Backyard Biochar for Centuries of Soil Improvement: How We Make Easy Biochar + Charging/Application

[@maverick9300]

Hi David, I have been experimenting with producing terra preta for almost a year. I realised that the original makers would not have had been able to easily transport water to extinguish the charcoal. It had to be a lazy process. The trick is to use compost material to put out the coals. The quenching charges the biochar and partially cooks the compost making it decompose very quickly. I have had excellent results using this method. Highly recommend.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you

[@tonysaladino1062]

That level of heat will kill the microbiome. Then, it will need to be re-introduced and allowed to re-establish.

[@maverick9300]

@@tonysaladino1062 Absolutely. This is often desirable because the hest will degrade persistent pesticides. There are no shortage of these in my country. Microbes are rapidly reintroduced via air, and accelerated by addition of a bit of ready compost. If this were a real issue, I would not have excellent soil within 15 days. I just spread the mixture in a garden bed and plant with anything that does well in a compost heap. The microbiome from a farmer's relatively sterile field is not going to help the compost in any way. Mold from rotting food also won't help make good soil. Better to kill it off.

[@thehuntfortruth]

I wondered if the clay shards were from pots that broke when trying to extinguish fires

[@ziggybender9125]

If you have banana growing you could use the stalk and leaves to cover the coals, they hold a ton of water and are full of potassium.

[@jambohoofgood3417]

I just realized that David the Good is currently my favorite channel.

[@Daygoth]

I just appreciate seeing someone dig a big hole with a shovel, and not a excavator

[@pastureviewprojects7718]

At the beginning of winter I cut down a pine that had beetles in it and burned it in a trench, then poured about 25 gallons of swamp water on it, along with some cow manure then threw some winter rye and it is the best looking spot in my yard.

[@maudiefricker]

Bet that smelled amazing !

[@Critter145]

I got into Terra Preta bc of a Joe Rogan interview with Graham Hancock. And now I find you actually instructing people how to make it. Incredible. I’m a country boy and can’t wait to try this out.

[@soniamarshall9293]

You are blessed to have your kids helping and learning farming skills. Warmed my heart when you asked which "shovel you want" and the youngen responded "which one you want " very thoughtful.

[@tonysaladino1062]

Children are a direct reflection of their parenting. Good children almost always reflect the intellect and character of their parents.

[@jayo8621]

I liked that part too especially when I saw that he ended up giving her what looked like the more scoop, newer shovel even though it may have been more efficient for him to use it, cause whether or not it is the better tool for them, kids are always stoked to get to use the cool new stuff. Then they become teens and suddenly everything has gotta be vintage, record players show up, your old leather jacket gets a second chance to shine till we get to the age where we want whatever we can't have or think we need to afford and the same old cycle repeats itself over and over with each generation....

[@lucybrenton149]

@@jayo8621 I have to agree with your vintage assessment...my almost 18 year old daughter looks like she walked out of a 70s magazine ad....

[@jayo8621]

woohoo , double digit likes on a comment, I feel special like I made into the big leagues, I bet if I breathe in real deep I could smell just a hint of the stench that follows fame...

[@MarlzJinx]

​@@jayo8621 lol, love it😂

[@jimdpressley]

Whatcom and Skagit counties are two farming areas here in Washington state. The newspaper, daily Olympian, had an article of logging companies will be burning the brush and slag for farms as biochar . Cool

[@caroleshaw8389]

Do you have to be a big farm? Also do you have to be in those counties? I am in Snohomish county.

[@2010dragonclaw]

@@inharmonywithearth9982 have u considered that not all forests are that wet? Maybe the drier ones need a different way to break down such as fire. True there are fungi etc but most need moisture

[@carolgreenhill5684]

@@inharmonywithearth9982 that's so terrible 😞

[@2handsforu]

@@carolgreenhill5684 "For Farms"

[@jasonthegentleman2992]

"If for no other reason it gives me an excuse to light up fires." This is the way.

