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The secret life of fungi
Welcome to the world of soil microbiology!
Pictured: Microscopic fungi photographed by the Soil Foodweb Inc.
Once considered pathogens, microscropic fungi that live in soil are shaping plant communities and aiding efforts in environmental restoration. This includes proven decreases in water demand in most environments.
At ASAP, we specialise in providing:
For a full list of our products and services, see our online shop. The shop changes each week.
We supply products, equipment and services that enhance the Soil Foodweb, a complete eco-system in the soil. We advocate the use of natural, non-salt-based additives for the creatures in the soil (e.g. we do not recommend standard applications of urea, lime or gypsum etc.,) preferring instead to give soil a chance with the right foods and microbial stimulation.
Download: Sustainablity: Benefits of the Soil Foodweb explained. This simple-language, visual 16-page booklet (Adobe Acrobat, 596kb) is about our services. Read it to learn about the benefits of the Soil Foodweb.
Our Director Greg Hallett is Australia's longest-serving Certified Soil Foodweb Advisor. He is supervised by Dr Elaine Ingham, the world's leading Soil Foodweb microbiology educator, with Australian SFI Director and nematologist, Merline Olson.
Greg was certified with SFI in 2003. He has provided Soil Foodweb services and sustainability advice to growers, graziers, property developers, landscape architects & landscapers, Landcare groups, farmers' co-ops, and specialist groups primarily in Australia. In 2008 we shipped Australian-made Soil Foodweb technology and education to Fiji, The Middle East, Kenya, The Ukraine, Germany and France.
Greg has achieved this with the team at ASAP including Miss Jane Oliver (Company Secretary & Director), Mr Peter Kunzli (Finance), SFI Advisor, Mr Paul Taylor (former director) and Astra Jerebine, Sean Tonnet and compost-maker, Jack Waterman (supervised by Merline Olson from SFI). Working alongside us with on-farm projects are Bill Avery (SFI Advisor, Biological Agronomist), Brett Irvine (SFI Advisor, Biological Agronomist), and Thea Ridley (SFI Advisor, Biological Agronomist). We purchased the company from Nick Rodgers (former SFI Advisor) in 2005.
 ASAP also produces Australia's most famous and robust compost tea brewer, the BioActive GeoTea Brewer. It is made in the Northern Rivers using stainless steel, but packs up to fit in the back of a ute. Designed with Bob Posthuma and Elaine Ingham, it sits on top of a standard tote or IBC container (1000 litres) and makes strong brew in 24 hours. It's easy to clean. To view our Product Page in the Shop Site, click here.
The Bioactive GeoTea Brewer also extracts fungi from good compost in under 4 hours. To make good compost we represent the traditional Amish family-made Sittler Windrow turners (windrows are long piles) of Canada. This equipment helps composters make the best-tested and turned compost windrows in the world (as tested at the Soil Foodweb). Beautifully made, we are proud to represent Sittler Compost Windrow Turners for Australia, The Middle East and Europe.
Our key strategy is to encourage growers to make their own compost and compost teas. This is the new earth action required to have productive, economically viable soil. We also encourage farmers to establish their own Tea Centres, providing a commercial-grade product to others in their districts. We are currently shipping brewers to every state in Australia - some farms are thousands of hectares others are smaller boutique endeavours.
To learn more about the benefits of BioActive Compost Tea and Soil & Tea Additives browse our INFORMATION CATEGORIES to the top left of this page.
To see how important the role "succession" plays in the Soil Foodweb, view our information page on the soil succession cycle. Here you will be able to determine whether you wish to feed beneficial fungi, ignore it, destroy it, or put it to sleep.
The main secret about fungi in the Soil Foodweb is that it feeds on the exudates in the soil and nutrients from the root system of the plant. It forms a critical role in the exchanges between the soil and the plant.
 Vascular arbuscal mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi live on the root zone of the plant. Pictured right is some mychorrhizal fungi on a corn root.
The other kinds of fungi are those that live in leaf litter and top soils and feeds basically on breaking down organic, carbon matter.
So the secret life of fungi is one of the most important in the world today. We ask, when so many agricultural systems are failing and the world progresses towards drought and harsher climatic conditions, what can we do to feed and strengthen the Soil Foodweb?
The first step is to feed your fungi and understand its secrets.
Please contact us for our independently tested products and scientifically supervised advice:
Australian Soil Additives & Products Pty Ltd
PO Box 121 Bangalow NSW (Northern Rivers) 2479 Australia.
ABN: 56 116 019 535
Email: info@asapsupplier.com
Tel: +61 2 6688 2324 (Office)
Mobile: +61 414 580788 (Greg)
Fax: +61 2 6688 2364
Our Brewer Fabrications & Warehouse and office are in two different locations. To visit, please ring first.
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