Natural Farming, Part 1

What is Natural Farming

Natural Farming is a method of agriculture based on the concept of using only natural materials, as opposed to modern chemical-based farming. It is an environmentally friendly method of farming that is highly sustainable, economical, and yet high-yielding.

The secret of natural farming is in harnessing nature's own beneficial microorganisms to increase growth and production while combatting pests and diseases. This allows us to produce food that is safe and free of harmful chemicals and toxins, and provides a business opportunity in selling to the increasingly health-conscious market.

Origins
Natural farming was first advocated in 1935 by Japanese philosopher and holistic health advocate Mokichi Okada. In the 1980s, Dr. Teruo Higa developed the use of "effective microorganisms" (EM).

Our Program
Our natural farming program focuses on the making and usage of fertilizers and EM cultures from local, natural materials, most of them cheap and easily obtainable agricultural byproducts.

The program was developed by Mr. Andry K. Lim, President of the Tribal Mission Foundation International, Inc. based in Davao City. Mr. Lim has made it his personal advocacy to go around the country delivering lectures and seminars on Natural Farming.

Natural Farming and Apiculture
Our Natural Farming program goes hand in hand with our Apiculture program, as part of our holistic back to nature approach. The bees provide yet another natural method of increasing production, through their pollinating activities. Also by using the Natural Farming method, we can guarantee the health of the bees and the purity of the honey produced.

Principles of Natural Farming

Some of the main principles of natural farming are:

1. Follow the laws of nature
2. All you need is already found in nature
3. Do not use herbicides
4. Do not till the soil
5. Zero emission of livestock wastewater
6. Bring out the natural strength of the living soil through use of Indigenous Microorganisms

Mineral and Organic Matter Cycle

1. Vegetation takes nutrients from soil and water to grow
2. Animals consume vegetation
3. Animals produce waste, living things die
4. Microbes decompose waste and dead organisms
5. Nutrients freed by the microbes go into water and soil

You can see that this is a closed cycle: everything that is taken from the soil and the water is eventually returned through the process of decomposition. In virgin wilderness where this cycle is undisturbed by man we see lush growth and plenty. But when we disturb the cycle, we get all sorts of problems - reduced soil fertility, harmful substances in our food, fish kills and lifeless rivers and lakes, etc. etc.

Unfortunately many modern farming practices are the root of such problems. Does that mean farmers should stop farming? Of course not! Instead let us look at the farmer's needs and problems and how we can answer them without causing more problems.

Ecological Problems

The Filipino Farmer's Dilemma

To make a living, a farmer must of course be able to produce a crop, and produce it in commercial quantities. In order to do so, the farmer must overcome some common problems such as weeds, diseases, and insect pests. A combination of poverty, lack of better technology, and pressure to practice "modern" farming leads to the use of the following common but problematic solutions:

Typical Consequences

The usual consequences of the practices listed above are:

Chemical Fertilizers

Chemical fertilizers are not that easy for plants to absorb. If fertilizer is plant food, chemical fertilizer is like a meal of tough old vegetables - you can eat it, but you can only digest a small part of it.

 

Much of the fertilizer is wasted and washed away into rivers and lakes, and then into the sea. Too much of anything is bad, even fertilizer; the excess nutrients in the water trigger algal blooms that turn water into odorous scum and suffocate fish resulting in fish kills.

 

Herbicides and Pesticides

The -cide ending of a substance name has a very simple meaning: poison. Herbicides and pesticides are poisons that can contaminate our food and water and have been associated with several kinds of disease, including cancer.

Dumping of wastes

Livestock pens and cages are usually cleaned with water, but this water is often released back into the environment untreated. This promotes the spread of disease-causing microbes and, like excess chemical fertilizer, can cause harmful algal blooms.

 

But isn't animal waste a natural fertilizer? Yes it is, but the problem here is that it's being released before it's been properly broken down - and the microorganisms in it include many of the harmful types.

Doing without needed equipment and facilities

A properly built and equipped farm will include among its facilities proper drainage and waste treatment measures. The problem is, most farmers cut corners on this because otherwise they won't be able to farm at all.

