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1) Do you produce it yourself? If so, how? Or do you purchase it? If so, where? Local producers/dealers or regional/national distributors?
We produce it ourselves. It’s a pretty crude methodology though. I cut the top out of an old 500g diesel tank and we just get a fire started and continue to load wood on top of the coals, and at the end quench the whole thing with water.
2) How do you like to integrate and apply biochar in your operation: with composts, mulches, etc? Usually, I hear of growers integrating biochar applications as part of another application such as compost. Does anyone apply biochar as an amendment by itself?
Once the char has been quenched and drained, we just dump it all in the orchard and let the cows and sheep sleep on it, poop on it, chew on it, etc. They are our inoculation team. They will do a little work spreading it, but we also flood irrigate which pushes the char down the field.
3) What are your objectives in applying biochar? Carbon sink, “biological” amendment, etc?
We used to remove all of the shakeout from the orchard to a location that we could just burn it. This process saves us many trips back and forth, we only have to handle it one time instead of unloading it, and we should be getting some benefit from it instead of wasting this resource.
4) Do you consider biochar a minor or major tool in your program? Minor
5) Any thoughts on the proposed prep and application in different scenarios, i.e. intensive production such as vegetables, row cropping, or pastures? No
6) Do you have any stories of success or failure that can be attributed largely to the application of biochar? No
7) While there is a growing body of literature on biochar, is there any research or lay publication that you would recommend for the rest of us? Links would be helpful. Sorry, but no.
