$85,000 Johnson-Su Compost Extract on 1/4 Acre Paddocks
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- Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
- Join me today as I review how we’re making Johnson-Su compost extract and applying it to our 1/4 acre paddocks in our multi-species rotational grazing system. Compost extract test results included!
- Наука та технологія
Glad to see farming smarter not harder with micro herds. One thing to note is that according to Dr. Elaine Ingham, the drill mixer gadget and pump impeller kills a lot of microbes. It would be better to use an airlift pump approach for mixing which aerates in addition to mixing.
I had always heard the aerators were for teas, not extracts. Maybe splitting hairs here, but I had heard the air was an attempt at growing more microbes, which isn’t necessary with the extract. Hadn’t heard the mixer/killer thing yet.
@@birchfieldfarming That is correct. To grow more microbes, you need aeration and food (sugar for bacteria and fish hydrolysate for fungi), aka - compost tea.
The "airlift" pump is a "water pump" based on Archimedes principle of buoyancy -- no impellers or mechanical moving parts. It uses air pump to make water bubbles, water with bubbles is less dense than surrounding water and creates movement of water (ie. mixing) without harming the little bugs. Plus the bugs still need oxygen to keep them alive and prevent mix from going anaerobic if not used in timely fashion. Making extract is best with gentle massage of compost bag in water. Alternatively, you could just do gentle mixing with stick, paddle, or large spoon in your mineral bucket. The drill mixer and electric water pump however kills the little critters -- perhaps not all of them but a lot more than necessary.
Dr Ingham (I took her soil food web course a few years ago, highly recommend) also advises not to use high pressure sprayers (also kills microbes) -- which you are not doing. Your gravity fed application system is ideal and perfect.
Jason, we decorated the church today and it was a truly inspiring service and made me think of your good word. We have been doing a lot less UA-cam and other censorship media forums of late, so I apologize for not engaging as regularly as we once did. That said, I see that you are still perfectly on topic for those of us trying to build these small, sustainable homesteads. Just yesterday we moved large amounts of leaves into compost bins and had I seen (or remembered from last year) this system we could have started our Johnson-Su…in fact, what you have presented is enough for us to pull them out and redo it. It’s not like we don’t have these simple components on-hand. Glad your getting rain to fill your rainwater catchment, we are now way behind you but with 5,200g capacity and capturing 900g+ from each gallon dropped, we are staying ahead of the curve despite the dry conditions. Our pastures are suffering though, and this Johnson-Su may kickstart the microbiology for the future. Oh, and the sheep all broke through their hotwire fencing and put themselves together, so we started breeding a little early. The game is on at this point…fingers crossed.
Dan it’s so great to hear from you! Yes, I understand the censorship thing and have had to weigh things a bit myself. I’m so happy to hear you all (and the sheep) are doing so well! I can’t wait for you to experience lambing! I made a new friend lately from Norris Lake, TN area. He’s up our way this week. Stay in touch, friends! God continue to bless you all and homestead!
Outstanding, Thanks
Thanks, Kerk!🤠
As I recall, the mixture needs to aerate for 24 hours or more to get optimal levels of fungi and bacteria. The oxygen causes them to exponentially multiply.
Interesting, I don’t recall D. Johnson mentioning this when preparing his extract, but it’s possible I overlooked.
Amen !!! God Bless !!!
God bless you as well
Very cool. Probably way too simple, but I can't help but wonder if you brewed your "tea" slower it might make a stronger batch. I can't wait to see the results.
I think you’re right - need to slow it down. I’ve wondered too if we could just grind everything up to a pulp and put it all out. Our advantage is we’re dripping thru 1/8” holes and don’t have to jam it thru a narrow spray nozzle.
I had intrest in compost tea, bought a tea maker and fell down the rabbit hole. And stumbled upon KNF, ive been practicing KNF for about 3 years now. The KNF compost is "tuned" to your land as it takes the microbes and fungus from your land and propagetes them. Im not sure how the J-S method ensures fungal microbes. KNF also males amendments out of any weeds on your land by making fermented plant juice. Good luck!
