Nature Farming: by Steve Diver Nature Farming was developed in Japan in the 1930s by Mokichi Okada, who later formed the Mokichi Okada Association (MOA). Nature Farming parallels organic farming in many ways but includes special emphasis on soil health through composts rather than organic fertilizers, when possible. Kyusei Nature Farming, a branch group, emphasizes use of microbial preparations in addition to traditional Nature Farming. Nature Farming is most active in the Pacific rim, including California and Hawaii. Since the late 1980s, Nature Farming has gained wider recognition in the United States through the coordinated efforts of MOA and the Rodale Institute in the formation of the World Sustainable Agriculture Association (WSAA). The WSAA and MOA sponsor annual conferences on Nature Farming and sustainable agriculture. Kyusei Nature Farming conducts on-farm research in California. One MOA worker in Hawaii explained that in fact they even make special composts for different purposes. Thus, in terms of how the foundation of Nature Farming is laid, it appears that humus indeed forms the basis of production. Likewise, while not being familiar with all the particulars of Effective Microorganisms (EM) used in Nature Farming, on viewing the number of research papers available through Kyusei Nature Farming that deal specifically with microbes, it appears that these microbial additions to soils are important also for the role they play in the formation of humus. All of this stuff on humus is important, just as is the advanced work being done on biological controls by Dietrick, Grossman, BIRC, Kyusei Nature Farming, etc. More on humus, the Luebke influence: The Luebke farm family of Austria have infused a reawakening amongst farmers and landgrant workers as to the importance of humus through their seminars and conference appearances. The Luebkes teach a 3-day seminar on humus management, and a 4-day seminar on Controlled Microbial Composting (CMC). The Luebke system is based on the use of forage- and covercrop-based crop rotations, green manures microbially incoculated at plowdown, CMC compost prepared with microbial inoculants and rock dusts, and proper tillage (spade plow). Whether a farmer is financially capable of purchasing a Sandberger compost turner and adopting the whole CMC compost preparation method is secondary to the fact that they come away with a deeper understanding of the vital role soil microbes play in the formation of the clay-humus crumb, and how they can manage their soils to increase this effect. For example, the Luebkes improved a clay soil on their farm from 2% O.M. to 15% O.M. in a ten year period using humus management techniques. Most interesting to me as a farm advisor are the soil health evaluation procedures the Luebkes employ. These include percent O.M., the colorimetric humus test, the circular chromatography test, and the buffered pH test. One of these in particular, the colorimetric humus test, has merit for wider adoption, and indeed has already been adopted by several commercial soils labs in the U.S. after it was re-introduced by the Luebkes. In fact, this method was developed in the U.S. decades ago but fell out of usage. The colorimetric humus test is done by extracting a soil or compost sample with a weal alkali solution (sodium hydroxide), filtering the solute, and then comparing the color of the extract against a colorimetric scale of standardized liquid-filled test tubes. The result is a relative number from 0-100. The idea behind this test is that it gives an indication of the degree and amount to which organic matter in soil has entered a humified state. When the humus number is compared against percent O.M., it provides a ratio that can be evaluated. Ideally, the ratio will be 1 part O.M. to 3 parts humus. Too little or too high humus readings provide an indication of a soil out of balance. This test is especially insightful in combination with the chroma and buffered pH test. In one instance, it was apparent the soil was constipated...plenty of soil humus, but no microbial activity to make the goodies available through mineralization. At the very least, it demonstrates that sustainable farmers are getting useful information about the condition of their soils via other methods of soil evaluation in addition to or as an alternative to standard university soils tests.
