Our Office
Holt 381
530-898-4335
Dr. Cynthia Daley, Founder, Director
Dr. Timothy LaSalle, Co-Founder
Priya Tuvell, Program Manager
Email Us
regenerativeag@csuchico.edu
Current Participants in the Bioreactor Registry (F - M)
Find people participating in the research(opens in new window) and development of BEAM compost below. First page of the registry (A-E) is here.(opens in new window)
Farnico
Contact: Sergej Nicolaisen
Location: Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 10
Installation Date: In planning stage, intended by 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: As instructed
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Awaiting results
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: Would like to buy.
Fee Project
Contact: Linda Fee
Location: Cochrane, Alberta, Canada (Zone 3a)
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 3
Installation Date: September 11, 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 50% live Poplar/50% live Spruce (chipped mulch) Volume of bin is approximately 18 cubic feet each.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not finished
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: No
Floralita
Contact: Markus Schmälzle(opens in new window)
Location: Sinzheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2
Installation Date: 6/28/2021, 11/11/2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 1/3 Wooden chips 1/3 shredded shrubs and leaves 1/3 cow manure and chicken manure
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Still ongoing. Results will be updated
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: No
Freeman Project
Contact: John and Roz Freeman
Location: San Luis Obispo, California, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: March 17, 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 80% Dry Pecan leaves 15% Dry Oak leaves 5% Dry Sycamore leaves, caught rain water, 2 cups Johnson-Su bioreactor inoculant from a 12-month finished reactor at City Farm in San Luis Obispo, in the leaf bath containing some of our own cured compost, prior to loading it to the reactor. Additional information.(opens in new window)
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): not tested yet
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: Plan to use some for ourselves and give the rest away to others with instruction.
Frits Vandermerwe’s Farm
Contact: Frits Vandermerwe
Location: Mozambique
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 3
Installation Date: October 2018
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 40% Old forest leaves, 40% old roofing grass, 20% cow dung
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): In progress
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
Froghaven
Contact: Adam Laurance
Location: Woodend, Victoria, Australia
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 8
Installation Date: 1/6/2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Leaves 20%. grass 20%. poultry manure 10%, sawdust 15%, weeds 20%, wood chips 15%.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Results not analyzed but compost to be tested in the field
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
Full Circle Veterinary Center
Contact: Natasha Lilly(opens in new window)
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: November 2019
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Horse manure - 70%, bedding from laying hen boxes - 20%, plant material from garden - 10%
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Unknown
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No. Using it for my own ranch and project with dogs.
Fun-guy Compost
Contact: Matt Batchelder/Charlie Comstock
Location: Tomball, TX USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: two sets of bioreactors: 9 (2020) and 16 (2021)
Installation Date: 1st Set: 2-01/30/19; 2-09/01/19; 9-03/15/20-04/09/20, 2nd Set: April 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 100% shredded, washed leaves from various types of trees in the Houston, TX area, including but not limited to: Southern Live Oak, Schumard Oak, White Oak, Pecan, Red Maple
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Test results from Earthfort (PDF)
2nd Set: Compost will be tested Spring 2022
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?Yes, and it will be available this Spring 2022.
Gaia University
Contact: Andrew Langford(opens in new window)
Location: Rumsey, CA, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 3
Installation Date: May, 2017
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Third cow manure, third fine local, ramial wood chip, third green grasses
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Observed sporulation of fungi, no bacteria count done
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? Maybe, not priced yet
Gibbens Project
Contact: Judy Gibbens
Location: Cando, North Dakota
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2
Installation Date: 11/06/2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 3 parts cattle and horse wood chip bedding 1 part guinea fowl house bedding 3 parts of a 50/50 mixture of fresh sorghum hay and 2yr old alfalfa/brome
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): just started
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No, personal use
Gino Margotto Marianelli’s Project
Contact: Gino Margotto Marianelli
Location: Linhares, ES, Brazil
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 3
Installation Date: December 2019 - January 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 1-60% Atlantic Forest litter / branches coffee/ cocoa shells (6:2:1) 30% Napier grass/ sugar cane / Gliricidia leaves and green branches/ Noni leaves (9:5:3:1) 10% cow manure biodynamics preparations
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not yet . . .
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
Glen Greenock Farm
Contact: Ross Davey(opens in new window)
Location: Dunach, Victoria, Australia
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2 using modified IBC as container
Installation Date: 2nd Sept 2018
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Leaves 80% Compost (hay, horse manure, garden clippings) 10% Chicken shed sweepings 10%
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): In progress. As at 23 April 2019 about 50% breakdown.
