PHILIPPINES

Li ve to farm,
farm to live
ORGANIC
FARMING PHILIPPINES
FUNDAMENTALS TROPICAL ECOLOGY

CONTENTS
Bridging the Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Feed Your Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CONCOCTIONS & FEEDS

FPJ: Fermented Plant Juice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
IMO: Indigenous Micro-organisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
OHN: Oriental Herbal Nutrients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
FAA: Fish Amino Acids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
LaBS: LactoBacillus Serum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
CalPhos: Calcium Phosphate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The Culture of Vermi and
Vermicomposting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Vermitea: Tea Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

TUTORIALS & APPLICATIONS

S.A.L.T the Earth: A Mountainous Agriculture Theory . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Bringing It All Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Soiled Plans: Companion Planting, Crop Rotation and Nitrogen Fixing . 22

HYBRID AGRICULTURAL EMPOWERMENT

EDUCATE • ADVOCATE • RECIPROCATE
Founder: Patrick Taylor #IamHybrid
Support Hybrid: patreon.com/hybridagri
Support Community Farmers: gofundme.com/hybridagri
Download Manuals: hybridagriempowerment.com/manual
Video Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/c/hybridagri
Follow: facebook.com/hybridagri • Twitter/Instagram: @hybridagri
Contact: hybidagriculturalempowerment@gmail.com
Cover Art by @honeymae on Instagram
 Organic Farming Fundamentals

Patrick Taylor w/ star student, Jenelyn Taata aka Araro Girl of Student becomes the teacher. Jenelyn Taata aka Araro Girl teaching
Pamansalan Eco Tech High School, Dipolog. organic farming to her peers.

BRIDGING THE GAP

A fresh perspective on contemporary agriculture
My Hybrid movement was started with the simple idea of giving free organic
agriculture education to the farmers who want it and anyone else who
is interested. In the Philippines, the lack of younger agriculturists and a
growing population presents a very real sustainability issue.
I make no money from this. All donations go directly to project costs.
Hybrid is a service to the farmers and communities. This is purely for
education and advocacy as well to build a network between the farmers,
agricultural educators, advocates for the farmers, and their media and
government counterparts.

WHERE IT STARTS AND WHEN One person

It starts locally right away. I will show you how one man or woman, just like can make a
you, can make a difference. This is the ripple effect I speak of.
difference. If Ican,
We will take this advocacy and education directly to the farmers that so can you. Make
need it in the field. From there, we will move to the media and government
agencies to spread this movement to the people to bolster interest in what a positive impact
is trying to being accomplished and to help bring in more young farmers. today.

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment

CONCOCTIONS & FEEDS

FEED YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Feeds are crucial in agriculture. We will discuss
the proportions and fractions. There is a little
math behind this. Don’t worry, it’s painless. I will
also discuss getting the most out of what you
have available to you in your area.
WHY MAKE YOUR OWN FEEDS?
Consider this: the essence of being organic is to not only harness
what nature has given you but to also mitigate waste as much as
you can and limit any resource or capital intensive inputs.

WHAT TO USE?
I have used the following successfully:
FOR PROTEINS
The Hybrid way • Trash fish
is designed to • Soya meal
be a practical, • Fish meal (for those using dried, ground fish, I reccomend
expedient and, not using salt later on as the fish meal would more than likely
have salt in place already).
most of all, a
FOR CARBOHYDRATE INPUT
simple way to • Rice bran
make organic • Corn bran
feeds. FOR LIPIDS
• Copra meal
I teach the FOR MINERALS
basic elements • Salt
of organic • Carbonized rice hull

production for FOR VITAMINS

• FAA (Fish Amino Acids) (Calcium supplement)
free because • FPJ (Fermented Plant Juice) (Growth enhancer)
nature doesn’t • OHN (Oriental Herbal Nutrients) (Immune booster)
charge us for • LaBS ( LactoBacillus Serum) (Probiotics/digestion aid)
everything she • CalPhos (Calcium Phosphate)
provides. Mix ingredients as they are. Weigh them for proper proportioning.