[@titusdavis2.0]

I felt that in my spirit

[@jacobfranklin4673]

As a young father with a 3 year old, a 6 month old, and Lord willing, a handful more to come, I cannot wait to get the garden started and be able to just go out and work with the kids! We spent the last year building our house and there were plenty of fun memories, but now my daughter is old enough that she's actually interested and able to help with small tasks! I loved seeing your kids working alongside you!

[@davidthegood]

You'll have a great time.

[@vansgardens2304]

The vast hoard appreciates the work you guys put in.

[@jameskniskern2261]

This is my 5th year of making biochar in the wood stove using hotel pans with loose fitting lids. Also out in our swales, we prune the trees and have a steel "kiln" made from old roofing steel. The kiln, when set up is about a meter and a half across, so can do larger branches. Pro Tip: have a recipricating saw with a pruning blade on it, as well as your machete to take care of the "stringy" bits. Chop them down to what size will fit in your pit. I often just lay un-charged char on the top of the soil, and let the action of my footsteps grind it up. Also soil life will move into it on its own over time. I don't turn it in. The worms do it for me.

[@trenomas1]

Thank you!

[@growshakephil]

I’ve been making char all winter in an old Coleman grill. I just plug the air holes in the bottom. Filled up five 5 gallon buckets worth so far, just from stuff around the yard. It’s now chilling in a vat of yellow gold.

[@kristihicks3170]

I did the very same thing.

[@kdavis4910]

I have naturally sourced hard and softwood pellets burning in the wood stove. I've been saving the ashes and tiny charcoal all winter. I also save our meat bones for bone meal later on. I should only need to buy some blood meal this year. Chicken manure composting and kitchen scrap composting.

[@Mrbfgray]

I gradually build a "teepee" shaped brush pile 10 to 12 ft high by 8 ft wide, all the long limbs arrayed around growing parameter upright angled in. It takes slightly longer to construct than a messy pile but takes much smaller footprint in my backyard which matters as I burn only 2 to 3X pre yr, as soon as one is burned the next is being built. Shaped like that it can be burned down to coals in 90 minutes with minimal smoke and some large chunks set aside for another couple hrs of burring, quench and harvest about 2 wheelbarrows of char. Fire shoots up the middle like a chimney high and narrow. Found this to be far more efficient in time, cleanliness and char production than my old way of burning a random pile, raking out and quenching char which takes several hrs, much more smoke, tending and less product.

[@glorytogodhomestead3495]

I would love to see how you do it!

[@growshakephil]

@@glorytogodhomestead3495 Maybe I’ll do a video

[@jasonthegentleman2992]

Fantastic video - The fact that I get video's like this that are practically how to guides documentaries from such knowledgeable sources like you is why the internet, for all of it's many flaws, is great. Thank you for putting in so much work to explain the what and why and address some of the criticisms with your jovial spirit. God Bless brother

[@davidthegood]

Thank you

[@cowboyblacksmith]

Your daughter at the end charging the biochar was magical. Silently gaining knowledge and nurturing the Earth unafraid to do manual labor and pitch in. It seemed like a scene from a movie.👍

[@davidthegood]

Thank you. I was using an old Russian lens and enjoyed that cinematic effect.

[@michaelcontorno4305]

CD

[@quincyfry6569]

It's 0530 in the morning as I'm watching this and drinking my coffee. At some point I swear I can start smelling that charcoal and the fire and the smoke and I think 'the mind is an amazing thing, smelling something I am just seeing' ...Walk outside and it turns out the neighbor had started a fire in his burn pit.

[@davidthegood]

That is hilarious.

[@thatcrystallady_donna]

🤣🤣

[@jnpg]

Perfect timing on this video for me! Arborist just unloaded 2 huge loads of brush and gave ME $100 for taking it. I've been saving an old half-cut fuel oil tank for years. The great charring of 2022 has begun! Added bonus: a good place for the boys to relieve themselves outdoors. It will be charged in no time! Thank you!

[@georgecarlin2656]

You lucky dawg!

