I will soon be old enough to collect the maximum amount of Social Security benefits. Seven decades old.
I walk past windows and if there is a mirror, I sometimes see a senior citizen dressed rather nicely and then I realize that it is me in the reflection. Ouch! Am I THAT old woman?
Yep, I am. And I am growing up and learning to accept it and embrace it. Getting older is quite wonderful. The hidden “rules” of youth such as not farting in public are relaxed and we learn to chuckle at those gastric escapes when they occur.
And old songs that we forgot come into our ear space with the wonders of the internet, such as this oldie by The Seekers that brings back penguin feelings that Uncle and I shared, “I’ll Never Find Another You.”
I found this Tik Tok video and it took me a few tries because they make it look easier than it is – but I love it! (More KNF posts soon to come. Aunty is taking a little break of busyness.)
WARNING: the music in the video is really LOUD. I don’t know how to mute it…
This is another easy recipe of the Korean Natural Farming formulas. Use vibrant “good” plant stock, i.e. herbal plants that supply good health benefits, or plants that thrive with vigorous plant tops. Some examples are comfrey, purslane (portulaca), watercress, sweet potato leaves, emerging mango leaves (unless allergic to mango), moringa, parsley, etc. Plants that grow in your region work best for your garden.
Pal Cleta came for a visit and saw a weed in my lawn and pointed out that it was a Hawaiian herb called uhaloa that was very good for respiratory problems – and the remedy was to pick 9 leaves and steep as a tea. Who would know that? And another friend had pointed out another weed that is called pakai, a prickly amaranth that is good for stomach disorders, cholesterol, inflammation, skin disorders. These and so many other plants are great candidates for FPJ. I now have a new appreciation for the my weeds.
Drake of KNFsupport.org considers these FPJ formulas as food/medicine not just for plants, but also for humans. He will dilute some in water and drink it. The beauty of KNF is that all these formulas are not just good for plants and soil – they are also good for us.
How to make FPJ
Wake up early – just before the sun rises – and clip the tips of the vigorous growing plant. Do not wash off dirt if present. Only gather one type of plant, i.e. purslane only. Layer in a jar with a wide mouth so you can add brown sugar to cover. Massage the plant material and brown sugar until the leaves begin to wilt. Pack tightly, cover with a permeable lid (paper towel and rubber band), and keep in cool dark place for a few days.
After awhile, the leaves and stems float to the top and a syrupy liquid forms on the bottom. Remove the plant material and strain the liquid into a clean bottle. Do not squeeze the leftover plant material to extract every bit possible. Discard the leaves and stems. Label, seal bottle with a permeable lid, and store in a cool dark place for up to a year.
How to use FPJ
Unlike LAB, this is not used as a stand alone product for plants or soil, but it is part of solutions such as Seed Soak or Plant Maintenance solutions. However, the College of Tropical Agriculture at the University of Hawaii has an info sheet on it, and they use it in a 1:500 or 1:800 dilution (1 or 1 1/2 tsp per gallon of water) as a soil drench or spray. It is best to use each plant’s “juice” on itself, i.e. tomato FPJ on tomato plants. Various different FPJs can be combined while diluting. Have fun making this and watching your plants thrive!
fresh greens, brown sugar
after chopping, add sugar and massage
put wilted greens in a jar
cover jar with paper towel and secure. make sure to identify plant
after 10 days (a little long but okay)
yucky mold on top, but we only keep the liquid on the bottom
strain but do not sqeeze
store in a bottle with name, date, and permeable paper towel lid
Here is a really good video of Alika Atay showing how he makes FPJ from purslane (portulaca, pig weed). Good stuff!
Yesterday (Saturday, April 2, 2022), a group of people threw 5,000 “genki balls” into the Ala Wai Canal to clean the waters of sludge and harmful bacteria that have plagued its waters for decades. These genki balls are made of mud, rice bran, molasses, yeast, lactic acid and phototrophic bacteria. These balls release microbes (Korean Natural Farming microorganisms) that oxygenate the bottom soil in the canal, digest sludge, and allows plankton and other natural creatures to multiply that attracts and feed fish.
This was not the first time that these balls were thrown into the Ala Wai. The first was in 2019 by Jefferson Elementary School students on a smaller scale. Less than a year later, the very harmful enterococci bacteria count dropped from 700 to 50, according to data from the state Department of Health.
Genki means “healthy” in Japanese. The Genki Ala Wai Project has a goal of cleaning the canal and making it suitable for swimming and fishing by 2028. It is well on its way to reaching that goal. So far, the area where the first balls were strewn and establishing, fish and birds have returned – and even some turtles.
I find this to be super exciting as it ties in with many of the principles of Korean Natural Farming. Please join me in future posts as I (slooowly) cover the other basic formulas and apply them to my small yard and garden. Next post will be about Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ).
Biochar is charcoal-like organic material such as wood that has been burned in oxygen limited conditions. I found a big bag at Koolau Farms – one cubic foot – for $55! This will probably be the most expensive purchase for me in my journey into Korean Natural Farming (I shall use the abbreviation KNF), and a little will go a long way because I will not use it in the traditional way of adding cups to potted plant soil, but will use it sparingly along with the other formulas of KNF. Its effectiveness in the soil lasts for years and years.
