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IMO Bath, Hemp Hurd for IMO3, Transplanting with WCA

October 2, 2022 · by Drake Weinert

Drake reviews two videos Julia sent from Finland: collecting IMO2 in multiple boxes at once, then combining them for more diversity, and building an IMO3 pile on hemp hurd mixed with a starch like Milron or wheat flour, turned on a tarp so moisture doesn't drain out the bottom. He also covers his own smaller IMO4 pile, turned with a BCS tiller and power ridger, moved to a fresh spot each turn so the bottom doesn't overheat.

On the IMO bath, Drake explains that sweating opens your pores so beneficial microbes embed in your skin like armor, and they survive a shower afterward. He gives a simple apple vinegar recipe (mash apples, add water, let it sit) and the KNF Cleanser ratio: one part fruit or grain solids to two parts water, jar filled two-thirds full, breathable lid, fermented three to six months until it tests below pH 2.4.

Several minutes cover KNF resources: Julia's cousin Frida is the first student to learn KNF at her Finland agricultural university, Professor Do Hwan Kim teaches it at Konkuk University in Seoul, and pureknf.org hosts research papers plus 2016 International Symposium talks. Drake is looking for translators for Master Cho's untranslated Korean books and offers credit and subtitles. He also points to naturalfarminghawaii.net for KNF pig barn building plans and a 2008 cost breakdown.

Listener questions cover transplanting mature blueberry bushes (soak with KNF Reproduction/WCA plus Maintenance, then ring the drip line with IMO), a normal curd layer on stored KNF Protectors (LAB) serum and how to filter it through a fine cloth, pushing tomato production by cycling the Leaf, Bloom, and Fruit formulas instead of forcing growth, spray rig options (a Maruyama backpack pump or a PTO/Venturi sprayer), and Wedelia as Drake's go-to plant for Jadam herbal solution.

Questions answered

  • 7:03 Where can I find Master Cho's book? — You can find it if you look hard enough; Drake is trying to figure out how to get it to the public.
  • 8:09 How do you collect and combine multiple IMO2 boxes? — Set out several collection boxes at once, then mix them together once they're ready for more microbial diversity.
  • 13:25 What's a good medium for an IMO3 pile, and how do you mix it? — Hemp hurd works well with a starch like Milron or wheat flour mixed in, and turning it on a tarp keeps moisture from draining out.
  • 18:55 Is a little pink, red, or black in an IMO collection a problem? — A little is fine — once mixed with sugar, the good microbes will out-compete the bad ones.
  • 19:29 Can IMO microbes survive a shower after an IMO bath? — Yes — sweating opens your pores so the microbes embed in your skin, like microbial armor.
  • 28:04 Is there an easy recipe for apple vinegar? — Mash leftover apples with water and let the solids sit about three months; they turn into vinegar on their own.
  • 41:57 Where can I find plans and costs for a KNF pig barn? — naturalfarminghawaii.net, under Livestock then Pigs, has the building drawings, a cost breakdown, and the University of Hawaii guide.
  • 45:52 Any tips for transplanting mature bare-root blueberry bushes? — Add KNF Reproduction (water-soluble calcium) to the Maintenance soak, then ring the drip line with IMO after planting.
  • 51:22 Is it normal for LAB serum (KNF Protectors) to form a curd layer on top? — Yes, the lactobacillus curds rising up and forming a thin layer on top is normal.
  • 53:46 What's a good bloom booster to push tomato production? — Natural farming isn't about pushing production — cycle the Leaf, Bloom, and Fruit formulas from the Recipe Book to keep the plant balanced.
  • 59:50 How do you stop curds from re-forming in stored LAB serum? — Pour it through a fine cloth like a t-shirt, not cheesecloth, and filter twice if needed.
  • 1:01:19 What are you using to spray, and how do I set up a spray rig? — A Maruyama backpack-mount pump with a 65-foot hose for hand spraying, or a PTO sprayer with a boom for larger areas.
  • 1:04:28 Are nebulizers or atomizers good for spraying KNF solutions? — Fine mist is fine for maintenance solution, but it's harder on microbes.
  • 1:05:10 What herbs or plants work well for Jadam herbal solution? — Drake uses Wedelia (Sphagneticola trilobata) — it grows fast, resists pests, and is non-toxic.

Topics: imo, imo bath, lab, knf protectors, wca, vinegar, knf cleanser, tomatoes, transplanting, jadam, wedelia, spray rig

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. 1:22 I Ching Reading - Progress
  3. 7:14 Master Cho's Book - Hard to Find
  4. 8:09 Julia's IMO2 Collection
  5. 13:15 Julia's IMO3 - Hemp Hurd, Tarp Mixing
  6. 18:55 Pink, Red, Black IMO - When It's OK
  7. 19:35 IMO Bath and Sweat
  8. 25:25 Turning an IMO4 Pile with a BCS
  9. 28:15 Apple Vinegar and KNF Cleanser Recipe
  10. 34:00 Julia's Cousin Frida - KNF in Finland
  11. 35:49 Professor Kim and pureknf.org Research
  12. 38:03 Konkuk 2016 Symposium; Translation Credit
  13. 40:51 Untranslated Books; Male Flower Vinegar
  14. 41:57 KNF Barn Plans and Costs
  15. 46:20 Transplanting Mature Plants
  16. 51:20 KNF Protectors (LAB) Curd Layer
  17. 53:42 Tomato Bloom Booster and Balance
  18. 59:27 Filtering KNF Protectors
  19. 1:01:19 Spray Rig Setup
  20. 1:05:10 Jadam Herbal Solution Plant

Transcript

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

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