Comments for eggs & tea blog

Comment on “Fuzzyfoot,” or our Light Brahma Hen by Vahid

Vahid — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 21:00:59 +0000

Hi
my friend
your hens are very very beautiful.
congratulation

Comment on New document on Tea in Hawai’i by ben

ben — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:50:15 +0000

Hi Thais, i’m not certain what kind of metal the plate is, it’s just a piece of old corrugated roofing, it might be aluminum or galvanized steel. Seems to be holding up pretty well.
As you can see in the title of the blog, our farm is in Ahualoa. I presume you have been to the farm page at http://ahualoa.net/teafarm/ and tea notes at http://ahualoa.net/tea/ ?

Comment on New document on Tea in Hawai’i by Thais

Thais — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:53:06 +0000

So nice to access this blog. It was just forwarded to my by Nancy at HIMGA because she knew I was wanting to know how to build the fire for biochar making. I really prefer your brick pit design to Josiah Hunt’s dirt pit one. Yours is tidier and requires less dirt cover… and the shoveling of it on and off. I suppose you are putting a metal plate over the pit… What kind? Corrogated alumninum wouldn’t last long.

But, Nancy didn’t know that I also am a tea grower… well, a struggling one! I only have 200 plants in but, it’s been a real struggle these last 3 years. I’ve been using seedlings. They don’t easily re-root and take. I’ve tried both shaded nursery for 2 months in promix and direct in-ground planting. Once in the ground, weed cloth alone cause solarization and seedling death. Mulch on top of weed cloth keeps it cooler but, weeds start to begin again to be problem. Have used neem oil and copper sprays to control mites and fertilize with organic compounds only. My chick manure is also used in dry and tea form.

Do you have comments and/or suggestions from any of this info?

PS Where are you located on the Hamakua?

Mahalo,
Thais

Comment on Azolla as chicken feed by Akhilesh Kumar

Akhilesh Kumar — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:49:33 +0000

Hello every one,I am Akhilesh an agricuture graduate and at present I am second year student of Master in Social Entrepreneurship at Tata Institute of Social Sciences,Mumbai,India. During second semester I run successfully three month pilot project on “azolla as supplementary cattle feed” In village MilKi, Paliganj,District Patna,India.
Really azolla is WONDER FERN it has tremendous potential as cattle feed It has very high protein content and all essential amino acids and minerals. It is also used as poultry feed, goat feed, sheep feed, Fish feed and even for Human feed also. I am keenly interested in processing of azolla If any one having more information about azolla processing then it may great help for me……….If any confusion about azolla then plese mai me on : akhilesh.tiss@gmail.com

Comment on New broody hen cage for Xmas by Kelly

Kelly — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:52:55 +0000

I love this!! I have 4 Buff orpington chicks, and I know that eventually (due to their nature), I will need a broody hen cage too.

Comment on Biochar: from kiln to pit by Sam

Sam — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 04:14:24 +0000

I love the simplicity and affordability of this pit kiln design. I’m worried, however, about the climate change implications of not flaring the gasses produced by the pyrolisis happening in the pit. Are you flaring the gasses coming out? If not, have you heard of any way to produce biochar with a pit kiln while flaring the exhaust gasses? That’s exactly what I’m looking for. Low tech + low cost + high return for labor + low/no release of gasses into atmosphere.

Comment on Biochar: from kiln to pit by new_biochar_land

new_biochar_land — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 23:20:49 +0000

You want to know all the secrets about biochar ?
This book will help !

http://www.biochar-books.com

Here practice and theory merge under a single cover of “The Biochar Revolution” and reveals hidden secrets of science called Biochar

Comment on Biochar: from kiln to pit by ben

ben — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 16:56:09 +0000

Nitya,
No, i have not done analysis. Like all open pits, i would expect a whole spectrum of properties, with the range of low to high-temperature pyrolization, and diverse input materials. I use the biochar in many ways, mostly in soil improvement of our acidic clay soil, and as a potting medium, and also as a compost ingredient (although much less than 50%, because we make a large amount of compost, and don’t have that much char).
To learn more about it, there are countless website and now, two books. I recommend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar as a starting point.

Comment on Biochar: from kiln to pit by nitya escriva

nitya escriva — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:49:23 +0000

Thanks Ben,

Have you done any analysis of char from the concrete blocks pit?

How do you use the biochar? 50/50 with compost?

Do you know where I can learn more about it?

Comment on Farm biochar flowchart by new_biochar_land

new_biochar_land — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:07:13 +0000

You want to know all the secrets about biochar ?
This book will help !

http://www.biochar-books.com

Here practice and theory merge under a single cover of “The Biochar Revolution” and reveals hidden secrets of science called Biochar