[@dogslobbergardens6606]

@@georgecarlin2656 check with your local city/county park department. There's another channel where the farmer gets paid to allow the municipality to dump truckloads of fall leaves they collect on his land. He just lets it sit and compost and then spreads the leaf mold on his fields. It might be the same thing with brush in your area, worth looking into.

[@georgecarlin2656]

@@dogslobbergardens6606 Thanks, but I'm from Europe, in a country that doesn't really have such services. I once asked such a truck full of leaves to dump them in my yard (I told them I'll pay them) but the employees didn't care, told me to come in the evening and when I came it wasn't there anymore, didn't work out.

[@peterson6824]

@@georgecarlin2656 don't give up so easily

[@georgecarlin2656]

@@peterson6824 thanks, actually about 2 months ago my neighbor said I can take his corn stover for free as he didn't need it anymore and I made 50+ wheelbarrows of biochar, already grew some things in it, though most of it will kick in in the next year, a lot of it is still composting (to charge it). Got a few videos about biochar on my channel.

[@reidlingtheseedling]

Thank you for shouting out skillcult, I've been watching him for some time now and I must say that he is the most SUPREMELY underrated channel on youtube.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you. He is brilliant.

[@ainabearfarm8075]

On our farm we make about 50 gallons a week of Biochar and that’s long enough for me to save enough urine if I dilute it 1:5 with water and soak the coal. It seems to work pretty well.

[@davidthegood]

That is perfect

[@tonysaladino1062]

I always vary the sources of N some from urine is good, but if you get some from turning in snow, or chicken manure, grass clippings or blood, worm castings, etc. the more and varied the sources of nitrogen are, the more broad range of microbes will find their niche.

[@greatworkschiro]

@@tonysaladino1062 nitrogen in snow? I knew about rain but didn’t make the connection to snow. This is exciting! I suppose letting barrels sit out and gather rainwater versus filling from a hose would be advantageous.

[@greatworkschiro]

@@tonysaladino1062 nitrogen in snow? I knew about rain but didn’t make the connection to snow. This is exciting!

[@tonysaladino1062]

@@greatworkschiro snow traps atmospheric N in the crystal structure. I have experienced great results when several sources of N are combined when making biochar.

[@BEAdventurePartners]

WE ARE IN! This experiment is perfect for this exact moment in time. Why you ask?! Because we just got a beautiful plot of land in the Ozarks of Missouri. This property has been a forest for many years. Several years ago it was clear cut. It's coming back beautifully. 90% of it is forest, and a small spot was cleared for us to park our bus, and start growing food ASAP. Along with get some chickens. Along the edges of the clearing are huge piles of trees. We are building with the logs that are still good. A green house, fences, yada yada. The branches that are too small for the fence would be perfect for biochar! We've been burning them. So glad you showed your friend who inspired you. We were like... Ooo no! We don't want to be those people that just waste it! Anyways... Thanks for taking the time to make this beautiful, creatively put together film. Really. You are your family are so inspiring. We jive with your vibe! We're pickin' up, what your puttin' down. LOL Gratitude to all of you. - Erin + Brian

[@passionflower0820]

I would LOVE Rachel's pickled beets recipe!

[@YasChosenChild_70]

Thank you so much for making things so much easier for basic simple people like me. These “professionals “ are ALL. Talk & no action! I understand you! Thank you for that!👍🙏❤️

[@lisaalbarras3029]

Yay, another episode of Digging with David!

[@barbara798]

Like your charging the char in the chicken coop ,simple and easy. And the chickens will have a clean gizzard !

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

The only thing I would say in regards to the cone pit method, or Skillcult video on Biochar... it's really important that this is burnt really hot in the hot gas layer. Really important that you burn off all the PAH's and VOCs because they are carcinogenic. I know at 12:40 you said you don't care, but you really should care a little, at least if you are growing non-tree or bush veggies in them that you will eat. You don't want to bury a lot of PAHs and VOCs then consume them - not unless you want cancer. So it's really important that the hot gas layer gets HOT. The best way to get it really hot is to have tons of twiggy wood in there. Just be really careful when you start putting larger trees/logs in there (anything larger than about 2 inches).

