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    Beginner Lessons

    The Beginner Lessons form the foundation with a sound overview of the core concepts of food production.

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    The Intermediate Lessons allow students to experiment and prove the core concepts.

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    The Advanced Lessons give students an opportunity to apply what they've learned in the previous levels.

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    Seed Starting Curriculum

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  • Blog

    Our Top Posts

    What is a Food Desert?

    Gain insight into food deserts, the communities they impact, and how edible education may offer a solution.

    The Difference Between Rainwater and Tap Water

    Not all water is created equal especially when we're talking about the health and development of plants and people.

    Why Rain is Important

    Rain or the lack of an adequate supply can have profound effects on farming and the communities that rely on the harvest.

    Anatomy of a Seed

    It all begins with a seed and this article dives deep into the 5 primary parts of the seed that make it all possible.

How to Brew Compost Tea

Dec 20 by Tim Miner Leave a Comment

how to brew compost tea

Learning how to brew compost tea is a simple one.  We use just a few simple items in the Lab to build an aeration system that not only extracts the valuable nutrients but also the bacteria and fungi.  The added bonus is that the process also allows the bacteria to bloom, creating greater numbers in the colony.

Equipment for Brewing Compost Tea

  • 5 gallon bucket
  • S hook
  • Dechlorinated water
  • Aeration pump
  • Diffusion stones
  • Flexible tubing
  • Molasses
  • Cheesecloth or burlap
  • Zip tie
  • Finished compost or worm castings

The Process

The process is simple.  The water captures the nutrients and microbes that leach from the compost as the solution is churned by countless bubbles emitted from the diffuser stones.  Over 24 hours, and fed by the molasses, the bacteria blooms into a population of millions.  The extracted nutrients and microbes are then diluted and applied to the plants or soil as desired.

Video: Step by Step Instructions for Making Compost Tea

Our friends at Bright Agrotech, the folks behind the ZipGrow technology that we use in our hydroponics station, spent a day in our flagship Lab in Buffalo, WY.  They wanted to see our systems in person, and this video showing how to make compost tea was one of the parting gifts.  We had a blast shooting this with them and I think you’ll find it’s very informative.

Filed Under: Teach the Teacher Tagged With: compost, compost tea, how to

About Tim Miner

Tim Miner is the co-founder Modern Steader and father to two young boys that spend as much time in the kitchen and garden as he does. Tim and his family live in Buffalo, WY where he created the flagship Edible Learning Lab at the local Boys & Girls Club.

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