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 Organic Farming Fundamentals

Don’t limit yourself to the inputs I have listed. The essence of organic Do some
agriculture, or agriculture as a whole, is to learn by trial and error.
research and
THREE BASIC TYPES OF FEEDS (GSF) experiment!
1. grower
2. starter Do not be afraid
3. finisher feeds to think outside
The way I will draw this out, I will put the elements of the food in order of the box.
importance to the animal and the percentages needed for each stage will
be adjacent from left to right the numbers will go from grower to starter to Pay attention
finisher feed. to proportions,
ELEMENTS GROWER STARTER FINISHER percentages,
Protein 35 25 20 and math.
Carbs 50 60 58
Lipids 8 8 15
Minerals 5 5 5
Vitamins 2 2 2
Now, here’s the math. Remember that 1 kilo = 1,000 grams.
For example:
Grower feed: Protein 35 % 350 grams, Carbs 50% 500 grams, Lipids 8%
80 grams, Minerals 5% 50 grams, Vitamins 2% 20 grams
...and so on.
You get the idea. If it comes up short or heavy sometimes, don’t sweat it.
Do some research and experiment!

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment
Watch How to Make FPJ
on YouTube (click on the
image to view video).
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FPJ: FERMENTED PLANT JUICE
Organic growth enhancer
Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) can be used on both plants and animals as an
organic growth enhancer. My version ferments in 7 days.
WHAT YOU NEED
• 1 kilo Kang kong
• 1 kilo Camote tops
• 1 kilo Banana trunk
• 1.5 kilo Molasses or Muscavado
HOW TO PREPARE
1. You want to chop your vegetables fine.
2. Mix them in with your molasses or muscavado.
3. Seal and be sure to mark dates and times so you do not forget.
4. Store in a dark place seal well but not airtight.
APPLICATION
PLEASE NOTE that with the use of FPJ, there is no overdose; you may use
it liberally. However, the soil must be watered first before applying FPJ to
avoid scorching of the roots.
• Add 2 tsp FPJ to 1 liter of H2O
• Mix 2 teaspoons of FPJ per liter of water and spray on the leaves or
apply directly to the soil around the plants from seedling stage up to
pre-flowering stage
• You can apply weekly or depending on plant vigor
As seed treatment before sowing — soak the seeds in 0.2 % solution for
4 to 5 hours to facilitate germination and as a start-up solution to
germinating seeds.
As a natural growth enhancer ­— FPJ made from actively growing plant
parts of fast growing plants may contain natural growth hormones and
mineralized nitrogen that promotes plant growth.
Apply FPJ to the soil to serve as source of energy to accelerate
activities of soil microorganism. This activity will make the nutrients
available to the plants.
Give FPJ as drink to livestock at 1 tbsp/liter to increase microbial
activities in gastrointestinal tracts. This would result to better absorption
of nutrients.
Spray FPJ to animal beddings to hasten manure decomposition.
 Organic Farming Fundamentals

IMO: INDIGENOUS MICRO-

ORGANISMS
Soil micro-organisms to aid decomposition
Indigenous Micro-organisms (IMO) are the ultimate aid of the organic
crop grower. To control the microorganisms in the soil is to have a huge
advantage in your favor of your crops growing proper.

HOW TO PREPARE
1 kilo rice to 1 kilo sugar
• You put (cooked) rice into a sealed container for 3-5 days
• Remove black and green mold upon mixing with molasses,
muscovado, or brown sugar
• Reseal container, then let it sit for 3-4 more days
The soil has 3 kinds of microorganisms: good, bad, and neutral. The neutral
microorganisms are usually the largest number and will follow suit of the
prevailing number of either good or bad microorganisms.

USES
Also, I use this to aid in the decomposition of my compost piles and it is a
powerful aid in ridding your kitchen of bad smells. Watch How to Make
It can also be used in your animal beddings as well: 2 teaspoon to every IMO on YouTube
liter of clean water, as always, is the dose. (click on the image to
view video).

