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Cannabis KNF, IMO4 Winter Storage, FAA Without IMO4

January 16, 2022 · by Drake Weinert

Three graduates from Drake's January farm training joined the show: Don "Iceman" McNamara and Donna Rae from Homer, Alaska, and Hope Barajas from California. They talked about IMO3 and IMO4 heating up during the class, and why the animals on the farm don't smell. Hope said the pigs' calm temperament proves the microbes are in balance. On black plastic row covers, they said IMOs go under the fabric before it's laid, and cores of fish and microbes get augered next to the rows so roots can reach past the plastic.

Hope talked through applying KNF to cannabis: fermenting flower trimmings and leaf biomass back into fermented plant juice to match each growth stage's nutrient needs, and using strong microorganisms against powdery mildew. Asked what one KNF product to show a beginner, Hope picked LAB for its many uses, while Don and Donna Rae picked FPJ for being fast and easy. Don also gave a soap recipe for spider mites, made by boiling a plant like basil or peppermint and adding it to natural soap.

On winter storage, Drake said IMO4 in its spore form can survive freezing if you feed it food, minerals, and humic-fulvic acids before using it in spring. For growers who can't source Angelica for OHN, Don pointed to Mountain Rose Herbs, and Drake said to follow the book while testing local substitutes over time. For Alaska fermented plant juice, Don listed horsetail for silica, comfrey for potassium and phosphorus, and stinging nettle for nitrogen and boron.

Drake said his own LAB batch turned out like yogurt instead of separating into curds and whey, a sign that Bacillus subtilis and other IMOs had grown strong enough to outcompete the lactic acid bacteria. On fish amino acid, Suze said you can make it without IMO4 - it's just fish waste and sugar, and enough sugar alone keeps out bad bacteria. Donna Rae said to layer brown sugar evenly through the bucket, starting with a layer on the very bottom.

Questions answered

  • 13:06 Did you hug the pigs? — Hope says the pigs' sweet, calm temperament shows the whole ecosystem's microorganisms are in balance.
  • 14:35 What effect do black plastic row covers have on IMO? — They bury IMOs under the fabric before laying it, and auger fish-and-microbe cores next to the row so roots reach past the plastic.
  • 18:47 How has KNF affected your life? — Drake says KNF gives him the tools to feel personally empowered to fix problems on the land, not just theory from a book.
  • 25:18 What kind of farm, garden, or orchard do you have back home? — Donna Rae runs a 5-acre market farm in Homer, Alaska with fruit trees, berries, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and a Bionutrient Food Association meter.
  • 37:09 Could you talk about applying KNF to cannabis? — Hope ferments flower trimmings and leaf biomass into fermented plant juice to match the plant's nutrient needs at each growth stage.
  • 41:28 If you had to show one KNF product to a beginner, what would it be? — Hope picks LAB for its many uses; Don and Donna Rae pick FPJ for being quick, easy, and fast to show results.
  • 42:44 What do you use for spider mites? — Don boils a plant like basil or peppermint, adds it to natural soap, then dilutes it into a spray.
  • 46:33 Should IMO4 be stored where it won't freeze? — Drake says avoid extreme exposure, but IMO4 in spore form holds up to freezing if it's fed food, minerals, and humic-fulvic acids before spring use.
  • 50:27 Can I make IMO without OHN if I can't source Angelica? — Don points to Mountain Rose Herbs for ingredients, and Drake says follow the book while gradually testing local substitutes.
  • 54:03 What plants make good fermented plant juice up in Alaska? — Don lists horsetail for silica, comfrey for potassium and phosphorus, and stinging nettle for nitrogen and boron.
  • 55:46 What's the balance between lactic acid bacteria and aerobic IMO microbes? — Drake says his own LAB batch turned to yogurt because Bacillus subtilis and other IMOs had gotten strong enough to outcompete it.
  • 58:58 Can you make FAA without IMO4? — Suze says yes - fish amino acid is just fish waste and sugar, and enough sugar alone keeps out bad bacteria.
  • 1:01:15 How do you layer an FAA bucket to avoid rot? — Donna Rae layers brown sugar evenly with the fish, starting with a layer of sugar at the very bottom of the bucket.

Topics: knf, imo, imo4, lab, fpj, faa, ohn, cannabis, pigs, spider mites, alaska, black plastic

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 Intro and welcome
  2. 1:34 I Ching reading: The Well
  3. 4:36 Meeting the KNF farm training students
  4. 13:06 Did you hug the pigs?
  5. 14:35 Black plastic row covers and IMO
  6. 18:47 How KNF changes your life
  7. 25:18 Farms back home: an Alaska market farm
  8. 32:56 Aspirations after the class
  9. 37:09 Applying KNF to cannabis
  10. 41:28 One KNF product to show a beginner
  11. 42:44 KNF soap for spider mites
  12. 46:33 Storing IMO4 through a freeze
  13. 50:27 Making IMO without OHN
  14. 54:03 Fermented plant juice plants for Alaska
  15. 55:46 Balance of LAB and IMO microbes
  16. 58:58 Making FAA without IMO4
  17. 1:02:00 Closing and thanks

Transcript

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

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