Growing Solutions President Michael Alms reports in from Austin, TX

“The Soil and Water Connection, the 20th Annual US Composting Council Conference theme, certainly brought Compost Tea to mind as a cost effective tool to support water holding capacity in soil,” Growing Solutions President and USCC member Michael Alms commented  while in Austin, TX. (We’ll go deeper into the subject of water holding capacity and Compost Tea in future posts.)

In other Council news, new Executive Director Michael Virga gave an excellent plenary speech outlining many new directions for USCC. Virga announced the relocation of USCC headquarters to Bethesda, MD in April 2012, allowing a more strategic proximity to Capitol Hill and key decision makers that will lift compost awareness on a national level.

“Presenters and attendees discussed establishing vermicompost as a distinct and viable new frontier,” Michael noted as the conference ended. ”Growing Solutions is looking forward to new projects implementing the use of vermicompost and Compost Tea throughout Mexico in 2012 with a new strategic partnership,” he added.

The use of vermicompost tea is detailed in Chapter 11, The Production of Vermicompost Aqueous Solutions or Teas, written by Cindy Salter and Dr. Edwards. Cindy, a long-time advocate of composting and compost tea, has worked with Growing Solutions and is currently with Seeds of Change at its Oregon production farm. Growing Solutions’ Compost Tea Systems using Fine Bubble Diffusion technology are shown in the book as an example of aerated compost tea production. Cindy’s contribution to the book is in part due to her work with Mary Appelhof, to whom the book is dedicated. Cindy recalled, “Mary was partly responsible for my introduction to compost tea in 1999. She inspired many of us to dig into this field and share her enthusiasm for worms and their ‘micro-brethren.’”

Seeds of Change Director of Seed Production Joel Reiten has wormed his way through all 623 pages, and declared the book an enjoyable read. “This is the most comprehensive, first of its kind compilation of real science with tremendous value for the growing vermicompost and vermicompost tea industry. Commercial growers are eager for this kind of data in order to justify incorporating vermicompost and vermicompost tea into their acreages,” Joel explained.

Vermicompost Technology is available through CRC Press in hardcover and eBook, and in hardcover at amazon.com.

Compost Tea Heaters recalled by manufacturer and U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission

Growing Solutions was recently advised of a voluntary recall by the manufacturer of heaters formerly offered on our website for use with our Compost Tea Systems. Three models are included in this recall, cooperatively announced by United Pet Group and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: 75 watt, Model ETP75; 150 watt, Model ETP150; and 250 watt, Model ETP250.

According to the CPSC notice, “Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled heaters and contact United Pet Group for a free replacement heater or a full refund.” United Pet Group stated that “a wiring problem can cause the heaters to overheat or break during normal use.” The model names of the affected heaters are Marineland Stealth, printed on the side of the heaters. The model number and the wattage ratings are printed below the model name.

Location of the model name, number and wattage.

For refund and replacment information, contact United Pet Group at 800-338-4896 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or view this detailed update at www.marineland.com/update.aspx

Please note that refunds or replacements for heaters purchased from Growing Solutions must be obtained through United Pet Group. Growing Solutions has notified all customers who have purchased any of the three heater models about the recall and remedy instructions.

Compost tea brewed on site with Sonoma Valley Worm Farm's vermicompost was a popular item at the conference. More than 80 quarts were given away to master gardeners.

Growing Solutions and Sonoma Valley Worm Farm teamed up to bring the full systems approach—pre-composting, vermicomposting and compost tea—to the California Master Gardeners Conference this week in Santa Rosa, CA. The sold out event brought 500 master gardeners from 43 California counties to learn “More Lessons in Sustainability,” the focus of the four days of presentations and exhibits. Both companies brought their professionally engineered equipment designed for performance and safety to an extremely enthusiastic crowd, eager to learn more about compost tea. SVWF featured their pre-composting bins and GSI displayed the System10, the clear tank System10, and a working System25. The companies gave away more than 80 quarts of premium vermicompost tea brewed during the conference using SVWF’s vermicompost in the System25. Growing Solutions President Michael Alms reported, “Everyone was very receptive to how the SVWF Vermicompost and GSI Compost Tea systems go together, and how the overall process integrates with their mission as master gardeners.”

