Yesterday was the first day of my week celebration of SuperForest’s birthday. If you missed the first post catch it here! So here goes part 2!
(Via.)
The increasing desolation of nature, the exhaustion of resources, the uneasiness and disintegration of the human spirit, all have been brought about by humanity’s trying to accomplish something.
- Masanobu Fukuoka
Hellloooo SuperForest!
Ever heard of permaculture? Of course you have! That is exactly what our dear Jackson is up to in Kauai with Zero One! Well the man pictured above is Masanobu Fukuoka, a major player in natural farming. He isn’t responsible for permaculture, but rather a different kind of farming that is called “The Natural Way of Farming.” But he certainly is a major player in anyone interested in organic farming or permaculture. He has published many works, and a good number have been translated into English. One of his most famous works is “The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming: The Visionary Modern Classic: A Way of Farming, and a Way of Life, to Heal the Land and the Human Spirit,” which I highly recommend you all check out! But now a bit of a background.
Growing up in the 1920′s and 30′s Masanobu always had an interest in nature, leading to him becoming a microbiologist. At age 25 he experienced what Buddhists call Satori, or “Understanding.” After this enlightenment, Masanobu packed up his things and headed back to his family’s farm. From that point onwards he devoted his life into learning, creating, and transforming his world into a more sustainable and abundant one. He became a true revolutionary in the ways of natural farming, later teaching many others in his ways. At the root of his belief is the idea of returning to completely natural ways of growing. He created five tenants that became central to his system:
- plowing or tilling proves unnecessary
- imported-from-off-farm fertiliser applications prove unnecessary, as does the process of composting
- weed eradication proves unnecessary, instead only minimal weed control with minimal disturbance
- pesticides’ & herbicides’ applications prove unnecessary
- pruning of fruit trees proves unnecessary
Using these five basic ideas he brought nature into his farm and orchard, thus creating a highly compact and highly abundant crop. He then travelled the world teaching many farmers of his findings and beliefs, while also taking on challenges, such as turning deserts back into arable land. He often refers to his teaching as “The road back to nature.”
One of his most famous methods is the use of the seed ball, which originates from ancient times. The method involves using seeds, compost (or humus), clay, and a cotton or paper covering all rolled up into a ball. The ball keeps the seeds moist and healthy, allowing them to begin their germinating process, while also protecting them for long periods of dryness. The method can be used in any area of the world, assuming of course there are growing conditions. Here is a video on the clay seed ball. You can just skip through it to get an idea of how the balls are made (featuring Masanobu Fukuoka himself!).
For the rest of this post I am going to ask you to watch this nine minute video that recaptures Masanobu Fukuoka’s ideas and methods first hand through the voice of Larry Korn. There is so much to learn from this man, and this video does a great job of summing a lot of his methods and philosophies up. Enjoy!
Hope you enjoyed! If you interested in learning more, click here!
See you tomorrow for the next exciting instalment leading up to SuperForest’s birthday bash!
Much love,
Mathew
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