Biochar under a microscope looks like pockets of pocketed caverns. It is very light, porous and can last for thousands of years. Its structure is ideal for storing water, nutrients and housing for microorganisms – the bedrock of Korean Natural Farming. It lets plants grow to their full potential.
It is different from charcoal that you use to grill with because of the way it is made. Instead of releasing carbon into the atmosphere, it is stored as a carbon negative energy. It is easy to make yourself, but not recommended because you could start a neighborhood fire if you are not careful, and probably illegal to do so given our strict county laws.
Biochar is the easiest “ingredient” without any processes, mixing, or waiting, except going to the store and buying it (or having a friend share it with you). Master Cho (originator of KNF) has been teaching and practicing KNF around the world. He took a parcel of land in the Gobi desert in Mongolia and put 4 pieces of biochar and IMO4 per tree planting, and the previously barren area now has trees that can survive the severe habitat of high winds and sparse rainfall.
Here is a TedXHilo talk by Josiah Hunt of Pacific Biochar, a biochar enthusiast. An early goal of his was to save the world and get paid for it.
Stay tuned for more “episodes” on Korean Natural Farming with Aunty!
This one is for Cleta – because she is so nice and interested in the goings on in my garden since I started doing Korean Natural Farming. I first posted about KNF back in January and haven’t posted since. Meanwhile, Cleta came over three times with fish, food, and an unreal quiche that I never knew could taste so good.
LAB is one of the easiest formulas to make, using rice water, milk, and brown sugar. It is called the protector and corrector and used when soil or plants have problems. It is also considered to be like hungry emergency workers so it should not be overused or it can restrict IMOs (Indigenous Micro Organisms – the bedrock of KNF). It increases vitality and resilience of the micro and macro in flora, fauna, and animals. It clears out the bad stuff, brings in oxygen, and decomposes animal waste.
Korean Natural Farming is very simple but also easy to make booboos. My first LAB solution smelled bad and I might have killed some plants with it (by mistake). One of the most common beginner’s errors is to make the solution too strong. More is NOT better, so please use the dilutions recommended even if they seem too wimpy.
Making LAB
Step 1
Start by washing white rice in a rice pot. The first rinse is cloudy and we normally throw this out and keep rinsing several more times. However, to make LAB, pour this cloudy first rinse water into a wide mouth jar and set it on your counter in a cool area. Cover lightly or not at all because you will be collecting lacto out of the air.
Step 2
After one day, check on the rice water by smelling it. It should smell slightly sweet and almost like bread. It takes anywhere from a day to a week (if the weather is cold), and a slight film begins to form on the surface of the liquid and residue on the bottom. Siphon out the liquid part avoiding the sediment on the bottom and put in a clean glass jar with wide mouth. You will only need about 2 cups of liquid. Leave a lot of space in the jar because you will now add milk (any kind of milk) at a ratio of 1:3. The recommended ratio is 1:10 but I don’t like to waste milk so I go with the 3 times rate. To the 2 cups of fermented rice water, add 6 cups of milk. Cover with a paper towel and secure with rubber bands so it can breathe. Leave on your countertop in a cool shady dry area.
Check it every few days. It usually takes about 5 days but it could be more or less. The milk starts to separate from the clear liquid and a curd begins to form on the top part of the solution. It should smell slightly sour, some KNF people say it should smell like an old shoebox.
Step 3, and pau!
Remove the curd/cheese part. This can be fed to dogs, left on plants or made into cheese but I haven’t done any of that. It feels weird, like really firm tofu. Strain the rest of the liquid (I use a coffee filter) into a clean jar. This is whey – which is LAB! It should be stored in the refrigerator and will keep for months (make sure you label it) OR mix the whey with equal parts of brown sugar, stirring in a clockwise direction and thinking happy thoughts. Brown sugar will stabilize the LAB so you don’t have to keep it cold. LAB does need to breathe, so cover with a cloth or paper towel and secure with a rubber band in a cool, dark area along with the rest of the KNF formulas.
Using LAB
Some people swear by drinking this formula – it helps their digestion, great for diarrhea, good for their general health. One ounce in a glass of water does it for them. It has been know to promote a strong immune system and is friendly to mammals (us). It can be used to control smells.
When using it in the garden, LAB must be diluted in a 1:1000 ratio or 1 TBS per gallon of water. It can be used as a soil drench or soil/foliar spray. I use it as a soil drench about a week before I add IMO4 (the bedrock). It helps to correct and ventilate the soil.
LAB can be used anytime from start to growth but do NOT use it before harvesting because it makes the fruit less sweet. It helps to develop the root systems and produces bigger, thicker, shiny leaves.
This really is one of the easiest formulas to make, and even if you don’t try anything else in Korean Natural Farming, I hope you try making this. LAB can be a stand alone great addition for your garden and health regimes.
