What is Natural Farming?

(Sitting in the front is Mr. Han Gyue Cho, president of Janong Natural Farming)

Natural Farming utilizes natural resources made locally by farmers themselves with natural farm by-products aided by locally available indigenous micro-organisms instead of using herbicide and pesticide. Natural Farming results in the superior agricultural roducts with the high productivity and the minimum cost and labor by maximizing the nature’s potential.

-Natural Farming pursues harmony with nature based on the law of nature (three spirits : water, heat, air two heats : heat from sky , heat from ground three bodies : sky, earth, air)

-Natural Farming farmers produce their own agricultural resources/material easily with natural resources and agro-livestock by-products from the farm.

-Natural Farming encourages the combined agriculture and livestock farm to cross-utilize the by-products to make the animal feed and natural fertilizers. Natural Farming principles and technology has already been established for the livestock farming as well as for the crops.-In Natural Farming, the application of the natural fertilizer/feed is managed based on the Nutritive Cycle Theory.
NATURAL FARMING METHODOLOGY

No Pesticide

Natural Farming does not use pesticide at all. Pesticides not only kill insects, but also remain in the soil and in fruits. When absorbed, it can inflict serious lasting harm to our bodies and even our descendants. Natural Farming helps the corrupt ecosystem to recover. The recovered and balanced ecosystem results in less pests and less diseases. Fruits from Natural Farming exhibit natural colors, fragrance, and sometimes insect bite marks, a proof of zero pesticides.

No herbicide

Natural Farming does not use herbicides. Killing the weeds with herbicides is not the only solution, nor is it wise. Herbicide is lethal to human also. Natural Farming utilizes the weeds rather than killing them. We intentionally grow the wild grass such as rye and clover for mulching. The grass prevents soil erosion, holds moisture, helps micro-organisms to propagate, produces organic fertilizer, improves soil ventilation and suppresses pests.

No Tilling

Natural Farming promotes no mechanical tilling of the land. Instead of using tilling machines, we use earthworms, micro-organisms and small animals to nurture the soil. Machine plows 8 inches at best, whereas earthworms can dig 13 to 23 feet into the ground. The excretions of the earthworms produce the best nutrient-rich soil.No chemical fertilizerNatural Farming does not use chemical fertilizer. Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potassium, calcium and all other elements that would be commonly given in the form of chemical fertilizer are substituted with Natural Farming materials. Fish amino acid provides nitrogen, eggshells give calcium, and animal bones are the source of phosphoric acid. Our Natural Farming materials are not only cheap, but also highly effective.

Livestock barn with no pollution

There’s no pollution from Natural Farming livestock barns. Natural Farming livestock barns and pens do not discharge any wastewater. When feces from livestock fall on the floor, it is quickly decomposed by powerful micro-organism activities. Concrete is not used on the barn floor. The floor is in direct contact with the soil which teems with micro-organisms. The floor consists of a mixture of rice straws, sawdust, and fresh soil. There is no need to clean or remove animal waste and feces from Natural Farming barns even after many years of use. They do not pile up; they are decomposed with little smell. Natural Farming barns do not smell. Natural resources, such as the sunlight, efficient air circulations and micro-organisms, are utilized to maintain the floor dry and fluffy. It is a common sight to see a Natural Farming barns or pens right next to a resident building.

No artificial heating

Natural Farming barns and pens do not need any artificial heating. Instead of using fossil fuel or electricity to provide heating, we help the livestock to develop the natural resistance against cold. Natural Farming chickens grow short, tough and dense hair whereas ordinary chickens have long, soft and sparse hair. In cold regions, the heat coming from fermentation of compost is utilized to maintain a comfortable temperature level in the barn.

Natural Feed made locally by Farmers

Natural Feed made locally by Farmers. Chickens are fed with whole brown rice grains and bamboo leaves immediately after hatching. Tough fiber-rich feed strengthens their intestines. Animals raised by Natural Farming methodology are healthy, strong and have little diseases.

Nutritive Cycle Theory

Natural Farming raises crops and livestock based on the Nutritive Cycle Theory. It is a theory that enables us to identify the changing growth stages of plants and animals. Natural Farming methodology is a very elaborate, complicated and precise method that denies the “spray-and-forget”kind of approach. Natural Farming emphasizes the right use of the right material, at the right stage, and in the right quantity.

NATURAL AGRO-RESOURCES

Indigenous micro-organism (IMO)

Indigenous micro-organisms are powerful and effective natural resources that improve the soil conditioning and the crop health. They are easily collected from local woods or fields using a simple wooden lunch box containing steamed rice. They are then cultivated mixed with brown sugar and rice bran. By utilizing micro-organisms that survived and adapted to the local environment for hundreds or thousands of years, we can obtain safe, cheap, yet powerful natural fertilizers and livestock feeds.

Oriental Herbal Nutrient (OHN)

Oriental herbal nutrient is made from herbs valued in oriental medicine, such as licorice, cinnamon, garlic and ginger.

Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ)

New sprouts and young fruits with high hormone concentration, fully ripened fruits, flower abundant in honey, and any plant with strong fragrance are good resources to make Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ). FPJ is made by fermenting plant juices extracted from plant parts in brown sugar utilizing the osmotic pressure.

Fish amino acid (FAA)

FAA is made from fermented fish or leftover parts (head, guts, bones, etc), especially the fish having green-color back. You can make a great protein source from fish by extracting juice from fish fermented with brown sugar. FAA is in the liquid form, and is used as a high quality natural nitrogen fertilizer for crops.

Water-soluble Calcium Phosphate (WCP)

WCP is derived from animal bones dissolved in the brown-rice vinegar.It suppresses an excessive nitrogen manifestation. It is particularly effective for plants in the transition stage between the growth and the fruiting stages.

Water-soluble Calcium (WCA)

WCA is extracted by dissolving shells of eggs, oysters, crabs, etc. in the brown-rice vinegar. Calcium is effective in increasing the fruit sugar level or maturing the fruits at the later stages of growth.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB)

LAB is made from the rice-washed water and pure milk. It is similar to the yogurt making process. LAB gives strength to a weak plant which is losing the photosynthesis capability. LAB also has an outstanding effect in increasing the size of fruits.

Insect Attractant (IA)

Instead of pesticide, Natural Farming uses various natural insect attractants (fermented plant juice mixed with raw rice wine) to get rid of insects. Insects’keen sense of smell and taste is utilized to lure and catch insects into IA-containing plastic bottles with open side windows. (Source: Janong Natural Farming)