[@satchyan]

I watch for the jokes/humor just as much as for the knowledge. Thank you!!

[@heyerstandards]

I like supporting David The Good's experiment station.

[@rheac953]

Hi David. I really love all the tips you give! Using many of them. I’ve been waiting for the courage. The thing that is missing from modern version of the black soil bio char is Menstrual Blood. Those clay shards were from the pots these women sat on to collect this precious commodity. Charcoal and partly burned bone bits from the fire kept the smell down. And someone noticed that plants grew very well where these pots were disposed of. So collection began. Now we sell plenty of stuff to women to avoid seeing and using this blood. It helps things grow. Too bad I don’t have this commodity any more.

[@paulhand5015]

brilliant .... what did the pots look like ... fascinating ... really want to know more please

[@rheac953]

@@paulhand5015 the article I read only had a drawing of these pots. Maybe 14 inches tall,narrowed at the neck and a wide lip, curled out . The illustration showed a woman sitting on it, so not much more detail than that. I suppose there could have been some that were just off the floor.

[@paulhand5015]

@@rheac953 thank you so much for this information ... I will continue trying to find more information .. I have been working on biochar with my daughter for more than 10 years .. we intend to make pots for making terra preta if you find any more details I would be most interested ... happy to send any results from here we are in shropshire england

[@roncook8409]

We've had great success at patching broken tubs by using old scrap inner tube material sandwiched between small lengths of plate metal, secured with quarter x 20 bolts and washers. When you tighten the bolts, the inner tube gets compressed and seals out water. The steel plates reinforce the tub, so that water weight doesn't put stress on the damaged area, causing water fractures.

[@peterson6824]

that sounds like it would come in handy...wish there was a video so I could visualize it ;)

[@yoavkrayn4302]

A huge H U G E thank you for sharing all this. Keep creating, keep healthy and safe.

[@strilence4life970]

I'm not here to be entertained but rather to learn how to grow food. Thanks a lot for the information you are providing in these videos. Honestly, thank you!

[@strilence4life970]

after watching more of your videos and seeing a live stream with your music I changed my mind. I'm here to be entertained and to learn. your songs are hilarious

[@georgiegirlization]

Love the sense of humor you bring to your content. Enjoy seeing your family in the garden with you as well as your son's clay marbles. So wholesome 😍 Very inspiring to see how you do your biochar as well as your layers. I understand biochar a lot more now.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you

[@DDWASH9595]

One method I use for grinding biochar is to use a bucket or aluminum trash can and a sledgehammer - as it fills up just add more char on top and keep crushing

[@billybass6419]

I grew up in the fla panhandle near the bay. There was a spot on the water where there had been an indian village hundreds or thousands of years ago. We found arrowheads and pieces of pottery. One day we decided to dig a hole and see if we would come across any artifacts beneath the surface. We didn't find anything but oyster shells, but about three feet down, we found a campfire, and the charcoal was still intact and looked like they had just put out the fire.

[@isabelladavis1363]

Bless this family...you are teaching them hands on skills that will carry them through life lessons spent together with precious one on one times to be treasured and savored always...❤️😘🙏🏻how many children are envious of being such an important piece of this beautiful family...!

[@rkng1]

Just watched a KZbin video produced by NHK and the Japanese have actually started producing biochar as a by product of forest management and energy production. The biochar is given to farmers to improve their soils for organic farming. Pretty impressive

[@margiemurray2147]

I like the disco chickens! Glad we got to meet all of you on Friday in Blountstown .. glad we were able to get some Seminole pumpkin seeds ... take care, keep on experimenting and sharing with us all ...

[@fredortiz8196]

Yes David I love it chicken Disco I love it I'm learning a lot on your show I appreciate it thank you very much God bless you and God bless you beautiful family

[@Thingsandcosas]

The energy potential and then afterwards the soil fertility potential of wood is incredible.

