FAQs
How many TerraPods do I need?
It is best to think of the TerraPod as a modular biological production facility. Depending on your climate and objectives, you can produce between 8,000-25,000L/year per TerraPod. When sizing a TerraPod Facility for your farm, you can find our suggestions here. (Link to brochure)
How do I apply the TerraPod product?
The TerraPod is a solid state bioreactor, meaning that the microorganisms are growing on the surface of solids. To get the product to an applicable state, we need to extract the microorganisms into water. This is done through the extraction system.
After extracting the microorganisms from the TerraPod, you will need to apply the product to your farm. This can be done at the time of planting, with spraying equipment, or through irrigation injection systems. Terraforma will work with you to design the best application protocol.
How long of a lead time is needed for an application from the TerraPod?
The TerraPods are fabricated to order. A minimum of 2 months should be factored into fabrication and shipping. Another 2 months will be needed to mature the feedstock and microbes in the TerraPod before first application.
Is consultation hourly or on a retainer?
Consultation is designed to best fit the needs of each project. Where consultation is sparse, hourly and daily on-site rates are used. In situations where Terraforma’s team is heavily involved in the project, a retainer-based system is used that includes reduced on-site rates and unlimited consultation. If you would like a free initial consultation to get more detail on our project process, please contact our team.
How long does it take to see results?
Each project is different, often we will see results within the first year, but we encourage a 3-year project timeline to allow for adaptation to learning new practices and to allow time to test and perfect each practice before integrating them at full scale.
What makes Terraforma different from other providers of biological or sustainable products?
Too often products take a “shotgun approach” and sell generic microbes to farmers with the goal of making a sale, regardless of the efficacy of their product. Terraforma is committed to making each of our projects a success; for us, that means staying involved over the long term to provide support to our clients, cultivating localized microorganisms that are adapted to the farmer’s soil, increasing production efficiency, and building farmer autonomy.
There seems to be a good amount of equipment involved with the process, is this equipment affordable?
The TerraPod and Extraction System are leased to projects to help reduce the burden of large upfront equipment costs. Having the equipment leased also allows for our team to continually monitor and update the systems, ensuring that you are always receiving the most up to date technology.
Do your offerings help sequester Carbon in my soil?
Yes!, There are multiple ways that our offerings help sequester carbon. First, The Terrapod helps to breakdown organic matter turning it into soil humus, a stable form of soil carbon It also inoculates your soil with local fungal species that are predominantly carbon based. By increasing the living biomass in the soil and building organic matter, the TerraPod sequesters carbon.
Secondly, our consultation of regenerative management practices (RMPs), like no till and cover cropping, are critical for improving organic matter build up in the soil and work synergistically with the TerraPod to build a healthy microbiome.
Lastly, the TerraPod joined with RMPs are tools to reduce fertilizer requirements, which often have a high carbon footprint.
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