Korean natural farming
Korean Natural Farming (KNF) is an organic agricultural method that takes advantage of indigenous microorganisms (IMO) (bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa) to produce rich soil that yields high output without the use of herbicides or pesticides.
[4][5] In 1965, he went to Japan for three years as an agriculture research student and studied the natural farming methods of the three teachers: Miyozo Yamagishi (Japanese: 山岸 巳代蔵), Kinshi Shibata (柴田 欣志) and Yasushi Oinoue (大井上 康).
He published Korean Natural Farming: Indigenous Microorganisms and Vital Power of Crop/Livestock by Hankyu Cho& Atsushi Koyama (English edition) in 1997.
In 2019, Master Cho went to Perris (CA), Williams (OR), and Rochester (WA), the United States to meet his students and discuss about KNF.
The fundamental insight of KNF is to strengthen the biological functions of each aspect of plant growth in order to increase the productivity and nutrition.
IMOs can reduce initial yield losses when transitioning from conventional to organic farming, by accelerating soil recovery.
Conservation tillage benefits bacterivores and fungivores, but the structure index (SI) is not different between cover cropping and fallow fields.
Fermented products are produced in glass or ceramic (not metal or plastic) containers filled to 2⁄3–3⁄4 of their capacity and covered with porous paper or cloth.
[26] Purslane and comfrey have proven effective choices,[27][28] as have dropwort, mugwort, watercress, angelica, bamboo shoots, sweet potato vines, beans, pumpkin, and seaweeds.
[31] Oriental herbal nutrients (OHN) are fermented from unwashed, dried Angelica gigas, cinnamon bark and licorice root Glycyrrhiza glabra along with garlic and ginger.
[34] In the late fall, bacterial activity subsides and fermenting microbes flourish, producing sugar and the best environment for FMC.
[40] KNF provides techniques for converting essential minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and potassium into a form suitable for absorption by plants, by making them water-soluble.
Adequate Ca prevents overgrowth, firms fruit, prolongs durability, promotes the absorption of phosphoric acid, helps crops to accumulate and utilize nutrients, is the major component in forming cell membranes, enables smooth cell division, and removes harmful substances by binding with organic acids.
[43] Signs of Ca deficiency include underdeveloped roots, discolored, dry leaves, empty bean pods, poor ripening, soft flesh, and insufficient fragrance.
[47] K does not become part of plant structure, but acts to regulate water balances, nutrient, and sugar movement and drives starch and protein synthesis and legume nitrogen fixation.
[49] Biochar is a porous charcoal that has been designed to produce high surface area per unit volume and small amounts of residual resins.
Outputs can include antibiotics, enzymes and lactic acids that can suppress diseases and promote healthy soil conditions.
[53] A cloth-covered wooden or cardboard box containing fairly dry steamed rice and a few bamboo leaves in a shady area protected from rain left 4–5 days attracts and nourishes local microorganisms.
[20] IMO3 is fermented in 12-inch high shaded furrows for 7 days, sheltered from rain and covered with straw mats or gunny bags, turning as needed to ensure that its internal temperature remains around 110 °F (43 °C).
[20] Another source recommends an alternative mixture as follows, for each hectare:[59] IMO3 or IMO4 can be distributed thinly on a field, covered with a layer of mulch to retain moisture and provide a dark environment for further IMO growth.
[49] FMC applied 2–3 hours before sunset on a cloudy day and covered with soil/mulch (or lightly plowed with a 1 to 2 inch rotary hoe adds nutrients and microorganisms to depleted soil.
Alternatively, FMC can produce liquid fertilizer by placing it in a cloth bag and immersing in water with other KNF inputs.
Initially, FPJ (diluted 1000:1) from mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) and bamboo shoots help crops become cold-resistant and grow fast and strong.
WSCA helps the plant to accumulate nutrients in flower buds, improving future yields and fruit quality.
[49] WSCA and FFJ from apple, banana, mango, papaya, peach, and grape enhance flavor and firmness of fruit.
It converts excrement into soil and thereby allows the piggery to operate without the noxious emissions that have afflicted hog production since agriculture began.
[69] An aromatic insect attractant (AIA) is a mixture of alcohol and rice wine or brandy and FFJ or FPJ (diluted 300:1) in an open container hung when pests lay their eggs.
[citation needed] Natural Farming was adopted by the South Korean government after successful trials growing rice in one county, where every farmer followed the practice.
[9] A co-op of 40 strawberry farmers used KNF exclusively in 300 foot-long greenhouses, producing increasing output and obtaining a higher price.
[9] In another experiment, farmers in an entire county used KNF to become self-sufficient, with each farm raising 500 chickens, 20 pigs and five beef cattle.
