It has been a LONG year or two and this post is way overdue (sorry, Cleta!)
Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) is food for plants. The best candidates are leaves from strong robust plants that already have beneficial health benefits such as comfrey, portulaca, sweet potato, and mugwort to name a few. If you use fruits rather than leaves, it becomes Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ).
Here is how to make it:
Go out early just before the sun rises (or you can be lazy like me and go out when you wake up) and pick leafy tips of your chosen plant that still have the morning dew on the leaves. (Actually, it has been so hot that I don’t think we have morning dew anymore.). Pick clean ones because you will not be rinsing them. Only use one type of plant per batch of FPJ.
Trim the stems to 2″ or so and pile them in a bowl. Add equal parts of brown sugar and massage gently until they soften. It feels delicious.
Compress and put the mixture in a wide mouth glass jar or container, leaving about an inch or so of space on top. Sprinkle brown sugar to cap the top. Cover with a cloth or breathable cover for 5-7 days.
Use a filter and pour the liquid into a bottle. Discard the plant material. You have made a bottle of FPJ! Cover with a breathable cover. I like to use a small square of cotton secured on the bottle with a rubber band.
FPJ is used in many Korean Natural Farming recipes. It is even good for human consumption – we can benefit from the nutritional qualities of the plants that we use. Comfrey is great for healing and is known as a bone knitter. Mugwort can pull toxins out. Portulaca (aka purslane) is high in nitrogen.
Here is a gallery, step by step:
Pick tops of vigorous plants and trim to 2″. This example is purslane, aka portulaca and/or pigs weed.
Add in equal parts of brown sugar and massage.
Put this delicious concoction in a glass jar, leaving space on the top.
Cover with a breathable lid, label with type of plant and date.
Liquid will form after a week.
I waited a bit too long so mold grew on top, but it is still salvageable.
Strain out the solid material.
Store in a jar with a breathable lid. Label type and date.
That’s it! Rather easy, and very delicious. When used in Korean Natural Farming plant recipes, it is diluted to a 1:500 ratio.
Both Chris Trump and Drake of PureKNF talk about a Plant Maintenance Solution (though they don’t call it PMS, lol) that they use as a spray on a weekly basis for their crops and plants.
It is a simple formula based on 2 parts Food (FPJ – Fermented Plant Juice), 2 parts Cleanser (BRV – Brown Rice Vinegar), 1 part Medicine (OHN – Oriental Herbal Nutrient), and Drake also adds 1 part Structure (WCP – Water Soluble Calcium Phosphate – a formula that will I will post about later).
The dilution is 1:500 for both BRV and FPJ and 1:1000 for OHN and WCP. To make a small scale mixture, this would equate to 12 oz of non chlorinated water (rain water or let tap water sit for a day or so). Actually, regarding tap water, Drake says that one could fill a bucket with tap water and by simply swishing your hand in, the chlorine dissipates the water and is good to go. To this 12 oz of water, add a tad less than 1/5 tsp of BRV and FPJ, and a tad less than 1/10 tsp of OHN and WCP. An easier measuring system would be to use 60 oz of water (about a half gallon) and 1 tsp of BRV and FPJ, and 1/2 tsp of OHN and WCP. Put in a spray bottle and mist leaves and stems in the early morning or early evening once a week.
This formula can be stored with a sealed lid if not used up because it is diluted. It is very important to follow the formula and not put more of any one component. More is not better in Korean Natural Farming, but it is tempting for beginners. I can attest to that because I killed a young avocado tree with too strong a solution.
Seed Soak Solution
They don’t really refer to this as SSS – not sure why – BUT it is actually the same as the Plant Maintenance Solution, minus the WCP (Calcium Phosphate). It is good to have a bottle around because one never knows when the growing mood comes upon me and I use the solution quite often when transplanting, feeding, or sticking seeds in pots or ground.
I make a half gallon because I save those Govinda fresh squeezed orange juice bottles that are just the right size and they have a handy handle. SSS = 1 tsp each of BRV (Brown Rice Vinegar), FPJ (Fermented Plant Juice), and 1/2 tsp of OHN (Oriental Herbal Nutrient). I put my seeds on a thin handkerchief and in a bowl. Then I pour some Seed Soak Solution in the bowl and let the seeds bask in the liquid. The smaller the seed, the less time it basks. The bigger harder seeds can soak for at least an hour, sometimes even overnight. Soybeans are large but the skin of the seed is like paper so 10 minutes will do. Take the handkerchief out of the bowl and let the seeds dry naturally.