Solutions Through Natural Farming

The natural farming method offers a holistic, back-to-nature approach to effectively solving the problems mentioned above. The key elements of this solution are:

Only natural, easily absorbed fertilizers and preparations are used, ensuring against wastage and environmental contamination. As an added bonus, major savings are possible by eliminating the cost of expensive fertilizers, herbidices and insecticides, many of which are imported.

The preparations are made using beneficial microorganisms, and thorough decomposition is ensured by culturing the microorganisms properly. Thorough decomposition completes the natural cycle described above and makes sure all the good stuff is broken down into a form your crops can use.

Pests and diseases are controlled by prevention, not intervention; as the old saw goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Natural farming preparations increase crop immunity to pests and diseases, just as we take vitamins to reduce the chances of getting sick.

Beneficial microorganisms act to control harmful microorganisms, mainly by crowding them out.

Best of all, the materials used in natural farming preparations are mostly available right on the farm and will cost little or nothing.

Microorganisms in Farming

“Effective Microorganisms” is the trademark term used to denote the specific mixed culture of known, beneficial microorganisms, or EM, used as a microbial inoculant.

Microorganisms are necessary to every agricultural system.

“Beneficial Microorganisms” is a generic term for a large group of microorganisms that contribute beneficial soil effects such as nitrogen fixation, mineralization, humus formation, disease suppression and decomposition.

Beneficial Microorganisms

Though we are mostly familiar with the microorganisms that cause human sickness, there is a whole host of microorganisms that do us a lot of good. In fact without many of these microorganisms, we could very well starve. Some of the beneficial microorganisms that help us produce our food and their properties are:

• Photosynthetic bacteria
  • Self-supporting microorganisms
  • Converts useful substances from secretion of roots, organic matter and/or harmful gasses (hydrogen sulfide) using sunlight and heat of soil as sources of energy
  • Useful substances: amino acids, nucleic acids, bioactive substances - promotes plant growth and development
• Lactic acid bacteria
  • Produces lactic acid from sugars and other carbohydrates
  • Strong sterilizer
  • Suppresses harmful microorganisms e.g., lusarlum and nematodes, which cause disease problems in continuous cropping
  • Increases rapid decomposition or organic matter
  • Enhances breakdown or organic matter
  • Ferments organic matter thoroughly, decreasing harmful influences caused by undecomposed organic matter
• Yeasts
  • Synthesizes microbial and useful substances for plant growth
  • Promotes active cell and root division
• Fermenting fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium)
  • Decomposes organic matter rapidly to produce alcohol esters and antimicrobial substances
  • Suppresses odors
  • Prevent infestation

By culturing these beneficial microorganisms, we can come up with preparations that enhance plant growth, control pests, and so increase the profitability of farming.

Natural Farming Preparations

Indigenous Micro-organisms (IMO)

Properties

Revives soil nutrients; speeds up composting; controls non-beneficial microorganisms. IMO are naturally present in the soil, but are often deteriorated due to many factors.

Making IMO

1. Put 1 kilo of cooked rice in a wooden box that is 8 1/2” x 3” large or a section of a bamboo open on one side.
2. Cover the box or bamboo with a clean sheet of paper and tie with a string.
3. Cover with a plastic to keep out rainwater, insects and small rodents.
4. Place under forest or bamboo leaves or coconut husks.
5. Remove after 3 days. Molds will form on top of the rice.
6. Place in a clay jar the moldy rice and mix with a kilo or crude sugar.
7. Cover the jar with a clean sheet of paper and tie with a string. Place in a cool and shaded place. After 7 days this will yield a mudlike juice.

Development of IMO

1. IMO collected from clean area = IMO 1
2. IMO 1 + brown sugar 1:1 = IMO 2
3. IMO 2 + rice bran (w/ 60% moisture content) 1:1000 = IMO 3
4. IMO 3 + clean forest soil 1:1 = IMO 4
5. IMO 4 + dry manure 1:1 = IMO5

Using IMO

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of the juice to 1 liter of water.
2. Spray on soil and underside of plants
3. Consume within 3-6 months

Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ)

Properties

Food for the Indigenous Microorganisms; enhances plant growth; for greener leaves - better photosynthesis. Can also be consumed as a health supplement.