Collect first rinse of rice water
Cover loosely to allow air flow
Skum and sediment form
Experimenting with 3:1 and 10:1 milk to liquid
Results of experiment same so 3:1 milk is my go-to now.
Curd looks like Martian tofu.
Remove curd and strain liquid
Store with breathable cover in refrigerator.
Or mix with equal parts of brown sugar, cover with breathable lid, and store in cool dark place
Here is a video with Chris Trump making LAB. He does it a little differently from me, but same results:
Auld Lang Syne translates to “old long since” and sung to bid farewell to the old year or old times. A bit late since we are now into mid January, but still deserving of a listen.
Mark Ford aka Michael Masterson sent this in one of his non daily emails that I subscribe to. He is a super intelligent slightly cranky brilliant investor and author that I have been following and sometimes admire. His latest email also featured a movie on Netflix, “The Hand of God” inspired by Fellini, winning many film awards this year. [Update: This movie was different because it was in a different language and a different culture. Nudity, messages, and such a variety of characters on so many different layers that I find myself wondering what it was about. Still, it was a film director’s masterpiece and actually one based on the director’s memories of his own youth growing up in Naples, its obsession with their savior soccer star Maradona, and the coming of age of a young boy. I almost want to watch it again, but not sure if I will.]
Another recommendation of his, “Enlightenment Now” by Stephen Pinker, is a non-fiction book with great reviews such as: magnificent, uplifting and makes you want to rush to your laptop and close your Twitter account.” (The Economist). That makes me want to rush out and listen to the book on tape IF the library has it. [Update: Library has it!]
And now, without further ado and still pushing back pending posts about Korean Natural Farming, here is a wonderful version of Auld Lang Syne sung by Home Free:
Just as I start to write about Korean Natural Farming recipes and formulas, I get sidetracked. My son-in-law’s mother (Yoko) is here and she brought sheets of prepared and cut mochi from Seattle because son-in-law loves mochi and she used to put it in everything that had a sauce or soup. Beef stew, curry, natto, sukiyaki, udon, etc.
I also love mochi. But not in natto – bleh! Recently I added it to some Thai green curry that I made because it was too watery. That was pretty good, if I do say so myself!
This mochi is not the pretty colored one that are super soft with delicious fillings of bean paste, strawberries and cream, peanut butter, etc. It is the plain white mochi used in ozoni made with a mochi maker machine. In the old days, it was made by pounding with mallets in a mortar. It is soft, chewy and yummy on the first day, and then it gets tough and hard.
Freshly made plain mochi is usually rolled out in sheets and cut into rectangles or rolled into balls and flattened. Yoko brought over “bricks” of mochi wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap. Each brick was a stack of many flat rectangles which were easy to use. I was in heaven and made New Year’s ozoni and feasted on Yoko’s mochi dishes such as baked mochi that was used like bread to pick up salmon crumbles, mochi in grated radish, mochi in kinako and maple syrup, mochi in miso soup, and mochi fried up like popcorn. I think I gained about 5 pounds.
After the New Year mochi meals were over, I still had some very hard mochi that I kept in the refrigerator. I could have put them in the freezer but every mid morning and mid afternoon, they (the mochi) called to me, “Eat me, eat me!” And so I did.
I put a thin coating of butter on the front and back of each mochi and fried it in a nonstick pan until a slight crust formed on each side and the mochi became soft and slightly puffy. I then put in on a dish and pour just a little soy sauce on it. OMG. So delicious. Chewy, sticky, sweet and buttery with the saltiness of soy sauce. It goes so well with a cup of hot tea.
Each day I eat these I think I gain another pound. But it is worth it. And I will soon run out of mochi. Or maybe not because Yoko now has a mochi maker machine here. Sweeet!
I was going to start bombarding this website with Korean Natural Farming formulas and recipes but I had to slip in a good word for my new favorite poke place in town first.
Jucci Lucci is located just around the corner from Kapahulu Avenue where it becomes Campbell Avenue – sort of across from Kapahulu Zippy’s and right next to my favorite hair stylist, Mai’s Beauty. I first tried them after a haircut from Mai and went back the next day because it was SO good! Unfortunately they are only open during lunch hours and closed on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
I had their 2 choice bento of salmon poke and spicy garlic ahi poke which came on a bed of black sesame rice, a nice side of salad with their Turmeric Ranch dressing and kim chee. Usually I can make 2 meals out of a plate lunch but the combination is so killer that I couldn’t stop eating and finished it all off at lunch today.
The owner is so sweet, and quite beautiful. Their showcase always has something interesting to try such as pickled garlic in a cute little jar, fresh sliced sashimi, kimpira hasu, and outrageous takuan.
I will definitely be back for more. Tomorrow would be a good day but… they are closed on Tuesdays. Ah well, there is always Wednesday!
I love New Year’s Day – because it starts with my favorite dish – ozoni, and also with the feeling of a fresh start.
Happy New Year everyone out there and at home. Happy forever!
Here’s a video that pal Jalna did a few years ago when she used to work for my classmate Edwin (and now she is enjoying retirement). It makes me happy:
