2022-07-26
Johnson-Su Bioreactor Workshop Field Notes

Much thanks and praise to Pat DeSimeo of the Las Cruces Creatives Seeding Regenerative Agriculture Project, for helping lead our Johnson-Su Bioreactor Workshop held on July 23, 2022 and for preparing the following Post-Workshop Field Notes:

For a written overview of what we covered at the workshop, you can find the manual for how to build the bioreactors and apply the finished compost at https://www.csuchico.edu/regenerativeagriculture/_assets/documents/johnson-su-bioreactor.pdf. (Note: the manual mentions that the compost is ready to use after 9 months—and it does look beautiful by then—but research David did after writing the manual found that the microbial communities need at least 12 months to fully develop. Please give your compost at least 12 months to mature.)

For more guidance on options for freeze-protecting the bioreactors, view https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4A2AOj67F0.

Apart from the bioreactor manual, most of the rest of the Cal State Chico archive that we mentioned is now migrating—David found more support through NMSU and Arizona State University, so he left the Cal State position and will be rehousing the archive/database shortly. Pat will let you know where it ultimately lands. In the meanwhile, you can find a presentation and Q&A from David on SOIL STORIES at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q15UqNSZ4Tw.

Here are some of the other links we mentioned:

• Seeding Regenerative Agriculture Project (https://sragriculture.org/) and NM Healthy Soil Working Group (https://www.nmhealthysoil.org/): Information about soil health and regenerative agriculture, a cooperative network and multiple support services for farmers and ranchers in greater New Mexico;

• Hacienda Domínguez & Chelenzo Farms (chelenzofarms.com): The farm website of our gracious hosts.