What this soak does is coat the seed with nutrients and protection. You are giving it everything it needs to start and continue growing.
Poke holes in the prepared garden bed or pot of soil and sprinkle seeds in as dense or sparse as you think. Cover the holes with the seeds, water, and watch for little shoots to emerge. Don’t be surprised if these emerge faster than predicted. You have given the seedlings their best chance of survival and growth.
Ideally your soil bed has been prepared with LAB to clean it up. After a few days, sprinkle IMO4 (that post will be coming) on the surface and water. Poke a hole in the prepped soil, add a little IMO4, then drop in the seed(s). Cover and water.
The formula for potted plants is 30% Leaf soil · 30% IMO4 · 30% Cinder · 10% Biochar. What is leaf soil? I really am not sure so I chop up dead dry leaves. I also add garden soil into this mixture. Make a little hole, drop in the seed(s), and then water.
Great even in existing pots
This post is almost the cart before the horse since I haven’t covered IMO4 or Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) yet but even without it, the PMS/SSS will work. It will also work on regular soil and mixtures for your plants.
And please make sure you do NOT use coffee grounds unless you want to kill your plants. The only ones in my garden that can tolerate or benefit from coffee grounds are citrus trees and roses. For my other plants, it was the kiss of death. I feel bad for my orchids, gingers, avocado tree, pikake, golden dewberry, staghorn fern and others. I think it also killed my poor compost worms. Sob!
This is the hardest formula to make because it has many steps, uses many bottles, and takes a long time to complete. This is also one of the most important formulas and is used in many of the solutions such as IMO3, Plant Maintenance Spray, Seed Soak Solution, etc. This is medicine for soil, plants, animals and people. It aids in digestion and metabolization, creating environments for pathogenic reduction. It prevents disease and improves beneficial microbes – for our garden as well as for us humans.
Here is a video done by Chris Trump that demonstrates the beginning of the process using dried angelica, licorice, cinnamon, ginger, and garlic:
This might be fun for some people to do but it was just too much work for me. Stirring, adding, subtracting, and storing separately until the end would not be fun at all for this aunty.
So, what did I do? I checked out Chris Trump’s shop (best deal at 32 oz for $64.95) but haven’t been able to get any because it has been out of stock for weeks now. So I shopped on Etsy and found a couple of sellers that sold OHN in 8 oz bottles for quite a bit more BUT I had to have OHN to continue on in my solution and IMO making processes, so I bit the bullet and ordered it. I am hoping to be able to buy some locally – there are some avid KNF people on the Big Island that could be a resource for me, but for now, I have enough to last because OHN is used at a 1:1000 ratio in the plant formulas which works out to 2 ml per half gallon of water or 4 ml per gallon. 4ml is a little less than a teaspoon.
In addition to using it for my soil and plants, I put some in a small tincture bottle and add one drop to our old dog’s water every day. I also put a drop in water and drink it myself when I remember.
If any of you do decide to make this and have a lot of extra, please let me know and I’ll be your customer!
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:
After I watched David Wong’s Waianae farm interview, I ordered his moringa oil and started using it on my face and arm to see if it lightens my dark age spots. It had a very green smell which I liked but after a week’s trial, I don’t think it helped my age spots. Perhaps it needs more time but I like a simple morning routine of just applying my daughter-in-law’s olive oil mixture on my face and a dab of sunscreen and be done so I have given up on moringa for that purpose but do believe that it makes a great herbal supplement for good health so I am putting a drop under my tongue every morning.
I was very interested in the “microbe dust” that he used with great success in growing moringa as well as other crops. He does not sell the microbe dust, but for $1300, I could get a 4’x4’x2′ box with the microbial soil and instruction to grow awesome crops of my own, delivered. A bit too steep for me as well as too big for my existing small yard.
