How Do We Make and Use Bone Char?

[@ourhomesteadjourney1775]

Geoff, do you have a recipe for a fertilizer using the biochar and bone char plus anything else? Can you make a video for this? Thanks!

[@rosstemple7617]

So glad you came back with this. I thought you put the bones in the steel pipe and put it on top of the charcoal maker. Maybe you could for a first burn solution.

[@przybyla420]

Nope

[@stlamonge5459]

What is the rational behind the second pyrolysis?

[@BossOfAllTrades]

It makes it more quickly absorbed due to the extremely fine powder. Essentially speeding up absorption by the plant and microorganisms

[@tcoxor52]

@@BossOfAllTrades You can also just as easily forego the second burn process and instead place the crushed bones from the first burn into an acid solution (any 3-5% acetic acid is good), which will extract all your calcium and phosphorus into a water soluble, shelf stable, solution that can then be used diluted either as a soil drench or foliar application. The left over carbon can then just be added back into your compost or soil. This is the process used in Korean Natural Farming.

[@siengthatep5278]

Thank you for this info. Can I just put cut up bamboo stalks and leaves over the bones since I don't have a shredder? I want to use what I have around me. Also I am looking to make water filter since fluorine ions bind to bone char. That is what is in a Berkey filter.

[@ckiki4422]

Merci pour ce partage et son sous-titrages en français 😉

[@der_teemo5300]

Is there an alternative, that could be used instead of powdered bamboo leaves or rice husks? Because in germany it isnt that easy to get your hands on those resources so some locally in germany available material would be a lot better.

[@caseyrutz1575]

Shredded bamboo and rice hulls are not really attainable here in Colorado either

[@przybyla420]

Straw has a lot of silica, less than rice husks. If you have marsh grasses those might be even better. I don’t think the silica is critical.

[@CarbonConscious]

Put bones in a retort instead, that already makes bonechar.

[@zaizen4359]

He mentioned that the high silica content is important..so I would research high silica plants/grains/etc native to your area.

[@warlord5295]

Little fact vikings used the bone coal/char in the process of ibueing it with spirits but in reality they turned iron into steel because the bones carbon content fused with the iron creating steel

[@drpk6514]

Amazing idea whoever came up with it.

[@b_uppy]

Love the letter you quoted. Thank you for the video, too. How does this differ from bone meal???

[@DiscoverPermaculture]

It is much finer particles.

[@b_uppy]

@@DiscoverPermaculture Interesting. Dogs still love to lick it then...

[@butternutyeeetsbanana.-.5389]

Can you do this in an oven?

[@gohkiatbeng6066]

T.q brother I like 👍👍👍

[@MyFamilyGarden]

Bone char/bone meal, brilliant for adding calcium to the soil

[@BossOfAllTrades]

phosphorus is the main nutrient as its so scarce.

[@abdulrawoof2347]

Doubt here Did u put the bones into the pipe or only at the bottom???

[@BilianaBiBiShiBiBiShaN1111]

But can I use it to filter my tap water?

[@raymondbacon3885]

What is the chimney stack diameter? I have piping that has an inside diameter of about 50mm - Too small?

[@xx7101]

Would this char be alkaline enough to cause a few seasons worth of pH problems??

[@BossOfAllTrades]

Yes but in his system his plants don't suffer this issue as they are very tolerant of ph, in areas with less acidic soil it be good to mix it into your compost so the humic acids will neutralize the high ph

[@Electrictheater9]

Have you ever made Water Soluble Calcium Phosphate to use as a foliar spray (charred bones and vinegar) I personally have not, I just add the charred bone powder to compost pile or light top dress

[@DiscoverPermaculture]

Yes it works fine

[@CarbonConscious]

@@DiscoverPermaculture wouldn't that be feeding the plants directly Geoff? You just mentioned in the video that you never do that ;)

[@BossOfAllTrades]

@@CarbonConscious Ladies and gentleman WE GOT HIM...

[@inaciotasse6706]

If I want to make my suburban garden focused only on building soil health, what plants would i plant? Prefer low maintenance. Not concerned about producing food. Don't want trees taller than 1.5-2m. What plants fix carbon into the soil? I've noticed the patch where some ferns grow seems more fertile than the other patch that just has weeds. It might be the rhizomes.

[@DiscoverPermaculture]

The ferns are after a burn pile. In a suburban garden just keep composting.

[@inaciotasse6706]

@@DiscoverPermaculture I'm thinking about fixing carbon in the soil with plants because of this TED talk. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqqplKVojMiCr9E. What plants produce a high level of suberin in their roots and enrich the soil? I live in a temperate zone (Melbourne, Australia).

[@saucywench9122]

That was a beautiful bone char. Can it also be used in earthen home building? And if so how?

[@przybyla420]

It could, but you need a lot of bones to plaster a wall :) I’m also not sure how the quality compares to more conventional lime plaster from limestone. Once it is charred to dust, and you may need to keep it separate from the wood ash... Then you add water without getting splashed by the frothing of the exothermic reaction. Then you store in can or drum covered with water for a few years minimum, the more the better, before using. Mix with sieved sharp river sand and thin if necessary.

[@BossOfAllTrades]

that would be a waste of the rich phosphate content

[@sweetdweams]

Can you use any bone?

[@shkico4513]

Yes, this is a great idea to dispose humans bones and recycle them

[@marklewis4793]

@@shkico4513 ..after checking their medical history,..humans often put toxins into their bodies,

[@DiscoverPermaculture]

Yes

[@lifescansdarkly]

Hm, that seems like a lot of work for only a little material; what if you have a 50-gallon drum full of bones? I'm not in an area where I could have an open fire big enough to burn a pile that size.

[@brianab5907]

I’m here bcuz um as a non-vegan I just found out bone char is used to process sugar and thereby some cotton candy. And I’m eating cotton candy now

[@ryanzacsanders]

so its from the animals that died a natural death after 25 years of being our companions 😔 Its like organ donation I gues.. otherwise it would feel weird as we are all vegan for obvious reasons

[@DiscoverPermaculture]

Yes and many will die of natural causes before 25 years. You could also use road kill too if you want.

[@przybyla420]

Natural susceptibility to propaganda? ;)