Ex-Quaker's quakerly view 2014
People actually find their way to this blogspot, 5000+ todate, I can't imagine what fractal routes lead them here but good. I found peakoilitis by following the white rabbit done the hole back in 2003 or so. Led me to organize the first and only Ontario Quaker symposium on sustainable lifestyles at Waubauchene ON, Camp NeeKauNis.
Today is Friday Aug 29, 2014, last post here was Oct 2012, and I hadn't intended to come here, followed a white rabbit i guess.
Talks I have with knowledgeable people about the global problematique of climate, energy and finance are no longer about whether or why or when, they're about what do we do now, especially what do we boomers (I'm 60) do that can matter to our children, grandchildren's generations. It's the MBA training in me, still rattling around somewhere in my aging brain, that says define the problem, get on with solving it.
Permaculture still holds the largest hope for me, and it embraces several very specify methods, attitudes, tools. Today biochar is top of mind and I've been websurfing looking for ways to make it at the farm. Found one I had read in 2009, from Sweden, Folke Gunther's double barrel retort couldn't be easier.
http://www.holon.se/folke/carbon/simplechar/simplechar.shtml
But the benefits of biochar are rolling in on the research pages. Just for instance, from Albert Bates TheGreatChange blog: http://peaksurfer.blogspot.ca/2013/10/post-modern-moonshots.html
So you see, there is much to be hopeful about. Also Holistic (farm) Management, Regenerative Agriculture, Urban gardening, and Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration. http://permaculturenews.org/2008/09/24/the-development-of-farmer-managed-natural-regeneration/ .
All great signs of the willingness of some people to innovate in the direction of a steadystate ecologically-confined human habitat. As Daniel Quinn, author of Ishmael, reminds us, "If the world is to be saved, it will not be by old minds with new programs, but by new minds with no programs."
posted by Ian Graham @ 3:31 PM
2 Comments:
Hi Ian
Interested in your take on biochar. I studied it extensively (tried to sell some too) and found mild sales interest at retail. I also found almost zero interest for broadacre farming...input cost too high.
For me, learning about cover crops took me out of the world of biochar.
I'm 57 and shopping hard for land to do some re-gen/permaculture development. Very interested in your take - I see as a way to avoid the grocery store and have a u-pickem business on the side....
doug.clark@growersbiochar.com
Doug Clark, I so seldom come here that I did not see your comment till today Aug 17 2017.
I have actually only recently started making biochar, using an old 250 gal cattle watering trough, about 10 ft long, 3ft high. works fine, no need for fabbing something like the kontiki or Oregon style kilns. I pulverize in a 7hp gas powered chipper shredder (MacKinnon Mighty Mac) with 1" screen.
I agree not much interest for broadacre or even local gardener sales. I could add it to active compost made here and sell that farm gate to gardeners. I use it for my own cattle and chicken bedding, greenhouse soil amendment and potting mix. Eventually it gets in the soil when I spread the composted manure each year.
Recently found a book, CharcoalRemedies.com by JOhn Dinsley on the many health and home remedies for charcoal. Good to have on hand for poison remedy, diarrhea, burns, also for livestock.
I'm same age, doing a permaculture farm lifestyle, selling produce, meats, eggs, raising heritage cattle breed, getting ready for when TSHTF with climate crisis.
Now I know you're out there, let's keep in touch.
Ian
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