An evening in Charcoal

What is made entirely of wood, makes a fine tasting steak, and is produced by Smokey House Youthworkers? The answer is natural hardwood lump charcoal. The evening of July 12 at The Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, a Smokey House tag team shared their wealth of knowledge about charcoal as part of the store’s monthly “Sustainable Living in Vermont” series. The presentation might have been about a rather black and dusty subject but that didn’t stop the Youthworkers who presented from shining.  As Tim Parent noted in his opening “as the only producers of natural hardwood charcoal in the Northeast, I guess we’re the experts.” Youthworkers  Jessica and Sierra showed off their knowledge as they shared their charcoal making experience with the audience.

The presentation not only discussed the sustainability of hardwood charcoal but also surveyed the history of charcoal, a history which made its mark on the local economy. In a town known for its pure white marble, local millionaire Silas Griffith made his fortune selling lumber and blackened wood in the form of charcoal. Kilns were scattered throughout the area: several were found in the neighboring town of Mount Tabor and Danby; there was even a kiln on the Smokey House property. Today blackened soil is all that remains of most of the once-productive kilns, leaving Smokey House to produce the only lump charcoal in the region.

Crew leader Jeff Scott also shared knowledge of his own, discussing the ups and downs of Biochar. Biochar technically refers to any organic matter that has been carbonized; it usually refers to charcoal applied to the soil. Used thousands of years ago by indigenous groups to aid soil fertility, biochar has met a resurgence in popularity. While further research is needed, Jeff reported that biochar has promise as an effective soil amendment, retaining nutrients and water when applied alongside a natural fertilizer.

The presentation then moved outside, where the Smokey House crew put their lump charcoal to the test, comparing it with briquettes from the grocery store. The Smokey House charcoal prevailed, being ready much earlier than the briquettes. Watching the grass-fed beef cook, a member of the audience recalled, “When I was young I never remember seeing briquettes, we always used natural charcoal.”

You don’t need to look any farther than the grill to see how Smokey House recalls its Vermont roots – lump charcoal is just one of many ways it does so. As the evening came to a close, the Youthworkers helped load up the grills, happy to have shared their charcoal experience with the greater community.

A PDF version of the presentations can be downloaded here.