Michael Alms presents an overview of the compost tea industry at the Hilo workshop.

Sold out! Two words we usually hear from garden centers offering compost tea as the growing season heats up…but this time it was a sell out crowd at a full day workshop in Hilo, HI, organized by the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association and funded by the University of Hawaii. The more than 80 in attendance soaked up the latest research and innovative uses of compost, vermicompost and compost tea during presentations and field trips over the course of the day. Presenters included Dr. Norman Arancon (Sustainable Agriculture Program, CAFNRM), Dr. Ted Radovich (Sustainable Farming Systems Laboratory, UH-CTAHR) and Growing Solutions’ Michael Alms. The afternoon included an on site compost tea demonstration in a commercial vegetable operation at Island Harvest Organics in Pahoa. Michael offered an overview of the 15-year-old compost tea industry, and a look to the future in tropical environments and elsewhere.

Compost tea is applied to pak choi at various stages of growth, part of the SARE grant project led by Dr. Ted Radovich.

Hawaii is leading the world in researching compost tea and its use in tropical and subtropical production systems. The University of Hawaii has a dedicated department for organic and sustainable agriculture, with Dr. Radovich and Dr. Arancon leading the efforts. Dr. Radovich discussed the current SARE (Sustainable Agriculture & Research Education) grant project using compost tea on pak choi. Growing Solutions is participating in this project to further a better understanding of the use of compost tea in on-farm trials and through educational activities, including the May 6 Hilo event.

Dr. Arancon is co-editor of the latest and most comprehensive text discussing compost and compost tea, Vermiculture Technology: Earthworms, Organic Wastes, and Environmental Management. Stay tuned for a post about this culmination of work from an international cast of scientists. Dr. Arancon and Dr. Radovich both work with Compost Tea System10s in their research efforts at UH/Hilo.

Growing Solutions President Michael Alms emphasizes the critical factors that determine the level of quality in compost tea production.

Michael Alms and Joel Reiten, Director of Seed Production for Seeds of Change, let the Compost Tea System100 do all the work during the field portion of the seminar.

Dave Hutchinson, UK compost tea consultant, chaired the event which included field production of compost tea and a tour of the Laverstoke Park Laboratory. Seeds of Change Director of Seed Production Joel Reiten and Symbio Ltd. Managing Director Martin Ward detailed their experiences with large scale compost tea production and application equipment. Critical factors for producing high quality compost tea were a key focus of the day, with Laverstoke Park microbiologist Vinodh Krishnamurthy leading the tour of the lab’s soil, compost and food analysis equipment and processes.

“Quality was the key word of the day,” Michael explained. “Across the board—from the type of compost to the method of application—there was consensus that using quality ingredients and equipment are the foundation of realizing the greatest cost benefits of compost tea in any sector.”

“Even though the use of compost tea is relatively new, we continue to see more and more segments of the agricultural and horticultural sectors finding success with tea applications,” Joel commented. A 15-year veteran of the compost tea industry, Joel was enthusiastic about the results of the day adding, “It’s exciting for me to see the evolution of the use of compost tea. The attendees, from across the globe, brought new and dynamic ideas to this growing industry.”

Ralph Montana, San Francisco Recreation and Parks Director of Integrated Pest Management, and GSI President Michael Alms.

Our time spent at the US Composting Council‘s Conference and Trade Show in San Jose has come to a resoundingly successful conclusion. Growing Solutions President Michael Alms and Director of Logistics and Client Services Susan Kelly Mitchell met with conference attendees from all over the United States, and Australia, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Nigeria, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Egypt and Brazil. More than 1,100 people attended the 2011 conference, the largest turnout in the Council’s history. Growing Solutions partnered with Sonoma Valley Worm Farm in a large exhibit that featured new product introductions from both companies.

