With the addition of biochar compost, the cluster beans plant has grown upto 11 feet. With maximum of 20 beans in a cluster. I have not seen any records yet of such magnitude. This achievement is through the use of biochar compost. Hope the farmers could produce their own fertilizers using biochar and increase the productivity. On an average the plants have grown above 9 feet. Whereas the control plants (in plots without biochar compost) they have grown only 5 feet in height. This project is being implemented by GEO supported by GoodPlanet.org, France
i have been in india and seen the modest size vegetables and plants that grow in those ancient, exhausted soils. being a connoiseur and lover of soil, i was heartbroken to see indian farmers trying to eke a life out of what i consider an infertile wasteland.
and i can clearly see in my mind the utter astonishment of those indian farmers to see beans grow twice their normal size. for them, it is, indeed, a miracle. undoubtedly an exciting, memorable discovery. that one experience was worth a thousand photos and a hundred lectures. reality is always the ultimate convincer -- unless you're a delusional republican or other ideologue.
congratulations, dr. reddy, in gaining the confidence of a group of real farmers. now, biochar leaps out of the experiment lab and into the fields and orchards. now, if the farmers can begin to capture the energy released when they make biochar, you have a solid, 3-legged village industry: biochar, biofuel, biofood.
here at my 13-year sanctuary, i was clearing weeds from my back garden, using long-handled ratchet-action loppers to cut down weeds that normally only grow three, maybe four feet tall. my soils are loaded with primary minerals, plus assorted forms of carbon, plus an full diversity soil food web. when i dig my soil, it is riddled with white threads of roots and fungal mycelium. and a shovelful almost holds together light and fluffy like moist sponge cake. dr. reddy's indian farmers would likely fall down awestruck to see how big beans grow in my soils.
clearly, minerals, microbes, biomass, and biochar are crucial ingredients to cook up the kind of soil this planet desperately needs -- to actually increase the amount of arable land. thanks dr. reddy for shining some clear light on the path forward. i trust you work will continue and advance to inspire many more farmers.
please be sure to read my article about the effects of feeding sea minerals to dairy cows: www.nutrient-dense.info/dairy
then imagine blending the fine dust from biochar with the sea minerals.
also, this summer, i helped a novice gardener and a few teenagers turn an empty urban lot into a new teaching garden.
the website slide show includes a biochar video: www.nutrient-dense.info/CCG
The results shared (including photos and videos) are from GEO Research Center experimental plots. These plots are for creating awareness and training to farmers and other stakeholders on biochar. Our farmers are surprised to see very good growth of the plants, because in their life time they had never seen plants (Cluster Beans) growing to such an height. Traditionally they had been applying compost / chemical fertilizers, but never see such results. Now they believe the values of biochar compost preparation and application.
Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy
Posted by Erin Rasmussen on October 1, 2011 - 10:41am
Comments
1 comment postedi have been in india and seen the modest size vegetables and plants that grow in those ancient, exhausted soils. being a connoiseur and lover of soil, i was heartbroken to see indian farmers trying to eke a life out of what i consider an infertile wasteland.
and i can clearly see in my mind the utter astonishment of those indian farmers to see beans grow twice their normal size. for them, it is, indeed, a miracle. undoubtedly an exciting, memorable discovery. that one experience was worth a thousand photos and a hundred lectures. reality is always the ultimate convincer -- unless you're a delusional republican or other ideologue.
congratulations, dr. reddy, in gaining the confidence of a group of real farmers. now, biochar leaps out of the experiment lab and into the fields and orchards. now, if the farmers can begin to capture the energy released when they make biochar, you have a solid, 3-legged village industry: biochar, biofuel, biofood.
here at my 13-year sanctuary, i was clearing weeds from my back garden, using long-handled ratchet-action loppers to cut down weeds that normally only grow three, maybe four feet tall. my soils are loaded with primary minerals, plus assorted forms of carbon, plus an full diversity soil food web. when i dig my soil, it is riddled with white threads of roots and fungal mycelium. and a shovelful almost holds together light and fluffy like moist sponge cake. dr. reddy's indian farmers would likely fall down awestruck to see how big beans grow in my soils.
clearly, minerals, microbes, biomass, and biochar are crucial ingredients to cook up the kind of soil this planet desperately needs -- to actually increase the amount of arable land. thanks dr. reddy for shining some clear light on the path forward. i trust you work will continue and advance to inspire many more farmers.
please be sure to read my article about the effects of feeding sea minerals to dairy cows:
www.nutrient-dense.info/dairy
then imagine blending the fine dust from biochar with the sea minerals.
also, this summer, i helped a novice gardener and a few teenagers turn an empty urban lot into a new teaching garden.
the website slide show includes a biochar video:
www.nutrient-dense.info/CCG
for a green & peaceful planet,
David Yarrow
dyarrow5@gmail.com
44 Gilligan Road, East Greenbush, NY 12061
518-507-5335
dyarrow5 (skype)
www.dyarrow.org
www.carbon-negative.us
www.ancientforests.us
www.nutrient-dense.info
www.farmandfood.org
www.seaagri.com
Dear Erich Knight,
The results shared (including photos and videos) are from GEO Research Center experimental plots. These plots are for creating awareness and training to farmers and other stakeholders on biochar. Our farmers are surprised to see very good growth of the plants, because in their life time they had never seen plants (Cluster Beans) growing to such an height. Traditionally they had been applying compost / chemical fertilizers, but never see such results. Now they believe the values of biochar compost preparation and application.
Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy