Organic Material Cycling

In nature there is no waist. We will use organic material that some call waist to improve soil life. Improving the soil life improves all life. Including our lives. The structure of a cooperative is well suited to conduct a holistic approach to cycling of organic materials. Composting of food craps is only the beginning. However, it is perfect to begin with because this is something we can do as a group more easily than we can do individually.

Composting is so important for these reasons: 1. Provides a healthy environment for our plant foods to grow in and thus makes us healthy. 2. Does not squander, but makes use of resources that are a part of our daily life. 3. Keeps material out of landfills and in a bio-cycle of reuse and regeneration. Organic material in an anaerobic environment unrecovered in landfills releases methane into the air. Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. 4. Sequesters carbon by making it possible for plant life which is predominantly made of carbon to become more densely established in soil 5. Responsible method of handling biological material of high nitrogen content from getting into our watershed. This increasingly is creating dead zones due to algal blooms and destroying water ecosystems.

There are other organic material cycling methods of Interest we will consider: Use of the Johnson Su bioreactor method to promote life in the soil. Use of Vermicomposting to promote life in the soil and feed for poultry. Use of Fermented teas for soil amendments and foliar applications. Use of free wood chips provided by tree service companies for our food production and restoration activities. Use of collected spent grain from micro-brews to supplement feeding for poultry. Use of black soldier flies to decompose food scrapes and provide feed for poultry. Use of urine for appropriate applications as fertilizer and to minimize use of water in flush toilets. Use of biochar to sequester carbon and improve soil. The type of carbon found in biochar is recalcitrant, which is a stable form of carbon in the soil.

As we build soil through these methods we improve the photosynthetic activity of the plants. The plants then produce more soil and more life. This produces better water retention of the soil which then provides the environment for more plants and more life and more carbon sequestration. Thus all of these actions have a positive feedback loop that is beneficial and continues if not mismanaged.

To learn more or get involved contact Sunnyside Artisans@gmail.com

Small sample of Inspiring references:

regenerationinternational.org/bioreactor/

richearthinstitute.org/get-involved/fertilize-with-urine/

backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/feed-health/black-soldier-fly-larvae-farming/

sustainableworldradio.com/what-a-waste-part-2/