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment
Watch How to Make
OHN on YouTube (click
on the image to view
video).
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OHN: ORIENTAL HERBAL
NUTRIENTS
An immunity booster for plants and animals
In organic farming, we shy away from using non-natural immunizations as
much as can be done. Oriental Herbal Nutrients (OHN) can be used on
PLANTS and ANIMALS. Here is how it is made:
WHAT YOU NEED
• 1 kilo garlic
• 1 kilo ginger
• 400 grams muscovado/molasses/brown sugar
• 2.2 liters pure coconut vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Peel, clean, and cut garlic and ginger
2. Mix with whichever sugar you have
3. Ferment for 3 days anaerobic condition
(no oxygen, airtight seal)
4. After 3 days, add 2.2 liters coco vinegar
5. Ferment 10 days, still anaerobic
FURTHER INPUT
To modify OHN to OHN2, which is a powerful ORGANIC insecticide:
• Add 100g Sili and 100g Makabuhay
• Ferment for 10 extra days
 Organic Farming Fundamentals

FAA: FISH AMINO ACIDS

Amino acids and calcium supplement for both plants
and animals.
Fish Amino Acids (FAA) supply a lot of crucial amino acid complexes as
well as supplement calcium. This concoction CAN be used with both plants
and animals.

WHAT YOU NEED

• 1 kilo trash fish gills, scales, offals
• 1 kilo molasses or muscavado

HOW TO PREPARE
1. Clean and wash fish then drain for 5 minutes.
2. Slice fish to an inch size.
3. Mix all parts thoroughly in a plastic pail.
4. Mix with 1 kilo of molasses/muscavado thoroughly.
5. Put nylon screen ontop of the mixture.
6. Put 5-8 pieces 25-50 grams stone ontop of nylon screen.
7. Wipe the mouth of the plastic pale.
8. Cover with two layered manila paper.
9. Tie with rubber band.
10. Mark time and date ontop of fermentation container.
11. Keep in dark cool room for 15 days.
12. Open mixture and extract liquid.
13. Filter liquid and keep it in a plastic container (do not close cap tightly,
loosen the cap 1 twist).
14. Completely close cap after a week or when there are no bubbles.
15. Concoction is ready for use after extraction.

FOR ANIMALS
Mix in a dosage of 2 tsp per 1 liter of clean water also it can be mixed with
feeds at the same frequency recommended usage twice a week.

FOR PLANTS
Prepare same dosage 2 tsp FAA to 1 liter clean water and spray to the
plants at the base of the plant also recommended dosage 1 -2 times a
Watch How to Make
week.
FAA on YouTube
FOR SEVERE CASES ON EITHER PLANT OR ANIMAL, (click on the image to
DOUBLE THE DOSAGE. view video).

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment

LaBS: LACTOBACILLUS SERUM

Lactic acid bacteria serum for fungus elimination
and digestion enzymes
Lactobacillus Serum (LaBS) aids in the digestion of the animals and it
eliminates fungus in plants. It is also a deodorizer.

WHAT YOU NEED

• 900 ml cows milk
• 100 ml clear liquid rendered from fermented rice wash
• 1 liter molasses or muscavado

DOSAGE
• 2 tsp to 1 liter of clean water
(In severe cases, double the dosage)

APPLICATION
ANIMALS
Animals mix with drinking water twice weekly also can be mixed with feeds
at same frequency.
PLANTS/DEODORIZER
Prepare same dosage spray at base of plant 1 to 2 times a week.

FERMENTATION STEPS
Would you like to watch
a video tutorial on how
to make LaBS?
We are raising
funds to produce a
comprehensive library of
tutorials on patreon.com/
hybridagri
1. Use the first wash liquid from the cooked rice.
2. Put liquid inside a plastic container (3/4 full) wipe excess water.
3. Cover the container with double layered manila paper.
4. Mark name and date of start of fermentation.
5. Ferment for 7 days (first stage fermentation)
6. Use 1 liter cow’s milk and remove 100 ml (10 %)
7. Extract 100 ml from the now fermented rice wash.
8. Take the liquid between the bottom and top layers of the fermentation
and add to the 1 liter milk pack.
9. Return cover to the pack and seal with masking tape.
10. Mark with name and date of fermentation.
11. Keep it for 5 days in a dark and cool room. DO NOT DISTURB
12. Drain the liquid (whey) and filter, separate sludge from liquid.
13. Measure the liquid and add the same amount of molasses.
14. Keep it in a plastic container (do not close cap tightly, loosen cap
1 full twist.)
15. Completely close cap after 1 week or when there are no bubbles
going up.
16. Concoction is ready for use.

