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Desert IMO Collection, Lawn Biochar, WCA Bone Ratios

December 5, 2021 · by Drake Weinert

Drake opens with the I Ching hexagram "After Completion" then explains how to collect indigenous microorganisms in deserts and arid climates: spray a diluted maintenance solution (food and cleanser at 1:500, structure and medicine at 1:1,000) over a 10-foot area for three to five days, then set a moist rice box with no more spraying so hungry microbes migrate into the rice.

For dry lawns, he recommends crushing biochar, soaking it two days in diluted fish amino acid and IMO1 (about 1:500 each), then broadcasting it so microbes colonize the char and hold moisture. He walks through his grill-starter method for charring bones into water-soluble calcium (WCA): fill the top chamber with bones, the bottom half to two-thirds with charcoal, and pull the bones once blue smoke stops, since that means charring is done and burning has started.

Other answers cover avoiding medicated feed when making IMO3, LAB and comfrey FPJ shelf life in the fridge, why LAB sometimes turns into yogurt instead of separating (too much ambient IMO dust), lactobacillus and autism, adding 10% IMO3 when building a Johnson-Su bioreactor, and rebuilding Florida clay into aerobic soil for hemp with calcium, seawater at 1:30, humic and fulvic acid, and IMOs.

He closes with the Elaine Ingham soil-microscopy playlist for counting biodiversity, why OHN extraction needs alcohol above 35 percent rather than water, and an invite to the Hawaii Farmers Union United East Hawaii chapter.

Questions answered

  • 11:00 How do you collect IMOs in the desert or arid climates? — Spray diluted maintenance solution on a 10-foot area for 3-5 days to wake up microbes, then set a moist rice box with no more spraying so they migrate into the rice.
  • 18:17 What can I do for my lawn without much water? — Crush biochar, soak it two days in diluted fish amino acid and IMO1 (about 1:500 each), then broadcast it so microbes colonize the char and hold moisture.
  • 29:14 Cattle sweet feed has antibacterial stuff in it — can I use it for IMO3? — Avoid feed with antibacterial or medicated additives; use something bare-bones like pedigree dog food instead.
  • 31:40 How long can comfrey FPJ and LAB last in the fridge? — FPJ with plenty of sugar can keep about a year in the fridge; LAB lasts about a month unsupersaturated, up to three months or more if supersaturated.
  • 35:35 My charred bones got an ash shell but are black inside — did I waste them? — That's correct and fine — ash on the outside with black char inside means it charred well; only discard bones that are gray all the way through.
  • 37:39 Should I pull the bones once the blue smoke is gone? — Yes, pull them once the blue smoke is gone, since that means charring is done and the bones themselves are starting to burn.
  • 43:55 Any botanicals for kids with autism? — Not medical advice, but lactobacillus taken internally and in a bath is tied to gut and microbiome health that studies link to autism symptoms.
  • 46:45 My raw-milk LAB left a milky layer on top — did I extract too early? — No — raw milk carries extra bacteria and fats besides lactobacillus, so it separates differently than pasteurized milk; it should still be fine.
  • 50:13 How many bones and how much charcoal for WCA structure? — Fill the container to the brim with bones, then fill it only about half to two-thirds full of charcoal underneath so it doesn't burn out early.
  • 53:53 Can I make IMO5 beds only 4 inches tall with cardboard underneath? — Fermented mixed compost needs enough thickness to heat up, so 4 inches is thin; build it thicker if you can't turn it often.
  • 56:15 Steps to change Florida clay into aerobic soil for medicinal hemp? — Add calcium (WCA), seawater diluted 1:30, humic and fulvic acid, lactobacillus, and IMOs, then keep applying maintenance solution.
  • 58:58 My LAB keeps turning into cheese or yogurt instead of separating — why? — Too much ambient IMO dust, like near a house or coop, out-competes the lactobacillus; move to a cleaner spot and use pasteurized milk.
  • 1:02:41 When starting a Johnson-Su bioreactor, when do I add IMO3? — Mix in about 10% IMO3 while building and layering the bioreactor material, not after it's finished.
  • 1:06:42 Gnats are showing up around my piles — is it moisture? — Keep moisture around 60% and cover IMO piles with a straw layer to absorb excess and keep gnats down.
  • 1:07:17 Can I do OHN extraction with just water, no alcohol? — No — you need alcohol above 35% because it drives the compounds into the cell; water alone won't extract it properly.

Topics: imo, biochar, wca, lab, fpj, ohn, johnson-su bioreactor, florida clay, hemp, desert farming, autism, lawn care

KNF Office Hours is a free live Q&A every Sunday at 9 AM HST. Bring your question to pureknf.org/learn/questions or join live.

In this episode

  1. 0:00 Welcome
  2. 1:33 I Ching: After Completion
  3. 4:30 Thanks to sponsors
  4. 6:30 Regenerating forests with IMO4
  5. 11:00 Collecting IMOs in the desert
  6. 18:17 Biochar for lawn care
  7. 26:34 Jesus, miracles, and natural farming
  8. 29:14 Feed store cautions for IMO3
  9. 31:40 Comfrey FPJ and LAB fridge storage
  10. 35:00 Charring bones for WCA
  11. 37:07 Grill starter setup and blue smoke
  12. 43:55 Botanicals for autism
  13. 46:45 Making LAB with raw milk
  14. 50:13 Bone and charcoal ratio for WCA
  15. 53:53 IMO5 bed depth
  16. 56:15 Florida clay to aerobic soil
  17. 58:58 LAB turning into yogurt
  18. 1:02:41 Johnson-Su bioreactor with IMO3
  19. 1:03:58 Counting soil biodiversity with Elaine Ingham
  20. 1:07:17 OHN extraction methods

Transcript

Auto-transcribed with Whisper. Click any timestamp to play from there.

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