That was wonderful to see the microscopy. Thank you for having it done and thank you for sharing it with us. Your honesty and humility in sharing the whole process, both the ups and the downs, is quite remarkable. Thanks for doing it with integrity. Happy 4th of July!
Great to see the microscopy! Jay, get a microscope for yourself to make faster evaluations cycle turns as tactical moves (use the lab friend for strategic studies). I got a $5 garage sale microscope years ago for the kids that does 100x and 400x. From your prior videos at the lab and worm farms it's clear the two key components are hard-wood leaf mold and worm castings (which if you go in the woods you can scoop up inoculated soil and leaf material -- I piled up maple leaves last fall and dug out soil for tea tests here this spring). .. Some cities do fall leaf clean up where citizens rake leaves into the street and the city comes through to pick up the piles and make compost. They do it to reduce homeowner's burning leaves. The risk is homeowners also dump or include grass clippings from yards contaminated with higher levels of chemicals than a farmer could ever afford. Look at river and lake run off from these subdivisions and you'll see. .. What if you start your own mini-worm farm from your same J-S feedstock, specifically to grow worms and get the castings the way the worm farmers are doing it? That might be a good comparison of processes. If you have maple or oak trees around your house, pile of the leaves this fall and compare next spring -- a single season activity comparison to say a hundred year woods.
Just starting Dr. Elaines Microscopy course. Took almost a year to finish the first 3 foundation courses. Maybe I can support you down the road somehow when I finish this course.
Great video Jay, liked the microscopy videos on the different aspects of the soil food web. Have you tried any alfalfa hay in your Bio reactors? I did a test on vermicomposting and compared old alfalfa hay to old straw., worms processed for 5 months. I evaluated it with Matt Slaghterof Earthfort Lab, is the results were jar dropping. Since then (4 years ago) I have always tried to add alfalfa to my bioreactors and mulch with it when possible. Keep up the great work Jay.
Have you considered a controlled windrow approach to compost, compared to JS? IME JS is easier in the make and forget aproach but it's much more difficult to make it just right in the first place, whereas a windrow you can time the thrermophillic turning, and control moisture content, with much greater accuracy, you can slo amend it as you go if it's not quite right. Before JS came along we'd only had controlled thermophillc compost as a source for CT/extract, I've raely produced poor compost from thermophillic controled compost, JS has been more hit n miss quality wise, tho it's very easy to produce an anaerobic end product.
@youngredangus6041 my reactors are 6 months old now. Am adding one per month. Permanently scavenging leaves, wood chips etc for diversity. Love yr vids thank u
That was wonderful to see the microscopy. Thank you for having it done and thank you for sharing it with us. Your honesty and humility in sharing the whole process, both the ups and the downs, is quite remarkable. Thanks for doing it with integrity. Happy 4th of July!
Really appreciate this video. Please keep them coming.
Super cool. Thanks for the video.
Great to see the microscopy! Jay, get a microscope for yourself to make faster evaluations cycle turns as tactical moves (use the lab friend for strategic studies). I got a $5 garage sale microscope years ago for the kids that does 100x and 400x. From your prior videos at the lab and worm farms it's clear the two key components are hard-wood leaf mold and worm castings (which if you go in the woods you can scoop up inoculated soil and leaf material -- I piled up maple leaves last fall and dug out soil for tea tests here this spring). .. Some cities do fall leaf clean up where citizens rake leaves into the street and the city comes through to pick up the piles and make compost. They do it to reduce homeowner's burning leaves. The risk is homeowners also dump or include grass clippings from yards contaminated with higher levels of chemicals than a farmer could ever afford. Look at river and lake run off from these subdivisions and you'll see. .. What if you start your own mini-worm farm from your same J-S feedstock, specifically to grow worms and get the castings the way the worm farmers are doing it? That might be a good comparison of processes. If you have maple or oak trees around your house, pile of the leaves this fall and compare next spring -- a single season activity comparison to say a hundred year woods.
Just starting Dr. Elaines Microscopy course. Took almost a year to finish the first 3 foundation courses. Maybe I can support you down the road somehow when I finish this course.
Would be great to make elaine inghams stuff open access. Christine Jones told me her stuff is dated.
What is the link for the course? I'm interested from nigeria
Would you please comment on the use of 2-4D, Impact and Accent in corn. And the effects they have on micro organisms.
Great video Jay, liked the microscopy videos on the different aspects of the soil food web. Have you tried any alfalfa hay in your Bio reactors? I did a test on vermicomposting and compared old alfalfa hay to old straw., worms processed for 5 months. I evaluated it with Matt Slaghterof Earthfort Lab, is the results were jar dropping. Since then (4 years ago) I have always tried to add alfalfa to my bioreactors and mulch with it when possible. Keep up the great work Jay.
Thanks for the encouragement
I used alfalfa the first year. I’ll have to give it a try again
The older the better to get more fungi. Good luck@@youngredangus6041
Be interesting to try the ratio used in terra preta in a bioreactor.
Have you considered a controlled windrow approach to compost, compared to JS? IME JS is easier in the make and forget aproach but it's much more difficult to make it just right in the first place, whereas a windrow you can time the thrermophillic turning, and control moisture content, with much greater accuracy, you can slo amend it as you go if it's not quite right. Before JS came along we'd only had controlled thermophillc compost as a source for CT/extract, I've raely produced poor compost from thermophillic controled compost, JS has been more hit n miss quality wise, tho it's very easy to produce an anaerobic end product.
I have not looked into that at this time
If I do a corn seed tretmant with JS and then plant the seed En a fue haurs well it still work
From what Ives seen
Yes
Thanck
Do you witness much variability in your crops when using only composts for fertility? Variability both in general crop health and yield?
So which bio reactor was the best? And what was in it?
Great info. Thank u. How old were the samples u tested?
12-13 months
@youngredangus6041 thank u. My other question to Zak is how do ur samples compare with other compost he has examined, and / or soil?
@youngredangus6041 my reactors are 6 months old now. Am adding one per month. Permanently scavenging leaves, wood chips etc for diversity. Love yr vids thank u
What to do if the pile goes anti-aerobic? Can it be saved and would the microbes be affected?
If the pile goes anaerobic it negatively effects the fugal population and we have seen that under the microscope. Bacteria counts are higher.
How do you know how much js reactor mass to use in what water ratio per acre in what kind of application?
ua-cam.com/video/A6o8X2bQmqA/v-deo.htmlsi=HiQUu34X_6GXTugh
I think I answer those in that video
Is it ok to use corn stalk based compost on corn ?
That is what I have been using