Making FPJ

1. Cut a trunk of a cardaba variety of banana. Camote tops, kangkong or alugbati tops as well as bamboo shoots can also be used.
2. Finely chop 2 kilos of the preferred ingredient. Mix with 1 kilo of crude sugar.
3. Place in a clay jar and put a rock on top for the contents to settle at the bottom.
4. On the next day, remove the rock and cover the jar with a clean sheet of paper and tie with a string. Put the jar in a cool and shaded place. Fermentation will be complete in 7 days.
5. This will yield 2 1/2 liters of juice when banana trunk is used.
6. Spray on leaves and soil. This will help in the increase of IMO.

Using FPJ

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of the juice with 1 liter of water.
2. Together with the IMO concoction, spray on the soil once a week
3. For human consumption, mix with a little water.

Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ)

Properties

Sweetens fruit; adds potassium. Can also be consumed as a health supplement.

Making FFJ

1. Chop 1 kilo of ripe fruit. Do not include skin and seed.
2. You can use bananas, mangoes, papaya and avocados. Matured squash can also be used.
3. Put the chopped fruit inside the clay jar and mix with 1 kilo of crude sugar.
4. Cover with a clean sheet of paper and tie with a string.
5. Place in a cool and shaded place. Ferment for 7 days. This will make approximately 2 ½ liters of juice.
6. Spray on leaves and soil.

Using FFJ

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of the juice to 1 liter of water
2. Add to the IMO and FPJ mixture and spray together on the leaves of fruit-bearing trees and surrounding soil.
3. As a health drink, it increases energy, improves bowel movement and the digestive system and removes smell from feces.

Oriental Herbal Nutrient (OHN)

Properties

Natural pesticide.

Making OHN

1. Chop 5 kilos of ginger or garlic.
2. Put in a clay jar. Add beer up to 1/3 of the jar.
3. After 12 hours add 1 kilo of crude sugar. Ferment for 4 to 5 days.
4. Fermentation procedure is as follows:
   1. Add beer or gin up to 1/3 of the jar.
   2. After 10 days, extract the same amount of juice as the gin that was added.
   3. Do a and b three times.
   4. On the 4th and 5th time, mix with crushed chili, panyawan and neem tree fruits together with the gin to maintain potency.
5. Together with other mixtures spray on plants every week when they weaken or start to flower.

Using OHN

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of OHN to 1 liter of water.
2. Add to the IMO and FPJ mixture and spray together on the leaves and soil every week.

Fish Amino Acid (FAA)

Properties

Aids in nitrogen fixation.

Making FAA

1. Put fish bones, intestines, gills and skin or snails in a plastic container. Add the same amount of crude sugar
2. Cover and place in a cool and shaded place. Extract the juice after 10 days.
3. Mix 2 tbsp. of the juice to 1 liter of water.

Using FAA

1. Sprinkle on plants, soil or compost.

Calcium Phosphate

Properties

Induces flowering.

Making Calcium Phosphate preparation

1. Boil 2 kilos of animal bones to separate meat and fat. Air dry.
2. Broil until charcoal black. Cool.
3. Place in a plastic container with 5 gallons of clear coconut vinegar. Cover for 30 days.
4. For long storage, fill up a bottle to the top making sure no air is present

Using Calcium Phosphate

1. Sprinkle on plants, soil or compost.

Calcium

Properties

To increase the sweetness of fruits and to strengthen flowers.

Making Calcium preparation

1. Panfry 2kg of eggshells
2. Cool and place in a plastic container. Mix with 5 gallons of colorless coconut vinegar. Cover for 20 days.
3. Mix 2 tbsps. of the juice to 1 liter of water.