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative
Contact: Lukas Martinelli
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: 3/2/19
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 2/3 organic spent mushroom substrate from Far West Fungi, 1/3 well-aged yard waste compost produced onsite
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): TBD, we intend to perform a PLFA once we reach 9 months to a year in the bioreactor.
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
Glore Mill Centre for Sustainable Biodiversity, Energy, Living
Contact: Ray Cooper
Location: Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Ireland F12 PN 24, Republic of Ireland
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2
Installation Date: April 22nd, 2019; Feb. 1, 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: First: 1/3 calf manure 1/3 mixture of stable straw/manure 1/3 dried grass; Second: 1/4 green horse manure (with some mixed in straw from stable) 1/4 green cow manure ( with some mixed in straw from stable) 1/4 cut grass 1/4 leaves
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Will know results Feb. 2022
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No. Created for educational purpose. Used for Glore Mill Field and Garden tests. Given to local farmers to use for field tests.
Grant Ranch
Contact: Jacques Beauchamp
Location: Val Marie, Saskatchewan, Canada
Installation Date: 4 in June 2021 , 3 in October 2021
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 7
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 4 with shredded hay/straw 3 with leaves
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): not yet, Had to redo 3 in October because they dried out and had flies on top.
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? unknown
GSD Industries
Contact: Kelly Critz
Location: Longwood, FL
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: May 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 1/4 mushroom compost 3/4 shredded oak leaves
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not finished yet
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? unknown
Heart & Soil
Contact: Lee
Location: Lumberton, Mississippi, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: June 14, 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Chick bedding 30% Grass clippings 30% Raked leaves 30% Cow manure 10%
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not ready
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
Henning’s Farm
Contact: Henning
Location: Berlin, Germany
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: In preparation
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Woodchips Horse manure Coffee grounds Greens from vegetable and fruit deposals Fermented honey that i have No use for as the wax foundation was altered with substitutes .. As I am still collecting I would appreciate input Help recommendations regarding Ratio and If the honey is a good Material
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Coming later
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
Hexrivier Organic Lemons
Contact: Martli Slabber
Location: Republic of South Africa
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 7
Installation Date: November 2018 and ongoing
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Woodchips 60%, green weeds 15%, food waste 20%, cow dung 5% -
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio):Here are photos from my 10-month old Biocomposter, taken by the superwomen at Nemlab, South Africa. We used it as a slurry to treat cover crop seeds in April-May 2020 (autumn planting – we are in Mediterranean climate, Southern Hemisphere). The roots of the germination cover crop is looking beautiful – soilclagged (for want of a better word), similar seedlings treated with vermicompost-leachate. We are also applying small amounts of JS compost directly under our trees, to help with inoculation of the soil. Lab Results. (PDF)
June 2021 Test Results, Full year Johnson Su (PDF), 9 months Johnson Su with Bokashi (anaerobic process) (PDF)
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No - Will be using it to use in my own cover crops.
Hobbiest- Jon Mattison
Contact: Jon Mattison
Location: Turlock, CA, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: 04/04/2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Made half size JS, 3' diameter, 3' high. First time I've made one :-) Saw dust (1/4) dried pine, cedar, redwood, Dried lawn grass clippings(1/4), Shredded paper and cardboard (non-ink, plain cardboard, nothing with color print or pictures on them). (1/4+) Remaining (less than) 1/4: chopped up garden trimmings, weeds from year, very little dog feces. Dried lawn clippings for 2 days in the sun (so not completely dry). Mixed well, worked to ensure no clumps. Used the wheelbarrow/bin method of wetting and draining before filling . 2.5" diameter pipes are spaced 8" apart (at 36" total diameter, so <12" contact to air throughout) and removed after 24 hours - vent holes are maintaining consistency after 2 weeks.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Just starting. Will update in December.
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No, just learning here.
Home Organic Garden
Contact: Kevin O’Brien
Location: Paonia, Colorado, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: November 2019
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 100% leaves - mulched and washed. Occasional sprinklings of blood meal and alfalfa pellets were added when the bin was initially filled. I’m using a 4x4x4 wood frame bin on a pallet with 8 ventilation holes/shafts. This provides full coverage for the 12” maximum distance from an air source in my bin once the pipes are removed. 16 days in progress so far with temp remaining in thermophylic zone (140F--150F). Volume has decreased about 10%. Moisture level is steady—@ 70%.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Reported 12/10/2020, using microBiometer testing kit: Fungal - 78%, Bacterialial - 22%, F:B ratio - 3.6:1, 1575 ug C/g
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No.
