At this field day, we will make our own batch of biochar and explore some of the many uses it has on the farm. Biochar can improve soil health by providing habitat for soil microbes and is especially powerful when combined with microbial inoculation. Another helpful application is the use of biochar to filter irrigation water that is heavily saline or contains certain toxins.

If you have been curious about biochar and would like to learn simple and low-cost methods to make and apply it, this field day is for you.

Topics:

  1. Benefits of biochar and improving soil biology;
  2. Soil health principles;
  3. What is biochar and how to apply it in different contexts.

Hands-on demos:

  1. Methods of biochar production;
  2. Processing biochar into proper size;
  3. Biochar inoculation;
  4. Technique for neutralizing salts and chlorine, as well as creating a buffer for heavy metals and toxins in the soil using a dosing pump.

This field day will be hosted at Annie’s Herb Farm in La Mesilla and led by James and Joyce Skeet of Spirit Farm.

Sponsored by Santa Fe Farmer’s Market Institute & New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group

Questions? Contact David Sundberg at 401-533-7376 or david@farmersmarketinstitute.org