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Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with UBC graduate student Jessica Dennis (who goes by Dennis) about the potential for a lesser-known soil amendment, biochar, to improve agricultural soils’ tilth and nutrient absorbing capacities, as well as play a role in climate change mitigation by acting as a carbon sink. Never heard of biochar? Dennis does a great job explaining what it is. 

Want more resources on the subject? Dennis shared these ones:

Manual for small farmers that I produced based on my work at Fraser Common Farm and power point presentation I gave at COABC:
https://sites.google.com/site/fcfcbiocharmanual/

Publications available from the International Biochar Initiative site: I recommend The Guidelines on Practical Aspects of Biochar Application but there are lots of resources on this page:
http://www.biochar-international.org/publications/IBI

Site with various open source models for making biochar including a pdf instructions to the model used at Fraser Common Farm is adapted from. For Fraser Common model see design by Kelpie Wilson near bottom of page.
http://www.biochar-international.org/technology/opensource

Dennis is also open to receiving emails from Biochar enthusiasts: dennis.jess.dennis@gmail.com