Fuel That Builds Soil

Do you love to barbecue?

Do you want to get rid of some blackberry bushes, or other invasive plants?

Interested in building healthy soil for your home or office garden?

Now you can do all three while also sequestering carbon.

November 17th and 18th at "Morethana Farm" in Sammamish Valley you can participate in a hands on workshop that will teach you the technique of creating biochar. 

"Biochar is a highly beneficial form of charcoal that is created by heating organic material at high temperatures with low oxygen exposure. This process sequesters carbon, which is preserved in soil for thousands of years. The end result: clean energy, healthy soil with increased fertility, reduced risk of water table contamination, and heightened agricultural productivity." 

This is a closed loop system where you harvest blackberry cane or other invasive plants or yard waste as fuel. The process of creating biochar with the plant fuel creates a lot of heat, which can be used for cooking. The biochar is cooled and then buried in the ground, creating perfect habitat for healthy plants.

The two-day workshop includes building your own biochar stove. Biochar stoves also are handy to have in case of a power outage for outdoor cooking, but care must be taken due to the high temperatures involved.

For more information on the class see the flyer from Pacific Bamboo Resource.

This class is part of a workshop series sponsored by Pacific Bamboo Resource, Sammamish Valley Alliance, 21 Acres Center for Local Food & Sustainable Living, Antioch University Seattle, and SeaChar.