- Author: Elizabeth Crutchfield
In Salina, California, Frank Shields runs Gabilan Laboratories, a branch of Keith Day Company. Keith Day Company is a trucking company; they move organic materials across California, they make compost, they formulate potting mixes and swale mixes. Because Frank Shields has an interest in biochar, Gabilan Labs one of the few places that has biochar specific analysis packages. They're Biochar Test Package is $150 and includes particles size distribution, pH, EC, water holding capacity, volatile fraction, ash content, estimated recalcitrant carbon, neutralizing value, butane activity and bulk density.
They can also test to see at what temperature your feedstock has the highest butane activity, or at what concentration your biochar has the best plant response (see picture below). As well as many other tests forbiochar, other amendments and soils.
Testing plant response to different concentrations of biochar by volume mixed in with a sandy soil.