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 Organic Farming Fundamentals

CalPhos: CALCIUM PHOSPHATE

Calcium supplement for plants and animals
Calcium Phosphate (CalPhos) is a very durable calcium supplement that
can be used with both plants and animals.

WHAT YOU NEED

• 3 kg Cow bones
• 27 Liters of pure coconut vinegar
Fermentation length: 30 days

FERMENTATION STEPS
1. Clean and wash cow bones properly.
2. Cook the bones with some flesh and add spices.
3. Remove all met and fats and marrow thoroughly (you can eat those).
4. Wash and clean the bones.
5. Put the bones above fired charcoal
6. Wait until the remaining fats are drained.
7. Remove the bones when they are brownish in color (do not blacken
that means they’re overcooked).
8. Cool it off for 10 – 20 minutes.
9. Wash again to remove excess oil if needed.
10. Drain excess water.
11. Put the bones inside a plastic pail.
12. Add 27 liters of pure coconut vinegar without coloring.
13. Wipe mouth of plastic pail. Cover with 2 layered manila paper and
mark time, name and date.
14. Open the container after 30 days of soaking. Filter the liquid and
keep it in another plastic container (do not fully close container,
loosen the cap 1 full twist).
15. Completely close the cap after 1 week or when there are no bubbles
going up.
16. Write proper labels and markings. It is ready to use.

DOSAGE
2 tsp of calphos to every liter of clean water or in severe cases Would you like to watch
double the dosage. a video tutorial on how
to make CalPhos?
APPLICATION We are raising
Animals – mix with drinking water at the dosage above 2 to 4 times a week. funds to produce a
It can also be mixed with feeds at that frequency. comprehensive library of
Plants — prepare same dosage and spray to the plant base 1 to 3 times tutorials on patreon.com/
a week. hybridagri

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment
Watch How To Select
Your Compost Pit Site
on YouTube (click on the
image to view video).
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THE CULTURE OF VERMI AND
VERMICOMPOSTING
Would you call me crazy if I told you that through
proper utilization of natural decay and a few handfuls of
worms, you can save, on average, 700 pounds of waste
per year? And, if you are enterprising, you could make
good money off of those worms.
I am only using the most basic method to negate expenses while not
compromising effectiveness. This tutorial is designed to be the most basic
and stripped-down approach.
For starters, composting is not at all hard to do. Pick a well-shaded area.
Mushrooms are a good sign of natural decay. As well, my preferred method
is using leaves and grass clippings mixing liberally with any animal waste I
can obtain. I prefer goat, chicken, or pig waste most often. I also use FAA.
After you have found your compost pit area and that have your clippings,
leaves, etc., it is best to mix the waste and clippings very well. Liberally
apply IMO to deter the smell and to also catalyze decay.
As stated earlier, the majority of micro-organisms in soil or decaying matter
are neutral and will follow the prevailing number of bad or good micro-
organisms.
MIXTURE
Remember to apply 2 tsp to every liter of water for the IMO.
DECAYING MATTER FOR USAGE WITH VERMICULTURE
OR VERMICOMPOSTING
ANAEROBIC STAGE
Chop your materials into small pieces to make for better decomposition. Use
a knife or bolo or shredder ­— whatever you have. Moisten the materials. Add
to your composting bin and cover to initiate anaerobic decomposition leave
for 10-15 days, then material should be ready for worm consumption.
AEROBIC STAGE
Now that we have done the Anaerobic stage, introduce your worms to the
material note that aerobic decomposition lasts for 40-60 days.
Now that we have discussed a very basic, cost-effective way to make
compost and to prepare material to suffice as feeds for the worms we will
use, let’s get into vermiculturing and what it entails.
 Organic Farming Fundamentals