[@CopperIslandHomestead]

Thank you for keeping this stranger entertained 😄 No, truly, I learned a lot. Thank you 😊

[@jimkarnofski3840]

You make it fun. Just burn a smart pit fire in your garden area. You did the smart fire, a Top Lit Up Draft fire has the least smoke and best production of charcoal if you cover, cook, and squelch with water. Love your show.

[@micahlantz905]

Love how you get your children involved

[@davidthegood]

They are my favorite thing to grow.

[@tommielourogers4327]

Thank you for all the good info on making Biochar.

[@brachashighhopeshomestead226]

you know David TG I just want to put a roast or bird with some root vegetables, well wrapped in an area of this pit & leave it there for hours to slow cook & after the work of making this biochar I can serve a delicious meal to refuel. Mr. & Mrs. Good, I hope you join with us! very nice video I hope gets the attention it deserves, thanks again.

[@Wighty05]

Orlando Dump allows for One Yard of "Compost" a day! It's pretty full of small sticks (wood chips) they all floated to the top when spread pretty thin over the yard, raked it off and burned it, spread it back over the yard!

[@cgc1581]

This is my first year after having read one of Steve Solomons books that gives the organic fertilizer mix. I can’t wait to see how it goes.

[@aalovelace2776]

Thank you for this day’s entertainment!

[@cadetcourtney]

We used the same horse trough this year to brood our Plymouth rock chicks 😊 It was the perfect size for my young sons to peer in and talk to them too.

[@ianmburke]

I love it! I'm also zone 8 and I chose it specifically for the once a year cold that kills bugs but still warm enough to have an amazing growing season

[@jambohoofgood3417]

And likely enough rain to live unlike most of the western US, that's beholden to pumping ground water or massive diversion infrastructure.

[@heatherk8931]

@@jambohoofgood3417 proof in my dry yard. Keeping this in mind for future

[@jambohoofgood3417]

@@heatherk8931 There's great videos about rainfall catching and native plants in Phoenix that turns dry places back green. Not standard American yard green but alive with plants. The square footage of your roof effectively doubles the amount of rainfall for about 1/2 the radius of your house. If you aren't "Pushing the Zone" via David The Good's book ideas that gives you 1000-3000 sq ft around the house where you possibly could have appropriate rainfall to grow things even if the piped water is gone. (doubling your annual rainfall by pushing all the rain off the area of your roof) Assuming no gutters and no catch tanks; with those you can really get to work. Maybe with less vigor of weeds to deal with too.

[@mariannecarlton3612]

This Bio-char method and remedy for poor soil is absolutely intriguing!!

[@brigidvandermoezel7814]

It is such a treat to listen to you and learn from you.

[@thomasgronek6469]

Ohhhh, small cabbages are great when roasted. The enzymes within convert the starches to sugar as the temperature rises in the roasting pan (I put them on top so they don't get saturated, with ham and Kielbasa and carrots) they turn out dark (I quarter them) on the cut sides, and so sweet. Many thanks for the video (and the others)

[@Firevine]

Gotta love these southern winters. 20 degrees in the morning and 70 in the afternoon. High of 27 on Tuesday and low of 68 on Wednesday. Last frost? Could be February. Could be April. Who knows? My garden is still pretty small, so I just buy natural hardwood charcoal and smash it up. Soak it in water and fish emulsion. Made for an enormous tomato forest last year.

[@jasoncheney1156]

Finally someone on the tube yoobs that understands the problems with alabama dirt!! I'll definitely be spending this winter making char. Thank you!!

[@honeybadgerisme]

ahem...one of the vast horde, here--just wanted to thank you for all the hard work, research (books written and recommended), all your articles in m.e. news I used to read voraciously, and quite frankly being able to connect with my gardening and close family on some level through you! You make gardening brilliant and fun.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you.

[@emmyhusfloen]

"Ain't Nobody got time for that!" You are so right...

[@angelaobrien7698]

Fantastic video and so informative. I love the way you are always looking outside the square. Best wishes to your family.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you, you too!

