NaturalFarmer
Well-Known Member
This oak tree on my property is around 120 years old in my estimation and I chose it also because of the overall health is very high and the ground below is soft and rich (as soft and rich as Maine soil can be).
![IMG_20160923_121920.jpg](/data/attachments/3020/3020267-9417a2638b6ee6c1aa329545aa73c4e6.jpg)
So I took this 2x4 box which has hardware cloth on the bottom (I use it to sift rocks out of my soil.)
I cooked down some white rice and layered the bottom of this box with a brown paper bag and put the rice on top and then covered with some leaf litter.
I then dug a small hole (6 inches deep) at the base of the tree and placed the box inside the hole.
![IMG_20161015_095324.jpg](/data/attachments/3020/3020264-51e505ce7294ec25ec1925b9bfb81c4a.jpg)
Then I waited.....................for two weeks. You can see the blue and red bacteria growing at about that point as well as the webs of mycelium.
![IMG_20161015_095244.jpg](/data/attachments/3020/3020265-75333488ec17022d379392c8f46716bd.jpg)
You can see the microbes have been attracted to the starch in the rice. (Wet and Warmer conditions will speed this up). I then transferred the rice/leaves/dirt to a 5 gallon bucket and added water 1:1. Seal the top and then wait...................
Burp every other day and you will see that it is a living breathing bucket. The bubbles will percolate and you can see currents of activity.
![IMG_20161022_095100.jpg](/data/attachments/3020/3020262-03008219be593c50021a1ea2f81679ca.jpg)
Once the microbes have the smell of baked bread, then you want to hit a 1:1 ratio of brown sugar. The sugars will put the microbes in a state of dormancy and allow you to keep in a cool dark place for the year.
![IMG_20160923_121920.jpg](/data/attachments/3020/3020267-9417a2638b6ee6c1aa329545aa73c4e6.jpg)
So I took this 2x4 box which has hardware cloth on the bottom (I use it to sift rocks out of my soil.)
I cooked down some white rice and layered the bottom of this box with a brown paper bag and put the rice on top and then covered with some leaf litter.
I then dug a small hole (6 inches deep) at the base of the tree and placed the box inside the hole.
![IMG_20161015_095324.jpg](/data/attachments/3020/3020264-51e505ce7294ec25ec1925b9bfb81c4a.jpg)
Then I waited.....................for two weeks. You can see the blue and red bacteria growing at about that point as well as the webs of mycelium.
![IMG_20161015_095206.jpg](/data/attachments/3020/3020266-3769a273dd2c3a872174e237e551ef20.jpg)
![IMG_20161015_095244.jpg](/data/attachments/3020/3020265-75333488ec17022d379392c8f46716bd.jpg)
You can see the microbes have been attracted to the starch in the rice. (Wet and Warmer conditions will speed this up). I then transferred the rice/leaves/dirt to a 5 gallon bucket and added water 1:1. Seal the top and then wait...................
Burp every other day and you will see that it is a living breathing bucket. The bubbles will percolate and you can see currents of activity.
![IMG_20161022_095100.jpg](/data/attachments/3020/3020262-03008219be593c50021a1ea2f81679ca.jpg)
Once the microbes have the smell of baked bread, then you want to hit a 1:1 ratio of brown sugar. The sugars will put the microbes in a state of dormancy and allow you to keep in a cool dark place for the year.
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