RainMaker plus the Bionoc “Big 3” Soil Powerpack will…
- Turn your irrigation water into O2-rich “rainwater”
- Turn your organic waste into “fe” fungal enrichment for your soil or turf
- Replace all of your chemicals with natural fertilizer, pest-repellent and weed-suppressant within 1-2 seasons
- Enrich your soil with carbon from both the atmosphere, and from re-purposed biomass
- Increase crop yields from 5- 50% depending upon your farming practises
- Reduce water usage by 10-50% by de-compacting and de-salinating your soil and creating a reservoir for O2-rich Rainmaker water, plus natural rainwater
Simple + Scalable + Sustainable
Soilcare.Earth is focused on producing and scaling an innovative lineup of soil and plant health amendments that work together to improve yields, conserve water, and sequester carbon.
BIONOC
Fungal Enrichment
ABOUT
Soilcare.Earth Corp. stands squarely on the shoulders of giants in regenerative agriculture. First and foremost is Dr. David Johnson, who together with his wife, Hui-Chun Su, developed an innovative approach to mimicking nature to produce a powerful fungally dominant compost, which he termed “BEAM”. In nature, soil’s already rich microlife is fed by organic matter that dies and decomposes, and by rainwater, which brings oxygen to feed the growing mycelium network. This is named the “soil food web” by another regenerative agriculture giant, Dr. Elaine Ingham, eminent soil biologist.
The method used by Dr. Johnson is a bioreactor comprising a cylindrical pile of organic waste, aerated not by turning, which is the standard approach to large scale composting, but by vertical open channels. This allows air to circulate freely and reach every inch of the pile.
Soilcare.Earth has taken the work of these giants and added a key component – irrigation water treated with the “RainMaker”. By oxidating the irrigation water, and oxidizing the often overpowering minerals it contains, the bionoc fungal enrichment process achieves two key advantages over the standard BEAM bioreactor:
- It supercharges the growing mycelium web with oxygen-saturated water, fed to the bioreactor daily; and
- It feeds the mycelium oxidized minerals in a bioavailable form.
Applications
BioNoc Fungal Enrichment (BFE) is used directly on soil that has been depleted, often by years of over-tilling and the use of chemical and fossil fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. Two lbs per acre (approx. 2 kg per hectare) is diluted in a sufficient volume of water to apply evenly over the land.
It can also be used within the dripline of trees in new-growth forests to accelerate the increase in soil carbon that is so important to the robustness of tree growth and resilience.
BFE is of particular value in its demonstrated ability to grow a “sponge” for scarce rainfall or irrigation: the web of living hyphae, which stores and delivers the precious water to the crops or plants on the surface. As these hyphae complete their life cycle, their necromass, or non-living carbonaceous material, increases the ability of the soil to retain water. Together, the network of hyphae and their necromass constitute “soil carbon”, the basis of life on Earth.
Science
The best-known science addressing this existential soil system has been developed and evangelized by the work of Dr. Elaine Ingham. Her “soil food web” concept (https://www.soilfoodweb.com/) is widely accepted as foundational to our understanding of the relationship between the myriad of micro- and macro-organisms in the soil, and how best to nurture and maintain them. Her work on regenerative composts, compost teas, and methods of rapidly “brewing” them on a micro-scale has been repeated my times in backyards and organic farms the world over.
Carbon Cascade has also been inspired by Dr. Ingham’s work to supply the essential microorganisms for building the soil food web, in the form of an intensive bio-inoculant (BioNoc) to accelerate its growth and carbon buildup.
Research
The research into the particular form of inoculant – ultra-high F:B ratio compost, has been carried out by Dr. David Johnson in New Mexico, a semi-arid landscape, over a five-year period. Here is an excerpt from CSU Chico’s site, on this subject: Link
“Dr. David Johnson, past Adjunct Professor for the College of Agriculture at Chico State and Faculty Affiliate for the Center for Regenerative Agriculture, is investigating the use of biological soil enhancements and its effect on carbon sequestration for the Institute of Sustainable Agricultural Research at New Mexico State University. In particular, he found that the ratio between fungi and bacteria in the soil is critical to a plant’s productivity in healthy agricultural systems and thus to a plant’s efficiency in nutrient uptake. It also increases the rate of carbon sequestration significantly.
Using BEAM, the biologically enhanced agricultural management process he developed to create fungal-dominated compost, Johnson documented that during an agricultural field study lasting 4.5 years, there was a 25-times increase in active soil fungal biomass and an annual average capture and storage of 10.27 metric tons soil C ha-1 year (approximately 38,000 pounds of CO2 per acre per year). That’s 20-50 times the currently observed soil carbon increase in the 40 equivalent no-till soils tested.