[@palnagok1720]

Idea for accelerating your biochar...have a big party and encourage heavy drinking by guests...copious amounts of liquid gold will fall from midheaven into your vege patch. The veges will be supernal and your status will be raised...Dave the god

[@nates2526]

I love hearing all the references to other channels that I have watched like Skillcult and OAG. I heard you mention Dirtpatchheaven recently too. It’s like a crossover episode! All that we need next is a Demolition Ranch reference and I’ll die happy.

[@philsexton70]

David the Good + Demo Ranch = Visit from Barney Fife

[@jenbear8652]

My adult son loves watching demolition ranch! To combine David the Good with that could be pretty fun

[@kabbak]

@@philsexton70 Barney, lol, pow, pow ,pow👍🏻

[@mattpeacock5208]

Today on Demolition Ranch, we're gonna find out how many organically grown turnips it takes to stop a .50BMG round!

[@mike.barton]

Thanks Dtg and family for another wonderful video. ☮

[@mayshomesteadchronicles]

Thanks for taking the time to create this thorough video on biochar, David! Jesus bless you and your family

[@davidthegood]

Thank you, May

[@dandavatsdasa8345]

So many Great Efforts! Of course, households may have to cut corners to get the job done. In ancient times they built a second story and had fires going on underneath. And so they were making use of the heat from the fire. I can imagine a steel platform built over your brush fire and have a big steel tank over the brush fire. Cook water, plastics, or whatever. Another thought is how to immediately seal the air out of brush fire with a sheet of steel. Burning brush is certainly not as bad as burning all kinds of plastics, rubber, and garbage. Thank you

[@skootles1]

Like many urban dwellers, I do not have the luxury of creating my own biochar on my own property. I have found a workaround. It is hardwood charcoal, biochar in a bag. Used for bar b que grilling, my local grocer carries it as does places like trader joes. I hope this helps someone trying to improve soil and grow a garden. David the good, love your channel. Happy horticulturing.... 😀

[@davidthegood]

Yes - that works! In the city I used a bronze firepit. You can keep a few hotdogs nearby in case the FD shows up. :)

[@cowboyblacksmith]

Waiting for the morning to do another burn, it rained today so it’s safer for me. I built a kontiki style pit lined with bricks and it's all I would ever want, works fan fing tastic! Making biochar is so addicting and I will have lots and lots and have cleaned up the disposed of brush piles out back over the years well. If you save up your urine, use it as the first quench and you'll be inoculating before it's even cold.

[@adventureswithjimandkaren2032]

Best bio-char video I've seen yet. Great Job and Thank You

[@davidthegood]

Thank you

[@tammytamz3046]

It was therapeutic watching this!

[@ejuran2661]

I am definitely going to try this. We are about 40/45 miles from the coast in SC and like your dirt (can’t call it soil) it is sand and grit. The one good thing about it when Florence we did have much standing water. A good rain storm and 5 minutes later you don’t even know it rained. But it sure is tough to garden unless you want the expense of raised beds. Thank you for sharing this method with us. I am trying to catch up on your videos and am learning something new with each on them. I have 3 of your books I am referencing also grow or die, compost everything and grocery row gardening that is what I am going to use the biochar in. Thanks again and God bless you and your family.

[@ccccclark2605]

Am crushing my organic comfrey I dried the last two weeks. Going to make a Comfrey Salve for 4 people. ❤️ ya David the Good! I made a little bit of charcoal for my garden. Need a ton more. With winter coming....I'll have a little bit more. 👍✝️🙏🤪

[@BugYall]

I'm sure Kevin Kostner will love you for still quoting him!

[@5678blob]

Just watched this now for the first time. Absolutely fantastic. Exactly what I was looking for- bio char from A to X, with Y and Z yet to come. Thanks for this very complete video. I hope your channel is doing well for you. I love that you break the rules of videos have to be short. Not for me. All the best to you and your family.

[@tamvonvol2711]

You had me at 'ain't nobody got time for that"... love it!

