Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Steve Diver <steved@ipa.net>]

I'm in general agreemen there is a lot of detail involved 
in developing microbial inoculants.   

But there are several practical farming methods that 
enhance local microflora and/or culture local microflora.  

Raising the proper sequence of cover crops in 
rotation and reducing tillage can enhance indigenous 
mycorrhizal fungi, for example.   Certain cover
crops are known as suitable hosts for mycorrhizae. 

Other methods that enhance local microflora and/or
culture local microflora include composting, mulching, 
compost extracts, plant extracts, and microbial cultures
using IMO and EM recipes.  

This [Livingontheland] email list has posted the following 
link from NewFarm.org on several occassions.  

Using the ordinary to cultivate the mysterious power of 
beneficial indigenous microorganisms
NewFarm.org | April 2004
http://www.newfarm.org/features/0404/microorgs/index.shtml

It features Gil Carandang, the organic farmer from the
Philipines, and his workshops on Beneficial Indigenous
Microorganisms, or BIMO.

Gil Carandang and myself co-taught the first workshop
in North America on the IMO system from Korea, at the 
Eco-Farm Conference in California, in 2003.

The IMO system has been around since the 1960s, so 
there are four decades of research and farm experience 
in Korea and surrounding parts of Asia with IMO. 

The Indigenous Microorganisms system, known as IM or 
or IMO, was developed by Han Kyu Cho with the Korean Natural
Farming Association, or KNFA.  There is one book in English,
but it is rare and out-of-print.

Korean Natural Farming: Indigenous Microorganisms and
Vital Power of Crop/Livestock
Han Kyu Cho and Atsushi Koyama
Korean Natural Farming Association, 1997. 172 p.

Gil studied with Han Kyu Cho and has since developed
a knack for teaching classes on this method that is 
humorous and educational.   

The bottomline is that the IMO method is practical
and effective.  It cultures local microflora and the
the end result is enhanced fertility and biological pest
control in soil, crop, and livestock management.   

The other prominent on-farm method of culturing
local microflora featured on the NewFarm.org web 
site deals with on-farm mass propagation of mycorrhial 
fungi using Bahia grass, commercial AM Fungal Inoculant, 
and a compost-vermiculite nursery mix.  

This is based on the work of Dr. David Douds, a 
USDA-ARS scientist who has published several 
dozen journal articles on mycorrhizal fungi.    

There is a company in California that can provide
laboratory analysis and quality verification of 
mycorrhizal inoculants, whether laboratory or 
farm raised. 

Terra Preta might be the ultimate example of on-farm 
culture of beneficial microorganisms to enhance soil quality. 

Steve Diver