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Event
DIY Biochar Workshop at Hillsborough Permaculture
This is a DIY workshop to learn small scale biochar production, how to make it good for the earth and the climate.
Biochar is a great way to add carbon to your soils that will stick around much longer than compost or anything else. It also helps your plants resist dry spells and drought by retaining moisture. And it stimulates the soil food web by giving microbes shelter, nutrients, micronutrients, and tasty bits for mycorrhizial fungi to eat or share with your plants. In all these ways, it can also help reduce the fertilizer you add to your soils.
But there are good and bad ways to make and prepare biochar. First, it's possible to make biochar in ways that warm the climate by creating a lot of greenhouse gas pollution. Second, that pollution is also a nuisance or a health hazard. Third, once you've made the biochar it's really important that you prepare it before you add it to your soils otherwise you might reduce the productivity of your soils.
Workshop participants will make their own one-gallon "toucan" biochar gasifier stove, use their stove to make biochar, and learn some basic biochar science. We'll discuss climate-friendly biomass feedstocks, "cool" and "uncool" biochar production, biochar safety, basic biochar processing for soils, basic soil science, and we'll touch on ways to scale-up for larger batches.
Be sure to bring your own thick gloves, dress for outdoors, bring a snack and beverage, and maybe a pen or pencil. Oh, and you should probably also wear closed-toed shoes, and pants. Be aware that you might get some black char on yourself or your clothes, and it should wash out, but might not. We'll provide all materials, tools, biomass feedstock, and printed instructions.
About the Instructor:
John Bonitz is the son of a dairy farmer and an insulation industry pioneer, and as such his interest in agriculture, forestry, energy and the environment runs deep. His environmental career began as an award winning solid waste & recycling manager at UNCG. Graduate studies in climate policy brought him to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where he analyzed cost-effective renewable energy technologies. At RAFI-USA his work in sustainable agriculture addressed the challenges of financing farm ventures. During seven years with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, he strived to ensure that bioenergy is developed sustainably throughout the Southeast. Now, independently, John is working towards the goal of reversing climate change by putting carbon back in the soil where we need it. He lives with wife and two young kids in Pittsboro, NC.
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LocationHillsborough Permaculture (View)
1126 Dimmocks Mill Rd
Hillsborough, NC 27278
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 18 |
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
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