Tuesday

Korean natural farming anyone?

I been spending some time watching presentations on microbiology, especially mycorrhizae in soil. Its quiet fascinating, and the absolute lack of diversity at 7Chapels currently concerns me. Did I ever say how much I hate grass. The lack of insects and animals is painfully obvious currently and I assume the same is the case for the microbiology. 

There are literally millions ideas from burying you briefs to Korean natural farming idea of placing a host medium in a suitable place for a period of time, till this medium is showing the white fluffy mycorrhizae, then using this to inoculate various things. Rice is traditionally used as the medium, placed in a woven basket. Well, I am not weaving, and I have no idea what the basket at the store was subject to, to ensure it had no insects, so I built a quick wooden box. 

I place this box, with parboiled rice and in a few of the nearby locations I suspect are rich in different mycorrhizae. One is wetlands, one is pine forest and the 3rd is more woodlands. Leave it for a week to 10 days then check. If its looks white and fluffy, its going straight into my compost pile, which I hope to inoculate.  The compost in turn will be spread around. Its no were near as scientific as some would do it.

I don't want to bring things from outside into my bio containment area (the farm), but feel that for this the first season, it is important to do so in a controlled manner, as it currently feels very lacking in diversity.