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Community Gardeners Explore Beneficial Microbes
Lou Gallagher explains the molecular structure and habits of DDT
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An enthusiastic group of community gardeners took part in a beneficial microbes workshop last Saturday with local experts Grant Lyon, Lou Gallagher and David Johnston.
The Workshop was held at the old women’s bowling green ‘Bandoliers’ in Mt Victoria, which, in its former glory was treated with the synthetic pesticide DDT in order to maintain the ideal conditions for bowls. Plans for a vibrant community garden in the space -which has been sitting idle for the last few years- are being well received by the community.
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The Innermost Gardens community gardening group has applied for the lease of the site and is taking its regeneration into their own hands, with a vision to make it possible for fresh, organic produce to be grown and eaten from there. Exploring soil remediation methodologies is the first step on the path to creating their abundant garden.
Grant Lyon of Down to Earth Nutrition, a local expert on compost tea and beneficial microbe foraging, lead the group of twenty plus participants through a hands- on discovery forage through MT. Victoria’s bush, identifying what fungi and other forms of biomass make up the ingredients for the ideal brew of compost tea. |
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Grant Lyon brewing compost tea
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An outdoor cooking show followed, with Grant combining molasses, oatmeal and air bubbles to a bucket with the largest tea bag in the world.
Lou Gallagher, who has spent time with Paul Stamets, author of Mycellium Running, shared her passion for Fungus and Mycellium in mycro-remediation, explained the molecular structure and habits of DDT, and shared her current experiments in finding the best recipe for the Bandoliers sites soil.
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Lastly David Johnston from Otaki shared his knowledge of the many successes of using EM (Effective Microorganisms) which were developed in Japan in the 1980’s in not only improving the health of soil/ plant/ecosystems, but animal, waterway, interior furnishings and more. EM is also the bacterial harmoniser/activator we use to treat the wood shavings we add to our Bokashi compost systems.
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A closer look at compost tea brewing and aeration
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Participants foraging for fungi and beneficial micobes on Mt. Victoria |
Feeling grounded, if not slightly overwhelmed by the possibilities which arise once we put energy into cultivating and maintaining well-balanced garden systems, the group departed, with plans for submitting their support for Innermost’s latest bid to WCC for the plot’s lease.
Photos and story by Rebeka Whale, October 31, 2009
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