book stores for pre-1900 Ag text books, as well the practices of native peoples, to discover how people farmed without chemicals.
But most of those very very good old ideas need to be updated to meet todays farming realities.
Apr 18 2011: Please supply link to physical soil sequestration; beyond the normal atmospheric capture between the soil particles.
When I ask for a link it;s because I failed to find the info on Google or other search resources. Don't mean to be a pain the ass, I've been a proponent of living soil for 25 years and love new ideas, but this one is just not adding up for me.
Do you have an energy chart flow on Ag waste to char?
If the data is there to support your claims then it;s all good.
Apr 17 2011: I've been in farming since the 60's, first with chemicals then organically. Composting does not necessarily need amendments, it depends on your soil condition.
If you want to make claims about the char then please supply data links not platitudes. I need the results of the testing, and the baseline for your testing methodology, to believe this sales pitch.
I've worked with organic farmers all over the US and the world, different soils, climates, crops, and scales of farms from corporate to poor farmer collectives. We get that carbon is important but I have seen so many silver bullet products, that have promised unbelievable results in the fields, only to discover yet again there are no silver bullets.
In the early days of organics farmers would study old Ag books from the 1800's or earlier, reviewing many farming methods, even of ancient peoples, anything that could make organic farming better. Dumping car into the soil never came up. Too much char could knock your N off the colloid. Too much of any Ag input can be bad for your soil.
Crop waste is best processed when composted; composting creates it own heat and the finished product is readily available to the soil microbes which sequester carbon.
Farmers have been adding carbon, in the form of soft coal and/or burning off their field stubble for centuries.
Apr 15 2011: I'm a little confused by the project, adding carbon to the soil is good, but like all soil amendments it has to be in balance with other soil minerals or the crops will not grow properly.
Carbon sequestration in Ag soil is a biological function of microbes absorbing the CO2, not physical sequestration as when CO2 is pumped deep into the earth.
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A reply on Talk: Angela Belcher: Using nature to grow batteries
So it's logical to expect that society will want real safeguards on this promising and WOW technology.
A comment on Conversation: What 3 things did you learn while you were in a near-death experience?
Death is random; other cancer patients who were healthier than I, died, rich people with all their wealth at their disposal died. I have no idea why I survived this ordeal intact.
1. I'm am no more significant than a leaf on a tree, I only hope my time on earth is a useful as a leaf.
2. Live your life the way you want to live it.
3. Find inner peace.
A comment on Conversation: Burying charcoal to improve crop yield and offset CO2
Ethanol thrives here because Ag Corporations wanted to loot more taxpayer dollars from the US Treasury. The US ethanol policy has successfully tied the cost of food to the cost of energy, it's a complete disaster.
Ethanol is done right in Brazil.
The real problem here is that you've haven't completed all your homework on this project. When you get all your data together, not hidden behind firewalls or such, make a clear concise presentation as you would for any presentation, as opposed to asking readers to do their own research.
There is no doubt about your sincerity, only your data.
Thanks for the conversation.
PS: Look into to Exhaust farmings, where the exhaust from the tractors is cooled then pumped into the soil as the tractor moves across the fields. Yields are up and pollution is down, http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2010/12/08/269141_print_friendly_article.html
A reply on Conversation: Burying charcoal to improve crop yield and offset CO2
..."These economic aspects as well as any social aspects are not resolved in this paper, beyond considering the implications of C emission trading, but are important for the successful implementation of a bio-char system and such studies should be conducted in the future.".....
...."Additionally, the decomposition of bio-chars is most likely reduced when it is transported down in the soil profile or buried in river, lake, or sea sediments...."
...."It appears that the effects of bio-char on N dynamics in soils is not entirely understood."....
Char is beginning to sound a lot like Ethanol
A reply on Conversation: Burying charcoal to improve crop yield and offset CO2
Sounds to me that char was an early precursor of composting. A lot of old farming ideas are very very good; early organic farmers would haunt used book stores for pre-1900 Ag text books, as well the practices of native peoples, to discover how people farmed without chemicals.
But most of those very very good old ideas need to be updated to meet todays farming realities.
A reply on Conversation: Burying charcoal to improve crop yield and offset CO2
When I ask for a link it;s because I failed to find the info on Google or other search resources. Don't mean to be a pain the ass, I've been a proponent of living soil for 25 years and love new ideas, but this one is just not adding up for me.
Do you have an energy chart flow on Ag waste to char?
If the data is there to support your claims then it;s all good.
A reply on Conversation: Burying charcoal to improve crop yield and offset CO2
If you want to make claims about the char then please supply data links not platitudes. I need the results of the testing, and the baseline for your testing methodology, to believe this sales pitch.
I've worked with organic farmers all over the US and the world, different soils, climates, crops, and scales of farms from corporate to poor farmer collectives. We get that carbon is important but I have seen so many silver bullet products, that have promised unbelievable results in the fields, only to discover yet again there are no silver bullets.
In the early days of organics farmers would study old Ag books from the 1800's or earlier, reviewing many farming methods, even of ancient peoples, anything that could make organic farming better. Dumping car into the soil never came up. Too much char could knock your N off the colloid. Too much of any Ag input can be bad for your soil.
I look forward to the data
A reply on Conversation: Burying charcoal to improve crop yield and offset CO2
Crop waste is best processed when composted; composting creates it own heat and the finished product is readily available to the soil microbes which sequester carbon.
Farmers have been adding carbon, in the form of soft coal and/or burning off their field stubble for centuries.
As an Ag guy I'm not seeing the advantage.
A comment on Conversation: Burying charcoal to improve crop yield and offset CO2
Carbon sequestration in Ag soil is a biological function of microbes absorbing the CO2, not physical sequestration as when CO2 is pumped deep into the earth.
I must be missing something about your product.