Biochar: Terra Preta

Terra Preta: Manaus to Twisp

Biochar, or Terra Preta (Dark Earth) – the name carries a mysterious aura. It goes back 2,500 years to the Amazon. Re-discovered in 1950’s by Indiana Jones archeologists it is now at the cutting edge of soil treatment remedies to restore soil organic carbon, buffer soil pH, and increase soil water retention.

Jeff Thiel will brief us on the chemistry and promise of biochar as a soil amendment. Lab work, or charcoal pits in the Amazon, needs to be brought down to production, distribution, and application in farmer fields. Gina and Tom McCoy bring a business plan to our discussion. They are working in the Methow to use forest waste as a feedstock for commercial production . They are the real cutting edge in this business. They are the entrepreneurs, the risk takers, in making the promise of biochar available to farmers in central Washington.

Use the links for more information. Don’t worry if you are new to biochar. We all are. This topic has a bit for many of us: chemists, archeologists, soil physicists, regenerative ag enthusiasts, farmers, business analysts, policy advocates…
 

Don