Since I was sick with a terrible terrible cold (not Covid), I had hours and hours to look into whatever “microbe dust” was and Korean Natural farming in general. It was like diving into Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole and hardly coming up for air. In Hawaii, it began when Hilo doctor Hoon Park (pediatrician) went to Korea to learn from Master Cho Han-kyu about pig farming, which led to learning about indigenous micro organisms (IMO). These IMOs are the bedrock of Korean Natural Farming techniques and SO different from what we normally do to grow our plants. No chemicals, no store bought fertilizers, no soil tilling, nothing harmful, and very cheap because the ingredients are common things such as rice, milk, brown sugar, sea water, etc.
Master Cho is a cute man who does not speak English but he takes great joy in teaching the world his techniques to improve soil conditions anywhere and everywhere. He once went to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and, using biochar and IMO (the bedrock of KNF), planted tree saplings that usually had no chance to survive because of its high wind and low rainfall conditions. Lo and behold, there now exists an area with trees that have grown and continues to grow. He has come to Hawaii (mostly the Big Island) to visit and teach, using an interpreter. In one of the videos of his visit to Chris Trump’s macadamia nut farm, both he and Chris were over taken with emotion because of their love and respect for each other. Very sweet to see grown men crying.
KNF is so different from conventional ways of planting and maintenance. In conventional farming for a tree or plant, a hole is dug and fertilizer and compost are put in the hole. The plant is inserted in the hole and watered regularly. The plant will do well for a couple of years but when its root system goes past the fertilizer and compost, it hits compacted dirt and more sterile conditions and the plant reaches a peak, and then gets weak and stagnates or dies. A constant application of fertilizer and care is necessary for the tree to survive.
KNF (Korean Natural Farming) does not focus on what the tree needs, but on how to make the soil vibrant and living so plants can thrive. It is long lasting, sustainable, and shockingly CHEAP!
So, what IS Korean Natural Farming?
It is using the natural resources of your own land in your own locale, and growing great plants because those resources are returned to the earth to enrich and continue nourishing your soil, going deeper and deeper. It uses indigenous (your area) micro organisms collected and preserved in sugar (!), fruits, leaves and plants from your area to make “fermented juices”, and simple techniques that big time and small time farmers can use to grow healthy vibrant clean crops. David Wong spoke about using KNF for human health. What Korean Natural Farming does is produce nutrient dense foods without the use of fertilizers, pesticides, chemicals, etc. When we eat nutrient dense foods, we get the benefits of food that is good for us, which we all need for good health.
There are several specific formulas, each serving a specific purpose. This is a case where more is not better and a small bottle of formula can last a long time, since the dilution ratio is usually 1:500, or 1:1000 in water.
Several farmers on the Big Island are sharing their knowledge with YouTube videos and online classes. Of note are Chris Trump (not related to the orange man), and Drake. Chris Trump has since moved to Idaho but still teaches workshops around the country as well as online classes. Drake does weekly q&a Zoom meetings that he calls “Office Hours” and has many videos online of Master Cho’s visits to the islands as well as videos on his classes. Spicy Moustache is a young man living in London who shares lessons for planting in the city and several KNF videos. I love his French accent and his tattoos. JohnKNF is a young man with a small farm living in California with video lessons on KNF that he learned at either a Chris Trump or Drake workshop here. He’s cute. Bare Mountain Farm is another grower who is learning and applying KNF theories and he does a good job of explaining the processes with his wife as the camerawoman.
The journey begins
I will be sharing my experiences with Korean Natural Farming. I do things a little differently because I do not have acres of farmland and only a few trees in my small yard. KNF was developed for vast farmland and crops. Most of my plants are in pots and a few vegetables are in a small planter bed or planter boxes. I have small bottles that I store it in, and my bottles all fit in a plastic basket with handle (from Daiso). Some formulas (such as FAA – Fish Amino Acid) takes 6 months to age and some formulas are very easy to do and have benefits beyond gardening. I will share how to make these formulas in upcoming posts.
The bottles are getting used
One of the positives of my diving into this is that my stash of bottles (I just can’t throw away good bottles) is getting used. I am also beginning to make little ceramic jar/jugs at Hawaii Potters Guild to house the IMO2 formulas (more on IMOs to come). It is an exciting time delving into new territory. I tend to go overboard and over spend when I find something that I focus on but this time the only drawback will be an excess of material produced from very inexpensive materials such as brown sugar and brown rice vinegar. The solution to that is to share with friends. And that, in the words of Martha Stewart, is a good thing.
