Biochar Testimonials
Samuel Cooper
Testimonial
" I wanted to let you know that I am chuffed with the biochar you sent me. I have been putting it into a tumbling composter whenever I put in higher nitrogen stuff. I find the biochar speeds up the compost in a tumbler quite a bit (one batch in the heat of summer went from start to finish in about a fortnight). The char is also brilliant for compost smell. I think it works quite well alongside seaweed extract, which I suspect also contributes to faster compost.
Currently all of the most productive places in my backyard are biochar/compost amended. The crops that seem to have particularly benefited here (in Wollongong) are beans, carrots, and grain amaranth. I have never grown luffa vines before but the one growing in char/compost shot up, scaled a nearby frangipani and now has fruit on it larger than my forearm. One crop seemed to dislike the biochar/compost - chillies, I think this might have more to do with them being shaded out by other things though.
It works so well that I have recently bought additional tumblers to scale up the production of biochar enriched compost, I think this is an excellent way to rather dramatically change the soil fertility."
Dr Paul Wildman PhD
Testimonial
Dolph Cooke has excelled himself with his first movie on Biochar – Avachar. For the first time Biochar is introduced and explained from the ground up, right from types of retort to scientific analysis and application of Biochar. Good length and scene composition with clear vocals and an understandable story line, this movie is invaluable as it uses narrative, great photography and science to unpack this ‘magic pudding’ that may just help save the planet – Biochar. Dolph and his partner Gillian have for over a decade now devoted themselves to the advancement and public education around and about Biochar. Well done you two – this movie goes a long way in this direction. Dr. Paul Wildman.
Tony C. Saladino
Testimonial
I did get it to play and the production is wonderful! There were a few spots where the cuts were a bit rough, or there was reference to the next part and a bit of a gap before moving on, but I am extremely impressed by the professionalism and thoroughness with which you cover the material. I like the way that science and intuition combine in the artful way you integrate the char into the environment with slow steady and insightful commitment. It is evident throughout the production that this is of primary importance to you, if anything, you could hit a little harder on the issue of how important this technique is for humankind. Not only is it our birhtright, but it may be the most important single piece in solving our runaway atmospheric carbon dilemma.
Blessed Be Brother, all of your efforts are appreciated.
Tony C. Saladino
Dr Hugh McLaughlin
Testimonial
Dolph,
Loved the last moments of the AU-AR video.
I got looking at some of your other posts and realized that you have managed to create one of the missing links of biochar. Your 200l single drum, laying on its side and whizzing up a storm biochar maker is pure genius.
The slight modification I will be making is to modify things so one can pull off some wood gases and condense them as wood vinegar - for use as an insecticide. I'll write up the details soon.
FIRST, we need a formal name befitting of its roots. My preference is the:
(drum roll)..... Biochar CookeR
named after one Biochar Cooke that shall remain too hard to figure out who it actually is ...
I have already sent the design to Gabon with a colleague.
Enjoy the holidays.
- Hugh
Andrew Humphries
Testimonial
Hi dolph.
Id been hearing about biochar for years and had been adding the charcoal out of my firebox to the soil with not much wow factor. now I know why.
I was at first shocked at the price of biochar, but I am even more shocked at the results. My garden is pure sand, and everything dies if it is not watered twice a day, and that really sucks when we have little or no water.
I am so impressed with the biochar you make you should be charging much more. It holds its own volume of nutrients and water! like perlite or vermiculite without the soginess, and adds a ton of structure at the same time! To improve my soils that dramatically is worth much more to me than extra agricultural land, as now my plants are booming, and I dont have to water them AT ALL even on the hottest driest days. I have never heen plants so healthy
I can be passionate about gardening again
Thankyou Dolph
Andrew Humphreys
Kelpie Wilson
Testimonial
Dear Dolph,