Using Calcium

1. Sprinkle on plants, soil or compost.

Lactic Acid Bacteria Serum (LABS)

Properties

Defense against viruses and fungi.

Making LABS

1. Save the first rice wash because this has plenty of good microorganisms. Place in a clay jar.
2. Rice wash should be 7 inches deep. Place jar in a cool and shaded place.
3. After 7 days the rice bran will float on top. Strain and use only the water of LABS.
4. Put in a jar and add fresh milk 10 times its quantity.
5. Cover with a clean sheet of paper and tie with a string. After 7 days the fat will float on top and underneath is a yellowish substance.
6. Extract only the yellowish substance without the fat and add crude sugar the same amount of the LABS so it will not spoil. Store in a cool and shaded place for 7 days.

Using LABS

1. Mix 2 tbsps. of LABS to 1 liter of water.
2. This can be used as animal drink and can also be sprinkled on plants and compost.

Natural Attractant for Flying Insects

Properties

Helps eliminate flying insects.

Making Natural Attractant preparation

1. Get 1 gallon of coconut vinegar and add ½ kilo of crude sugar before boiling. Cool and add 1/3 liter of FPJ concentrate.
2. Put some of the mixture in containers and hang on fruit-bearing trees.
3. Put some of the mixture and hang on vegetable trellises.

Using Natural Attractant

1. Put some of the mixture in a container and place near vegetable plots.

Soil Management

As a farmer it is important that he manage his soil for this will affect the future of his existence and his income. If the soil is damaged then he will have less income and may end up selling the land for it is not productive anymore.

In Natural Farming, we discourage tilling the soil, which means no plowing.

The reason is that the more soil is tilled, the harder it gets. When the rain comes, the tilled soil compresses and the soil becomes harder.

Why farmers till the soil

• Aeration - to soften the soil. To break up the pathogen growth and cycle.
• For weeding - to be able to initially stop the growth cycle of weeds

Perfect soil structure should be soil, organic matter and microorganisms. Without organic matter and microorganisms, soil becomes hard and infertile. This is the reason why farmers have to till their soil and add conventional fertilizer, because this soil lacks organic matter and microorganisms.

Mulching

The natural farming solution is mulching. Mulching means to place material like rice straw or chopped banana trunks over the soil and letting it decompose there, where it acts both to protect the topsoil and as fertilizer. Some discourage mulching because it creates more bacteria. While that is true, the natural farming method has techniques to ensure that you get the right kinds of bacteria in your mulch.

Mulching is land preparation for the coming years. It helps the soil the regain its nutrients. The more you use mulching the more your soil becomes fertile. In the mulching process, you only need to spray your soil with the solution of IMO, FPJ, OHN and FAA. IMO helps produce microorganisms and FPJ revitalizes the microorganisms. OHN prevents any bacteria from producing your soil while FAA will produce more earthworms, which fertilizes the soil.

In mulching, the microorganisms and the earthworms will perform the aerating and soil breaking processes modern farming does by tilling. Thus the more earthworms and microorganisms present in your soil, the better your soil will be.

Other forms of good soil management are to practice crop rotation and avoid mono-cropping.

Benefits of Mulching

• Prevents water evaporation
• Prevents weak growth
• Improves soil structure
• Binds sandy soil together
• Increases rain penetration for up to 1 meter in depth
• Improves clay soil drainage
• Can be done in rainy and dry season
• Increases presence of earthworms

Preparation of Mulching Solution

1. Mix the ff preparations:
   • 2 tbsp IMO + 1 liter water
   • 2 tbsp FPJ + 1 liter water
   • 2 tbsp OHN + 1 liter water
   • 2 tbsp FAA + 1 liter water
2. Spray over mulched soil

Nutri-Periodism Theory

Nutrio-Periodism Theory is a theory that emphasizes the different nutritional requirements of crop plants at the different growth stages. The theory can be summarized as follows:

There are two different major stages in the life of crop plants, the vegetative growth and the reproductive growth. The transitional and overlapping period is called as the change-over period.

For this reason, we will divide the crop growth into three stages and apply supplements as needed in each stage.