First question: My compost pile is still pretty new, and I'm wondering about the bagged compost I bought. I got it at lowes - It's called 100% Organic compost "earth's best" or something like that. I'm using it as a base for my tea. I know that a composted manure would be better, but it's what I have brewing now. I have added to my 5 gallon bucket that is equipped with an air hose and pump: 2 ounces of liquid seaweed (Maestro brand), 1 ounce apple cider vinegar, 2 ounces molasses, a couple hands full of alfalfa, and an old nasty hairy tomatao that had been rotting in my fruit basket. It is foamy and yeasty, so I assume it's ok, but would it be much better with composted manure? The bagged stuff I bought was only $2.50, and will give me about 6 5-gallon brews worth.
My other question is about the water I'm using. We live in the country outside of Kerrville and we're on a well, and the water is totally untreated, unfiltered, unsoftened, etc. Do I need to do anything to this water to prep it for brewing?
Also, just a suggestion for you home-brewers: I bought a spigot to attach to the bottom of my 5-gallon bucket. I don't use a screen or anything, I just open the spigot when I need some tea. Small pieces come through, but the big pieces stay in. This way, I can keep the brewer on my porch out of the sun and not make a mess when trying to fill my watering can. If you need to filter for use in a fine mist sprayer, just wrap some panty hose around the spigot and let her rip. Bad choice of words, don't let the pantyhose rip, let the spigot rip! Anyway, when the bucket's empty, just take it to the compost pile and empty the spent tea ingredients. I also use a lid for my bucket and run the air hose through a hole I drilled. I had to drill another small hole to allow air to escape. This keeps my daughter and critters out of my brew - twice I found floating mice who must have been very curious!
Thanks so much for this great community! My garden and my flowers have NEVER looked so beautiful!
Smiles,
Eric
_________________ "Peace and quiet is there any,
We are the beautiful too many,
Here in the Going, going, gone" - Greg Brown
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