| Biochar for Self-Reliant Garden and Farm Abundance (North Kona) |
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Sunday, July 25, 2010, 09:00am - 04:00pm
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Biochar (biomass charcoal) is a special type of charcoal that has been produced to optimize characteristics that make it useful in agriculture. As a soil amendment, biochar has been shown to dramatically increase crop yield and fertilizer efficiency. Biochar acts as a catalyst in the soil, a medium upon which reactions take place that are essential for natural soil fertility. It also remains in the soil for 1,400-4,000 years, helping to slow release of greenhouse gases.
Josiah Hunt with a handful of biochar.
Benefits of using biochar include:
- Reduced quantities and costs for fertilizer
- Greater crop yields
- Enhanced beneficial microbial activity, water holding capacity, and many other desirable soil characteristics
- Moderated soil acidity
- Long term carbon storage to slow release of greenhouse gases
Participants will learn how to make biochar for use in their gardens and farms. Several production methods will be covered, including small-scale, low-tech, and more advanced methods. Participants will also learn how to most effectively use biochar in your soil, based on recent studies on several growth trials on different farms on Hawaii Island. There will be hands-on activities including demonstration of a home-scale biochar cookstove made with recycled materials, exhibition of several biochar samples, and getting your hands dirty mixing biochar with compost and soil. Small biochar samples will be available to take home free of charge and larger quantities will be available for purchase. Several blended biochar products formulated by Clarence Baber (Island Herbs) and Brooks Thomas (WormWorks) will also be shown. Participants will leave the workshop understanding what biochar is and how to make and use it.
Josiah Hunt of Kapoho will be leading the workshop. Josiah has just completed several months of USDA-funded biochar growth trials in different agricultural systems on Hawai'i Island, including extensive chemical, physical and biological analysis. Josiah has more than ten years experience working with plants and soil. He has a degree in Agroecology and Environmental Quality from UH Hilo and has been producing, selling, and researching biochar for the past two years. The July/August 2010 edition of Audubon magazine will include a story about Josiah's biochar work in Hawai'i. Josiah will be participating as a panelist and poster presenter in the National Biochar Conference in Iowa June 26-30, 2010. Fresh back from the conference, he will share with us the state of the art in biochar.
This workshop is for gardeners, farmers, homeowners, and educators--anyone interested in growing food and increasing the sustainability of our local food systems by reducing imported fuel, fertilizer, and chemicals.
Download the registration form |
Location : Imin Center (County facility), Holualoa, North Kona
Contact : Ngaire Gilmour,
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or 322-5647 |
| Refreshments provided, please bring your own lunch or plan to eat at Holuakoa Gardens. The workshop is limited to 25 participants, so please register early. This workshop is a fundraiser for the Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network. |
| Cost: | $40 | | Sponsor: | Hawaii Homegrown Food Network and Agroforestry Net |
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