Homeowner — Boyd Myers
Contact: Boyd Myers
Location: West Chester, PA, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: April 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Ground leaves, some previously partly composted grass, ground alfalfa every 18"
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Just begun bioreactor
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? no
Human Nature Projects
Contact: Ronald Kaboye
Location: Kampala, Central Region, Uganda
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 10
Installation Date: May 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: We need to start
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): It's just in ideas, we need to learn
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? Not yet known
iGrow Organics LLC
Contact: Dennis DeLaurier
Location: Manor Texas USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 4
Installation Date: June 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Horse Manure and hay. 50 /50
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Results received by CRARS May 2021 (PDF)
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? Currently for sale.(opens in new window)
Indian Spring
Contact: Kim Graves / Masha Zager
Location: Catskill, NY
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2
Installation Date: October 2018, November 2019
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Rabbit manure and bedding; chicken manure and bedding; kitchen scraps; garden scraps; leaves
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Still looking for ways to measure
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: No, using it onsite
Inspiration Acres
Contact: Farmer Donna
Location: Green Bay, Wi, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 4
Installation Date: 10/2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 2 parts food waste 2 parts yard waste
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Unknown yet
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: no
Instituto de Agricultura Biológica
Contact: José Luiz M Garcia
Location: São Paulo, S.P., BRAZIL
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 12
Installation Date: Second semester of 2019
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Dried leaves, Dried grass clippings, dried cattle manure, shredded eucaliptus bark.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not measured
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: No
Jatinder Saini’s Project
Contact: Jatinder Saini
Location: SBS Nagar, State of Punjab, India
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2-4
Installation Date: Plan to install November 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: I will inform you all later when the BEAMs are ready. I am also planning to scale up the design, both in shape and volume.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): I will keep you all posted with the results...
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: No
JBarT Ranch
Contact: Trent
Location: Brady, Texas, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: 8/15/2020 (Photo(opens in new window))
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Oak Leaves, Oak Acorns, Oak Twigs, Pecan Leaves, Pecans, Pecan Twigs. 50/50 Oak/Pecan ratio Organic Gem Fish Hydrolysate in water , Molasses in water mixture for soaking process. Approximately 12 Oz total, 6 each. Removed tubes on 8/22/2020. Tubes were extremely hot to the touch 3-4” from surface throughout. Moisture levels are excellent 3-4” below the surface. Smell is of earthy fragrance and wonderful. No foul odor whatsoever. Will add worms on 9/6/2020.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): N/A - Just created
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: No
Kleine Bosch
Contact: Piet Potgieter
Location: Wellington, Western Cape, South Africa
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 28
Installation Date: March 2019
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Eucalyptus and black wattle (young growth) chipped as well as some olive branches
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Reading of 863 which the testing agency says is 11 times greater than you would expect in a soil with good soil health and represents the equivalent of 44.5 tons of microbiological biomass in the upper 20 cm of one hectare of land.
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: No
Kometa 2020 Ltd
Contact: Karl van Rooyen
Location: Huskovo, Bulgaria
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 3 JS and 6 indoor 200lt drums on JS principals
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Not yet 12 months but see on microscope good biology development. Soil food web displayed. After 9 months the worms started to leave the bins going up not down. Dung beatles find way in and the larvae destroyed my aeration passages. I used a broom stick to open up but need to do it almost daily. In volume the oldest JS now 50/60% of original volume. Is worms leaving bad and how important aeration in final stage?
Installation Date: Drums April 2021, JS reactors May 20, June 20 and September 20.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Start with milk buffalo dung 50% and shredded oak leaves 50%. Last one loaded with no dung because my source from factory farm and went for pure organic inclusion. Green barley grass but dried 30%, woody material dried and chipped 50%(mainly berry plants) 10% dried milled black lotus leaves and small branches, 10% shredded cartons.
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: Own regeneration farming use.