In organic and sustainable agriculture, proper utilization of waste negates My approach

the byproduct left behind while creating a very practical and versatile
fertilizer that not only is effective but has mass market potential as well. to agriculture
is what I call
LET’S TALK NUMBERS SHALL WE? “common sense
The average house produces 700 pounds that could be diverted through
proper composting or vermicomposting. Thirty percent (30%) of the waste gardening” so
stream in the US is divertable yard and food waste, and through proper that we don’t
utilization of these BASIC principles, the waste stream could be cut by discourage those
easily over 25%.
who want to
Worms feed off anything that is bio-degradable, so basic everyday wastes
we create can feed them. They are also labor extensive and usually locally
learn with an
available, requiring no imported benefits is a huge benefit. overly technical
or resource-
BENEFITS OF VERMICULTURE AND VERMICOMPOSTING
• Proper composting and vermi-culturing can vastly improve soil
intensive effort.
aeration, texture, and water retention.
• Earthworms are the creatures that absolutely aid best in speeding up
natural decomposition.
So you may be asking what do I need and how does this work? Firstly, the
species of worms I know of that are practical for usage in vermiculturing
are:
• African Night Crawler (my personal favorite)
• Red Tiger
• Red Wiggler
• Red Worms
• Blue Worms
I prefer The African Nightcrawler as it is the most easily obtainable in my
local area. It has yielded the best reproduction andhas given me almost no
problems, if properly maintained.

TEMPERATURE AND CONDITION

Temperature and condition, as well as food available to the worms, are all
extremely crucial in maintaining a well-functioning productive vermi pit .
I keep my worms out of the sun and in temperatures between 25 and 29
degrees C. It is most important to keep them fed properly. I try not to add
too much waste at once to feed them to negate attraction of fruit flies (just
my opinion).
The worms are hermaphrodites, meaning one worm contains both male and
female sexual organs. Maturity is reached in 6 weeks and you should see
population double in a month.

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment

Mixing compost at the Haruhay Regenerative Community

Incubator, Region X, Philippines.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN COMPOSTER

The easiest way is to use a rubber bin. If you want to build your own bin, the
following are important basics:
• Your bin should be around a foot in depth (no more than 1Ω feet).
• Your bin should be opaque and have a proper lid.
• Make sure to make enough air holes around the side of your bin.
• In order to drain the liquid (Compost Tea) out of your compost bin,
you will need some kind of pan on the bottom.
• You can decide your size, but 2 feet long x 1 1/2 feet wide x
1 foot deep is recommended.
• Use a 1-inch bit to make the holes on the sides of your bin and at
least a 1 to 1Ω inch bit for the holes in your lid.
• The depth of your bin is important. If you have at least a foot, your
bedding is more likely to compact, especially when it turns into
castings or vermicast. With less air going through your system, it will
turn from an aerobic stage to an anaerobic stage which is when your
compost bin starts to smell!
The choice of bin material is really up to you. As long as you have good air
flow and proper humidity in your bin, any kind of material is okay to use.
Some people use old bath tubs or even drawers of unused dressers to
make their composter. Use your imagination to create your own, just don’t
use anything that was previously used for chemicals. Keep in mind that
materials react differently. Wood for example, will suck moisture out of your
system and rot with time. However, it can be a good option because you
have the advantage of being able to make it exactly the shape you want,
so it can fit underneath your sink or on the bottom of a closet, for example.

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 Organic Farming Fundamentals

Collecting native species of earthworms.Haruhay Regenerative

Community Incubator, Region X, Philippines.

Make sure to not use treated wood or cedar as these will kill your worms.
Plywood is a great building material for this kind of project. With wooden
bins, you may need to add water once in a while.
Plastic bins are easy to deal with and will last longer. Most people use them
because they come in different shapes and sizes with a proper lid. The only
problem is that they can keep moisture trapped in your bedding, so make
sure you create enough air holes. Basically, do not use anything that would
harm your worms. (Cited from World of Worms)
The guys at World of Worms said it far better than I could have for the
actual building of the box itself. I am no carpenter, nor am I a technical
expert on the box building aspect.

SUBSTRATES FOR WORM PITS

Mixtures are as follows ratios are (in kilos):
• manure + ipil ipil/kakawate (madre de cacao) 2:1
• rice straw + manure 1:1
• grasses + chicken manure 3:1
• compost/ rice straw + corn bran 1:1
Pretty self explanatory.

HARVESTING
After 28-35 days or 4-5 weeks, harvesting commences. Refrain from
watering substrate a week prior to harvest to ease in separation of castings
and worms as well as avoiding compacting of the castings. Then separate
the breeder specimen worms from juvenile baby worms in separate areas.

