by Eric Fisher, 256 pages, 7x8, softcover. Finally! A guidebook on compost teas that goes well beyond the bubbler. Drawing on a variety of research, Eric Fisher cultivates a deep understanding of compost tea that borrows from both biodynamic principles and conventional soil science. After walking the reader through the essentials of soil and plant life, the book explores myriad ways of customizing compost and compost tea for all imaginable purposes. Recipes include a root-and-shoot stimulator drench with horsetails and yarrow; an orchard and vegetable foliar spray with kaolin and yeast extract; a pralin root dip for nurseries; seedballs; willow water; biodynamic preparations; and many more. Just as he builds on scientific findings, the author also questions the “monism” of today’s science. A chapter on alternative practice subtly nudges composters to take their practices to the next level by following the moon and working with indigenous microorganisms to attune with natural cycles. Fisher’s gentle and subtle tone left me with a lot to contemplate as I studied the extensive references section. -Aktan Askin
