We had our preliminary winter rain with a dash of snow at the end. If it had snowed, just ten days before Solstice, and we got all that rain as snow, it would have been impressive. Instead, we got torrential rain that eventually turned into a sleety ice mix, and in the overnight, it finally got near 32F (0C) and some snow fell. The ground, not yet being frozen was soaking up as much as it could, but eventually, the ground was saturated and the slush started building up on top. Late in the day, much had melted into the grass and more than half the lawns were clear. The cold is supposed to come this week, but for now, the ground is wet and thawed, at least on top. Six weeks and ten days from now, temperatures should begin warming, but for now, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, this will begin story time and long winter's nights by the fire. So much has been written and researched regarding soil carbon and so little is being done to heal the soil and re-establish a viable water cycle in our agricultural lands that time is running out to adapt and change our behavior before we turn the great "bread baskets" of the world to desert.
In these times, we must rebuild our soils. Many recent advances have led to multi-species cover cropping and interplantings that build soil rather than deplete it. We have the skills needed to increase carbon in soil, increase biological activity and reduce the effects of both drought and flood and those who know how to do it are anxious to teach others. The biochar classes we teach at ECO-Tours of Wisconsin are designed specifically for you, your soils, your resources, your intended use of the land, all of these things dictate the type of biochar that best suits your desired use. Someone wanting chicken odor reduction as their primary use for biochar would get a very different product than someone who wanted to add it to asparagus beds, for instance.
The primary thing to remember is that once char has been heated to a glow, but kept from air, it is transformed, like fired pottery, the sherds can last virtually forever. Research into the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World modern archaeology has not yet "found", leads some to believe that ultralight soils may have been biochar-based and fed from newly discovered canals/aqueducts near and leading to Nineveh, near Mosul, Iraq. Ancient ancestors from over 4,000 years ago had worked out the details of using fire to turn clay to stone and it seems a tiny step for them to also realize that the black ash made in virtually every fire, was transformed in a similar fashion, and has benefits for soil building and drought resistance.
Our current lack of understanding regarding soils leads many to not even understand the difference between soil and dirt. So much of our agricultural landscape has been assaulted, de-carbonized, tilled to death and saturated with chemicals that finding intact soils with well-developed structure are getting harder and harder to find. Our biochar classes are designed to convey knowledge, skills and attitudes that lead to healthier soils, healthier plants and doubling of crop production without the use of harsh or persistent chemicals and to facilitate the establishment of a viable soil microbial communjity. This in turn leads to an increase in marcro-organisms and beneficial insects that also store carbon and cycle water, nutrients and carbon, allowing it to stay in soils longer and to provide resources for other trophic levels in the soil. The current system of agriculture needs to be revised for so many reasons, our classes teach literally from the ground up, why change is necessary, how to create positive change in the soil and all the specifics regarding the six steps required to make top quality biochar that will transform the soil for thousands of years. If you are interested in taking our classes, we can do them in-person or online. We have also had a few opportunities to consult with people using the phone, so whatever your needs are, don't hesitate to ask. This information is too important to not share. Just remember, we have bills, overhead and taxes to pay. Spending a reasonable amount for the information is crucial to allow us to continue to exist and it helps you value the years of effort we have put in to help re-discover this ancient blend of art and science. The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.
As another year slowly fades into history, it is well to remeber that we are the drivers of change. The greedy, self-serving, ignorant and rediculous people who have all the money don't care about us and do not understand that they need us far more than we need them. We don't need to close ranks around them, dehumanize or demoralize them, but to step away, teach by example and invite reciprocation. According to abundance theory, when everyone does better, everyone does better.
Contact us by mail at: ECO-Tours of Wisconsin, Inc. 1111 Clark street Algoma, WI 54201,
e-mail: biocharmaster "at" gmail.com or call/txt: nine twenty, double eight four-triple two four.
