Natural Farming: Fermented Plant Juice

Sherri A. Miller1 , David M. Ikeda1 , Eric Weinert, Jr.1 , Kim C.S. Chang1 , Joseph M. McGinn1 , Cheyanne Keliihoomalu2 , and Michael W. DuPonte2

Hawai‘i is heavily dependent on imported food to feed its residents and visitors; moreover, conventional agricultural production in the state also relies on imported inputs (feed, fertilizer, compost, pesticides). In order for Hawai‘i to move toward food self-sufficiency, reliance on imported food and agricultural inputs must be reduced while increasing food production using locally available, economical inputs. Hawai‘i’s farmers cannot continue on their present course without serious repercussions to their sustainability, both economically and environmentally. Alternate agricultural production systems adapted to the semi-tropics, including organic and permaculture methods, have met with varying levels of success. Korean Natural Farming (KNF) is a sustainable system developed by Master Han Kyu Cho of the Janong Natural Farming Institute in South Korea, based on generations of sustainable farming methods practiced in Japan, China, and Korea. KNF optimizes the production of plants or livestock through farming methods that maintain a balance in nutrient input and output, thus minimizing any detrimental effects on the environment. The balance is maintained by encouraging the growth of naturally occurring indigenous microorganisms (IMO), which in turn produce nutrients that are used in the production of crops and livestock. Virtually all of the inputs used in KNF, as compared to those used in conventional agricultural practices, are available locally at a fraction of the cost of imported feeds, composts, and fertilizers. Cultivation of IMO was covered in a previous publication (Park and DuPonte 2008). This bulletin covers the preparation of another KNF input, fermented plant juice (FPJ).