Growing Solutions would like to extend a very special “Thank You!” to Martha Stewart and her continued use of our Compost Tea System10 & System25. Martha shares her step-by-step instructions for using our Compost Tea Systems in her greenhouses. What an honor, and we couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Please take a look at her full blog post…
Congreso Nacional del Cafe´ 2015
ANACAFE
August 13–14, 2015
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
http://anacafe.org
Tea Time in the Tropics: A Handbook for Compost Tea Production and Use explores compost tea from the perspective of growers, researchers and industry. The free downloadable handbook was produced as an output of a Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant project entitled Enhancing Phytonutrient Content, Yield and Quality of Vegetables with Compost Tea in the Tropics. Growing Solutions’ founder and CEO Michael Alms was a project participant and co-author of the handbook. The publication is co-edited by Theodore Radovich, PhD and Norman Arancon, PhD.
Radovich, a longtime proponent of compost tea, is Assistant Extension Specialist in the Sustainable and Organic Farming Systems Laboratory at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). Arancon is Assistant Professor of Horticulture in the College of Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resource Management at the University of Hawaii in Hilo. Dr. Arancon is a pioneer in researching the use of vermicomposts to increase the growth, flowering and yields of plants such as marigolds, petunias, bell peppers, tomatoes, strawberries and grapes. His research has also revealed that vermicompost teas can potentially have the same effects on plant growth and the suppression of pests and diseases.
The project explored compost tea through on-farm trials and educational activities in a variety of tropical island environments. The objectives of the SARE project were to:
The project team cited as a basis of its pursuits a poor understanding of the interactions between compost type, crop, and environmental factors as they relate to plant yield and quality, particularly under tropical conditions. This lack of understanding restricts widespread adoption of compost tea technology to conventional farms that want to improve the sustainability of their operations.
The project was made available with support from the SARE program and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
The latest innovations in environmental protection industries were recently showcased at Eco Expo Asia, including Growing Solutions Compost Tea Systems. President Michael Alms traveled to Hong Kong at the end of October for this four-day international trading fair where Growing Solutions participated in the U.S. pavilion. “This was an excellent opportunity to meet with many of our current global partners and to cultivate new contacts and relationships,” he explained.
Business Development Manager for Asia Bryan Ollier and Michael met with Stephen Young, Consul General of the United States of America in Hong Kong, and his team prior to the opening of the fair. The U.S. Commercial Service is our government’s international trade promotion agency and one of three groups sponsoring Growing Solution’s participation in Eco Expo Asia.
Attendees from Hong Kong, China, Australia, Malaysia, UK, Poland, Finland, USA, Mexico, India, Japan and Korea visited the Growing Solutions stand at the event. “Everyone has been intrigued and interested in how they can implement our technology within their sector, especially mainland China,” Michael explained.
Safe organic food production is a major concern for the Chinese government in addition to industrial corporate social and environmental responsibility. “Growing Solutions is clearly a good fit given these concerns, as our process provides value added products, not simply a reduction of negative impacts,” Bryan noted.
Growing Solutions was one of 18 exhibitors from the U.S. and one of 112 exhibitors from outside Honk Kong (total exhibitors: 271). Organized by the HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd., the fair drew 11,550 trade and 2,559 public attendees from around the globe: Asia, Europe, North America, Australia and the Pacific Islands, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Africa.
“This was one of our best endeavors to date for reaching new global markets,” Michael said. “And we could not have made this kind of impact without the help of Business Oregon and the Green Export Enabler Program (GEEP).”
We’re proud to announce that our Compost Tea Catalyst recently received an OMRI Listed® Certificate. The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is known worldwide for its independent review of products and materials for use in certified organic production, handling, and processing. OMRI evaluates all ingredients and processes involved in the manufacturing of any product submitted for review. The OMRI Listed label is recognized as a seal of confidence that a product has undergone a thorough review to ensure compatibility with the standards of the USDA National Organic Program.
“The review process is quite rigorous,” explained Growing Solutions President Michael Alms. “With the OMRI Listed seal, our Catalyst will be recognized internationally for use in certified organic production.”
Growing Solutions’ Compost Tea Catalyst is a unique blend of ingredients formulated to stimulate diverse microbial growth during aerated compost tea production without the use of simple sugars. In addition to seaweed extract and mineral powder, our Catalyst contains an array of select botanical ingredients.
Ideal for use in any compost tea system, the easy-to-use powder is available in four convenient sizes and bulk quantities (call 541-343-8727 for more information on available bulk sizes).