That’s awesome, thanks for sharing your experience. We will have to look into KNF!🤠👍
Northern Tool has a tow behind 31 gallon sprayer for broadcast and spot spraying .2.2 gal /min .
Sounds interesting, thanks!🤠
One of my teenage nephews watches Jay Young Red Angus for the JoohnsonSu extract
Awesome, he’s doing amazing things in big ag!
Very nice. Why not just put the compost through a "manure spreader type thing" or just fork it out like hay to spread it directly on the field? Either way, I'm trying this. Thanks for the video.
Certainly an option - the extract makes it easier to apply especially at scale, as it only takes 2lbs compost/20 gal water. We put something similar down and around our sweet potatoes last gardening season tho and they did amazing!
Use the tea to water in other amendments and get the plants innoculated to absorb the amendments watered in better.
I'm new to all this, can I ask how this method compares to biochar or other regenerative ag methods like Korean Natural Farming. Also, wanted to ask about the profitability of this method compared to conventional. I mean if this method has a higher profitability rate, wouldn't all the big ag companies switch over to regenerative? I'm trying to find a method I can use to beat the conventional method farmers and grow at a faster rate and have more investment poor in as a result.
Great questions and goals! In my estimation, it’s very similar to KNF. Many of the large companies are switching to regen ag, but there’s a lot of greenwashing and pretending. The whole carbon credit “net zero” thing is merely a subversive way for corporate to control farmers and their land, and it’s coming at us hard now. I like Johnson-Su because it’s easily scalable (extract) and allows us to maintain independence, but what I’m noticing is where it really shines is in interacting with the seed microbiome. I haven’t seen much with established perennial pastures, which is my primary interest.
@@birchfieldfarming Thanks for the quick reply. I was interested in potentially investing in some of these farms, if any farmers were interested in needing capital. I don't know what the return/growth rate is but would love to get my feet wet in supporting regen ag in general as I think this is something everyone can do to save our soil. If big ag isn't planning on doing anything about this, then it's up to us. You also had Cory Miller on one of your other podcast as well talking about this. I wonder if he's interested in any investments or if you know anyone who "knows the numbers" I'd love to discuss. BTW, what does $85,000 compost extract mean? Is it the total value or the total cost?
@@krayziez$85K is the biological nitrogen equivalent of the extract in one of my JS bioreactors. Tremendous results applied to seed in furrow without destruction of mycorrhizal fungal networks like conventional N does. Best place to put your money is land.
@@birchfieldfarming Thanks! Speaking of putting money in land, since we have the advantage of being able to regen the land, do you think putting money in dry/dessertified land would have better prospects (since the land is cheaper since no other farmers want it because it's just not productive anymore due to conventional farming it to death)? I was trying to see if there's an advantage to applying regen ag to "less than desirable" land since it's cheaper and regen ag can gain more from it than conventional. You mentioned you're a numbers guy so thought I'd ask about the numbers if you ever thought about it in this way.
Example would be buying $500 per acre compared to $1500 per acre for land that has terrible soil - non productive, cracked etc., and all else being equal comparing that to decent land that's $1500 an acre. Then regen it for a couple years or however long it will take. Then the land becomes equivalent to that $1500 per acre land in 2-3 years. That would be like adding $1000 per acre. You have 100 acres, so that $100,000 increase in value of land and it costed you $20,000 for example. Of course I won't sell the land and will keep it to produce but basically I saved $80,000 buying cheap land with bad soil but recovered it to decent quality. Maybe I'm over simplifying it though.
@@krayziezTony, I think so much of what you’re talking about depends on your long-term goals for the land. What is it you eventually want to do? Cheap, sandy ground might be great if you want to farm cactus, grazing cattle not so much. I’ve seen trials where desert was turned into grazable pasture, but it took years, so I think that’s your second consideration - How much time do you have? Might be opportunity on the regen side in the right context tho!
Oh great another rabbit hole of research for me 😂
Haha! Oh I know that feeling!🤠
You need to look up Jim Elizondo. I suspect your animals are selectively grazing the good food and maybe causing less desirable species to dominate.
We’re about right here at 40K lbs/acre. I’ve watched Jim, and I’m leaning more towards an Allen Williams approach with leaving a bit more.