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Root-Tip FPJ, OHN Substitutions, IMO4 Temperature Limits

Drake opens with the I Ching hexagram Biting Through, then spends time thinking out loud about how to bring newcomers into Korean Natural Farming without diluting things for longtime viewers, and reflects on sovereignty and the real costs of homesteading, like being tied down by daily cow milking.

Farming questions: root tips make good fermenting plant juice (FPJ) — shake off dirt instead of washing, harvest midday when the plant pulls energy into its roots, and mix roughly one part root to three parts sugar since roots aren't very sugary. Fruit and veggie scraps that already turned to mush and juice should not get more brown sugar — the sugar's job is osmotic extraction, which does nothing once material is already fermented; treat it like bokashi with LAB protectors instead, or dilute 1:100 and spray. Two-year-old fish amino acid (FAA) that's mushy with bones is normal — pour off the liquid and dilute it 1 to 1000.

On IMO: colored mold on stored IMO2 (yellow, pink, blue, green) is fine, but red mold means skip that batch. IMO4 should never exceed 120°F — hotter temperatures, or holding heat like a three-day, 140°F compost, grow the wrong microbes entirely; if organic rules force higher heat, skip IMO4 and just make a liquid from IMO2 instead. For IMO rice collection in cold weather, pile on more forest duff and leaves for insulation, or bring forest duff indoors and bury the rice box in a greenhouse, as shown in a Korean forest-collection video Drake plays.

Other answers: OHN made with ginger, garlic, and ʻōlena instead of Master Cho's licorice-cinnamon-angelica blend isn't technically OHN — call it your own medicine, and turmeric can be added as a seventh ingredient in equal parts. OHN won't go bad if kept airtight and out of light, even after seven years. Chicks that can't break their own shell after about 12 hours usually won't survive even if helped. Dry rice in an IMO collection box means more insulation and more water when cooking the rice.

Questions answered

  • 31:04 Are root tips good for making a can of food (FPJ)? — Yes—shake off dirt instead of washing, harvest midday, and mix roughly 1 part root to 3 parts sugar since roots aren't very sugary.
  • 36:18 My winter fruit/veg scraps turned to mush and juice—should I add brown sugar? — No—sugar only works through osmosis on fresh material; treat the mush like bokashi with LAB protectors or dilute it 1:100 and spray.
  • 40:09 My two-year-old FAA is mushy with bones and smells like fish sauce—how do I process it? — It's ready—just pour off the liquid and dilute it 1 to 1000 for use.
  • 43:12 My IMO2 has several colors of mold—can I still use it? — Yes for yellow, pink, blue, or green, but skip the batch if you see red mold.
  • 44:44 How much ginger, garlic, and ʻōlena to make a KNF medicine like OHN? — Use equal parts of each, but call it your own medicine, not OHN, since that name is reserved for Master Cho's licorice-cinnamon-angelica recipe.
  • 47:57 What day/night temps are needed to collect IMO in rice? — Spring is the best season, and the real fix for cold nights is piling on more duff and leaves for insulation.
  • 53:21 Should I help a chick that hasn't hatched 24+ hours after starting to unzip? — No—a chick too weak to break its own shell usually won't survive even with help.
  • 54:40 My rice keeps drying out in my IMO collection box—what am I doing wrong? — Insulate the box better and cook the rice with a bit more water so it holds moisture.
  • 58:02 IMO4 maxes out around 120°F—can it go higher like compost temps? — No—above 120°F, or holding heat like a three-day compost, grows the wrong microbes; use IMO2 liquid instead if you can't stay under that.
  • 1:00:04 Will OHN go bad if each ingredient is kept in its own separate jar? — No—OHN only goes bad if the seal isn't airtight and the alcohol evaporates out.
  • 1:01:39 Is seven-year-old OHN still good? — Yes—like whiskey, it should only get smoother and better with age.
  • 1:11:14 Where on the Big Island can I buy dry ingredients for OHN? — Try Ko Natural Foods—they have an apothecary and can special-order herbs.

Topics: imo, imo2, imo4, ohn, faa, fpj, root tips, mold, bokashi, chickens, sovereignty

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 and I Ching reading: Biting Through
  2. 7:03 Reaching beginners without losing veteran farmers
  3. 19:17 Sovereignty, freedom, and the cost of homesteading
  4. 31:04 Root tips for fermenting plant juice (FPJ)
  5. 36:18 Fruit and vegetable scrap mush: skip the brown sugar
  6. 40:09 Fixing mushy fish amino acid (FAA) with bones
  7. 43:12 Colored mold on stored IMO2
  8. 44:44 OHN with ginger, garlic, and ʻōlena
  9. 47:57 IMO rice collection in cold weather
  10. 53:21 When to intervene on a slow-hatching chick
  11. 54:40 Fixing dry rice in an IMO collection box
  12. 58:02 IMO4 temperature limits and organic rules
  13. 1:00:04 Does OHN go bad in storage
  14. 1:01:39 Seven-year-old OHN quality check
  15. 1:06:13 Underwatched KNF videos worth revisiting
  16. 1:11:14 Where to buy dry OHN ingredients on the Big Island
  17. 1:12:46 Sign-off and next week preview

Transcript

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