Biochar from Wood Ashes

I have heard a lot about biochar as an extremely good amendment for soil. It way outlasts other carbon forms and its cell structure houses microbial organisms quite well. Typically bio char is produced through a gasification process from bio mass such as woodchips or plant stock. The Yarden harvests bits of biochar from our wood ashes. We heat with wood and even with a highly-rated efficient stove, we get a decent amount of wood charcoal bits in the ashes. I havent figured out how to best use the ash by-product, but when I came across this giant sifter, it struck me that the charred bits of wood could be easily sifted from the ashes just going from bucket to bucket. here is the simple system in practice... one bucket of ashes, a sifter with 1/4" mesh, another bucket, and a place to dump the biochar.

a broken open bit of biochar
grinding up the bigger pieces with a rock
the finished product (from two pales worth of ashes):
This biochar material will applied broadly to one of the garden beds (with manure and compost), and worked into the soil in the spring. This is an experimental process. If you have comments or suggestions, email me at the contact form.

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