Jean Pain Method & RCW
Two complementary approaches for regenerating agricultural soils by reproducing forest fertility — through the addition of non-mineralised woody organic matter produced by chipping woody residues.
The Jean Pain Method
The Jean Pain Method rests on a fundamental principle: supplying the soil with non-mineralised woody organic matter that promotes the development of a rich microbiological community — fungi, bacteria, micro-organisms — capable of providing cultivated plants with all the nutrients they need, at the precise moment they need them.
Long before scientific proof was provided by INRAE research, Jean Pain hypothesised that established plants, as they develop, "emit" signals that inform the soil of their immediate nutrient requirements — in both quality and quantity. The soil then activates the relevant microbiological elements to synthesise those nutrients, without surplus.
Plant requirements change at every stage of development: it is impossible for humans to anticipate and supply exactly the right nutrients at exactly the right moment, which leads — in other agricultural practices — to deficiencies and surpluses. Living soil adapts continuously. In a cultivation context, it falls to humans to respect and encourage soil life.
It was the observation of forest fertility that led Jean Pain to develop his "Brushwood Compost". In the forest, the woody litter slowly decomposing on the surface feeds an extraordinarily diverse microbiological community. The method reproduces this process artificially at the agricultural soil level — the artifice being precisely the branch chipper, which accelerates the preparation of the raw material.
In the Jean Pain Method, "heap composting" is in reality a fermentation that must not lead to the mineralisation of organic matter — unlike what is sought in conventional composting methods. It is this not-yet-mineralised organic matter that forms the ideal substrate for soil microbiology.
RCW — Ramial Chipped Wood
The story of RCW is directly linked to that of Jean Pain. Commissioned by the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture, Professor Gilles Lemieux of Laval University (Québec) visited Jean Pain to understand the principles and mechanisms behind his "Brushwood Compost".
Wishing to simplify the process by dispensing with heap fermentation, his first experiments spreading chips directly onto the soil did not yield the expected results. He had to resort to pig slurry as a supplement to achieve good results; the use of this slurry from industrial farming did not align with his vision of sustainable agriculture, and so he continued his research.
Through his experiments, Professor Lemieux formalised the RCW method, with precise constraints on the choice of raw material (tree species, maximum diameter…) that made it possible to dispense with such inputs. The results obtained are very close to those of the Jean Pain Method, because RCW rests on the same foundations: the addition of non-mineralised woody organic matter and the reproduction of forest fertility in the soil.
Jean Pain Method or RCW?
These two methods are not in opposition — their foundations are identical. The differences are essentially practical and condition the choice depending on the user's profile and available resources.
- All plant species accepted
- All diameters — limited only by the chipper's capacity
- Heap fermentation (approximately 8 to 18 months)
- Biocides (essential oils, tannins, resins…) are broken down by fermentation
- Ideal for professionals — more economical harvesting, no species restrictions
- Direct soil application, no prior fermentation
- Species must be chosen carefully (some biocides not broken down)
- Input diameter limited to 7 cm
- Simpler to implement, no large volume of material required
- Suited to home users — less material needed, more straightforward process
For a home user, RCW is often more accessible: they may not always have sufficient volume to build an effective fermentation heap, and their chipper may be limited in diameter. For a professional, the Jean Pain Method is the natural choice: with no species or diameter restriction (beyond the chipper's capacity), harvesting is more economical and therefore more cost-effective.
The Super-Pain chipper — at the heart of the method
Whether you choose the Jean Pain Method or RCW, chip quality is decisive. A consistent chip, free from sawdust and tailing, guarantees even fermentation or decomposition — the essential condition for achieving the expected results in the soil.
It is precisely in this pursuit of the "ideal" chip that Équipe Jean Pain developed its Super-Pain chipper range, designed from the outset for the Jean Pain Method: from the 280 for home users to the 1700 for forestry operations, the chip granulometry produced is identical, regardless of machine size.
Ready to get started?
Our Super-Pain chippers were designed from the outset for the Jean Pain Method. From the family garden to the professional operation, there is a model for you.