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment

VERMITEA: TEA TIME

I consider this the simplest “common sense farming”
way, ala “the Hybrid way”. When you’re doing this, think
of brewing a cup of tea on a larger scale.
Now that I have given you an idea how to stand up your own vermicast pit,
you may be wondering what can you do with the resulting vermicast that you
have produced. Well, you guys are in luck because we will talk about that!
Other than using the vermicast to mix with soil or make humus or anything
like that, we can create a very potent foliar fertilizer. The process behind it
is quite simple as the aeration of the water catalyzes the reaction between
the micro organisms, sugars, and the vermicast itself.
Vermitea creation is a process that can be as simple or expensive as you
want it to be, given the type of operation you have and what your desired
outcome is.
I highly reccomend using an aquarium aerator motor for those wishing to
do this the simplest and most cost effective way.

Vermicast can be WHAT YOU WILL NEED

mixed with soil, to • 60 liter capacity container
• 60 liters water
make HUMUS,
• 500ml molasses
or create a very • 50ml IMO
potent FOLIAR • 3kg vermicast
FERTILIZER. • aerator device
• tea bag

HOW IT’S DONE

Would you like to watch
a video tutorial on how
to brew vermitea?
We are raising
funds to produce a
comprehensive library of
tutorials on patreon.com/
hybridagri
1. Prepare water and aerate for 30 minutes
2. Put vermicast in tea bag then put vermicast
tea bag into water and aerate
for another 30 minutes
3. Add 50ml molasses & 50ml IMO
4. Aerate the solution for 24hrs overnight
APPLICATION/RATIOS
• 1 liter vermitea = 3 liters water
Use at least once a week. you can spray at any stage in the plant’s life but
ideal usage comes during flowering stage.
Must use within 72 hours!

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 Organic Farming Fundamentals

TUTORIALS & APPLICATIONS

S.A.L.T THE EARTH:
A MOUNTAINOUS AGRICULTURE
THEORY
When you see this picture what does it make you think ?
S.A.L.T. =
Sloping
Agriculture Land
Technologies

Photo credit: UN FAO http://www.fao.org/Ö/agÖ/doc/publicat/gutt-shel/x5556e15.gif

You may think these are merely grasses on a hillside just there for whatever
reason. That couldn’t be further from the truth. These grasses and other
shrubs have a very practical purpose in not only stopping erosion but also
fixating nitrogen and also creating sustainable feeds for animals.
I think that many of the people that are into the agri-tourism scene or just
many people that have an idea that a farm needs to be perfectly manicured
that idea is a misnomer.

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment

Slash-and-burn plus clear cutting on the hillsides of Region IX, Philippines.

One of the biggest enemies of the mountain farmer is the incline combined
with lack of stable water supply coupled with El Niño. Any combination of
these factors can spell disaster. We cannot solve all the calamities of the
world but we can work in harmony with nature to bring about a more
desirable result.

A LITTLE HISTORY ON THE IDEA BEHIND S.A.L.T.

The Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center based in Davao Del Sur has
developed a theory on harnessing the usage of tree and shrub legumes to
negate erosion and conserve soil as well as fixating nitrogen and also food
for animals as mentioned above. This is a creation out of necessity due to
the outstanding cost of conventional inputs.
Its appeal lies in its simplicity that any level of farmer can actually plot
their inclined flats and implement this basic idea and it should help in
the areas mentioned above.
I quoted the following directly from my source material since I could not
have said it better myself:
“The practice is that of a variation of alley farming in which field and
S.A.L.T.’s appeal
perennial crops are grown in bands of 4-5 meters wide between contoured
is in its simplicity: rows of leguminous trees and shrubs. The latter are thickly planted in double
that any level rows to form hedgerows. When the hedge reaches 1.5-2.0 m in height, it
of farmer can is cut back to 40 cm and the cuttings are placed in the alleys between the
actually plot their hedgerows to serve as mulch and organic fertilizer or green manure.”
inclined flats and
Good choices for your hedgerow are Flemingia, Rensonii, Kakawati, ipil-ipil,
implement this madre de agua. Good grass to consider are napier grass or lemon grass,
basic idea. as well. For extra support (not necessarily nitrogen fixing but animal feed

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 Organic Farming Fundamentals