Crop yields were also dramatically improved. Johnson reports that the cotton he used in his testing grew 6 feet high and produced over five bales of cotton per acre without fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides. The average in his area is about two and a half bales per acre. Australian farmers using similar methods have seen yields of 3 tons of wheat in areas that produced about 1.6 tons previously”.
BIONOC
BioCarbon
About
Soilcare.Earth Corp. fully understands the important role played by biochar (biocarbon) in the remediation and enrichment of soil. We will constantly source the most proven and superior products available globally to combine with our other “big three” product line. For additional information see the Resources Section.
Applications
As noted previously, biochar has many applications. Quoting from the foundational work of Schmidt and Wilson, the “55 Uses of Biochar” (Version of 12th May 2014)
Summarized as follows:
- Livestock husbandry
- Soil conditioning (our main application)
- Soil remediation (decontamination)
- Building applications (insulation, decontamination, etc.)
- Water treatment (drinking water, wastewater, ponds, etc)
- Biogas production
- Other industrial uses (Many – e.g. electronics, medicine, cosmetics, filters, wellness, textiles, etc.)
Please click to view: The Complete Biochar Applications PDF
Science
- Biochar is elemental carbon char produced by the process of pyrolysis, which extracts volatiles in the form of gases (syngas for electricity or drying/heat energy) and liquids (bio-oils or wood vinegar). Biochar has some key properties for regenerative agriculture:
- It is “honeycomb” like, with deep pockets created by the original cellulosic, or “cell” structure, which serves as a home base for the network of mycorrhizal hyphae that do the heavy lifting of converting inorganic minerals to bio-available minerals.
- It is negatively charged, drawing in and holding the minerals in its “cells” for delivery on demand to the plants that need them;
- It is absorbent, and can soak up and hold in reserve many times its own weight in precious water, especially in climates with low rainfall, and/or little or no access to irrigation water.
Climate Smart Benefits of Biochar
Carbon in biochar can persist in soils over long time scales. Beyond the carbon sequestered in the biochar itself, biochar incorporated in soils also offers numerous other potential climate benefits.
- Soil Fertility: Biochar can improve soil fertility, stimulating plant growth, which then consumes more CO2 in a positive feedback effect.
Reduced fertilizer inputs: Biochar can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, resulting in reduced emissions of greenhouse gases from fertilizer manufacture. - Reduced N2O and CH4 emissions: Biochar can reduce emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4)—two potent greenhouse gases—from agricultural soils.
- Enhanced soil microbial life: Biochar can increase soil microbial life, resulting in more carbon storage in soil.
- Reduced emissions from feedstocks: Converting agricultural and forestry waste into biochar can avoid CO2 and CH4 emissions otherwise generated by the natural decomposition or burning of the waste.
- Energy generation: The heat energy—and also the bio-oils and synthesis gases—generated during biochar production can be used to displace carbon positive energy from fossil fuels.
How Much Carbon Can Biochar Remove from the Atmosphere?
According to one prominent study (Woolf et al, 2010), sustainable biochar implementation could offset a maximum of 12% of anthropogenic GHG emissions on an annual basis. Over the course of 100 years, this amounts to a total of ‘roughly 130 petagrams of CO2-equivalents. The study assessed the maximum sustainable technical potential utilizing globally available biomass from agriculture and forestry. The study assumed no land clearance or conversion from food to biomass-crops (though some dedicated biomass-crop production on degraded, abandoned agricultural soils was included), no utilization of industrially treated waste biomass, and biomass extraction rates that would not result in soil erosion.
The figure [below] (from Woolf et al, 2010) shows avoided emissions attributable to sustainable biochar production or biomass combustion over 100 years, relative to the current use of biomass. Three scenarios are modelled showing different degrees of demands on global biomass resources (red=maximum sustainable technical potential (MSTP); blue=medium; black=low). Sustainable biochar is represented by solid lines; biomass combustion by dashed lines. The top panel shows annual avoided emissions; the bottom panel, cumulative avoided emissions over 100 years. In all three scenarios sustainable biochar trumps biomass combustion in terms of avoided emissions.
Diagram courtesy of Nature Publishing Group
Biochar in Carbon Trading Markets
One of the most critical characteristics of biochar as a climate change mitigation technology is its long-term persistence in soil. Quantification of the persistent carbon component of biochar can facilitate the participation of biochar projects in carbon markets, providing an additional revenue stream to projects delivering greenhouse gas emissions reductions through soil carbon sequestration.