Komposztálom
Contact: Vitália Víg
Location: Hungary
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 10 (as of March2021)
Installation Date: May 2020- March 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: The reactors are filled with horse manure. Either 100 % manure or mixed with spent hay. We are working on coming up with ways to eliminate manure problems at small horse stables. At our demo site there are 3 horses currently, generating about 75 kg of manure daily. To handle this amount of manure we need to build about 2 reactors a month. At this point our process is extremely labor intensive, but the superiority of the finished product seems to justify the amount of work we need to put in. Would love to come up with ways to simplify the process while keeping the high quality of the finished material.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): For the results of our first reactor, please see the microbial assessment report attached. The F:B ratio is getting close to 1, but the compost is not finished yet. As of now (March 2021) we are very satisfied with the results. We have the entire microscopic soil food web present in our compost. As time goes by, we expect the fungal biomass to go up and the organic plant materials completely break down. Test results at 9 months. (PDF)Photos and Microscopy(opens in new window).
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale?: Yes, we are planning on selling our product. In addition to selling the finished BEAM compost we are in the process of developing value added products that are based on this material. The price of the BEAM compost will be about 6 to 10 EUR per kg.
Landpath—Bayer Farms
Contact: Kim Anderson
Location: Santa Rosa, California USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: October 2019
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Alfalfa hay, dry grass and weeds, kitchen scraps and worm casting for the wash
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not yet.
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
LaSalle Farms
Contact: Tim LaSalle
Location: Atascadero, CA USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2
Installation Date: 8/24/18 and 11/28/18
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 1/3 wood chips,1/3 manure,1/3 leaf litter
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not ready yet
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? Not yet.
Laura Francis Farm Consultants Ltd
Contact: Laura Francis
Location: United Kingdom
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: Unknown at present- setting up a new project in Exmoor National Park
Installation Date: TBC - this winter covid permitting
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: TBC
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): TBC
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
Lawton Farms, 1818713 ONTARIO INC.
Contact: Ken Lawton
Location: Kent Bridge, Ontario, Canada
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 3
Installation Date: July 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: wood chips, cattle manure, hay, wood lot soil, field soil, small bit kelp extract
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): only 5 mo old, in heated room for winter
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No
Leaf & Limb
Contact: Emmanuel Brown(opens in new window)
Location: Raleigh, NC, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: 1 week ago (as of April 12, 2021)
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: shredded leaves
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): not finished
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? no
Lost Glacier Association
Contact: Leonard Doyle(opens in new window)
Location: Le Latay, Samoens, Haute Savoie, France
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 3
Installation Date: November 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Deciduous wood chips processed from trees felled on the farm in Nov 2021, combined with maximum 20% mulched leaves collected from forest floor
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): unknown for now
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? Plan to produce compost tea bags combining mulch and biochar
M&K Landscape
Contact: Ken
Location: Paso Robles, CA. USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2
Installation Date: 10/04/2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 5% Steer manure 5% Bermuda Grass 90% Oak & Pine chippings
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): None as of yet will see next year around this time.
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? No, personal use only.
Massa Organics
Contact: Greg Massa and Raquel Krach(opens in new window)
Location: Hamilton City, California, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 5
Installation Date: February 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 2 of our bioreactors consisted of aged (1 year) rice straw. 3 of our bioreactors contain waste hay that had been eaten, trampled and bedded on by sheep. Contains lots of manure and urine.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Unknown as of now. The rice straw reactors did not heat up past 90 degrees F. The hay/manure reactors stayed above 120 for several days.