S.A.L.T. applied to a hilly area, Region IX, Philippines

and root support), sometimes what you have available will dictate what you With the gain
will use.
and benefits from
“Rows of perennial crops such as coffee, cacao, citrus and banana are
planted on every third alley created by contoured hedgerows. The alleys applying S.A.L.T.
not occupied by permanent crops are planted alternately to cereals (e.g. comes a threefold
com, upland rice or sorghum) or other crops (e.g. sweet potato, melon raise in actual
or pineapple) and legumes (e.g. mungbean, string bean, soybean or work input in
peanut). This cyclical cropping provides the farmer with several harvests some cases.
throughout the year.”On the outcome of yield and how it is affected:

“MBRLC has also conducted tests on crop productivity with emphasis on

corn, a traditional upland crop in the Philippines, particularly in Mindanao.
The influence of leucaena mulch on corn yields and the effect of minimum
inputs of inorganic fertiliser on productivity were of interest to MBRLC.

One trial studied the effect of organic and inorganic nitrogen

sources (leucaena mulch and fertiliser) on DMR-2 corn
production over eight croppings. There was a significant increase
in corn yields when either leucaena or fertiliser was used
with the fertiliser being more effective than leucaena.

However, the leucaena mulch treatment produced double the yield of

the no-fertilizer plots. Fertiliser treatments increased yield three-fold.”

With the gain and benefits from applying S.A.L.T. comes a threefold raise in
actual work input in some cases. So the farmer must decide what balances
in practicality vs cost effectiveness.

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment
Watch How to Cure
Seeds on YouTube (click
on the image to view
video).
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Adding FPJ mixture to the compost pile.
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
Everything I have taught so far
We have learned how to make IMO, OHN, FPJ, FAA, LABS, CALPHOS,
VERMICASTING/COMPOSTING and VERMITEA (basal & foliar spray).
Now let’s start applying them. Let’s setup our land and let Mother Nature
do the work for us, shall we ?
SEEDS AND SEEDLING TREATMENT
For beginners most of the modern crops of seeds are weak considering low
germination rates and bad production as well. So what we will do is this:
MIX
• 3 Liters water mix with
• 2 tsp coco vinegar mix with
• 2 tsp FPJ/ 2 tsp OHN
• Place seeds in a net bag or wire basket.
• Soak seeds for 4-8 hours. The slower the seeds germinate, the
longer they should be soaked.
PLANT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THEY CAN DRY!!!!
The seeds will develop thick cotyledons. A cotyledon is a significant part
of the embryo within the seed of a plant. Upon germination, the cotyledon
usually becomes the embryonic first leaves of a seedling. The number of
cotyledons present is one characteristic used by botanists to classify the
flowering plants (angiosperms). (Source: Science Daily).
This will make your seeds immune to worms. They will also have good root
 Organic Farming Fundamentals

development and make your plants more tolerable to diseases. Before The most basic
transplanting seedlings, DO NOT WATER FOR 2 DAYS.
principle in
TRANSPLANTING my theory on
• In 3 liters of water mix agriculture is:
• 2 tsp coconut wine
• 2 tsp FPJ or 2 tsp OHN Feed the soil
Soak seedlings for 15 seconds then immediately transplant. Sprinkle the and you feed
remaining mixture on plants after they are transplanted. the stomach!
Now that we have an idea of how to get our plants much stronger and more
tolerable to disease as well as giving them a good head start before we
plant them in the ground, let’s talk soil shall we?
So we begin with the composition of the soil itself a good starter soil that is
easy to mix is as follows.
• Carbonized rice hull x 1 kilo
• Vermicast x 1 kilo
• Humus x 1 kilo
This is a good place to start for a very basic yet level playing field to plant
in. It is advisable to treat your grounds with IMO to sustain the beneficial
micro-organism activity as discussed before the most of the micro-
organisms in soil are neutral and will follow suit to the prevailing number of
good or bad micro-organisms.

OHN is a great assistant in boosting the immunity of the soil.