Research
There is a massive and growing body of research into the applications of biochar. In the interests of space, we provide only relatively recent links to peer-reviewed articles related directly to sustainability issues:
Please click to view: The Biochar Research PDF
BIONOC
Wood Vinegar
About
Wood vinegar, or “pyroligneous acid” (PLA) is a little-known agricultural treasure that is obtained through the pyrolysis of tree biomass. It has a multitude of beneficial uses, as it contains the liquid essence that protected and supported the growth and survival of the tree. The wood of the growing tree, if not necessarily the leaves or fruit, is protected from the elements (heat, cold, rain), and indigenous insects, by the natural chemicals and minerals with which it has co-evolved to survive and prosper.
When the tree dies, or is harvested, it still retains all of these constituents, and emits only the entrained water, plus a certain amount of its C, O and H, in various other forms of gas, mainly CO2 and CH4. What is left, until the tree moves into rapid decomposition, is an abundance of chemicals and minerals which, when distilled out through pyrolysis, can provide an enormous number of benefits to soils and plants in general. Some of these are listed below.
Applications
- 100% organic fertilizer and pest repellent;
- Growth enhancement;
- Insect repellent;
- Fungicide;
- Disease resistance;
- Soil enrichment;
- Accelerant for seed germination – more seeds sprout when soaked in wood vinegar first;
NOTE: Wood vinegar is also safe for humans and animals.
WHY USE WOOD VINEGAR?
- Sustainable supply source;
- High potential to reduce dependency on limited, expensive agri-chemicals;
- Increase seed germination;
- Replacement for chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Uses and Application of Wood Vinegar as a Fertilizer
- Improves absorption of water and minerals through the roots;
- Stimulates plants and vegetable growth by enhancing absorptivity;
- Strengthens roots and leaves by aiding delivery of nutrients;
- Supports and increases mass of beneficial microbes;
- Application as a penetrant for better uptake 1:500 dilution with water;
- Increases crop resistance to adverse condition;
- Improves tree health, darker green leaves for better photosynthesis, thicker and stronger stems, higher growth rates, naturally more resistant to disease;
- Improves fruit quality and increases sugar content in fruit, and stimulates development of crops;
- Improves flavour, colour, firmness and preservation of fruit;
- Works as flavour enhancer for agricultural end products: Mix solution rates of 1:500 to 1:1000. Wood vinegar prevents excessive nitrogen levels, improves plant metabolism and contributes to higher fruit sugar levels;
- Strengthens photosynthesis for greater CO2 absorption and delivery of sugars to roots;
- Increases the volume of chlorophyll in plant leaves;
- Reduces volume of fertilizer or other agrochemical required, with better yields in viticulture and grain crops;
- Foliar spray: Dilute one part wood vinegar with 200 parts water and spray it on leaves once a month. Change dilution ratio to 300 parts water for succeeding applications. Allows for better uptake and a reduction of up to 50% use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
Uses and Application of Wood Vinegar as a Pest Repellent
- Repels pests, thus preventing plant infection from fungal, bacterial and virus-like diseases;
- Inhibits virus and soil disease when mixed in high concentration;
- To repel insects on plants: Dilute one part wood vinegar with 20 parts water and spray the plant, or the substrate in case of odour removal;
- Prevents diseases caused by bacteria;
- To reduce odour: A wood vinegar solution of 1:50 will diminish the production of odour-causing ammonia in animal pens;
- To repel houseflies. Dilute wood vinegar at a rate of 1:100 and apply to affected areas;
- To repel nematodes: 1:500 (apply to the base of plants)
- Corn preservative;
- To control fungal diseases: 1:200 (spray onto leaves);
- To control root rot: 1:200 (apply to the base of plants);
- To reduce incidence of chili pepper flowers aborting: 1:300 (spray onto leaves).
Uses and Application of Wood Vinegar To Enrich Soil
- To enrich soil fertility: Dilute wood vinegar with water (1:200 ratio 1 part wood vinegar and 200 parts water) and sprinkle it to the soil before planting. Application is one liter solution for every square meter of planting area;
- To enrich garden soil: Use a strong solution of 1:30 to apply to the garden soil surface at a rate of 6 liters of solution per 1 m² to enrich the soil prior to planting crops. To control soil-based plant pathogens, use an even stronger rate of 1:5 to 1:10.
See additional applications in the Resources Area
TONY HUMBLE
Chairman & CEO