PSmall's blog

PSmall's picture

Plants take up drugs, antibacterials from biosolids used as fertilizers

Research demonstrates that chemical contaminants found in wastewater and sewage sludge (aka biosolids) may accumulate in plants.  (EHN Source

PSmall's picture

Biochar Offsets

I have been producing small quantities of biochar at home and using it in my compost.  My equipment is relatively low tech, but my process is reasonably efficient. Those who care deeply about the implications of rising atmospheric CO2  will invariably ask, can biochar produced in such a low tech system offset the carbon produced by the fire used to create the biochar in the first place?   The answer can be decidedly yes even when efficiency is low if you keep it simple.

PSmall's picture

How To Make Charcoal by Gary Gilmore

 Editor's note:

Gary gave me the go-ahead to use his article article and I am glad to take the opportunity.  A slightly different version of the article, with some informative illustrations, is posted at http://www.puffergas.com/historic/rules/rules.html.  I am happily relying on Gary's design myself.  It works great.
PSmall's picture

Persuasion

Hiring a soil scientist as a consultant can be a big leap for a client ...

PSmall's picture

Health Care Reform and my Small Business

In our search for information on how the newly passed Health Care Reform is going to affect our business and our family, wife Rosemary came across a valuable timeline of reform elements.

PSmall's picture

Me Too: I Hate Embargoes

I want to express my complete and unwavering support for science blogger "GrrlScientist" in her quest to get unfettered pre-publication access to science articles, on par with mainstream media (MSM). 

PSmall's picture

News: US Congressman Chandler (KY) Receives Soil Stewardship Award

Ben Chandler, the congressman from Kentucky’s Sixth District, has received an “Excellence in Soil Stewardship Award” from the Soil Science Society of America for his support of agriculture and conservation.

PSmall's picture

Capture and reuse phosphorus

Another timely article relating to peak phosphorus:

The failure to capture and reuse phosphorus could contribute to a global food crisis as supplies of the vital fertilizer run low, say the authors of a report that highlights ways phosphorus can be recovered from human and animal waste.

"They say that what we excrete in urine equals the amount of phosphorus required to grow 50 to 100 per cent of our food,"  

PSmall's picture

Opinion: Spreading biosolids still the best option

A concise evaluation of the problems and the practical options involving biosolids.  Conclusion: the cost advantage of making land application work is compelling.  Peak phosphorus, not mentioned in the article, means that land application on cropland will increasingly sort out as the highest and best use for biosolids.

PSmall's picture

eBay: Giddings Soil Probe $1500 closes March 13, 2010

 Giddings Probe - 1994 Hydraulic Soil Coring Machine http://item.ebay.com/280473359590
 I have used several truck mounted Giddings Probes and have always admired the design.

PSmall's picture

On the Job: Exploring the science of soil

 A short news story about a pair of consulting soil scientists in Indiana.  Pictures of playing in the dirt. You know how I love these.

PSmall's picture

Become a Business Savvy Scientist

New Zealand soil scientist Dr Carol Smith, Academic Programme Manager in Lincoln University's Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is establishing a new specialization in science and entrepreneurship at Lincoln University. The specialization will give students a practically-focussed introduction to technology-based business by introducing them to the main elements of the commercialisation of science and technology.

PSmall's picture

Three Shiny New Soil Science Blogs

In the spirit of a new dawn for soil science, three new soil centric blogs have popped up in 2010.

Syndicate content