[@joehatch2948]

I haven't read all the comments so what I do may be old news. I make charcoal through Vermont's winter. Most of the "waste" is just bark and some leftovers from from my firewood processing, about 10-15 50 lbs feed bags full. Through the winter when i get about a 5 gallon bucket full put mix it in with my chicken litter. It helps keep that ammonia smell down and it is good for the chickens too. Come spring I clean the coop out into the compost pile and mix it up with last falls leaves and the first cuttings of grass clippings making it a hot compost. When I can get into the gardens I pull the compost mix it in the beds and and later plant.

[@JTNZ333]

Awesome video! Random tip: T: 41:00 When using silicone, get dishwashing liquid with water in a spray bottle and spray over the silicone once you're ready to spread it. This will stop it sticking to your finger and give you a really clean finish.

[@AhJodie]

Thank you! When I first heard about the history of this, I was amazed!

[@chrislee6144]

I'm already winding up for spring here in 5b. Been doing biochar in our small urban backyard with whatever is on hand to burn, even picked up other people's trimmings and branches this fall to char. Get about 5 gallon at a time in out little backyard firepit and soak it until the next fire pit. I cycle some through the compost bin, mixed in 10 g with the new batch of leaf mold this fall, spread some under the fall mulch in the main garden bed. Put it everywhere! Appreciate what you and the family do there, DtG.

[@davidhurley2656]

I like your practical sensibilities and they validate my own. For me, the simple trench method is fine and thanks to you I'm no longer intimidated by the elaborate pyrolysis (sp?) methods that some insist on. And for inoculation? ...there's plenty of organic stuff and pee that should be fine.

[@RobertTozzi]

I've been making mine in a cone shaped 4-foot wide by 3-foot deep hole. It's low-tech but works great. I usually get 10 gallons of char per burn. I soak the char for 2 days in 5 gallon pails, then add it to the animal manure that gets piled up in the chicken runs for the birds to tear up for a few weeks. Next time, some is going into my worm farm also.

[@allendeanhuscusson459]

I’m gonna say it again I love you I’m making comments as I watch ,I love the disco!!!

[@joycesmith1270]

Thank you so mush for your hard work, and sharing with us. Anxious for next years garden.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you.

[@fabricdragon]

i dont recall if i mentioned before, but... on "the farm vids" (Tudor monastery farm, Victorian farm etc) they make charcoal as the charcoal makers did at the time. its making a small tower of wood and then burying it in soil to cut off the air. you may enjoy watching how they do it

[@davidthegood]

I saw a similar method in Grenada! It is time-consuming but makes high quality charcoal.

[@TJHutchExotics]

Great video! Thanks! I’ve also watched Steven Edholms videos on biochar

[@pear7554]

I love your show thanks so much. I need all the advice I can get. GOD help us with all the unknown coming our way.

[@puggirl415]

Biochar in our composting toilets helps process the humanure a lot faster. Great stuff. I'm learning how to set good fires in a trench pit like that so it doesn't smoke hardly at all. Great way to process dry brush and other fire fuels here in Northern California fire country.

[@LivefreeordieAL]

I appreciate your educational and super entertaining videos. I never ever wanted to be a gardener of any sort until recently. Now- videos like yours are helping propel me forward to growing clean healthy food for my family.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you.

[@jasonnodwell6801]

I completely understand about your soil and how the “stuff” just flows away and never stays! Moved to the sandy Baja Sur, Mexico… here’s hoping the good stuff sticks to this black fluff. Cheers for the video!

[@PatrickPrejusa]

your videos and way of thinking only confirm my own theories that I will implement in the near future.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you, Patrick. May you do excellently.

[@tamararoberts9307]

Clever method of application 👏 after amending the char 👍 awesome!