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Hybrid Agricultural Empowerment

SOILED PLANS: COMPANION

PLANTING, CROP ROTATION AND
NITROGEN FIXING
Why is it that we lose yield or that we would see our
soil depleted after so many rotations of the same crop?
Why would a farmer lose so much harvest to insects? I
have a one word answer for you…COMPLACENCY!
Firstly, when you rotate your crops after each cycle, even if insects lay
eggs and hatch in great numbers, they wouldn’t survive in any kind of a
threatening number due to transition from host to host. This would be akin
to being one step ahead of the enemy.
We find that yield loss is much greater by the third or fourth rotation of the
same plant, not to mention the nutrition depletion and disease factor in
your soils. So, through proper use of some of the concoctions I have, I will
demonstrate how we can harness the power of nature in our favor.
Let us consider the nutritional impact of destructive and repeated cropping
in the same areas. Say you constantly plant the same shallow rooted plant
for maybe 4 cycles your harvest progressively declines. Let’s not even
consider the insect factor as we’ve already discussed that. How could this
be counter-acted, you may ask?

CROP ROTATION & COMPANION PLANTING

Using a deep rooted plant of a different family should bring nutrition from
the deeper soil to the surface. Soil, just like any living thing, needs to be
enriched to sustain life function. Don’t follow plants like rice with corn as
both are grass family plants, or plant potatoes with tomatoes. Both are
potato family plants. Families of plants and examples of those families for
consideration in crop rotation:

GRASS FAMILY DAISY FAMILY CARROT/PARSLEY LEGUME FAMILY

Rice, corn, sugar cane, Chamomile, chicory, FAMILY Excellent nitrogen
oats, wheat, napier, etc dandelion, endive, Carrots, celery, celeriac, fixers – any bean, peas
globe artichoke, coriander, caraway, dill, and pulses, peanuts,
CABBAGE FAMILY
jerusalem artichoke, fennel, parsley, parsnips cover crops like kudzo,
Bok choy, pecha,
broccoli, brussels salsify, sunflowers, GOURD FAMILY perennial peanut,
sprouts, cabbage, lettuce Cantaloupe, cucumber, alfalfa, clovers, and
cauliflower, kale, BEET FAMILY gourd, kalabasa, vetch, perennial legume
collard, mustard, Beet, spinach, swiss, honeydew, luffa, shrubs such as rensonii,
radish, turnip chard, lamb’s quarters pumpkin, squash, flemingia, madre de
watermelon cacao, ipil-ipil, fire tree
ALLIUM FAMILY POTATO FAMILY
Garlic, leeks, onion, Potatoes, tomatoes,
shallots aubergines, peppers

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 Organic Farming Fundamentals

Jungle in the Mt Lumotan, Misamis Oriental area.

A historical example of destructive cropping came to America during the Nitrogen is

time of the dust bowl (1930s). Farmers had cropped the area out using
cotton so badly that the soil was depleted of nitrogen and most other vital crucial in
nutrients. What wasn’t depleted was overran by insects and other non- sustaining
desirable creatures. agricultural life.
A man named George Washington Carver fostered the idea of rotating one
year cotton to one year of soy, peanut, or other legumous plants. Basically,
what was found to happen was that the over-cropping had destroyed the
soil and depleted it of nitrogen. But through the rotation of the legumous
plants, soy and peanuts, nitrogen was reintroduced to the soil through
the decay of the plants. Through a symbiotic relationship happening in the
roots of these plants called rhyzobium, nitrogen is produced. Carver also
brought out many practical uses for the products created by this rotation to
include food, fuel, medicine, and many other practical staple products many
of us use today.
Good fast growing examples of this principle are mung, mongo, pole
beans, and lentils. You can inter-sow certain crops with the perennial
peanut to supplement that nitrogen fixation as well. This is a very good way
of eliminating non natural inputs and also therefore limiting the chemicals
we not only put into the earth but into ourselves.
Also, for my mountain farmers, we can use this principle as a double-edged
sword, so to speak. Shrubbery like ipil-ipil, rensonii, and flemengia have
3 VERY PRACTICAL USES:
1. The deeper roots bring up nutrients from the depths of
the soil to the surface.
2. A very practical aid in fighting erosion in the mountains
ala S.A.L.T (sloping agriculture land technologies).
3. Many of these plants you can double back and use as feeds
for your animals to supplement protein.

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Book Design, Artwork & Typesetting by Honey Mae. Photos by Patrick Taylor and Honey Mae.
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