Komohana Research and Extension Center, Hilo, Hawaiʻi · October 1–3, 2015

Natural Farming Symposium 2015

A day of talks and hands-on skill shares in Hilo, a day of panels, then farm tours and a film. 25 recordings: nine talks including Drake Weinert's keynote, six demonstrations on the lawn, eight panels, a short ceremony and hallway interviews. Every one is checked line by line and boiled down to what was made, what was measured and what was only told.

Read what it all adds up to →

Also on the record: Konkuk 2016

Topics microbes soil economics policy health taro culture food pigs scale protectors research biochar fermentation minerals school gardens Clear

2 talks on “compost”

Ted Radovich, James Rushing, Josiah Hunt, Jana Bogs ·USA (Hawaiʻi) ·67 min

Four Scientists on Natural Farming: Proof, Biochar, Minerals

Four short research talks that followed Drake Weinert's keynote. Ted Radovich (UH Mānoa CTAHR) showed his lab's work on Hawaiʻi soils, cover crops, compost and compost tea; James Rushing (UH Hilo) listed what science does and does not yet know about natural farming, and said no top-tier peer-reviewed paper showed it working; Josiah Hunt (Pacific Biochar) explained biochar and read results from published studies; Jana Bogs, a nutritionist and soil consultant, argued for testing soil minerals and microbes, and warned about the sodium in seawater. Each talk got a few questions from the floor.

Found Weathered soil vs fertile soil: P 0.9 vs 480 ppm, Ca 38 vs 4,524, Al 142 vs 15

biochar compost cover crops microbes minerals research

Vincent Mina, with Drake Weinert and Dr. Hoon Park ·USA (Hawaiʻi) ·12 min

Purslane Food (FPJ) Fast: Chop It in a Tub With a Flat Spade

After the day's announcements, Vince Mina plays two short videos of how he makes Food (FPJ) from purslane on his farm: sugar dumped on a tubful of purslane, chopped to a mash with a flat spade, packed three-quarters into jars under a paint-strainer cover. He also passes around a hau-flower Food he uses as a spreader-sticker, Drake Weinert suggests a little salt for dry plants, and Dr. Hoon Park explains Cho's unglazed clay jar and two-thirds fill.

Found About 4 lb of sugar on a tub of purslane made about three gallons of Food

compost fermentation food hau purslane worms