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? no
Master Gardener
Contact: Gaye Torjusen
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: Nov 2, 2019
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 20% green veggie garden cuttings 20% fruit tree prunings 25% wood chips 5% oak leaves 25% straw & goat bedding 5% horse manure
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): not finished yet
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? no
McConnell Foundation
Contact: Dunbar Mecklin(opens in new window)
Location: Redding, CA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 4
Installation Date: Started in 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: We modified the bioreactor design to accommodate more material: Bio-Reactor containment boxes are 8’long X 4’ wide X 5’ tall; 18 ea. 4.5” OD. X 60” air ventilation pipes installed. Wood chips/shaving (1.3 cuyd), steer manure (2.1 cuyd), shredded leaves (2.1 cuyd). Total material loaded into bioreactor = 5.5 cuyd
Bioreactors 1 & 2 local willow/cottonwood/oak wood chips: 20% local steer manure : 15% local leaves: 65% Bioreactors 3 & 4 local willow/cottonwood/oak wood chips: 35% local steer manure: 15% perennial grass hay: 50%
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not finished yet
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? Not currently, we plan on testing on our own rangeland
Meanwood Valley Urban Farm
Contact: Luke(opens in new window)
Location: Leeds, UK
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 6
Installation Date: 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Straw/manure bedding 100% Grass/hay 100%
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not complete
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? Maybe in the future as part of a soilbock mix
Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College
Contact: Ruth Mischler(opens in new window)
Location: Albion, Indiana, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2
Installation Date: May 2021 and July 2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: wood chips and straw-bedding with goat manure/chicken manure. 50:50 ratio
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): not finished yet
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? no
Midwest Soil Restore
Contact: Steve Shivvers
Location: Prole, Iowa, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 5 currently incubating as of October 21; intend to build 10 more before January 1st, 2022
Installation Date: 1st one 4-30-21, 2nd on 5-7, 3rd on 5-27, 4th on 6-2, 5th on 6-9-21
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: #1 and #2 had organic hay, approximately 66% alfalfa, 17% clover, 17% grass #3 had a mixture of the same hay as in #1 and #2, but also had organic hay from another source which is approximately 30% alfalfa, 50% orchard grass, 20% clover, #4 has the 30% alfalfa, 50% orchard grass, 20% clover hay #5 has some from both sources All bioreactors reached from 140F to 160F Have been testing moisture content with the oven method, have had to adjust the daily watering amount in an attempt to keep moisture in 70% range, but it has varied from 65% to 80% Some hot and humid Iowa summer days elevated temperatures to above 85 degrees F 3 different times during the summer, so I added a fresh batch of red wriggler worms each time after the bioreactors cooled down below 80F.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Will test each bioreactor for fungal to bacterial ratio once they are mature
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? The Spring of 2022 I will be giving BEAM away for free to individual farmers who wish to do small plot tests of 1-10 acres and to gardeners; with the understanding that they will be willing to provide testimonials. Will also hopefully be providing free samples to various Midwestern research facilities for their testing. Contact me at stevesh@grm.net if you would like to test some on your farm/ranch/garden/research facility; I will be happy to provide you with free BEAM. Will probably be selling BEAM in 2023.
Mill Creek Capital
Contact: Bryan Huddleston
Location: Brentwood, Tennessee, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 1
Installation Date: Sept. 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Not completed, but working on first one
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Not complete
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? unknown
MOBERG FAMILY FARM
Contact: Aaron Moberg
Location: Waco, Texas, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2
Installation Date: 12/03/2020 and 01/03/2021
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 1st batch is 75% fine wood chips with the remainder being green garden plants and oak leaves. 2nd batch is 100% fine wood chips.
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): None yet
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? I would like to but we'll see how much I use.
Mosca-Hooper Conservation District
Contact: Patrick O'Neill(opens in new window)
Location: Alamosa, CO, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 100
Installation Date: Oct 2018
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: Sheep Manure 8% Wood Chips 17% Grass Hay 50% Barley Straw 25%
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): 0.90 : 1.00 (note: test from soil foodweb analysis, taken at 5 months from time of pile formation). UPDATE as of 2/10/2020: The values for Total Fungal : Total Bacterial ratios from three locations within the pile tested out at 1.98 (top of pile), and 2.29 (middle pile), and 1.20 (bottom of pile).
MOSCA-HOOPER has a report on their use of Johnson-Su compost in the field(opens in new window).
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? Yes. 10 tons of finished compost are currently available. (June 9, 2020). Please contact Patrick O'Neill through their website (linked under "Contact" above) for pricing and shipping options.
Mother Nature Center
Contact: Ibrahim Loeks
Location: Santa Fe, NM, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 10
Installation Date: Spring 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 50% Wood Chips 30% Manure 15% Straw/Goat Poop 5% Green Material (composed of over 40 plant species)
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): Don't have this data yet
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? Not sure.
Mountain Run Permaculture, LLC
Contact: Mark Angelini
Location: Big Island, VA, USA
Number of Johnson-Su Bioreactors: 2
Installation Date: 2020
Materials used to make BEAM and in what ratio: 90% woodchips 10% garden waste
Results of finished BEAM (Fungal:Bacterial Ratio): awaiting results
Do you plan to offer your BEAM for sale? no
Want to join us? Register your BEAM Bioreactor project(opens in new window) and we'll add it to this page. Instructions for building your own bioreactor (JPG) are available in written and video form.
Bioreactor Registry: Page One(opens in new window) / Page Two / Page Three(opens in new window) / Page Four(opens in new window)