Allan; As I recall from long ago when I first started storing preps the primary purpose of the peat moss was to act as a natural insulator to maintain the preps at a constant temperature. Since then I have heard that peat has some natural life nurturing properties, I don't know about that, I do know that people like to come up with myths to explain their actions when they are doing something outside that which is considered the norm. The reason for the clay jars was again it is a natural substance, I myself have successfully used large glass jars with loose lids. The loose lid being the important feature to allow the preps to breathe. If the preps start to dry out sprinkle in some rain water, but be very carefully, the difference between just right and too wet is very small. My two bobs worth. David C
----- Original Message ----- From: "Allan Balliett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, 20 August 2002 5:16 AM Subject: Re: Storing Preps > Dave - A few years back I had a bunch of my preps dessicate in > storage. JPI attributed this to my peat moss not being damped. I had > never considered damping it, figuring that dry was best. Now I keep > it damp and feel that I'm 'supposed to.' I have not had 500 suck up > water. > > I keep my preps in old timey hinge-topped mason jars, with the rubber > removed. I keep the jars closed but not latched. The idea is that, > without the rubber, the jars provide 'just the right amount of > aeration..' > > -Allan > > > >At 12:00 PM 8/18/02 -0400, Merla wrote: > >>The terra cotta pots and wet peat moss are for storing little tiny > >>ziplocks of Bio-Dynamic preparations. It is most important to keep the > >>organisms in the prep alive. I have a big pot with moss in it, but > >>SStorch's message just informed me for the first time that I should have > >>wet the moss. I've probably killed everything because it's really arid > >>here in August even in my root cellar. > > > >Not so. We typically store in boxes lined with dry peat moss. One > >time, I used damp peat around a terra cotta pot. It turns out that > >prep 500 is hygroscopic, sucks up water like a sponge. The prep > >turned into soup and was ruined. Do other folks have comments? > >I recall one post that a low-cost storage device is to buy one of > >those plastic-wrapped bales of peat moss. Cut a slice off the top > >on three sides, so that the 4th side serves as a hinge and the top > >slice is a couple of inches thick. Hollow out holes in which to put > >your prep containers. Set the top back in place and store -- a root > >cellar would be fine. > > > > > > > >========================== > >Dave Robison > >