[@jimparker7778]

that south Alabama sandy soil is craving minerals. the bio char is full of the minor minerals that you get in commercial products, but this way you're making it yourself. If you want to grow vegetables for the table you'd better add this practice to your routine. thank you David

[@kazparzyxzpenualt8111]

Splendidly done! Magic shovel for a magic garden. I Iike the trench concept for this. Planning several trenches for a siimilar bio-char deployment strategy keeping in mind the prevailing wind. Masses of fuel stock windrowed along the windward side for adding to the trench. This will be in the field where it will belong eventually. The trench will be lit at one end like a fuse. The windward end. Dirt /soil from the trench will be readily on hand for fire suppression. A parallel uphill plastic lined trench for the next burn will store water (maybe even swampy tea) temporarily to use for quenching and fire suppression too. The idea is to have the hillside contour terrace enhanced. The ditch is both a keyline step and a biochar step in the poor old compacted hillside field regeneration effort. However, I am greatly concerned about avoiding smoke during the burn. Everyone should read and or view Dr. Woodrow Monty's work on smoke and the chemical methanol. His book is - While Science Sleeps, the diseases of civilization-. It may make one rethink much of the food system even more carefully than I suspect most people who watch this kind of video already do!

[@maccliff2115]

I love your sense of humor, the short “I like to dig” jingle at the beginning was funny!

[@maudiefricker]

I’m in zone 7b (actually I’m on a peninsula that stays warm long enough to be zone 8). The water table here is high…about 6”-12” so digging is out unless you want a mosquito pond. Been toying with the idea of making a ‘burn berm’ to make biochar with the massive amount of brush that seems to accumulate on this farm. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@jaysworld126]

Bravo on the biochar video. Just started watching and subscribed to your channel. Now I have to catch up. Thanks for the great information.

[@kkjaved]

I use a soil tamper (heavy iron) which makes the pieces small less than 1/2 inch. That works well enough for me. They will get smaller over time in the soil.

[@hollyp9811]

I love your channel! Love to see your kids involved. I dreamed of that for my family, but God had different plans. Count your blessings, and stay faithful to each other. I live in Brazil for now. You can grow a lot of things year round in my region, although in the winter it can get pretty cold at night. I’m starting a garden right now and it’s fall here. When would be the best time to apply this biochar? How long should it sit in the soil before you can plant? Thanks for all your advice and example.

[@davidthegood]

If it is soaked in nutrients for a couple weeks, you can add and plant right away, anytime.

[@hollyp9811]

@@davidthegood Thanks so much!

[@michaeloneal4687]

We moved to Clanton AL from the Kansas City area. I’m 76 and have been gardening most of my life. I feel lost, the soil is nothing like what I’m used to. The temperatures are really different. Love your videos hope to see more. Mickey

[@jackieroberts6316]

Thank you for such a detailed video. I will be starting this tomorrow. I have LOTS of brush.

[@clarissareid2726]

Thank you to you and your beautiful family for this lesson on biochar. I'm going to do this the next couple of weeks for my garden. 🙃🙂🙃🙂🙃🙂🙃

[@allendeanhuscusson459]

We love you and your family GODBLESS you David good

[@marklane3020]

Chicken disco oh yeah. Fun fun fun. This retired farmer is wishing I had my land back. Now in a housing development its going to be tricky to pull off a burn pile. But we are on a hill side. The soil is rocky and drains too much. Same issue as you. Enjoyed. Thanks for sharing.

[@davidthegood]

That is hard. Best of luck, Mark.

[@gershhayes796]

At 16:21 what we all came for, very nice man, great work.

[@DebraofSENC]

We had a burn pile where we had trees removed. Well, we raked up alot of the ashes and char. We made an okra bed in 2021 in the former burn bed. To our surprise, we had the best okra bed ever. It was very productive, the okra was 8 feet tall vs the 1 ft tall okra in the bed without biochar. So it works. Lovin' your channel. Also, we put the ashes and char around the fruit trees and in the collard and turnip beds. The collards were sweet even in the middle of summer. Edit here: The okra was in a very wet area, also. So note okra likes wet loamy soil.

[@davidthegood]

That is awesome.

[@thebitcoingarden]

This is a wonderfully simple idea thank you so much for sharing.