Regenerative Agriculture is our core methodology on Tamalu Farm. Being as resourceful as possible is a belief that grows deeply within us. Growing trees such as Eucalyptus, Radiata Pine, Cyprus, Olive, and Casuarina function not only as our wind breaks but more so are carefully pruned to make our Ecologically Sound Charcoal and Wood Vinegar. But let’s take a few steps back and give you some background as to why and how we got here.
In Kenya, 86% of the population use charcoal to cook and heat their food. It's an expensive product financially (currently valued at a higher price per Kg than wood) and ecologically, with the majority of charcoal made from rapidly decreasing indigenous wood stocks.
Fortunately there are awesome people, like Teddy Kinyanjui from Cookswell Jiko’s who are growing, making and using their own home grown charcoal as demonstrated at Tamalu farm's recent 'biochar' workshop with the aim of controlling the entire ‘seed-to-ash’ cycle of biomass energy.
Pruning the lowest, scraggliest branches of trees from our own - and nearby farms keeps things neat & tidy; allows more sunlight to filter through to the plants below, increases atmospheric carbon capture by putting out fresh shoots, and provides the necessary biomass input for biochar production. Turning pruned branches into a range of high-grade, high-carbon products takes place through a pyrolysis process (the heating of biological material in a low-oxygen environment).
Pre- Columbian Amazonians are believed to have used biochar to enhance soil productivity and more recently the use of Biochar has been heralded as a breakthrough development in soil health, crop production, carbon sequestration, environmental clean-up and pollution control with sales of the product worldwide tripling every year since 2008.
As our own trials and tests continue on the farm, we are excited to announce that we too now are selling our own biochar product range.
Wood Vinegar, which you may have heard of as Liquid Smoke, is a bi-product of the liquid that formulates from the smoke while making the bio charcoal using Cookswell’s kiln and chimney add-on. Have a look at this short video demonstration on how liquid smoke can be made whilst making your biochar using the Cookswell kiln.
We are also very proud to announce that along with our biochar product range, we are now also selling Wood Vinegar. Have a look at the product label below for more details on this product.
Get in touch with us to get your hands on these new products!
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