Patent ID: 6264715
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: C05F,Y02A,Y02P,Y02W,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for making a soil conditioner having a dark color without artificial dyes, comprising the steps of:(a) mixing softwood shavings and agricultural manure to provide, after mixing, a material having a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in the range of 100-200 parts of carbon to one part of nitrogen;(b) forming piles of mixed ingredients in the form of truncated cones having cavities at the tops thereof and concentric troughs spaced on the side walls of each of said cones, with each cone having a volume in the range of 1500-4000 cubic yards;(c) over-saturating the piles with water so that liquid percolates through the mixed ingredients to be expressed from the bottom of the pile by gravity and to form a pool of liquid, rich in tannin liquors proximate the base of each cone for use in resaturating said cone;(d) halting the water flow in each cone enabling the generation of heat in the cone by means of biological activity, said heat baking-in the color of the pile; and(e) the piles thereby releasing more tannins for extraction as said resaturation is resumed, with the process of resaturation being repeated until desired dark color is achieved.