In April, Perigee Farm owners Clare and Pete hosted a small scale biochar production workshop at their farm in Elbe. They educated fellow farmers about the benefits of biochar and the ease of using the Ring of Fire kiln. 

This video captures the full workshop where attendees learned about Clare and Pete's experience with biochar production, saw the final biochar product, and experienced the pre-burn feedstock set-up and lighting the fire. James Moore, the Climate Resiliency Program Manager at PCD, also spoke about PCD’s Climate Resiliency and Firewise Programs and the WA Senate Bill Report 6121 which came out last July. He provides guidance to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and Department of Natural Resources to allow kiln burning of silvicultural and forestry-related wood waste.

Biochar Benefits

Biochar has multiple benefits for gardening and farming! When mixed into soil, it helps your soil health with improved nutrient and water retention and boosted soil fertility. Biochar can serve as a wildfire preparedness alternative to chipping. It is also an alternative to burning forestry slash. 

The Ring of Fire Kiln

Clare and Pete demonstrated how easy it is to use the Ring of Fire kiln given its portable, 5.6 cubic yard feedstock capacity. It produces 2-3 cubic yards of biochar per burn.

If you are interested in purchasing this kiln, it can be purchased by farm owners via cost share through PCD’s Sustainable Farms and Fields (SFF) Program. We are currently collecting cost share requests for the next SFF application round taking place in June.