Plenty of interest at our USCC booth where we debuted our newest product, the Solar PV System150.

The GSI booth featured our new Solar PV System150, designed to provide sun-powered electricity to our Compost Tea System25 for a complete 24-hour production cycle. Besides powering the System25, this photovoltaic system can supply power to a wide range of off-grid applications. More information will be available soon on our website.

SVWF introduced a new aerated composting system that was well received at the show. Cristy Christie of the SLO County Worm Farm made our return trip a bit lighter after she purchased our System25 along with one of SVWF’s new composting systems. We were happy to deliver them to her door in Paso Robles. Cristy makes Black Diamond Vermicompost which she’ll be using to make compost tea in her new System25.

GSI's Susan Kelly Mitchell and SLO County Worm Farm's Cristy Christie

SVWF's Amy Grimes, Lois Chambers, Jack Chambers and Tom Craig with GSI's Susan Kelly Mitchell and Michael Alms.

Serving people with special needs since 1953, the Center helps adults in the Eugene, OR area develop the skills necessary to become productive in the work force. We’ll blog more about our ongoing partnership with Pearl Buck Center clients soon. In the meantime, we’re proud to be a part of this unique feature that the Center offers parents with preschool children.

Sharon Tamanaha puts the preschool's System10 to work.

Growing Solutions’ distributor Mindy Jaffe of Waikiki Worm Company reports on a great story of a process that we hope to see replicated in schools everywhere. It recalls the sagely adage of “it takes a village…”— in this case, a generous donor supplying a System10 to the Calvary-by-the-Sea Montessori Preschool in Aina Haina, Oahu, Hawaii, where organic waste fed to the school’s worm colony is fully recycled to everyone’s benefit.

Assistant teacher Sharon Tamanaha worked with Waikiki Worm to create the vermicompost program. Not only is the school’s garden and landscape benefiting from the weekly compost tea production, the fourth Sunday of every month is dedicated to tea brewed for sale to church members—always a sell out—that brings revenue to help sustain the program.

“We are very, very happy with our brewer,” Sharon says. “It’s easy to use and clean. Every plant is healthy and robust and the entire property just glows.”

Read the full article in Waikiki Worm Company’s newsletter here.

Michael shows Robin how to adjust the spray nozzle for best coverage of the compost tea on vegetable foliage at Common Ground Garden.

Frothy tea on a chilly fall day? Freshly brewed Compost Tea, that is—applied to the Common Ground Garden during the recent “Compost Tea for the Home Garden” workshop. Michael, with Anne Donahue of the Eugene (Oregon) Friendly Neighborhood Farmers, spoke to a hardy group of inquisitive home gardeners looking for insights on winterizing their gardens.

Michael noted that late fall is an excellent time to apply compost tea to garden beds, turf and general landscaping. “Spraying or drenching leaves, turf thatch and veggie plant material in a state of decay assists organic plant matter to break down, creating optimum soil amendments for the following spring,” he explained as the workshop attendees were visited by some of Oregon’s typical rainfall. “Even in light rain, it’s no problem…the additional moisture carries the good microorganisms further into the soil,” Michael continued.

Growing Solutions donated Compost Tea Catalyst, enough for 500 gallons of compost tea, to the Common Ground Garden. Using a 20 gallon sprayer, workshop participants helped distribute the tea Michael provided, and most took home a container of compost tea from a batch Anne had made using her home compost tea system. Hot cocoa and fresh cornbread fueled the conversation indoors as Michael demonstrated the System10 to gardeners of all ages. Another compost tea application workshop is planned for Spring 2011.

Using a "drencher" nozzle gives a good soaking to the winter vegetable beds.

Michael explains the mechanics of the System10 to gardeners of all ages.