Introduction to Soil MicroLife Presentation Summary
- We are here to talk about soil, and the living organisms that exist in it. And how we can use these organisms in high quality composts to achieve maximum plant health, beyond organically… biologically!
- Close your eyes and picture your favorite plant exercise – How many people see the roots of your plant?
- The below ground food chain (or soil food web), which has predator-prey relationships very much like our macro-world above ground.
- Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoa, and Nematodes…the goods and the bads within each.
- Discussion of nutrient cycling as a result of soil food web processes.
- Stadium Analogy – Plant relationship to soil - Imagine your plant as the Pitcher in a baseball game… and having a symbiotic relationship with everyone in the stands, knowing what each of them needs at any given time. This can only begin to put into perspective the complex relationship between the plant, its roots, and the soil.
- Composting methods – Thermal, Static Pile, Worm
- Fungi:Bacteria Ratio in soils and composts, how to obtain bacterial or fungal dominant composts.
- Plant secession in relation to Fungi:Bacteria ratio of soils and specific plant needs.
- Cover crop techniques used to achieve bacterial or fungal soil conditions.
- Mycorrhizal fungi and other highly effective beneficial microorganisms.
- “Compost tea” brewing methods and recipes (our website has much detailed information on each of these).
- Compost tea brewer design pointers – Dissolved oxygen levels, sufficient aeration, no settling points, easy to clean.
- Soil Farms – our local Apple orchard/farm project just starting up in Sebastopol.
- Soil benefits from grazing livestock in perennial farm systems
- Animal grazing techniques for pasture management that build topsoil and sequester atmospheric carbon
Resources:
Our company
- BioLogic Systems…standing up for the beneficial microorganisms that are in healthy soil systems and good quality composts
- Website – www.BioLogicSystemsUSA.com
- What we do…we work with land stewards to develop regenerative soil management techniques using biologically active organic inputs such as high quality composts. We have worked with farmers (mainly perennial systems like orchards and vineyards), cattle ranchers, landscapers, and broad acre land remediation projects on cheap compost application techniques. We develop our own composts and source high quality organic inputs for any type of land management system. Our specialty is making liquid biological amendments or compost extracts, literally extracting the beneficial microorganisms from good quality composts, into water, for easy application through irrigation or spray equipment.
- We are planning to give away Free Tea – Compost Tea for free on Thursdays, at least for the Spring season, possibly longer (up to five gallons). See our website for more info on date, time and location.
Soil Food Web labs in Oregon - www.soilfoodweb.com - Soil, compost and compost tea microbiology count testing.
RTI – Reforestation Technologies International – www.reforest.com - The mycorrhizae production masters
