Soil Biology – The Convergence

Building Healthy Soil Communities with Bioactive Compost

Joshua Angelo Silva — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 21:06:05 +0000

Join the BEAM TEAM supports the research of NMSU microbiologist David C. Johnson, a microbiologist at NMSU and Director of the Institute for Sustainable Agricultural Research, who began seven years ago to investigate compost, seeking to understand its most essential attributes. His discovery that microbial diversity and density are the primary factors in healthy soil and effective carbon sequestration, led David and his wife, Hui Chen, to developed a no-turn composting bio-reactor that makes fungi-rich compost that can be used as a soil and seed inoculant. Results of using BEAM (Bioactive Environmental Agricultural Management.) on test plots and farms have surpassed all conventional expectations for both soil productivity and J carbon sequestration. Our workshop, presented by the Regenerative Agriculture Group of 350 Sonoma, will offer a summary presentation of Dr. Johnson’s research and discuss how to build and maintain a bioreactor and join the BEAM team, a group of farmers, ranchers, grape growers, orchardists and gardeners who are organizing to do test plots to assess BEAM’s effectiveness in a variety of growing situations and climates.

BEAM is an addition to our understanding and potential use of compost and, more importantly, to our relationship with the teeming natural world under our feet that is our source of life on this planet. It is meant to be used with permaculture practices such as no till, companion planting and ground cover. Our 350 group, concerned primarily with climate change, collaborated with Farmer’s Guild and CAFF to bring Dr. Johnson to Healdsburg SHED last April.

Friday Oct 6| 5pm| Willow Grove

Presented By: Anne Jacopetti

Anne Jacopetti

Joshua Angelo Silva — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 20:54:33 +0000

Anne is a retired Waldorf teacher and educator and author of “What Are We Going to Learn Today?”, a memoir and inquiry that stresses among other basics the importance of the natural world and wilderness is the development of healthy children. Anne is on the steering committee of 350 Sonoma and started a Regenerative Agriculture group several years ago after attending the Soil Not Oil conference in Richmond. A devoted learner, she is excited to share what she is learning about soil, life and our place in this biosphere.

2017 Workshop:

Building Healthy Soil Communities with Bioactive Compost

Compost Strategies for Different Circumstances and Materials

Joshua Angelo Silva — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 22:30:01 +0000

Joe will discuss different organic waste processing techniques (hot vs cold compost, vermiculture, bokashi, biochar, anaerobic digestion, hugelkultur, mushroom cultivation). He will address the pros and cons for each method, the ideal circumstances, and the specific techniques for each style. There will also be a small-scale Biochar oven and live Bokashi inoculant.

A skills-oriented talk about different composting methods, and which methods to use for specific results.

At the heart of Permaculture is a goal to foster both social and ecological communities. One of the most important communities for regenerative agriculture is a thriving soil ecosystem. Each method of composting creates a different flair of soil amendment for regenerating a slough of different soil conditions. Depending on the space available, this can either be a powerpoint or a poster based visual presentation, with hands-on examples of different soil types. It will feel in between a conversation and a presentation, as my goal is for the listeners to engage and understand which style of organics waste management is right for their particular situation. They will also leave with the skill sets necessary to confidently start their own thoughtful composting practice at home.

Saturday Oct 7| 9:30am| Yurt

Presented By: Joe Anderson

Joe Anderson

Joshua Angelo Silva — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 22:23:30 +0000

Joseph Anderson works with supporting community scale agriculture education. He graduated from The Evergreen State College with a degree in Sustainable Development, and has been working in sustainable land management for 3 years. He got his Permaculture Design Certificate from PRI Jordan with Geoff Lawton, and currently works with Seattle Young People’s Project to establish a thriving community farm to empower youth and POC to engage in sustainable agriculture.