Throwback Thursday

In 2009 I was awarded a grant from the Big Island RCD, “Charcoal amended compost: plant growth response in local agricultural systems.”  $10,000 was used to produce biochar, biochar amended compost, and an unplanned and novel “inoculated” biochar. The biochar products were donated to local agricultural groups in exchange for data.  Here is the research poster that I presented at the 2010 US Biochar Initiative Conference in Ames, Iowa.

The poster is titled: Quality biochar production without metal, particle size and grinding, thermophilic and vermi-composting for a mature biochar.

Most of the farmers that took part in the project became clients and for several years after I kept producing biochar there in the dirt on my farm in Hawaii. The techniques used for biochar production are now commonly referred to as cone kiln, Kon-Tiki kiln, and flame cap kiln. Whether above ground in a metal cone or below ground in an earthen cone, the basic principles still apply.

The co-composting (inoculating, maturing, biologically activated) biochar experiments I had just begun at the time of this research poster can now be found in our co-composted products Blacklite Compost and Blacklite Mix #6 (20% biochar and 85% biochar respectively, by volume).

Cheers,

– Josiah Hunt